Lisa, it's your birthday...

Happy Birthday, Lisa! Yup, that's The Simpsons (& the late MJ). Yup, you'll be humming that little tune for a while now, my apologies. 


Last week, several friends and I spent our "Service Industry Weekend" (that'd be Monday & Tuesday, to you 9-5ers) in Lincoln, NH. We were there to celebrate my favorite Hot Mess, Lisa. She's impossible to put into words other than to say she's got a heart of gold, the mouth of a trucker & a wheat thin addiction. I was fortunate enough to have this tanned, stiletto junkie enter my life through the restaurant we both worked in, starting in 2007. We arrived Monday afternoon after a 2+ hr car ride in which we caught up, listened to 90's music & gossiped. You know, girl stuff.

I am one of those people that get far more excited about the birthday of a loved one that I do about my own, special day. I love coming up with creative gifts for family/friends. These often come hand in hand with a desserts of some kind and an extremely personalized gift - which can range from a crafty mug, to a personalized version of your favorite board game or rules to a drinking game of your favorite movie/tv show. My craftiness switches into overdrive when it comes to birthdays.

Case in point: Homemade Mini Strawberry Pop-Tarts.

I wish this picture was better. Focus on the back ones.

These went over like gang busters. I saw the original idea here, but heavily adapted it. 


For the crust:

I <3 my Hipstamatic App. I can't fight it and neither should you.

Using two boxes of Jiffy Pie Crust Mix yielded about 30 tarts. I wasn't a saint about reusing the scraps of my cuts - plus, if you work with the dough too much it seems to not work as well. This is my first time using pie crust that isn't pre-made - once my skills are honed I'm confident in that number doubling. Since the original recipie for the filling called for Almond Extract and I wasn't using the recipie for the filling (I took a shortcut and used strawberry preserves) I substituted 1/4tsp per box. Just for a little hint of flavor. Just think of the possibilities! Apple Cinnamon was experimented with too, that might be the next batch.


I rolled out the dough and cut 1 1/2" x 2" rectangles with a pizza cutter.

I understand if you're jealous of my Harriet Carter Catalog ruler, it flippin' rules! Pun intended.

And added some strawberry preserves (about 1/4tsp):

Then used my fingers to press together the edges before taking the fork to 'em. Helped the filling keep from leaking out. I dipped the fork in egg wash before pressing them and brushed them with the wash before slipping them in the oven. 


After two previous trial runs its seems as if 400 degress for 12 minutes was the sweet spot, but it'll vary, sadly all I can say is keep your eye on them. Easier for you than myself, I hope. The oven doesn't have a window and it's a shame. 

For the frosting I used 1cup Confectioners Sugar, 1/4 tsp Strawberry Flavoring, 1/4 tsp Vanilla flavoring & 2 tbl Skim Milk. Drizzle with a spoon (Too bad as writing this is when I recall my squeeze bottle and that IT would have been perfect! Ah, hindsight.)  and once hardened, decorated them a white candy writer. The candy writer is a Duff Goldman (of Charm City Cakes / Ace of Cakes fame) product I picked up at Micheal's, I love it. It was crucial to this endeavor from last summer:

My wonderful friend Susan is a Scrabble/trash talker aficionado. It's 100% accurate to the actual game board, because I'm crazy detail oriented.

The finished product.

The celebrations of our weekend didn't end there. Lisa was also treated to a homemade dinner by our resident Chef Shane Allen, Wheat Thin Encrusted Chicken. It was amazing! WTG SAC! There were multiple on the fly cocktails (Yahoo to having bartenders and wanna be bartenders in your group of friends! Or, as Cash himself would say, Yaaaahhhhhhhhhhooo-ooo-ooo!) There where jello shots, strawberry shortcake ones to be exact (cake vodka & strawberry jello) & a Rice Krispie Treats birthday cake. Another solid winner.

Slowly mix in 1/4cup yellow cake mix into melted marshmallow mix & about 1/2 cup rainbow jimmies.

But, we couldn't just stop there - games are a MUST in our group. 

Bananagrams. I didn't notice the "JOY" until after I snapped the picture, so appropriate. 

Not to mention Apples to Apples, Things, and a personalized Scattegories List. Which, sadly, we didn't get to play, but we will!

If you don't own Scattegories, stop reading. Drive to Target/Walmart. Buy it. NOW! You'll thank me.

It was some of the most fun any of us have had in ages. Good times with good friends in a beautiful mountain town. Lots of laughs, more drinks, singing (RENT's La Vie Boheme, anyone?) and a drinking game to The First Wives Club. What can I say? That's just how we roll. 

Lisa, it's your birthday! Happy Birthday Lisa!

So, how was your weekend? Either the real deal Saturday/Sunday or a made up weekend like our. What was the last movie you made a drinking game for? What's your idea of a fun birthday? I know there are people out there reading...