Food

How to Make a Candy Cake Tower for Birthdays or Special Events

February 10, 2022

My daughter, Ava, has been allergic to eggs all her life. I remember the first time she tasted scrambled eggs — I was so excited to feed her something new. Little did I know that she would break out in hives immediately following those first few bites. Fast forward 12 years later and my baby girl still can’t eat them. Not even in baked goods. Needless to say, she has never had her own birthday cake. I know, I know… I could’ve given her a vegan option, but she was never interested. Well, this year I took matters into my own hands and made her a cake that I knew she’d love — one made out of candy!

I got the idea of making a candy cake tower after seeing one online at Dylan’s Candy Bar. Being a crafty and creative person, I thought it would be a lot more fun to make my own. Plus, it would give me the opportunity to customize her cake with some of her favorite sweet treats. To say I had a blast shopping and putting her candy cake together would be an understatement!

My hard work and passion paid off — Ava absolutely loved it! In fact, she and her brother MJ couldn’t believe that I made it. They were beyond impressed and in complete awe of the confectionery wonder.

It was such a big hit, I thought I’d share how I made it with you guys. Below, please find the simple step-by-step instructions and materials you’ll need to make your own candy cake tower!

Materials you’ll need:

Candy (all your child’s favorites)
3-piece round cake foams (I purchased mine from Amazon)
Large piece of cardboard
Hot glue gun
1 Paper towel roll
Scissors
Ribbon
“Happy Birthday” cake topper

Instructions:

Step 1: Plug in your hot glue gun.

Step 2: Sort your candy.

Step 3: Cut out a large circular piece of cardboard (Ideally 12-14 inches).

Step 4: Cut one paper towel roll in half (you’ll need two halves or you can use two toilet paper rolls).

Step 5: Glue the large cake foam onto the cardboard.

Step 6: Wrap decorative ribbon around the paper rolls; covering them entirely. Glue the remaining ribbon piece to keep in place.

Step 7: Glue one of the paper rolls onto the largest cake foam.

Step 8: Place the medium size cake foam on top of the paper roll.

Step 9: Glue the other paper roll on top of the medium size cake foam.

Step 10: Place the small size cake foam on top of the paper roll.

Step 11: Start glueing your preferred pieces of candy to the cardboard because this will be used as the decorative base.

Step 12: Affix your candy onto the tower by working your way from bottom to top.

Step 13: Insert lollipops and cake topper into the top cake dummy for an eye-catching centerpiece.

Have you ever made a candy cake? If not, would you?

Category: Arts & Crafts, Featured, Food, Gumbo Mix | 5 Comments

Quinoa Pilaf: This Crowd-Pleasing Side Dish Will Become a Thanksgiving Staple

November 17, 2016

With Thanksgiving just a week away, it’s time to get your classic recipes together and if you’re feeling adventurous, gather up a few new ones too.

Why settle for serving the same familiar fare for what will probably be your family’s biggest feast of the year? Instead, treat them to some delicious new side dishes that will keep them digging in and coming back for seconds. Plus, it’ll give you an excuse to tap into your inner Top Chef.

This year, I’m stepping outside of my cooking comfort zone by preparing a surprisingly satisfying quinoa and dried cranberries dish. While attending Stoneridge Orchards‘ fall tasting last month, I was introduced to the recipe and was blown away by the texture, taste and most of all the simplicity of the dish’s preparation.

Stoneridge Orchards Dried Cranberries available here, $4.19

Lisa Adams, a New York City-based personal chef and blogger, demonstrated how to make the grain-centric meal in just a few steps. The combination of quinoa, dried cranberries, cilantro, pumpkin seeds resulted in a delightfully savory, restaurant-worthy dish—perfect for the vegetarians and vegans at the table.

Who knows? If it’s a success, maybe it’ll become a side dish staple on my Thanksgiving menu!

If you’re feeling inspired, check out the recipe below:

QUINOA CRANBERRY PILAF

(serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups dried quinoa
1/2 cup Stoneridge Orchards dried cranberries
1/4 finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Directions:

Start by bringing the broth to a boil, add dry quinoa and stir to remove clumps.
Bring back to boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir and add a little more broth if it is drying out too quickly. Continue cooking for 5 more minutes.
Remove from heat, and fluff with a fork separating the grains.
Add in remaining ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Tip: If your family prefers different nuts or herbs, they can be swapped out for almonds or pine nuts, basil or dill. If dried cranberries aren’t your fave, cherries, blueberries or even dried peaches will do.

Are you preparing a big Thanksgiving meal or will your family partake in a potluck?

Category: Food, Gumbo Mix, Misc. | 1 Comment

Bringing Brown-Bagging It Back!

January 15, 2009

Shopping is definitely one of my biggest weaknesses and the ongoing, outrageous sales are not helping me in my effort to save. Since I know that I will have a hard time resisting a reasonably priced dress, I have to be smart and cut back spending in other areas. My cutback of choice has been dining out during the week.

For the last few weeks, I’ve been consistently bringing my lunch to work. I prepare my meals for the week on Sunday or simply grab an inexpensive microwavable entrée. Buying pricey lunches can add up quickly. Studies have shown that you can save up to $2000 a year by packing your lunch for work. Plus, by not going out for lunch can eliminate the temptation of stopping in a store to splurge. Looks like being frugal is in fashion!

Do you brown girls brown-bag it? If so, what meals do you usually bring? Please share your easy, inexpensive lunch ideas.

**The winner of the fitness DVDs is T!! Please email me your mailing address. Congrats!

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Category: Food | 28 Comments

Turkey Day Countdown!

November 20, 2008

With Thanksgiving only one week away, it’s time to pull out your tried and true recipes for the festive family feast! I am by no means a great cook, but I will be making my tasty and traditional dish – green bean casserole. I had never tasted the dish or even heard of it prior to a visit to my mother-in-law’s house a few years ago. Every year since then I’ve prepared it for Thanksgiving and so far there are never any leftovers so I must be doing something right!

Click here for the Campbell’s green bean casserole recipe.

What delicious dish(es) are you looking forward to eating next week! Do you help cook Thanksgiving dinner?

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Category: Food | 22 Comments

Rachael Ray in Training?

October 18, 2007

Ever since I moved to New York I’ve realized how much I enjoy cooking. I find chopping fresh vegetables and prepping ingredients to actually be quite soothing. Preparing dinner has become the perfect antidote to having a hard and long day at the office.

Now just because I love to work my magic in the kitchen doesn’t mean that I’m signing up to be a contestant on the next season of Top Chef because I am far from that. In fact, I can’t even get my husband to eat any of my dishes, but that’s another story. So in an attempt to perfect my culinary craft, I’ve started collecting cookbooks.

Every BG should have at least 2 tried and true cookbooks that you can refer to when you want to try whipping up a new dish or find great menu ideas for your next dinner party. You know we BGs love to entertain! So get off the couch or in this case out of your chair and take a visit to your local Borders or Barnes & Noble and start browsing the cookbook section.

Here’s one of my favorites. It’s packed with dozens of tasty and easy recipes.

Available at www.amazon.com for $19.77

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Category: Food | 2 Comments

Celebrity Eats

October 1, 2007

He may have brought sexy back, but Justin Timberlake definitely didn’t bring good-tasting food to his new restaurant, Southern Hospitality. On Friday, my husband and I decided to check out the pop/R&B singer’s southern cuisine eatery on the Upper East Side. We had both heard and read stellar reviews about the restaurant and wanted to see if all the hype was warranted. I wanted to call ahead to make reservations because some of the reviews said that one of the downsides was the long waits and in some cases, being turned away due to the throngs of foodies and celebrity stalkers trying to get into the restaurant.

After finding the number on the web, I called and was told by a less than courteous hostess that they were booked for the evening and were no longer taking reservations. I quickly responded, “Are you booked for 3pm?” She said, “No, because we don’t open until 4pm.” Becoming somewhat annoyed I said, “So, are you booked for 4pm?” She went on to say, “No, because no one’s here that early. If you want to come at that time making a reservation would be unnecessary because the place is virtually empty.” I told her, “If you could please take my name down just in case, I would appreciate it.” She obliged and hung up.

We arrived right at 4pm and she was right; the place was empty. However, that didn’t stop the hostess at the front of the house from asking if I had made reservations. I politely told her that I did and she looked on a piece of paper and said, “Ok, wait at the bar while we get your table ready.” Perplexed, I looked at all of the empty wooden booths and tables which already had silverware and wondered why she had asked us to wait. Determined to have a great time, I tried to overlook her reasoning. As we sat on the bar stools gazing at one of the many flat screen TVs and the photos of soul legends like Aretha Franklin adorning the walls, people started to stroll in as if someone had yelled, “Come on in, we’re open now!”

As I watched a couple who came in after us being seated, I immediately approached the hostess. I guess she could sense my frustration so she quickly grabbed our menus and proceeded to seat us. After surveying the menu while being bombarded by dozens of fruit flies swarming around our wooden and quite uncomfortable booth, our waitress came and took our order. For our appetizer we ordered the southern fried chicken fingers (my hubby is a self-proclaimed chicken finger connoisseur!) Surprisingly, our food came out in a timely manner; too bad it was bland and less than appetizing. Hoping for a miracle at this point, for our main course I ordered the fried catfish and my husband ordered the baby back ribs. I must admit, my food was ok, not great and not catastrophic, just ok. On the other hand, my husband’s ribs were TERRIBLE! They were tough, dry and basically meatless. We agreed that the best thing we had eaten were the hand-cut fries. The pink lemonade was sweet and refreshing, but it just couldn’t make up for the poor-tasting food.

So, to all my fellow BGs, if you’re planning to make a visit to JT’s new hot spot, remember, he might be a great singer, dancer and maybe even actor, but southern cuisine is definitely not his thing. If you don’t take my word for it, check it out yourself and let me know what you think.

Here are some other celebrity-owned eateries throughout the US:

Madre’s Restaurant in Pasadena, California owned by the multi-talented Jennifer Lopez.
www.madresrestaurant.com

The Dolce Group (Dolce Enoteca e Ristorante, Bella, Geisha House) in L.A owned by the hilarious actor, Ashton Kutcher.
www.dolcegroup.com

The Sugar Bar in New York, NY owned by legendary soul-crooners, Ashford & Simpson.
www.sugarbarnyc.com

Café Dupri in Atlanta, Georgia owned by hip-hop artist and producer, Jermaine Dupri.
Phone: (404) 846-2773

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Category: Food | 1 Comment

Healthy Snacking

September 27, 2007

You know that time at work between breakfast and lunch when you just want something to munch on? Instead of walking to the nearest vending machine in your office for one of the dreaded C’s – cookies, cakes, chips or candy, grab a handful of raw almonds. Eating nuts, especially almonds will stave off hunger in between meals. On a weekly basis, I buy a container of raw almonds to eat at my desk for $2 from the nut and fruit stand near my job. These stands are on almost every corner in midtown Manhattan. Even though I have no idea where these street vendors get their produce or nuts, I like the price and the taste so I have no complaints!

If you don’t have a nut and fruit stand vendor near your work, pick some up from your local Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. Be sure to get the natural or roasted kind because they are packed with more nutrients than the salted ones. In fact, the sweet and tasty treat is the most nutrient-dense tree-nut. According to the USDA, one ounce of almonds (about 23) contains 160 calories and only 1 gram of saturated fat. The same handful is also an excellent source of vitamin E and magnesium, a good source of protein and potassium and has no cholesterol.

So the next time you want to binge on junk, consider almonds because they taste great and are healthy.

Blue Diamond is one of the most popular brands for almonds. I get them from Duane Reade drugstores, but I’m sure they’re across the country in stores like Walgreen’s, CVS and supermarkets in your city. They cost about $3 for a can.