{Press} -- LEX 18 News at 12:30 Appearance

It's been a pretty exciting week around, here!  I made my first ever television appearance for a local midday news program.  Speaking in public is not exactly a strength of mine, but I managed to get through it all without passing out, or worse!  Here's a clip of the segment with news anchor, Lee Cruse.

I set up a mini-dessert table, based on my Kentucky Derby party.  Lee Cruse also asked me a lot about what Mirabelle Creations does and how party printables actually work.  I wasn't really expecting that, but it worked out great. 

{There's one of my candy jars in the lower-right corner, just waiting to go on!}

The absolute best part of the day was taking my little assistant, Miss Mira, with me.  She was completely awe struck by the whole process.  Lee Cruse, news anchor Dia Davidson, weatherman Tom Ackerman, and producer Katherine were all gracious and sweet to both of us.   

{A future news anchor?}

After the taping, we went to one of our favorite Lexington lunch spots, The Mousetrap.  We both enjoyed the delicious Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad.  It was a great day!  Having Miss Mira share it with me made it a thousand times more special!

{Recipes} -- Kentucky Derby Cupcakes

 

These delicious cupcakes were inspired by a traditional pie that Kentuckians often make for Derby.  It is similar to a pecan pie, with chocoate added in.  These cupcakes combine pecans, mini chocolate chips and buttery cake.  I used a boxed cake mix for the base, but if you are looking for a recipe from scratch, you can check out this recipe from The Polka Dot Chair, another Kentucky blogger. 

Kentucky Derby Cupcakes

1 box butter cake mix
1 cup of water
1/3 cup melted butter
3 eggs
1 cup of mini chocolate chips
2/3 cup of pecans, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 24 muffin cups with paper muffin liners.

Beat cake mix, water, melted butter, and eggs on medium for 2 minutes.  Stir in chopped mini chocolate chips and pecans.

Spoon batter into muffin cups, using an ice cream scoop.  Bake about 18 - 20 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from muffin tins and cool completely on wire racks before icing cupcakes.

Vanilla/Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 (16 oz.) package powdered sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons milk

Garnish:  Mini Chocolate Chips and Pecan Pieces

Cream together butter and vanilla.  Beat in brown sugar.  Gradually add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar alternately with 1 tablespoon milk, beating on low speed until blended and smooth after each addition.  Top with mini chocolate chips and pecan pieces.

{Recipes} -- Kentucky Bourbon Ball Pops

I made these Bourbon Ball Pops for the 138th Kentucky Derby Party  styled shoot.  For my appearance on LEX 18, I used fun bourbon balls from Karamel Kreations.  If you live in Central Kentucky, Karamel Kreations is a great place for locally produced chocolates.  But, if you aren't located in Central Kentucky, you can still enjoy these great treats at your own Kentucky Derby celebration.   Read below for the recipe and directions.  And, don't forget to download your own FREE Derby Printables, HERE.    

Kentucky Bourbon Ball Pops

1/2 cup of butter, softened

5 tablespoons of good quality Bourbon (I recommend Blanton's or Woodford Reserve)

1 package (16 ounces) powdered sugar

1 package of dark chocolate melting chocolate

24 pecan halves

24 small or medium lollipop sticks

Beat butter, until fluffy.  Add bourbon and powdered sugar to butter, alternately until combined.  Using a small ice cream scoop, make a 3/4"-1" ball.  Roll ball in hand until formed into smooth ball.  Place balls into refrigerator for 1 hour. 

After the balls have refrigerated, melt 1/4 cup of chocolate in microwave, until smooth.  Remove ball from refrigerator and re-roll in hand.  Dip one end of lollipop stick into chocolate, push into ball, about 1/2 -2/3 way into ball.  Place bourbon balls back into the fridge, overnight.

Melt remaining chocolate.  Add 1 tablespoon of shortening into melted chocolate, mix in until fully combined.  Dip entire bourbon ball into chocolate, shake off excess chocolate.  Place ball onto wax paper to cool and harden.  Press pecan half on the top of the bourbon ball, immediately after placing balls on wax paper.  After completely cooled, place bourbon balls in refrigerator, until ready to serve.

Enjoy!



{A Mirabelle Creations Party} -- 138th Kentucky Derby Party

Modern 138th Kentucky Derby Party

There is no bigger day in Kentucky than Derby Day!  All eyes are on my beautiful state that day, that the whole state has prepped for weeks in advance.  No other day am I more proud to be a Kentuckian (although our basketball team winning the National Championship is a VERY close second, this year). 

Even as a child, my favorite moment of the Kentucky Derby has always been crowning the winner with the traditional Rose Garland.  So, when I set out to create a Derby party for a local television appearance, I used the rose as my starting point.  I started with the party printables, which you can download for FREE, HERE, then repeated the rose throughout the table.  See below for all the Rosy party details! 

Party Details

Dessert:

I selected the desserts to fit in with the Kentucky Derby theme.  I first purchased the simple white cake from a local bakery, then adorned it with a pale blue ribbon and a Derby cake bunting.  Every year at Christmas, my mom, like most Kentuckians, would make bourbon balls and I couldn't wait to eat them.  These traditional bourbon balls are updated by being made into Bourbon Ball Pops!  Another traditional dessert is the Derby Pie -- a gooey brown sugar, pecan and dark chocolate treat.  I made Derby Cupcakes, inspired by that delicious pie.  Jockey Silk Sugar Cookies were topped with a small red red (made from a fruit roll-up).  Strawberry Rose Meringues also carried out the rose theme.  Sixlets, Chery Slices and Red Hots were used on the table to give some pops of color.   

Decor: 

The decor started with the red, pale blue and chocolate brown printables.  The printables, with the modern rose graphic, horseshoe and silhouette of Kentucky, set the tone for the design.  I wanted the table to feel classic and clean, with a modern feel.  A simple rose garland, made from crepe paper, was strung across the top of the table.  Red roses were placed in a mint julep cup, a Kentucky decorating staple.  White milk glass hobnail pieces held pale blue Sixlets.  Silver horse frames were used for the Derby signs. 

Vendors:

Printables, Styling, Photography:  Mirabelle Creations  

Cake:  Burkes Bakery

Horse Frames: Maple Tree Gallery 

Jockey Silk Sugar Cookie Cutter: Copper Gifts

{FREE PRINTABLES} -- 138th Kentucky Derby Printables

NOW UPDATED FOR THE 139TH DERBY (2013)

 

Yesterday, my 138th Kentucky Derby Party was featured on Amy Atlas!  You can check out the feature, HERE.  I'm grinning ear to ear to have had the opportunity to be on her fabulous blog, representing the great state of Kentucky in such a fun way!

As a treat to you, I have made all of the printables (and a few extras) from the feature available for FREE download.  Here's hoping that they inspire some of you to host your first ever Kentucky Derby party!  Just click on the link below the picture to download the high resolution PDF file.  Once you are directed to the file download page, just click on the "download" button on the upper right hand corner.  Then, you can print your file on white cardstock or matte photo paper.  Cut out your files and you're ready to go!  And, please send me pictures of your Derby party.  I'd love to see them and even feature them on the blog, after Derby. 



Derby Thank You Tags

Derby Circle Fancy Labels

Derby Party Circles

Derby Cake Bunting

Derby Fancy Labels

Derby Fill In Invitation

Derby Blank Invitation

Derby Drink Flags

       

Derby Candy Bar Wrappers

{GIVEAWAY} -- The Party Wagon's One Year Celebration

One of the best parts about blogging is all the sweet people I have "met".  Lydia, from The Party Wagon, is one of the wonderful ladies I've had the honor of getting to know.  The Party Wagon is turning one this month, and, to celebrate, they are having a FABULOUS Giveaway.  Mirabelle Creations is just one of 25 vendors that are taking part in this Giveaway.  There are enough goodies in this Giveaway for you to host several amazing parties!  So, head on over to The Party Wagon to get entered.  But, HURRY on over -- the Giveaway ends on April 24th at 12:01 a.m! 

{Real Party} -- A Precious Derby Birthday

Next Monday, I am going to be appearing on a local midday news program discussing entertaining ideas for the Kentucky Derby. EEEEK! (I'm just a tad bit nervous about this!)  So, I have spent a lot of time researching and looking at Derby party ideas over the last couple of weeks.  One of my most favorite Derby parties just happens to be from my friend, Leslie of Jar of Vintage Buttons.  I had the pleasure of meeting Leslie this fall and she is just as sweet and adorable as this party!  Leslie created this party last May for her precious daughter's 2nd birthday. Every element was well planned and beautifully executed.  Leslie sent each lucky guest home with an individual Derby inspired pie.  Now that's a party I'd like to attend! 

Party Details, as told by Leslie:

"I knew I wanted soft pinks and grays for the palette and really ran with that. I used a lot of items I already owned and borrowed a lot from my mom. Our silver julep glasses were gifted to my husband and me as a wedding gift, we used my mom's antique beverage cart, our old Shabby Chic quilt from our spare bed, Kate's clothing dresser and borrowed glass jars from a friend's wedding helped to set the scene.

I crafted the cupcake stands from an upside down vase, candle stick holder and candle plate from the Dollar Tree. The milk jars are repurposed from Starbucks jars. Inspiration from Jess at Pen n' Paperflowers on her marvelous homemade lollipops! Individual Derby pies were given to all of the guests as thank yous.

A mint julep station was set up for those brave enough to try them! For those who weren't, we had other beverages, including Kentucky's favorite soft drink, Ale 8.  My mom helped make the most DELICIOUS mini hot browns I've ever had. (The recipe for the hot browns can be found here.)  . . . We also had cut fruit served in waffle cones, beer cheese, country ham and biscuits and even mint julep cupcakes.

For $1, everybody picked a horse name from a hat and the winner took all! The weather was a little cool and cloudy but the sun came out just in time to sing happy birthday and to shine on my old Kentucky home."

{Recipes} - Lemon Raspberry Rose Swirl Cake

I made this pretty in pink ombre cake for my grandmother's 80th birthday.  The directions and recipe for this cake were found on one of my go to baking sites -- Glorious Treats.   I am always looking for beautiful ways to frost a cake and just adored the look of this cake.  It was a big hit!  Even my grandmother exclaimed it was the most beautiful birthday cake anyone had ever made for her birthday.

Lemon Raspberry Rose Swirl Cake (adapted from Glorious Treats)
Ingredients

Cake:

2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 1/2  teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract

2 teaspoons of lemon zest

1 cup canola oil 

1 cup buttermilk

Filling:

Raspberry Jam

Icing:

1 1/2 cups of butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon extract

6 cups of powdered sugar

4-6 tablespoons of milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line the bottom of four 6 inch cake pans with parchment paper.  Grease and flour the cake pans. 

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.  In another bowl, beat eggs about 10 seconds with a mixer.  Add sugar to eggs and beat for about 30 more seconds.  Beat in oil, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon zest.  With electric mix on low, add half of flour mixture and half of buttermilk.  Beat until just combined.  Add the remaining flour and buttermilk until fully combined. 

Separate mixture, equally, into four separate bowls.  Starting with the lightest color pink, add food coloring to get four separate colors.  I used Wilton's Icing Colors in Pink and Rose to achieve the four pink shades. 

Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the cake is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool cakes completely. 

For the icing:  Cream together butter, vanilla extract and lemon extract.  Gradually add 1 cup of powdered sugar alternately with 1 tablespoon of milk, beating on low speed on until blended and smooth after each addition. Separate icing, equally, into separate bowls, with one bowl containing about double the amount of the other three bowls. 

Color the icing by adding food coloring to achieve four shades of pink.  Make sure the bowl with the greatest amount of icing is the lightest color.  You will use the lightest icing to put a crumb coat on your cake, in between the layers and for the top row of roses on the outside of the cake.   

To assemble the cake:  Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam on the top of the darkest layer of cake.  Spread about two tablespoons of icing on top of the jam.  Repeat with each of the layers, from the darkest color to the lightest.  Cover the cake in a thin, crumb coat layer of the light icing.  Put the cake in the freezer or refrigerator for about 15 minutes. 

Cake assembly:  Attach a #21 Wilton tip, or any star shaped tip, to a frosting bag.   Fill the bag with the darkest icing.  Starting about one inch from the bottom of the cake, pipe one rose.  To pipe the rose, start in the center and pipe a swirl, with about one and a half rotations around.  Continue around the bottom of the cake.  Fill in any empty spaces below the roses.  Repeat with each color of icing being a new row of roses.  When you get to the last color, you also want to begin piping roses on the top of the cake.  Fill in any empty spaces with "c" shaped curves. 

Once finished, place the cake in the refrigerator, until ready to serve. 

Enjoy!