Stylist. Photographer. Artist. Graphic Designer. Foodie. Fancy Pants.
All tagged chocolate
Homemade gifts are the best gifts. And, when your holiday gift list includes not only family and friends, but also co-workers, neighbors, teachers, and even the mailman, homemade treats make heartfelt economical gifts that everyone appreciates.
My dad's birthday was today and his very favorite dessert is chocolate chip cookies. So, when I was put to the task to make him a birthday cake, I thought ... why not make a chocolate chip cookie cake? No, not one of those that you pick up at the mall ... I'm talking the essence of a chocolate chip cookie baked into a birthday cake. Behold, a creation of epic dessert proportions.
Lately I have been snacking on pretzels dipped in Nutella. Sweet and salty. A dangerous combination. One afternoon while scraping the bottle of the Nutella jar with the very last pretzel (don't you dare judge me), I had a thought ... a brilliant thought. Why not make Nutella brownies with a pretzel crust? I didn't know just how brilliant this idea was until I made them. And ate them. All.
Among my favorite things about being a kid were the campfires my family built on cool summer evenings. I remember how we would search the yard for the perfect sticks that we would later use to toast fluffy marshmallows. Once their snow-white skins turned golden brown and their insides gooey, we'd sandwich them together with chocolate bars between graham crackers and devour the fire-kissed confections always asking for “s’more.”
Over the weekend I was invited to a "Sip and See" for one of my friends and her brand new baby. What a lovely Southern tradition ... It's like a mini baby shower but instead of swooning over the baby gifts, you get to swoon over the actual baby. Lovely.
I really love to eat batter ... cake batter, pancake batter, cookie dough, I always lick the bowl! So if the dough is the best part of the cookie, why wouldn't you sandwich chocolate chip cookie dough between two chocolate chip cookies? I would. You should.
Lots of summer birthdays lately and of course I always volunteer to make the birthday cake! My best friend Elizabeth's 30th is tomorrow but we celebrated with a surprise party over the weekend. Her favorite dessert is brownies and ice cream so I decided to make her fav into the shape of a birthday cake—a brownie and ice cream layer cake.
What's not to like about S'Mores? Chocolate and warm marshmallow smushed between two graham crackers, usually eaten around a bonfire with good friends. "How do you like your marshmallow?" is the question that always ensues. "Lightly toasted? Charred? On fire?"
Valentine's Day is tomorrow! What are you doing with your significant other for dinner? While it seems like most people like to go out on Valentine's night—I always like to stay in and make a special dinner for my sweetie. There is nothing more romantic than dinner and a bottle of wine at home by the fireplace. Skip the hoopla of a crowded restaurant on a greeting card holiday and make a fresh, healthy meal that tastes as good as it feels special.
Several years ago my mom gave me an adorable cookbook from the London's famed Hummingbird Bakery. While I'm dying to travel across the pond to try their sweet treats in person, the homemade versions will just have to do.
These chocolate eclairs are one of our family's absolute favorite desserts. My mom taught me how to make them (like a lot of the recipes on this blog) and I have to tell you, they take a little practice to make sure they come out perfect. The key? The more you make them, the more you get the hang of the correct consistency of the 3 different batters (dough for the choux pastry, the custard filling and the chocolate icing).
Upon doing my research for my "12 Days of Christmas" blog feature, I quickly found out that a colly bird from the line "4 colly birds" is just a common black bird. Who wants a common black bird for Christmas!? Good thing my true love gives me five golden rings in the next line …
Macaroons are as pretty as they are sweet. I have been looking for years for the perfect ones made here in Nashville with little to no success. FINALLY they have arrived! The Painted Cupcake in Green Hills has started making the most delicious and delightfully beautiful macaroons. Their macaroon baker, Drue Madow, makes them perfectly fluffy with a crisp outer shell and a soft chewy interior (just as it should be). Her flavors change all the time and I still can't decide which is my favorite!
I love the look and taste of cherries! Nothing is cuter than a bowl full of cherries. I received this adorable "Farmer's Market Basket" in aqua from a coworker as a gift and use it constantly! Find it HERE at Anthropologie.
