reindeer cake balls

So, apparently, I shouldn’t quit my day job and become a cake ball decorator.

But, it was sort of fun to make.  Okay, not really.  And probably not worth the payoff.  Nah, it was fun.

I’m obviously deeply conflicted here.  How the hell are you supposed to make the candy coating smooth?  I really truly don’t understand.  These look nothing like the pictures!

Oh well, the kids loved them.   And they grew on me.  They actually didn’t taste half bad.

Reindeer Cake Balls, from Bakerella’s blog, here: http://www.bakerella.com/its-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-christmas/

browned butter cranberry lime muffins

I made these as part of a challenge on a mom-themed internet message board that I frequent.

The dough was really, really dry, which did concern me.  It was more of a stiff cookie dough than a muffin dough, in my muffin inexperienced opinion.  And they only filled maybe 1/2 of the muffin tin, which also worried me.  However, these fears were for nought, as the muffins popped right up when baked.

However… holy sour, batman!  I probably would have macerated the cranberries in some sugar before cooking them like this.  The lime and cranberry combination is a favorite of mine, but I’m also not a hug fan of sour.

Overall, they were really good.  Bobs LOVED them, and ate his and his sister’s.  She took one look at them and said “I don’t like these,” but that’s her new favorite sentence and I saw her nibbling at one discretely.  B said he didn’t mind the tartness.  So maybe it was just me: I wouldn’t be surprised.  But next time I’ll work to mellow the cranberries a bit anyway.

Browned Butter Cranberry Lime Muffins, from Joy the Baker: http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2010/11/browned-butter-cranberry-lime-muffins/#more-3870