Sunday, December 30, 2012

Rummy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Eggnog Icing


Hello everyone!  Hope everyone has had a happy holiday season so far! I've been quiet lately because of how busy I have been, not because I have not been baking.  I've been running around too much the last month and a half, destroying gingerbread men cookies, going to Christmas plays, playing dress up, drinking birthday hot chocolate, eating tamales I made myself, having tea with the girls, shooting bows, destroying more gingerbread men, drinking too much wine, really just enjoying this season.  

But I've baked ALL the cookies.  Lots and lots of cookies.  To give away in mugs for Christmas, to bring to events, to make for "the blog" but then eat them all myself with a cup of tea without even taking pictures of them first...  

Lucky for you I took pictures of these!  (Thank you rain for staying away today.)  Just in time for you to whip some up tomorrow for your New Year's Eve parties.   Or for because it's Monday.  Or Tuesday.  Or any day. Or have left over egg nog and rum in the fridge.  Which is why I made these earlier today.  They are all wrapped up, waiting for tomorrow's New Year's Eve bash.  



Actually, I wanted to make more oatmeal raisin cookies because believe it or not, they're my favorite cookies.  I finally found a recipe (and by found I mean I combined like 5 to make one that sounded good) that pleased me, but those cookies I made last week and are super long gone.  So i wanted more.  But I felt that i would need to add something more to make them appropriate for New Years -- it does signify the end of the holiday season after all. I was debating on maybe adding a glaze on top while looking in the fridge for brekkie this morning and I saw a carton of eggnog.  Lightbulb moment.  

The eggnog, by the way, was also next to the rum... so I soaked the raisins in rum while I ran my morning errands.  By the afternoon, these were baked, photographed, instagrammed, and packaged up. 


Rummy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 
Makes 18, Bake at 350* for 10 minutes.

7/8 c. flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 c oats
1/3 c rummy raisins (soak raisins in rum for 1-3 hours)

Directions:
1. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. Cream butter and sugar together in a stand mixer.
3. Add in vanilla extract and egg and beat until fully incorporated.
4. Add in flour mixture to batter.
5. Fold in oats, and then raisins. (Note: the rummy raisins will make the dough a little wetter than most dough, refrigerate if you have the time.)
5. Scoop out dough balls onto parchment lined cookie sheets and bake until edges are brown.
6. Let set on cookie sheet for 1-3 minutes and then place on cooling rack.


Eggnog Glaze
1/4 c. eggnog
1 tbsp rum
1 tbsp melted butter
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together butter, rum and egg nog.
2. Add in powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. Can adjust the amount of sugar up or down, depending on taste and consistency.
3. Add in nutmeg.
4. Once cookies are completely cool, spoon onto top of cookies as desired and let icing harden completely before storing.


Or eating. Cuz now that you've made them you must certainly eat one.


The glaze really tastes like eggnog.  The raisins are extra plump and not dried out at all.


Yes, most of the alcohol in the raisins are baked out but they retain that light alcohol-y essence that we boozehouds love.


2012 has finally brought me some much needed sanity and a greater appreciation of life, true friendships and strangely even myself.  May 2013 bring beautiful things to this already very blessed girl, and to all of you as well.

Happy New Year.

xoxo,
Anna



Monday, December 3, 2012

Gingerbread Man S'mores


I am having a bit of an issue.  I am obsessed with gingerbread men. I am not sure why but I just spent the last 30 minutes Googling "pink gingerbread pajamas" but I did.  No luck so far.  I will have to make do with these little guys instead.  He is a Gingerbread Man S'mores Cupcake.  You can make these Gingerbread S'mores without the cute little face, arms and buttons... you know in case you want to be an adult about it.  But make at least one.  Just so you can eat him. *Chomp.

I made these cupcakes for a friend's Thanksgiving dinner.  Pumpkin might have been more in line with the event but it was December 1st, I just made pumpkin cupcakes and I wanted gingerbread! And chocolate.  Together.  And why not add a really key ingredient....



Yup. Marshmallow fluff.  Do you know what that makes when it's on top of a cinnamon graham cracker crust??  GINGERBREAD S'MORES.


Cinnamon Graham Cracker Crust 
12 cinnamon graham crackers
1/4 c butter

Directions:
1. Crush up graham crackers.
2. Melt butter and add to graham cracker crumbs, add just enough to make workable.
3. Add one tablespoon of crumbs to the bottom of a lined cupcake tin and press down.
4. Bake in oven at 350* for 3.5 minutes and set aside to let cool.


Gingerbread Cupcakes
Bake at 350* for 20 minutes. Makes 24.

2 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 brown sugar
1/4 c sugar
1/2 c oil
2/3 unsulphured molasses
2 eggs
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup boiling water

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg togther.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat sugars, oil and molasses together, and add in eggs one by one.
3. In a cup or third bowl, add baking soda to boiling water.
4. Add in the flour mixture and the water in alternating additions to the sugar mixture.  Beat until fully incorporated.
5. Scoop batter into lined cupcakes, over baked graham crust.
6. Bake and core center of cupcakes.  Keep cupcake middle if you'd like to use crumbs to garnish cupcakes.


Chocolate Ganache

4 oz. heavy cream
4 oz. good dark chocolate

Directions:
1. Warm cream in a saucepan until hot, but do not let boil.
2. Pour cream over chopped chocolate and stir with whisk until smooth.
3. Once cool enough to handle, fill cored cupcakes with chocolate.


Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting
Makes enough to generously frost 24 cupcakes.
(If frosting cupcakes like gingerbread men, make half this recipe.)

1 jar marshmallow fluff
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 oz cream cheese
4 tsp cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Cream butter and cream cheese.
2. Add in marshmallow fluff and cream on medium until fluffy.
3. Add in powdered sugar by the cupful.
4. Add in cocoa powder -- add enough to color the frosting brown.
5. Frost cupcakes.  If you want to make them into gingerbread, frost with a spatula and garnish with decorations below.  If you want more adult cupcakes, frost with a tip and sprinkle gingerbread crumbs on top.



Decoration

Royal Chocolate flavored mini marshmallows
Red M&Ms
Chocolate Chips
Toothpicks



Assembly:
1. Attach four marshmallow arms and legs to cupcake with toothpicks.
2. Put two red M&Ms in center of cupcake.
3. Melt chocolate chips or melts and put in a ziplock bag, cut end off and pipe smiles and eyes onto parchment paper and let harden in freezer for 5 minutes.
4. On a separate cupcake places two chocolate eyes and one smile on top of the cupcake.  Place upside down to avoid any ridges.
5. Either join the two cupcakes with a toothpick, or just side by side.  You don't have to eat both.




I bought two kinds of marshmallows for this project.  Okay, I lie.  I bought three -- two different packages of marshmallows in two shades of brown and one package of ice cream marshmallows because they are in the shape of ice cream cones and I like buying cute things I don't need, especially when I get to eat them in hot chocolate. I found the Royal Chocolate ones at Target.  Matched almost perfect to the frosting!


Let's be honest.  These little guys are freaking adorable.  Just look at his little marshmallow arms and legs! Don't you want to rip them off one by one and eat them?


No?  Just me?  How about picking off his eyes and smile and eating those?


Funny how I have no problem committing Gingerbread Man genocide, but I couldn't with last year's penguins?

Just in case for some reason you DO have a problem with that, then don't make them into adorable gingery men.  Make them look fancy with a pile of frosting and crumbs.  They'll still taste awesome.




Some small sides notes here before I end this post though.  Do you see it's yummy insides?  Imagine all of that in someones mouth. At one time.  Because that's what my friends Leo  did and he almost choked on it trying to swallow the graham crackers.   There was true pain in his face.  But poor Val might have been worse off.  So word to the wise, don't use these for Cupcake Eating Contests.

Use them for normal consumption, or better yet you can do what pandippo did the next morning; she popped him in the microwave and melted his face off. It looks disgusting, yes, but at least it's all melted together like a true s'mores!!! Melted Gingerbread Man S'mores Cupcakes.  It's how she keeps her girlish figure.

xoxo,
Anna


Thursday, November 29, 2012

Lemon Curd Filled Blackberry Cupcakes


I almost forgot to post about these!  The holiday baking and planning has consumed all other thoughts.  Surprising though, seeing as how I was SO obsessed with how the color on these cupcakes came out.  Obsessed.  They are such a rich, deep shade of  purple/blue that you'd be SURE that there was food coloring involved in the batter. I mean the batter looks dyed right?


But I assure you that there was none.  Just perfectly ripe blackberries that made perfectly plump cupcakes.


That were immediately cored.


And filled with yummyness.  Oh, and the contrast between the blue of the berries and the yellow of the lemon curd?  So pretty.


These were part of the dessert table I blogged about two weeks ago.  Because of the unique color, people actually thought they were chocolate unless they took the time to read the signs. (The adorable signs made my pandippo that you can still download here.)


I used purple polka dotted liners to match the theme and they were placed on top of bright blue jelly bellys.


The recipe I used was a modification of the Lemon Blueberry cupcakes that I made a few months ago.  Birthday Girl had gotten to eat those, and requested the same for her party.  Unfortunately, blueberries are out of season and were nowhere to be found.  So I made do.  Although similar, the taste of the two is very distinct.  Give them both a try, I say.  :)



Blackberry Sauce

1 conatiner washed blackberries
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons water

Directions:
1. Take blackberries and place them in a saucepan with sugar and water over medium heat.
2.  Stir blackberries occasionally to prevent from sticking to pan, with a potato masher, mash berries until mixture starts becoming a sauce.    
3. Puree blueberries in blender.
4. Strain to remove large pieces and set aside to cool. 


Blackberry Cupcakes
makes 12, bake at 375* for 18 minutes

3/4 c flour
3/4 c sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter 
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup blackberry sauce
1.5/4 c buttermilk

Directions: 
1. Beat together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a stand mixer.
2. In a separate bowl combine both flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a third bowl or cup combine sauce and buttermilk.
4. Add flour mixture and sauce mixture to the butter/eggs mixture in five additions, alternating between the two, starting and ending with flour.
5.  Scoop batter into your muffin pan and bake.
6. Core cupcakes and fill with lemon curd (see below)

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick butter
1 cream cheese brick
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions:
1. Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy and smooth.
2. Add lemon zest.
3. Add 1/2 a tablespoon lemon juice.  Add 1/2 a cup powdered sugar.  Alternate the two until you get the desired consistency and flavor.

Lemon Curd recipe can be found in this post here.



xoxo,
Anna




Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies



It's officially Christmas season.  You may now put antlers and red noses on the outside of your cars.  It's acceptable now, promise.  Are you getting ready for any cookie exchanges?  Cuz if so, I've got some easy peasy, super yummy  must haves for you. It combines two of the best things in this world. Gingerbread and chocolate.  In case you are not aware of this yet, I am definitely off the pumpkin band wagon and riding inside the gingerbread wagon.  This wagon is better because it's made out of freshly baked cookies you can eat on your way.  Obviously.

I made these a few days ago to test out the recipe before I make them for this year's batch of Holiday cookies.  I say they're a winner because I will definitely be remaking them.  Last year I did white chocolate but I wanted to try regular chocolate this time around.  Good decision, self, good decision.



Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 30, bake for 8-10 minutes at 325*

3/4 c butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 c white sugar
1 beaten egg
1/4 c molasses
2 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
10 oz chocolate chips


Directions:
1. Beat egg separately and set aside.
2. In a new bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt.
3. In stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
4. Stir in molasses and beaten egg to the sugar mixture.
5. Add in dry flour mixture by the 1/2 cupful until fully combined.
6. Fold in chocolate chips.
7. Scoop out dough onto cookie sheet to bake.
8. Bake for 4 minutes.  Turn cookies sheets around in oven to ensure even baking.  Bake for another 4-6 minutes - until edges of cookies start to brown.
9. Remove from oven, let cool on rack.



I loved these cookies.  Real talk.  I usually give away a lot of what I bake, but I totally kept a good amount of these for me.  I like cookies, okay?  I wrapped them up all pretty and shared them, scouts honor.


This will not be the last time you see gingerbread and chocolate here on the blog.  That is my promise to you kiddies.  As in, expect to see it very very soon.

xoxo,
Anna

Friday, November 23, 2012

Sweet Potato Bread with Cinnamon Walnut Almond Streusel


Good Morning all!  Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving.  I did.  Three Thanksgivings under my belt, one more to go next week!  The season of gluttony has arrived. And in case you have not already, don't forget to set your scale back five pounds to resolve the guilt from over indulging.  :)

But are you stuck with left overs you aren't thrilled about eating?  Then I have a pretty present for you.   If you have some baked sweet potatoes make this bread. If you don't have any, go bake or boil some right now.  Yes, sweet potatoes, the orange ones.  Trust me.  This tastes so good with a cup of coffee in the morning.  Exactly what I am eating now. While in bed. Squish squish. 

I was going to make my usual pumpkin bread, but decided to replace the pumpkin with some extra sweet potatoes I had.  And then I remembered my left over roasted walnuts too from last week's cupcakes.  And this delicious thing was born. 

You can make full sized loaves (makes 2).  Or mini ones.  Because everything mini is cuter right?



Sweet Potato Bread
Makes 5 mini loaves, or 2  9x5 loaves. Bake at 350*  for 40 - 60 min depending on pan size.

2 eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
1/3 c vegetable oil
1/2 c cold water
1 cup mashed sweet potato (plain, baked or boiled)
2 c flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
3.4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. In one bowl, mix dry ingredients together and set aside.
2. In stand mixer bowl, add wet ingredients and stir until well combined.
3. Add flour mixture to wet mixture, 1/2 c at a time and mix on low until well incorporated.  
4. Pour batter into two well sprayed loaf pans or into five mini pans.  Do not fill over half way. 


Cinnamon Walnut Almond Streusel 
2/3 c roasted walnuts
1/3 c roasted almonds
1/2 c flour
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbl melted butter

Directions:
1. Mix together nuts, flour, sugar and cinnamon.
2. Melt butter and pour over mixture. Knead together.  Mixture should be clumpy.  Sprinkle mixture evenly over loaf pans filled with batter.  And bake.

This was my first time making a streusel!  Look how lovely it looks! 


I think i may actually like sweet potato bread better than pumpkin bread! It rises up fluffy at fat.  It browns perfectly.  


If you slice it down the middle, its firm but moist.  And if you shove it in your mouth its delicious.  Not overly sweet, but still sweet enough for me.  What's not to love?

If you make lots of mini loaves they'd make excellent holiday baking presents too.  


Or an excellent gift for yourself because its the Holidays and you deserve to stuff your face guilt free. (Okay, set the scale back ten pounds back...)

xoxo,
Anna

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Walnut Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes




Happy Thanksgiving week everyone!

The holidays are well under way and I've already gained my obligatory five pounds of winter squish.  A little early this year because I just came back from a 7 day cruise to Mexico where I ate my face off, yes, but also because I just had my first of at least four Thanksgivings.

Yes you read that correctly.  I am having at least four Thanksgivings this year.  And of course I will be baking for all.

The first thing I've baked so far are these very autumn themed Walnut Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes.  After two or so years, I think I have finally perfected my pumpkin spice recipe.  I'm very excited about that.  I'll be adding nuts each time I make it now though, that's for sure. But I am also very happy with the aesthetic of how they came out.  (That means I think they're prettyyyyyy.)


At first I was not even excited about making these.  Until I made a basic pumpkin spice cupcake my own, of course.  Add walnuts.  Add a ginger molasses cookie crust.  And more walnuts on top.  Done.

But I also wanted them to LOOK like fall.  I had done leaves before and I loved how they had come out but they needed something more.  And then I remembered the teeny tiny little leaf shaped cookie cutter that I had bought almost a year ago in a set of cookie cutters at Sur La Table.  I bought it for the star to use on my red velvet cupcakes, but the pack contained a leaf too.  I searched about the grocery store until I found some type of candy I could roll out and settled on gum drops because of the added sugar sprinkle flare. They're quite easy to roll out once you get the hang of it.  But until you get the hang of it, it's a sticky mess so beware.



Gum Drop Leaves
Large Pack of Large Gum Drops/Spice Drops
Small Leaf Cutter

Directions:
1. With a rolling pin and medium pressure, roll on top of gum drop. Turn gum drop 90* and roll again.  Flip gum drop over and repeat until gum drop is mostly flat, about an 1/4 inch long.
2. Press cutter over gum drop and remove excess gum drop from sides before pushing out the leaf.
Tips:  The reason you are are slowly rolling out the gum drop is because if you apply too much pressure and roll it out flat at once, you will make a sticky mess.  You want the gum drop to retain the sugar on top so that it not only looks pretty, but also so that you can still work with it.  Once it's too thin you won't be able to use it anymore.


Initially I wanted to use ginger snaps.  Unfortunately I couldn't find them at the two stores I went to and it was pouring rain so I ended my search and bought molasses cookies.  I spiked them heavily with ginger instead.


Ginger Molasses Crust  (optional)
1 package (10 medium-large) of molasses cookies
2 tsp ginger
1/8 c butter, melted


1. Crush cookies with rolling pin and place in bowl.
2. Add melted butter to cookies, add just enough to make the crumbs workable.
3. Add ginger. Spice to taste.
4. Place one tablespoon of crumbs at the bottom of a lined cupcake tin and press down.
5. Bake in oven for 3-4 minutes at 350* and set aside to cool.



Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Makes 15, Bake for 350* for approx. 15 minutes

1 1/8 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp all spice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbls baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. oil
1 egg
1 c. pumpkin
1/3 c. sour cream
1/3 c. roasted walnuts

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, all spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
2.  In the bowl of your stand mixer, stir two sugars, egg, oil, pumpkin and sour cream until combined.
3.  Slowly add in your dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture, beat on medium speed.
4. Fold in roasted walnuts.
5. Scoop batter onto the top of the ginger molasses crust and bake in oven for 15 minutes or until done.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8-oz package cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Cream butter and cream cheese in stand mixer until smooth.
2. Add in vanilla.
3. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time and beat until fluffy.
4. Frost cupcakes.

I can't say how much the walnuts added to these cupcakes.  Really.




That and the fact that they bake up super fluffy and full of moisture.



Actually I think it's the combination of the spice and the walnuts and the ginger crust that makes these so good. When people first bite into the crust, they know it's good but they aren't even sure what it is except that they like it.


It's all the flavors of fall (dressed up with a bow of course) in your mouth all at the SAME time. Awesome.


Let's see what else I end up making this week.  Hopefully you fill your kitchens and your bellies with something wonderful.

xoxo,
Anna

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Welcome to Candyland


You know what's super easy to make?  Those gorgeous candy covered pretzels above.  So easy, that I can show you how to make them in one collaged picture.



Ingredients: 
Pretzels (either rods or bows will do)
Colored Candy Melts
Optional:  Sprinkles  (Because who doesn't like some added pretty?)

Directions:
1. Melt candy melts in microwave in a glass bowl.
2. Dip pretzels in bowl, tap off excess candy and place on parchment paper.
3. Optional: Toss some sprinkles on top for good measure.
4. Pop in freezer or fridge for 5 minutes to harden.
5. Done!

What are these good for?  For EVERYTHING.  True story.  The salt and sweet combo makes you never want to stop eating them. I'm surprised I'm not eating some right now.  I made purple rods and blue pretzel bows. What for?  A blue and purple themed dessert table.



Bff called me a few months ago with a special request.  His niece was turning 15, he loves and spoils her like crazy, and she wanted a dessert table -- would I help?  Of course I would.  So I spent my time planning the table, he spent his time shopping for ridiculously cute candy and cupcake themed party decor.




We used all glass jars and trays  and filled them with blue and purple candy.  Bff made centerpieces with adorable lollipops.  We tied ribbons and bows to anything we could.



Then we used polka dots and stripes throughout the table.  Especially on the place cards and signs.  Oh those place cards?  Yeah, aren't they awesome and adorable?  Thought so.  A big, BIG thanks to Pam who blogs all things art and fashion at Just Pandippo.  She made the banner I use for this site but was also kind enough to take time out of her busy day to make these for us.  And she didn't even get a cupcake or cookie in return!!!  That's friendship.   And as an extra special Halloween treat, if you're looking for some blue and purple place cards/signs she's willing to give them to you.  :)  Just head over to her post here and download them for free!  Thanks Pam!   (Also, these actually print out teal, my printer colors were off and I didn't have time to redo it.  Oops.)



I also baked a little.  I made lemon filled blackberry cupcakes and my awesome peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.  The cupcakes are new.  That's not even a good look at them is it?  It's just a sneak peak.  :)

Did I mention we had another smaller side table too? We had to because we had a Chocolate Fountain!  It was so messy.  Bff got chocolate all over his dress shirt b/c they didn't secure it properly before turning it on.  The clean up was a pain, but it was worth it.  Especially if you got to make yummy little creations like that faux raspberry s'more down below.  That one was mine.  I ate it.  Twice.  Cinnamon graham cracker, chocolate dipped marshmallow and a chocolate dipped raspberry on top.  You know you want. (Do you see the heart in the chocolate on that other marshmallow by the way?  <3 cute="cute" p="p" so="so">



And then for good measure, we also had an ice cream float station with the best little sprinkle cups EVER.  I got kind of obsessed with them and took a bunch home.  I don't know what I am going to do with them yet... but be assured that you will see them again.  We had three kinds of soda to choose from. Whatever float you wanted, I served with a smile.   You will also see that I made some chocolate truffles.  Half were rolled in cocoa powder and half were rolled in graham crackers. They probably look familiar.  I've blogged about them before.  


And Oh my God the cake right?  My friend Jimmy made the cake, and BFF directed the decoration for it.  Jimmy is the same one who made this Hollywood cake for his own Birthday back in April.    Amazing right?  Two layers, two different flavors.


I had helped out with a pink bridal shower dessert table earlier this summer and was excited to do this (mostly) on my own.  It was a lot of fun.  A lot of work.. but a lot of fun.  The gorgeous birthday girl was very thankful  and gracious (so unusual for a teenager) that we spent the time to make her big day special.  


I had a blast.  And I might have had fairy wings on.  (Hey it was supposed to be a costume party, but apparently only I got the memo.) And a necklace with REAL sprinkles inside.  A candy fairy maybe?

Have a safe, sweet and happy Halloween! 


Recipe for the chocolate truffles..
Recipe for the cupcakes.
You can buy the chocolate fountain and chocolate candy we used online at Sephra.
Download Pandippo's awesome placement cards.


xoxo,
Anna