Cookie Monster's Cupcakes

Can you imagine eating one of these? Really are they foodstuff? Yes, obviously, they are the best sweet for someone who really loves food. Since the 20th century when they were first created, everybody wanted to eat one, just one. Probably, they are on the list of things to do and taste before you die, aren’t they? Anyway, why wouln't you want to eat such a beautiful delight? I am sure that you will cry after eating them, although, you may regret eating such an amazing dessert. Why should you eat them? Why? They are so cute… The curious thing about these cupcakes is their name! What is the meaning of ‘cupcake’? This name was given before the current bread we have nowadays to prepare muffins were invented, so they prepared these cakes inside a cup, this is the reason why they are called cup-cakes. It was not so difficult to guess! As you can imagine, cupcakes were invented where nowadays the obesity rate is the highest in the world: in the United States of America. Nevertheless, it is not bad to eat just one to give yourself a small treat, for example, when you are having the worst week of your life, and you have to study for your thousands of final exams. 

Plenty of cupcake shops opened and they became famous, for example, Magnolia Bakery. It is one of the most famous bakeries in the United States. Furthermore, it also appeared on the television in SEX AND THE CITY. Certainly, these bakeries are more frequent in the United States; nonetheless, you can have a cupcake anywhere, no matter where you live.
Believe me; making cupcakes is as easy as pie! The most difficult ingredient is to find your creative side, then, put your best apron on and do it!

The first time I tried to make cupcakes, it was a disaster. After spending the whole afternoon making them, when they finally looked perfect and the big moment arrived to taste them, they were dry and hard. They seemed to be incredible, almost the best I had ever seen, but then, when I tasted one, I was disappointed. Although I had to soak them in milk, I ate them all and I promise you they were the greatest cake I had ever eaten, maybe because they were my first creation… In these situations it is when you have to show that you are strong and never give up. Perhaps you’d be successful next time, maybe not, but, you should keep on working hard until you became a perfect cupcake-maker. 

Once you master the technique, you will can even sell them and earn some money. However, I am not sure you will dare to sell them, just like you may not dare to eat them, such awesome creations just made with your hands! It would be a pity to sell your babies! 
For the most adventurous ones, here it is my recipe for preparing my Cookie Monster’s Cupcakes! Exactly the same face and with the same hair! Aren't they lovely? The first step is to make the base of the cupcake, the muffin. You can buy them so you can jump this step, but they will be better if you make them!

The ingredients you need are: 

• 1/3 cups cake flour
• 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cus granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

You must preheat the oven to 350 degrees ºF, while you line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Then, prepare the mixture in a small bowl; sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Later, in a large bowl, beat butter until it looks creamy. Gradually beat in granulated sugar until it is fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time until well-blended; beat in vanilla. Beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, just until it is smooth. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. And finally, bake 18 to 20 minutes. Then, let it cool. Top with frosting.
The last step is to prepare the Cookie Monster topping. The ingredients needed are: 

• Chocolate cupcakes
• 200g butter, softened
• 2 ½ cups icing mixture
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• blue food colouring
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 packet white marshmallows
• 1 tube black writing icing
• 12 chocolate chip cookies (1/2 per Monster with a few to sprinkle)

For the mixture, whip the butter with an electric mixer until it is pale. Later, add in the icing mixture and vanilla until they are evenly mixed. With the mixer running, add in blue food coloring until you get to the Cookie Monster color. Add in the milk and mix until the frosting puffs up. Then, fill a piping bag with a fluted nozzle and pipe on icing and with the writing icing, place black spots on the marshmallows for pupils (place one on each cupcake). Finally, cut cookies in half and place one in the mouth of the monster.

I hope you will try to make them and of course, enjoy them!

Fofuchas

Hi to everybody! In this new post I’m going to talk about curious handmade dolls. They are called “Fofuchas” and they are made in a very easy way.

We all agree that when we are bored at home and we don’t know what to do, we usually take out the phone, use social networks or play videogames. Well, this is not the only opinion. Making handicrafts is another option, a very well one; and here I give you a choice.

The “Fofuchas” are made with EVA of different colours (which is a rubber material), plastic foam balls, sticks, bars of silicone and a gun to deliver it. As you can see, all these materials are not expensive and you can find all of them in a corner shop. There are silhouettes you can find on the Internet to make the shape of the clothes, you use the plastic foam balls to make the head, the body and the feet, and the sticks are needed to make the legs. Everything is stuck together with the silicone. Later, you draw the face. Here I leave you some videos in which the process is very well explained:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb5ZEJQzfqc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A6OB0Vv5bg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDxQSuei0jg

There are plenty of blogs in which these foam dolls are shown. The people want to exhibit their creations, some of them just for fun, however, others sell them. Some are expensive because of the work involved. The best thing is to make them yourselves, don’t you think?

http://todofofuchas.blogspot.com.es/p/fofuchas.html
http://fofuchasdemama.blogspot.com.es/
http://davinia-mispequenascosas.blogspot.com.es/2012/04/moldes-para-hacer-fofuchas-encontrados.html

The most amazing part, is personalizing them, so that they seem like the person it is for. You can characterize them in jobs or with additional accessories. You can make them the size you want, the colours you like… Just let your imagination flow through your hands.

These are some personal creations:

I encourage you to make one, what are you waiting for?

GROOMING DOGS

We all know that dog is man´s best friend; that´s why 39% of Spanish population lives with a dog. Dogs are prety, funny, cute, clever and incredibly loyal animals. But, what about the remaining percentage?

In this 61% we can find people that don´t have pets because they don´t like animals, they can´t afford them, they are allergic, and also other millions of cases. Some people have farms and they own domesticated animals such as pigs, cows, sheep, chickens, and more. These animals produce food and benefits for their owners. Also, at some homes, people prefer to take care of different domestic animals, like cats, fish, tortoises or birds.

However, the weirdest case is that of people that want to have non-domesticated animals at home. Since this idea is very dangerous, they take advantage of their possibilities. This way they obtain what they want in a funny but strange way.

The first step is very simple; they only need to buy the dog they prefer, or the one they can afford. Finally, an specialist (we could also call him artist) transforms their dog into the animal they wanted to have, by painting it, cutting its hair or using some accesories.With thistransformation the dog can become a camel, a panda bear, a horse, or even a‘Ninja Tortoise'.

The results are quite amazing.Here you have some pics...

 

 They are a work of art! Aren´t they? Which one would you choose?