Dessert in an egg shell (not all things are as they seem...)

Oh wowza you guys...has it really been this long since I have posted? Forgive me, but this month has just been flying by. I say that every time I leave for a random period of time, don't I?! Well, it is what it is (that is my husbands new favorite saying, and I really despise it, and here I am using it to make excuses).

Anyways I'll get straight to the point of this post which is...have you thought about what you were going to make for Dessert this Easter Sunday! Well search no further because if you like custard, and if you like mango, than you'll really truly like this...I ain't lyin!

Plus, I always love something that plays tricks on your eye. You know those optical illusions (like these or even better these) where it looks like one thing, then all of a sudden it's something else, and your mind is officially blown!

This dessert is sort of like that...where it looks like a cooked egg inside a shell BUT then you taste it and it's actually custard with a mango puree (I know, I know...right?!)

So here's the how to:

(while your cooking your eggs...I made the custard which literally takes about 2 minutes...)

(while the custard was in the fridge, firming up a bit...I made the puree)

^^^ She is totally feelin' it ^^^

INGREDIENTS:
8-10 large eggs

prepare egg shell: preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place a cooling rack over a baking tray. Crack the egg by tapping them with a spoon (or I used a egg pin) right on the pointed end. Barely peel away and pour egg out (reserve two for later use). Wash the shells with warm water and place upside down on the cooking rack. Cook for 20 minutes to sterilize the shells.

custard:

1 cup milk (or heavy cream)

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 tsp. vanilla

***in a small saucepan whisk together milk and sugar. Heat until the milk is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and gradually (while whisking constantly) pour reserved two eggs into the milk. Don't pour to quickly otherwise it'll get clumpy. Return to medium heat and let thicken (until it's a bit bubbly). Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour custard into cooled egg shells and put in fridge to harden.

Mango "yolk"

1 medium mango

2-3 TBS sugar

1/4 tsp. lemon juice

***cut mango in chunks and puree the flesh with sugar and lemon juice. Transfer to a piping bag or a zip block bag (cut the corner). When the custards are firm spoon a tiny bit out to make a little hole for the mango puree to go. Pipe in the mango and return to fridge until your ready to devour them :-).

Happy Easter you all! 

Yellow Sunflower Petals & Bunny Ears...

Last night we had some friends over for dinner and Sage requested cupcakes for dessert. So as I was making them (I used this red velvet cup cake mix which is SO good) I glanced at my vase of semi wilting sunflowers and had an idea. I decided to use it's petals for bunny ears...and sprinkles for the bunny face. Sage couldn't quite get the face/sprinkle part BUT she totally loved the petal part :-).

***on a side note: You know those people who can frost a cupcake so effortlessly and it looks flawless. Yeah, that's NOT me. I've come to terms with the fact that I just can't frost a cupcake beautifully. Ugh, but hey they tasted good and that's what REALLY matters, right?!

Oh and the cream cheese frosting I used is one of my faves:
1 8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 cup butter softened
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 TBS milk

^^^see what I mean?! How do you graceful frosters do it?! :-)

^^^I've created a monster...she was at my feet the entire time while making these :-/

 

Colorful Easter Tassel Garland...makes my heart go pitter patter

My friend showed me a garland she had made for her mantle and my jaw dropped. I fell in love with it...so I decided my mantle needed one just for the Easter holiday! It adds so much color to the room, and I just might NEVER take it down!

So, this weekend while listening to General Conference I had time to cut strips, tie strips and than hang the strips :-). It's funny, when my hands keep busy I am able to listen better.

What you'll need:
- 1/2 yard of eight different fabrics
-5 1/2 feet of upholstery rope (in the uphostery section at Joannes or any fabric store)

Simply cut your 1/2 yards into 2 inch strips, than tie them on to your rope! My friend first hung her rope and then tied her strips. However, I preferred just sitting and doing it on the floor; even though my back may not agree.