Author Archives: Better Baking Bible

5 Signs That You are in Need of a Professional Cater

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Are you planning a big event? Here is why there are times when you should hire a professional cater!

Photo: Camille Styles

Planning, organizing and hosting events, no matter the size is a huge task. A long list of to dos awaits the planner and more often than not, not enough sufficient time is allowed before the big day. The lengthy to-do list can make the whole process a taxing ordeal. As caterers, we believe events ought to be fun-filled – both before and on the day.

A significant chunk of planning for an occasion goes to food and you need to have a reasonable estimate of the number of people you expect to come, figure the food you want to avail, prepare the food, serve the food, and clean up once the guests leave. The workload is heavy, but it mustn’t be done any other way.

Many a time you are torn between planning and interior decorating an entire event by yourself or getting some help to ease the pressure on you. While we understand why you may settle for the former, let’s explore the five signs that you need a professional cater to lend you a hand on your next planned event.

1. You are unsure of what to serve            

Still undecided on what you wish to dish out at your occasion? Not sure on preparation or presentation of what you desire to make? With a catering company such as the Art of Catering, the questions mentioned above have straightforward answers. They take you through the process, in great detail, and help you decide what will be presented to your visitors. Whether you opt for something off a menu or have particular requests, they can accommodate them to make your vision come true.

2. You are short on time  

When engaging a catering company, you delegate the planning, cooking, and serving to them, saving you lots of time. Figuring what to cook, shopping at the grocer, cooking, setting up and finally serving food, takes a hell lot of a long time. Bear in mind that when planning an occasion time is of the essence.

3. You are stressed out

As previously mentioned, planning any occasion requires a great deal of time and effort. From the food, cakes, beverages, and interior decorations, a lot of things go into event planning. A professional caterer assists in planning for one of many primary to dos: food. Determining what to serve is no doubt stressful and a professional caterer can ease the anxiety and does the hard work.

4. You are concerned with making a statement

A well-catered event leaves an enduring impression on guests. Great food make an event feel important and organized. Whether it’s an anniversary, birthday party, a reunion or a special day such as a wedding or an important event such as a business meeting, have an onsite cater demonstrates you took the time to make the event extra-special. Attention to detail courtesy of the cater shines through to guests.

5. You can’t settle on a theme  

You may have tons of ideas for your event, but if you are unable to choose between a chic Italian dinner or a backyard barbecue, you may need some assistance in planning your event. When you engage a caterer, you can deliberate the pros and cons of your guests’ likes and dislikes and the specifics of throwing each kind of event.

Eventually, a caterer helps in deciding the theme best suited for your occasion and the food that goes best with the theme.   

5 Ways You can Avoid Cooking around the Holidays

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Relax during the holiday season and forget about having to cook with these 5 ways to avoid cooking during the holidays!

Photo: Roxana Yawgel

The holidays are here with us, and that means a hectic schedule of juggling between work, decorating your home, cleaning your home, and spending time with friends and family. That’s why it makes sense to avoid cooking since it will only drain you of energy, which defeats the whole essence of the holiday season. That’s because the holiday season is best when one is relaxed.  To help you have a happy and relaxed holiday, here are 5 ways you can avoid cooking around the holidays.

Order food ingredients from blue apron

Blue apron is one your best options if you want to avoid cooking around the holidays. That’s because they deliver pre-arranged ingredients. All you have to do is prepare them in a few minutes and you are ready to go. It’s so easy that you can’t compare it to actual cooking where you have to prepare the ingredients yourself. Besides, blue apron pricing is quite favorable for the quality of food that they sell.

Visit your friends

This is probably the easiest way to avoid cooking over the holidays. By scheduling lunch and dinner dates at your friends’ places, you are assured that they will cook for you. You just need to inform them that the whole reason why you are visiting them is so that you can enjoy a meal together since you don’t feel like cooking at your place. It’s quite probable that they will appreciate your company, especially if you have not interacted with them in a while.

Eat out

If you want to avoid cooking around the holidays, then you can schedule your time and eat out. Though this may be a bit expensive, it gives you the flexibility to try out different meals without having to cook. Besides, there are numerous locations where you can eat out, on a budget. This way, you can avoid cooking without negatively affecting your finances.

Order ready food

There are food outlets out there that provide food home delivery service. You can try one of them and avoid the hassle of cooking if you want to go that route. Warm yourself up during the cold winter nights by ordering hot food online. The first one is convenience. The food is brought to your house ready to eat. This way, you can spend maximum time doing the things that make you happy during the holidays such as watching movies, or any other activity that makes you happy.

Invest in a slow cooker

A slow cooker is one of the finest investments you can make if you want to avoid unnecessary cooking over the holidays.   With a slow cooker, you just need to put the food you want in the cooker and you let it cook all through the day.  You can then eat it later in the evening. The greatest thing about the slow cooker is that it gives you time to do the things you love. For instance, you can spend your time with friends and family, or even watch movies, while your food slowly cooks.  It’s a perfect way to avoid the hustles of cooking!

Strawberry, Kiwi, Banana Layer Cake Recipe (Ledeni Vjetar)

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Summer is one of my favorite times of the year, and I like to keep up the spirit all year long! This fresh fruit layer cake is the perfect way to bring in a little summer flair into your home, no matter the season. Stacked on four cake layers, stuffed with fresh fruit and then smothered with cream, what else could you ask for? Not only is this cake really fruity, light, and appealing to look at, it’s also not that difficult to make. 

This cake was created for celebration and get-together I had at home. There is not one person that did not like this cake! It also lasted a few more days and made a delicious breakfast since it’s absolutely huge! When serving, it’s sliced pretty thin since it’s very tall and with each slice you really get a nice hunk of layered flavors that literally just melt in your mouth. That’s one of the reasons this cake makes the perfect choice if you plan on serving a lot of people, it really lasts a while.

If you are wondering where this recipe came from, it’s actually a really old Croatian recipe called “Ledeni Vjetar” which in translation means “freezing wind”. It doesn’t really make much sense, but the cake it delicious so who cares! Check out the recipe below!

*If you would like to share my recipe and photos please provide proper credit and a link back. Thanks!  

BTW: If you missed my other post on 7 Easy Ways to Make Your Kitchen Look Glamorous, be sure to check it out! Filled with photos of beautiful kitchens, brass hardware, rustic chandeliers, and really, really nice countertops.

Strawberry, Kiwi, Banana Layer Cake Recipe (Ledeni Vjetar)

Ingredients:

Cake Layers:
9 egg whites
300 grams of sugar
2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Cream:

9 egg yolks
4 soup spoons of sugar
4 soup spoons of flour
250 mL of milk
3 packages vanilla sugar (or about 4tsp of vanilla extract)
250 grams of unsalted butter
½ L of whipped cream
Sliced bananas
Sliced strawberries
Sliced kiwis
Lemon juice

Directions:

To Make Cake Layers:

Using an electric mixer, whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. Mix in sugar and apple cider vinegar. Prepare a circular cake pan by lining with parchment paper and then greasing. Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 1 hour at 150C (300F) or until golden. Remove from oven, allow to cool, and slice horizontally onto three separate layers.

To Prepare Cream:

1. Using an electric mixer, mix egg yolks with sugar until incorporated. Add in flour and vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract).
2. On medium heat, boil milk and slowly add in the egg yolk mixture and mix while boiling, until thick. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Once cooled, using an electric mixer mix in butter. Set aside.

To Assemble:

1. Put down your first cake layer and evenly distribute a layer of cream on top. Lay down a layer of sliced bananas and sprinkle bananas with lemon juice. Then, distribute a layer of whipped cream over the bananas. Repeat this process with the other cake layers and sliced fruit.
2. Once you have assembled your last cake layer, smooth whipped cream over the whole cake. Sprinkle and decorate with almonds. Place in the fridge to chill, preferably overnight. Enjoy!

Milka Chocolate Nut Cake Recipe

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Are you a chocolate and nut lover? Then this incredibly easy-to-make Milka chocolate cake is for you! Loaded with white chocolate, milk chocolate, and frozen berries, this cake is full of flavour and tastes absolutely delicious! Tempting, addicting, and down-right pretty, the Milka chocolate nut cake is topped with walnuts for an even better crunchier taste!

I made this cake for a birthday party, and honestly was rushing to find an easy-to-make cake recipe that could use store-bought layers. I managed to find the perfect chocolate cream recipe and added mixed frozen berries to add some freshness and flavor. I used chocolate and vanilla store-bought layers from Vincinni as seen below.

If you are unable to find this brand in the store, I am sure there is something similar to this available in your local supermarket.They are soft cake layers that are pre-baked and ready to assemble into a cake. Easy, peasy, and what I love the most: a very quick and fail-proof way to make a cake in a rush!

*If you would like to share my recipe and photos please provide proper credit and a link back. Thanks!

Milka Chocolate Nut Cake

Ingredients:

Cream:

1 L of milk
2 Packages vanilla pudding powder
4 teaspoons cornstarch
3 teaspoons flower
125 g unsalted butter
100 g white Milka chocolate
100 g regular brown milk Milka chocolate

To Garnish:

-Melted milk chocolate. Melt chocolate in a small pot and add a little bit of oil. Mix until smooth.
-Chopped Walnuts

Directions:

To Make Cream:
1. Separate a few tablespoons of milk into a small boil. Mix in powdered pudding, cornstarch, and flour.
2. Bring the rest of the milk to a boil and then add in the separated milk/pudding mix and boil for 10 minutes on medium heat. Set aside to cool.
3. Once your milk/pudding mixture has cooled, add in your butter and mix until incorporated.
4. Separate into two bowls, in one add melted milk chocolate, in the other add melted white chocolate.

To Assemble:
1. Lay down one chocolate cake layer and apply some of the chocolate cream. Then, top with a vanilla cake layer and add all of the vanilla cream. Sprinkle frozen mixed berries onto this layer.
2. Top with another chocolate layer, then the chocolate cream, and finally another vanilla cake layer.

To Garnish:
Pour melted chocolate over the whole cake and decorate with chopped walnuts.

 

The Top 4 Ways to Organize Your Baking Supplies

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Get your baking supplies organized to make your baking experience, easy, fun, and stress free!

Photo: Better Homes and Gardens

Anyone who enjoys baking will know just how much time and money can be spent on this tasty hobby. From an endless amount of topping choices, different case shapes and cutters, hundreds of icing styles and so on, there is a lot to store in one kitchen. You also find that for many people, there is only a small section of the kitchen that can be dedicated to baking supplies, so it’s really important to organise and sort them properly to ensure you have them all ready for your next baking project.

Sort Through Everything

The first thing to do when organising and tidying your baking supplies into one neat space is to check everything. Baking products are often quite frustrating, because you want to stock up on everything, yet you may only use one certain item once or twice within its shelf-life, so you end up having to throw half of the product away.

Go through every baking supply you have, including your tools, and check every sell-by-date, as well as checking to make sure all tools are working and in good shape. If you find yourself throwing items away, then this will help to free up essential storage space, as well as preventing those annoying moments when you reach for the ingredient, to find its out of date and you need to run to the shop!


Photo: Wal-mart

Decide What Goes Where

It’s difficult to know exactly what you want to live where within the kitchen, especially when you have a whole range of different tools and equipment to bake with. Decide exactly what you want to go where, for example, you may want to add some drawer inserts into one set of drawers to keep your knives, wooden spoons and other utensils. You may then decide to have all electrical appliances in one cupboard, trays and pans in another and so on. This will help you to know exactly what is where and you’ll be utilising the space you have really well.

Containers are a Must

Storing certain ingredients can be frustrating, especially when flour and sugar is packed into thin paper bags. By adding all of your ingredients into containers, preferably clear ones, you can keep everything stored safely and neatly, with no worry of any ripped packaging. Having a cupboard filled with clear containers is also ideal for keeping track of how much you have left of each item, as you can see the exact level that the ingredient is at and therefore you will know when you need to go and buy some more. It’s also much easier to stack the containers together, so your cupboards will be much neater and items will be easier to reach.

Photo: HGTV

Keep it Labelled

When you store ingredients in clear containers, it’s pretty easy to identify what’s in each one. The problems do start to occur, however, when you have multiple items that look similar, such as caster sugar and granulated sugar, or sugar and salt. This is why it’s important to label your containers, as this will make the whole baking process much, much easier. It’s also really nice to label everything so that your cupboards are organised and neat, which will make you feel much more on top of the things and together. There are lots of different labels available that you can buy that have wipeable surfaces so you can switch them around whenever needed.

Baking Made Easy With Sun Basket’s Innovative Organic Delivery Service

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Today, there is an abundance of companies that offer food delivery services. Amazon and Blue Apron are definitely two of the most popular. Nevertheless, these firms are limited in several ways. Many consumers desire to bake foods that are equally healthy and delicious. This is where Sun Basket enters the picture. The company is similar to the alternatives, but there a few minor aspects that help to set it apart from the alternatives. What do you need to know about this company and its services? You’ll find out below.

A Wealth Of Convenient Options

While the alternatives are convenient, Sun Basket aims to provide consumers with unique meals to suit their specific dietary preferences. For instance, the company provides clients with vegetarian, gluten free, and paleo options. No matter what type of diet you follow, you’ll easy be able to find something to satisfy your needs with this firm. The recipes are easy to follow, delicious and totally healthy. Whether you’re a lifelong chef or have just gotten started, you’ll have little to no trouble baking up something tasty with Sun Basket.

Makes Baking Easier

Attempting to prepare and bake a four-course meal can be much more difficult than you could ever imagine. With Sun Basket, it is possible to simplify the entire procedure. In fact, the company takes the guesswork out of the equation. According to a delivery review on ReviewingThis, the firm delivers ingredients that have already been pre-measured. Simultaneously, many of the ingredients would be difficult to find at a grocery store. With a little bit of patience, Sun Basket can help you prepare a healthy, delicious meal that satisfies each and every member of the family.

Plus, you’ll be able to avoid making a trip to the grocery store. If you want maximum convenience, you should definitely consider doing business with this company. And finally, consumers are allowed to choose a new recipe each week. This ensures that you’ll never get bored with your dietary options. You’ll always have something new to bake and each meal will be just as delicious as the previous.

Access To Fresh Ingredients

When it comes to healthy, homemade foods, the recipe will consist of fresh whole foods, such as vegetables, fruits, grains, beans and legumes. With food delivery services, you will be able to order these items and have them delivered to your home. If you live in a food desert, you will understand the importance of this service, since you do not have access fresh whole foods. Plus, you should know that the foods are organic and free of GMOs! All animals are grass fed and free of antibiotics and hormones as well.

Environmental Friendly Packaging

For the ecofriendly person, who enjoys preparing and eating homemade foods, you will appreciate the fact that the foods are shipped in environmental friendly packaging. When you toss the packaging in the trash, you will be assured that it will not harm the environment. The sustainable packaging is biodegradable, so it will disintegrate without producing greenhouse gases. These products are key to improving the vitality of natural ecosystems and quality of human life.

Take Note of these Dining Room Ideas with Big Impact

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Turn your dining room into an relaxed escape this summer where you’ll enjoy sweet treats, cake, and lovely meals. Take some tips we’ve learned from the pros to bring some character and charm to this important space!

Photo: Interior God

The dining room is an important place in your home and even though it is meant to be formal, it doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun with your decor! From bright bold hues, to exciting new patterns and textures, the dining room is taking on a dramatic makeover this summer. We’d love you to join us and try out some of these beautiful dining room decorating ideas!

Go Bold with Dark Flooring

The darker the better! It’s all about creating a dramatic dining room these days, and there is no other way to do that than with deep, dark, and rich flooring. We love the look of dark hardwood, but we know it can have it’s consequences. That is why 2017 is all about staying on trend but being practical and durable as well. Waterproof plank flooring is becoming the most popular option in interior design and did I mention it looks gorgeous?


Photo: Coco+Kelley

Here is a closeup of beautiful dark vinyl plank flooring. It’s super affordable compared to real hardwood but thanks to a 3D print design and exact-match texture, it’s pretty much impossible to distinguish from real wood.

Play with Patterns and Textures

It’s always great to experiment and mix up colors, patterns, and textures that you think would normally not go together. It’s time to have some fun with your dining table setup and forget about decorating rules. We adore the look of gold utensils paired with animal prints, colorful geometric patterns, and of course a little greenery. What’s not to love?

To get this wild look at home, it’s all about the layering. Charger plates, dessert plates, soup plates, napkins, napkin rings, candle holders, plants, and beautiful centerpieces work in unison to create a beautiful tablescape. Looking for an easy way to make your dining room look glamorous? This is the way to do it!


Photo: Swoon Worthy

Large Geometric Artwork

Let an oversized geometric modern piece of art take centerstage in your dining room to provide artisan charm in abundance. Think this piece of art is pricey? Think again, it’s super easy to DIY something like this at home! Get out your paint brushes and get creative this weekend by painting a fresh canvas in a lively color palette that matches you dining room’s decor. To make sure your piece of art actually works with your existing decor and ties your space together, take a look at your curtains, furniture, rugs, and pillows. Extract key colors and use them in your artwork to create visual impact.


Photo: My Domaine

Try a BOLD Wallpaper

It’s not easy to design a dining room that makes your guests say “WOW”. That’s why designers are leaning more towards making bold statements on their walls by using abstract and dramatic wallpaper patterns. This black and white spotted wallpaper is far from boring and works wonderfully with this room’s cool character. Having trouble choosing a wallpaper to match your room? Choose a wild print but make it monochrome (black and white). That way, you’ll be sure it will match your furniture and flooring. For a real wow, add a striking red or hot pink LED neon sign. The contrast against the monochrome wallpaper is just stunning. 


Photo: Style Me Pretty

Make Way for Invisible Furniture

Invisible furniture also known as “Ghost” furniture or “Lucite” furntiure is made from acrylic and was very popular back in the day. We know decor trends come and go, but ghost furniture really is a practical and useful thing to have. This dining room is full of color and the carpet just screams for attention making it obvious why ghost furniture would work in this case. It doesn’t cover up the beautiful patterned carpet and it doesn’t compete with the colorful wallpaper!


Photo: Curated Interior