The Wimbledon Championships are being broadcast through July 3rd, so there is still time to pull together a celebration party. The London Candy Company party that I attended earlier this week was actually a combination launch of their Knock-Offs cake line and a celebration of the start of Wimbledon. Since Wimbledon has its origins in England, I really liked the ideas of a British-themed party. Below are five takeaways that can be applied to your own home party.

1. Food: Platters of tasty finger sandwiches were put out for guests to enjoy at their leisure. Along with the hors d’ oeuvres, The London Company’s new “Knock-Offs” cakes were served. (Alice’s Tea Cup also has some great sandwiches and desserts on their menu that you could replicate at home. Their cookbook actually contains the recipes for some of their top sellers.)

2. Drinks: Pimm’s and Lemonade (you can find the standard recipe at www.viewlondon.co.uk), wine, champagne and candy-inspired drinks were served.

3. Entertainment: That is easy – the tennis matches are the entertainment. (If you don’t have a large television, you might want to consider renting one.) You can check the schedule of play at wimbledon.com

4. Parting Gifts: Small bags of British candy sends guests home on a sweet note.

5. Special Touches: You can request that guests where “white dress” in honor of Wimbledon, but definitely don’t require it – especially in New York!

One last thing to consider is the people attending the party. All of the things that I mentioned above can be fabulous, but the party won’t be a lot of fun if you don’t have a great mix of people. I think that was the thing that I liked about The London Candy Company’s party the most. There were a variety of media invited – from mainstream media to bloggers. I also appreciated the fact that I could bring a guest. (It can be intimidating for people to go to a party where the only other person that they know is the host – who is usually busy for most of the party.)

Most importantly, the owner, store manager and employees were very warm and engaging to all of the guests. Howie, the manager, took the time to answer my questions and share fun facts. Lamont, an employee, made me laugh with his various tennis poses and quips (i.e. “I’m the sweetest thing in the store.”) Last of all, I was impressed by the owner. As he talked about his plans for opening another NYC location of the candy shop, he said something to the effect of “If you’re going to do something, you might as well do it all the way.” My sentiments exactly…

At the Butter Lane Cupcake Class that I participated in last week, I was placed with the group who prepared vanilla cupcakes. The thing that I appreciated the most about our teacher Joe was that he started out by saying that cake is one of the easiest things to make – approximately 80% of cake recipes start out the same. I can “do” easy !

I am simply going to go through the Vanilla Cupcakes recipe and share some tips that I picked up from Joe.

VANILLA CUPCAKES
Yields 36 cupcakes (or a three-layer cake)

Ingredients:
½ lb Butter
2 ½ Cups granulated sugar
5 Eggs
Splash of vanilla extract
12 oz of sour cream
1 Tbs baking powder
1 Pinch of salt
3 Cups of cake flour

Directions:
1. Combine butter and sugar in mixing bowl. Mix until sugar and butter forms a cream.

*We used a KitchenAid stand mixer during the class. Joe said that the settings are pretty consistent on most mixers thought. We started off on setting “2” and then turned it up to “4”.

*It is important to thoroughly scrape the sides and bottoms of the mixing bowl with a spatula add the end of each step.

2. Crack eggs into a separate bowl, add a splash of vanilla extract to the eggs, and then add the eggs to the mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed until mixture becomes light and fluffy.

*Some students wanted to know what the measurement equivalent of a “splash” was. Even though Joe insisted that we should not measure it because there was no right or wrong, he finally relented and said that a splash is approximately a tablespoon.

*Add the eggs one at a time with the mixer on setting “2”. Pause 15 seconds between adding each new egg. After all of the eggs have been added, quickly stir off the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to “4” and mix for 30 more seconds before scraping the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.

3. Combine baking powder and salt with flour. Add half of the flour mixture, followed by sour cream, and then add the rest of the flour mixture. Mix until combined, but be careful not to over-mix.

*You want to be careful not to over-mix so that the batter doesn’t turn into dough. To prevent that, don’t turn the mixer setting past “stir” when using a hand mixer. Also, don’t take more than 2 minutes – 1 ½ minutes is usually fine – to complete this entire portion of the recipe. (In order to help with timeliness, pre-measure your ingredients.)

*Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl once everything is combined. Then blend everything for 10 more seconds.

4. Scoop cupcakes and bake for 23 minutes at 300 degrees.

*We used muffin tins with cupcake liners.

*Use a medium scoop (which is equal to 50 mm/3-tablespoons). We used a Vollrath one during the class.

*The trick to scooping is to keep the bottom of the scoop constantly facing up.

*Fold the batter after scooping every 5 to 6 cupcakes. (“Folding” the batter is easy to do, but hard to explain. You basically fold the batter into itself. I know – I’m explaining a phrase by using the word! If you’re still not clear, you can find a better explanation over at cooking.stackexchange.com.)

*The baking instructions are for a convection oven. If you don’t have a convection oven, “buy one” according to Joe. As an alternative, cook the cupcakes in a conventional oven for 30 minutes at 300 degrees.

That’s it. It was pretty easy. On a related note, if you plan on baking cupcakes a lot in the future, you might want to invest in Vollrath scoops and a KitchenAid stand mixer. The mixer is now on my “wish list”!

When I asked my friends on Facebook, what they served for Passover, brisket was the practically unanimous answer! (Chicken and turkey were also mentioned.) As such, I wanted to share a couple f their ideas for both brisket and special Passover sides. Enjoy!

The “best” brisket recipes:

-Monica Storch: She was kind enough to send me “the BEST” brisket recipe. Since I don’t have time to get the permission rights to share it, I’ll just point you to the source. It’s the “Sweet & Sour Brisket” from JOY OF COOKING. I have actually had that cookbook since I have been married. (This brisket is on page 675 in the 1997 printing…)

-Rebecca Levey: She had another “THE BEST!!!” brisket option. Joan Nathan’s Texas style brisket (as served to President Johnson) received her vote. You can find it in Jewish Cooking in America.

Ideas for Passover side dishes:

-Beth Feldman: “We have matzoh ball throw down. Heavy balls vs. Light Balls.” (Beth actually has some great Passover recipes – Chicken Fricassee and Stuffed Cabbage – from her grandmother over at http://www.rolemommy.com/blog/grandma-doras-passover-recipes.php.)

-Julie Meyers Pron: “Light Balls. Sesame Asparagus”

I know that Passover starts later today, so Happy Passover/ Chag Pesach Sameach to all who will be participating. If I left out a staple from your family’s Passover table, please let me know.

I attended a fun press junket for Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules in Manhattan last week. The new movie will be in theaters beginning this Friday (3/25). My blogging friends Dina, Beth, Amy and Jessica were also there. One of the highlights of the day’s schedule was a roundtable that we and Eric did with Jeff Kinney, the author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series and executive producer of the movies. Below are five things that stood out to me about Jeff:

1. The “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series was a happy accident. Jeff was originally working on writing a nostalgic book for adults (in the vein of The Wonder Years or A Christmas Story) where there’s an adult looking back on their childhood. He was working on it for almost eight years until his publisher suggested that the one book would be better written as a children’s series. Thankfully for fans, he accepted his publisher’s input! As he said, “There’s a great Steven Wright line where he says, ‘I wrote a children’s book, but I didn’t do it on purpose.’ And that’s what happened to me, too.”

2. Jeff thinks that books are the best when they feel like ordinary stories. “I think everybody can relate to having a sibling” is one of the reasons that he stated for enjoying writing the “Wimpy Kid” series so much. A lot of his own memories of childhood experiences make up the fabric of the stories, but they end up being a mix of fact and fiction. Now that he has two sons (ages five and eight) he also draws inspiration from them as well. Some of the ideas for the “sweet and misguided in some ways” mom in the books even came from his own wife.

In keeping with that theme, Jeff’s point with Greg’s character is that he’s an ordinary kid…not a perfect one. The humor comes from his human flaws and those of the people around him. Overall, Jeff is proud of what he created.

3. Jeff leads a normal life…for the most part. Jeff claims that his life is very normal. He still has a full-time job as the Creative Director and Executive Producer for Poptropica, a kids’ virtual online world that he created. He gave further proof of the everyday nature of his life by sharing “I’m involved in the Cub Scouts. And I just ride my bike around the cul-de-sac and take my dog’s poop samples into the vet to check for viruses and things like that.” (Yuk!) He admitted that it is different when he is on set and attending events and such for his books and movies though.

4. Jeff is very involved in the “book to movie” process. He was on the set for about 25 of the 45 filming days in Vancouver. He also works closely with the movie animators to integrate the comics into the film. (The comics from the “Wimpy Kids” books are integrated into certain portions of the movie.) As far as casting, he gives input… “meaningful input” according to his contract. In any event, it was obvious that Jeff enjoyed working with the kids in the movie, because they had a fun, natural interaction when they were all together.

5. Jeff has fluid plans for the future. There’s a new “Wimpy Kid” book in his head (and on his iPhone). He has some other ideas floating, but he kind of takes a 10-year rule about things moving forward (sort of like in the book Outliers: The Story of Success). It claims that you need to spend about 10 years on something in order to become an expert at it/make it great.) He would also love to do an animated “Wimpy Kid” special. (I could totally see a holiday themed one. With those parents and kids, it could be like a modern-day “National Lampoon”/everything goes wrong but works our right type special!)

In any event, it was great talking with Jeff. He shared that his ultimate goal is to provide entertainment. An added bonus is that the series has turned many kids on to the idea of being entertained by reading. I would say that Jeff Kinney has reached his goal – with the books (He sent Michael a signed one with birthday well-wishes. I gave it to Michael yesterday for his 7th birthday and he is already two-thirds of the way through it. I have to force him to put it down). Personally, I also think that he met it with this most recent movie offering. I really liked it and my kids are eager to see it too!

What do you think about the “10 year rule” that Jeff mentioned? Are your kids fans of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series?

(Post image courtesy of Fox)

I was talking with one of my close friends last night and she shared about an intensive class that she had just taken on self-discovery. I think that it’s great whenever a practice or teaching helps you to think in new and different ways. I truly think that you can learn something from practically anyone. It was in that same spirit that I agreed to review Power Up Your Brain: The Neuroscience of Enlightenment. (I am a Christian, so I have different convictions than some of the teachings in the book.) However there were several takeaways worth noting…

Let’s start with the areas of agreement. I agree that the mind is powerful – that if you change your mind, then you change your life. Conviction really does lead to action. The authors offer up some interesting scientific insights regarding reprogramming your brain/ mental habits. It was exciting to be reminded that we can create new mental networks even as adults.

I also appreciated the suggested ideas for mental growth. Some were obvious – physical exercise; caloric reduction (30%); DHA (there has been a lot of talk about that lately) and intellectual stimulation (including meditation). Curcumin (which is found in tumeric) was an unexpected recommendation. The authors also talked about therapies for enhanced energy production including hyperbaric oxygen and glutathione, but I’m not that “cutting-edge”.

The neuroscience themes interested me the most. However, the book was not only from a neuroscience angle, but also from a shamanism angle. Unlike the book authors though, I don’t think that enlightenment is really based on biological science. I don’t think that you can remain in a paradisical state by powering up your brain. (Different religions call this state different names. Christians call it heaven.)

The second portion of the book focused on shamanism. The shaman’s gift (Light Body, The Great Perfection, etc.), shamanic exercises and such. Although that section did not appeal to me personally overall, there were a couple of tidbits that I appreciated. I liked the Hippocrates quote in the fasting section: “Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.” I also took note of the “radical forgiveness” shamanic exercise. Forgiveness is a good practice for all of us!

Anyway, the book ends with a five week program. Although I won’t be following it, I looked through the different components. Each week has diet, fasting, dietary supplements, physical exercise, shamanic exercise, meditation and relationship guidelines. I will be putting into practice one of the ongoing relationship suggestions: “Cultivate relationships with people who uplift and inspire you.”

In any event, I’m going to be passing the review copy of the book on to my friend for her to pick and choose which aspects of it fit her life. If shamanism and/or neuroscience are topics that intrigue you, then take a peek at Power Up Your Brain: The Neuroscience of Enlightenment. (If you do, let me know what you think!) Meanhwile, you can see a brief clip from one of the co-authors Dr. David Perlmutter below:

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I participated in a conference call with Bethenny Frankel earlier this week. I’m interested to see how the new season of her BRAVO show “Bethenny Ever After…” turns out. Yesterday, I covered her family relationships along with the deal on the “international weight loss scandal”. Today, I will share Bethenny (and Jason’s!) take on reality television; her thoughts on her fans and daily life; and (my favorite) Bethenny’s cooking tips.

Bethenny and Jason’s take on the various reality show seasons

Bethenny really didn’t know how difficult it would be. Filling an hour of television, camera crew logistics, and finding the balance between being honest/giving the audience everything and wanting hew own alone time were specific challenges that were mentioned. As she said, “I just hate when you watch these shows and, you know, someone’s, like, broken up with their boyfriend and you see them laying there in full makeup pretending that they’re sad.” (I agree!)

Jason really didn’t like the Housewives show and Bethenny is very clear that they would not have been able to stay on that particular show together. “He’s like – I don’t like these women. I don’t like what this represents. It’s nonsense and it’s just catty.” (Obviously, I agree with Jason.) What I found the most refreshing on this topic was that Bethenny has her priorities on straight. She was adamant that she would no longer do their current reality show if she and Jason became unhappy/there were problems as a result of it.

Bethenny talks about her fans

She thinks that her new show, BRAVO show “Bethenny Ever After…”, sends a great message to women. She values the strong relationship that she has developed with her fans and feels responsible to them to be open and honest as well as “own” her life. (Good for her!)

Bethenny’s daily life

She thinks that it’s pretty normal/only glamorous if she has to do something glamorous for work. As she said, “I’m not running around at Fashion Week or doing anything. I’m, you know, hanging with my family.” As a self-described perfectionist, Bethenny claims that she gives 100% to her husband, baby, dog and work. That doesn’t leave her with a lot of time for a social life. Right now, most of her social outings are usually for work. She’s not complaining though, because she enjoys going out and doing interesting things (like speaking to women on her tour). “I don’t like leaving the house. I like being home with the baby,” she said…spoken just like a new mom!

Bethenny’s cooking tips

She shared that everything from her book, The Skinnygirl Dish: Easy Recipes for Your Naturally Thin Life, is budget friendly because the ingredients are items that are already in your refrigerator. Every night, she makes what they call a “use-what-you-have” recipe. Basically, it’s using what you already have in your own refrigerator and only adding to it if needed. That’s basically the way that she cooks. (She gave the example of taking some frozen spinach, feta cheese and ground turkey in order to make a turkey spinach meatloaf. She also had a thing of mushrooms that she didn’t want to go bad and whole wheat pasta in the cabinet…so she used that to round out the meal.) Bethenny also posts recipes on her website at www.bethenny.com/food.

This was my favorite part of the call. I actually took her words to heart. I remembered that I had a thing of spinach that I needed to use up so I cooked my easy meatloaf recipe – and just added some spinach, fresh garlic and parmesan. It turned out really great. Michael and Reggie really enjoyed it. (Sean even ate a little bit of it.) I would have never thought of that combination if I had not been on the call, so thanks Bethenny!

In any event, I found the time that I spent on the call with Bethenny Frankel to be time well spent. I look forward to seeing the season premiere of “Bethenny Ever After…”. Let me know if you will you be watching, so that we can compare notes!

(Image: By Bravo)

I participated in a conference call with Bethenny Frankel earlier this week. I must admit that when I was invited to join in, I had to turn to Facebook to see if my friends and readers would be interested. I watch very little television and even less reality television. I don’t especially like the various “Housewives” – except the Atlanta version, which is kind of like an entertaining train wreck…if there is such a thing. Anyway, since so many of my friends thought that Bethenny was great, I became intrigued. After the call, I can see her appeal…she comes off as friendly, real and down-to-earth. I liked what I heard. I’m interested to see how the new season of her BRAVO show “Bethenny Ever After…” turns out. It will focus on her juggling finding time for her family (including her new husband and new baby), work and social calendar. I will be tuning in for the premiere on February 28th at 10pm, so let’s compare notes. Meanwhile, there was a lot of information covered on the call, so I will break it up into two posts. Today, I will cover her family relationships along with the deal on the “international weight loss scandal” (her words) that she had.

Bethenny’s relationship with her husband Jason

After having a baby and getting married (“big crescendos”), they are in the thick of the first year of marriage. It’s hard because they are from such different worlds. However, they are learning to come together, which she talks about in her book, A Place of Yes: 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want Out of Life. The upcoming show will address some of their differences. (He is from a small town his entire life; Catholic and religious and likes his parents to be around all of the time. By contrast, Bethenny has lived in dozens of places; practices yoga; and likes to be alone a lot – because her life is so public.) Overall though, they are doing well and make an effort to keep the spark alive. They do so by going on a date night once a week where they switch off choosing a surprise place to go. Bethenny made me laugh as she said, “We usually pick some hip place so we can feel like we’re still cool. And, you know, then you get some and that’s how we keep the spark alive.”

Bethenny’s relationship with her baby daughter, Bryn

Both she and Jason wanted the baby very badly. As older parents, they especially appreciate having Bryn. (In fact, Bryn was with her during the call making those cute baby sounds.) Bethenny sounded like the typical proud first-time mom as she talked about her daughter: “She doesn’t really cry or get upset about anything. She’s just a really easy, good baby. She’s a pleasure. I’ll be tough but we’re best friends. She’s definitely a mommy’s girl. Oh my God, she’s great. She says momma and her second word I think is going to be Cookie. And she has two teeth. And she’s just fun and sweet. And she’s starting to crawl. She can go in reverse. She’s trying to figure out how to go in forward. She can downshift.”, etc., etc. The only challenge that Bethenny acknowledged was breast feeding, which was “really hard” for her. Overall though, she summed up having kids by saying, “It’s the most beautiful thing in the world.”

Bethenny’s thoughts regarding losing weight after the baby

Bethenny defended herself against critics (of her losing the baby weight so quickly) by declaring, “I’m not supposed to keep my baby weight on because I’m supposed to make people feel better and I’m not supposed to lose it because I’m supposed to show anybody how it’s done. I did what I do.” She didn’t treat pregnancy like a complete free-for-all binge. She gained 35 pounds by the time she gave birth. After having a C-section, she wasn’t allowed to eat for days until she passed gas. (I don’t know about that one. That’s new to me. None of my friends who have had c-sections ever mentioned that!) She lost weight while staying in the hospital for six days. Then, she went back to her normal routine, not a crash diet. “I was just like, healthy before, during, and after. And I think it’s a great message to say to people, you don’t have to get all wound up about it. You don’t have to binge while you’re pregnant and you don’t have to crash diet when you’re not.” (I agree!)

That’s it for this part. I will share the second portion of the interview tomorrow. In it, I will share Bethenny’s thoughts about her reality show experiences, fans and her social life…along with some great cooking advice that she gave us.

Do you watch Bethenny on television or any of the “Housewives” shows? What do you think about her/them?

(Image: By Bravo)

In the past, I have written about my love for Alice’s Tea Cup, one of my very favorite afternoon tea places in New York City. Last month, I shared a recipe for Vegan German Chocolate Cake published in their recent cookbook, Alice’s Tea Cup: Delectable Recipes for Scones, Cakes, Sandwiches, and More from New York’s Most Whimsical Tea Spot , on this post. Now, I’m excited to share the recipe for my (and my husband’s) favorite dish on the Alice’s Tea Cup menu: their Curried Chicken salad sandwich.

Curried Chicken Sandwich
{Makes 1 sandwich}

½ cup Curried Chicken Salad (recipe follows)
2 slices whole- wheat bread
4 tomato slices
1 handful mixed field greens

This creamy, chunky, tangy, zesty sandwich was a late addition but quickly topped our lists. Place the chicken salad on 1 piece of bread, layer the tomatoes on top, and pile the mixed greens on top of that. Top it off with the other piece of bread. Cut the sandwich on the diagonal and serve! (For tea sandwiches, slice the sandwich into 3 strips, removing the crusts if desired.)

Curried chicken salad
{Makes 4 to 6 sandwich servings }

4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons curry powder
¼ cup apricot jam
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup mayonnaise (we prefer Hellmann’s)
¼ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup finely chopped red onion (about ½ medium onion)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Our secret ingredient? Apricot jam for a touch of sweetness. For a great low- carb option, serve a scoop of the chicken salad over a bed of greens.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°f.

2. Rub the chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon of the curry powder, place them on a baking sheet, and roast until a meat thermometer registers 160°f in the thickest part, about 20 minutes. Let the chicken cool.

3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon curry powder with the apricot jam, sour cream, and mayonnaise.

4. When the chicken is cool, cut it into ½- inch cubes. Add the chicken, celery, and onion to the bowl and stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Any unused curried chicken can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.)

I am so happy that Alice’s was willing to share their recipe. This is really one of my favorite sandwiches of all time. You will love it! If you try the recipe, please let me know if you agree with my opinion.

(Post Image: By Alice’s Tea Cup

My regular readers know how much I love having afternoon tea at local restaurants. That is why Alice’s Tea Cup – which has a playful feel , delicious food and a great variety of teas – is one of my very favorite places in New York City. Earlier today, I was browsing around the cookbook section of a local book store when I realized that the restaurant had published a cookbook, Alice’s Tea Cup: Delectable Recipes for Scones, Cakes, Sandwiches, and More from New York’s Most Whimsical Tea Spot , back in October 2010.

As I looked through the “Table of Contents”, I noticed that the recipe for my (and my husband’s) favorite sandwich, the Curried Chicken Salad sandwich from Alice’s Tea Cup, was in there. (Yes!) Also, a Vegan German Chocolate Cake recipe stuck out to me, because several of my friends are now vegan and I know that a lot of people overall are starting to adopt that food lifestyle. As soon as I came home, I emailed Morrow Cookbooks and asked for permission to share both recipes with you…and they said, “yes”. I’m not vegan, so I’m not going to attempt to make the cake. I have read great reviews about it though, so I am going to share it with you below. I think that it would make a great Valentine’s Day cake for vegans. (I will make the curried chicken salad for my Valentine on another post…)

Vegan German Chocolate Cake
recipe courtesy of Morrow Cookbooks/HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS
{makes one 8-inch 2-layer cake}

Cake
3½ cups all- purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups soy milk

1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder(we recommend Hershey’s)

1 cup canola oil

3 cups real maple syrup

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Coconut- Pecan Frosting
½ cup soy milk

¼ cup cornstarch

1 pinch kosher salt

2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar

1½ cups coconut milk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 cups sweetened shredded coconut

1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Vegan Chocolate Ganache
½ cup soy milk

8 ounces unsweetened chocolate

¼ cup real maple syrup

Even the most passionate German chocolate cake lover will love this rich, dark vegan treat. It’s sweetened mostly with maple syrup and loaded with dark chocolate. You won’t miss the dairy at all, we promise. . . .

1. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350°f. Have ready two 8- inch round nonstick cake pans.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Heat the soy milk in a small saucepan to slightly bubbling, and then add the cocoa powder. Remove from the heat and whisk well.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the oil, maple syrup, vinegar, and vanilla. Whisk well. Pour in the soy milk–cocoa mixture, and whisk until smooth.

5. Using a mixer or by hand, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is smooth.

6. Pour the batter evenly into the two cake pans, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean. Set the cake aside to cool thoroughly.

7. To make the coconut- pecan frosting, whisk the soy milk, cornstarch, and salt together in a small bowl.

8. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the brown sugar in the coconut milk. Cook, whisking, until the mixture comes to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

9. With the mixture on the stove still over low heat, pour in the soy milk mixture and stir continuously until the mixture is very thick and smooth. Remove from the heat and beat in the vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Cool before using.

10. To make the chocolate ganache, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, and stir continuously until the glaze is smooth. Remove from the heat, stir for another 2 minutes, and then cool to room temperature.

11. To build the cake, place 1 cake layer on a cake plate or stand, and spread a layer of the coconut- pecan frosting over the top (but not the sides). Place the second layer on top of the first, and spread a very hearty layer of the frosting over the top. Using an offset spatula, ice the sides of the cake with a thick layer of ganache. Then warm about ¼ cup of the ganache in a small saucepan, or in a micro wave oven, and drizzle it across the top of the cake (or use a pastry bag to pipe it).

I hope that you enjoy this recipe. If you make the cake, please come back and let me know how it turns out. Meanwhile, there are a variety of other wonderful recipes (the majority are not vegan) for scones, desserts, sandwiches and more in Alice’s Tea Cup: Delectable Recipes for Scones, Cakes, Sandwiches, and More from New York’s Most Whimsical Tea Spot .

Related Post: Images from Alice’s Tea Cup II in NYC
(Post Image: By stu_spivack)

With school and karate lessons, my little gamer boy Michael has not had a lot of time to play video games the last few months. He happily made up for the lost time this last week while he has been sick during school break. Besides the LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 game which he received for Christmas from an aunt, he has also been playing a few Wii games from Disney Interactive Studios that I was sent to review after a Disney Holiday event. Of course, Michael’s adoring little brother Sean is right at his side. Overall, Epic Mickey is the current favorite in our home.

Disney Epic Mickey

Using past and present iconic Mickeys, this game is a hit. At the Disney event, I literally had to pull Michael away from the game. Although the game is rated “E”, my initial concern (from the media images) was that the game would be too “dark” for young kids. Fortunately, it is not. The kids and my husband all enjoyed it. Michael’s summary: “I like it because Epic Mickey goes to all of these places. He goes through portals to get there and he meets bad guys and fights them with his brush. He erases the bad guys or makes them his friend by using blue paint and then they will fight on Mickey’s team. Also, Oswald is Mickey’s half brother.” Sean: “I like it because the brush takes paint out.” Oh well, that’s what impressed a 6 and 3 year old…

Cars Toon: Mater’s Tall Tales

While Epic Mickey was Michael’s favorite, Mater’s Tall Tales was Sean’s top pick. This game is probably better for the very youngest gamers. (It wasn’t challenging enough for Michael who had “no comment” regarding this game.) Sean’s input:”I like Mater’s Tall Tales because I like doing his adventures.” Okay… In any event, this car game is based on Disney/Pixar’s “Car Toons”. It is an easy, fun family game (up to four players can compete to be the family daredevil).

Disney Tangled

Around Thanksgiving, Reggie treated the boys to see Tangled in the movie theater while I spent time with my mom. They all loved it. (I still need to go and see it!) So, it is no small wonder that they really like this video game that is inspired by the movie. Michael’s take: “It’s good. They have all of these superpowers. Flynn Rider has a sword. Rapunzel has magic hair. People should get it because it’s a cool game.” I played the game with Michael once. It was funny to me that he wanted to be the girl, because she was leading the way. Michael was being a bit impatient as he was telling me how to follow his lead while we were playing. “You’re a bossy girl!” Sean exclaimed. I giggled as I agreed…he was! In any event, this was another fun, family pick.

Did your kids get any video games during the holiday season? If so, what were their favorites?