Hooray for Halloween!!! :)

October 2nd is here... and I am soooooo ready for Halloween!!
So much so that this is what we had for dinner tonight ;)
(Just kidding... we had leftovers, but since I didn't cook,it seemed like it was!)

Death By Chocolate... an awesome cake by every definition... but could a name fit Halloween any better???
Moist delicious Double Chocolate Fudge Cake, with a rich dark chocolate ganache center, topped with a decadent dark chocolate frosting, and then rolled in mini semi sweet chocolate chips!!!
Can we say chocolate overload children?  All together now! ;)
But seriously people -for you true chocoholics out there- is there really such thing as TOO much chocolate??? I think not...

And Just Bitten.. (as shown) Same UBER-Moist & delicious Double Chocolate Fudge Cake, with a dark rich ganache center, Ruby Red Cherry Filling (and not just the sauce mind you... 2 actual plump delicious cherries :)), then frosted with a luscious fluffy whipped frosting.  Ummmmmm... how did that fang mark get in there? ;) It's kind of a Halloween version of Black Forest Cake, if you will :)
Also available in White Cake... without the ganache filling. (or with if you really want...  it does takes away from the effect of the stark white cake and blood red cherries... isn't that the most perfect color blood red ever?... but  if you want it you got it!-- Who am I to judge?) I will be making some soon and posting them so you can see...

Oh how I love Halloween!!! And really just the cutesy artsy stuff... not the gross gory stuff...

There is definitely more to come ... so stay close!
And if you want to order some... of course you do! Just click here to shoot me an email.....now!

And as always Sweet Dreamz my pretties *insert cackle here... Not quite as effective is it? ;)
Nighty Night!
Renee :D

Do You Believe in Magic... Cookies???

I have to say I am pretty impressed with myself right now.  I had heard of these cookies on Food Network years ago, from one of my favorite tv chefs, the ever adorable Paula Deen, and always wanted to try them, but never really did anything about it.  Why you ask? I have absolutely no idea.
But I finally did it.

What are these cookies you say?

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies... AKA MAGIC Peanut Butter Cookies.

Now I kid you not, if you love Peanut Butter Cookies, you will not be disappointed.  Even if you don't love them- they really are absolutely amazing!

And they can even be made somewhat healthy! (GASP! A healthy cookie WITHOUT tasting like cardboard... and filled with all kinds of fiber? nonsense! :))

And the real kicker is... you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen, so when the mood hits... you are set to go!!!

The only downside is it doesn't make a whole bunch... maybe 3-4 dozen depending on how big you make them, but still... if you want to make them one night at 3 am when you get a sweet craving- go for it! You can even freeze this dough and cut it up later! See I told you! Amazing!!!

Magic Cookies- From Paula Deen on Food Network :)
2 cups Peanut Butter**
2 eggs**
2 2/3 cup sugar **(now see, you can go as low as 2 cups -like me- but however you wish to do it is up to you)

**and here is where you can make it more healthy... you can totally use natural peanut butter, egg substitute, and Splenda... and this would be a cookie you would be proud to serve to your kids and they wouldn't know the difference... seriously. My kids are raging sweet a holics... and they didn't know any better... hehehehehe ;)

You put all the ingredients in a mixer (actually you can use a bowl and wooden spoon if you so desire to  mix this, but I am lazy like that...) mix til well combined... and you're done. Put on a baking sheet and smoosh (is that the correct term? squish? mash? well... whatever it is you do to get those criss cross markings on your cookies :) )  Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. I did have to bake a little longer or they would fall apart on me... but I guess it depends on your oven. Mine is older than me so it's a bit... temperamental at times :)

Seriously... that's it. No joke. No fancy ingredients, no complicated equipment or long drawn out difficult steps... And they bake up all chewy and crisp on the outside just like you would expect an awesome peanut butter cookie to be.  And impressive to say the least :)

You're Welcome :) 

Now GO ... make some delicious cookies! And if you feel super adventurous... skip the squoosh and add a Hershey's Kiss on top :) ... you daredevil you!

Sweet Dreamz all!!! :)

What inspires you?

I don't know... lately I have been turning everything into cake.  

Now I know that sounds odd... but it's true!!!
I see a cute ruffly shirt? Before I would just say- hey... that's a cute shirt! 

But lately, I see a cute shirt and I think... wow ok.... that would look so cute on a cake!! :) 

It can be a cute birthday card... it could be a swatch of funky wall paper...it could be a little girls dress... an adorable purse or a cute pair of strappy sandals - even a gorgeous color - you name it! 

It's like my brain is in constant creative mode. 

And I am absolutely loving it!

I have to say my biggest inspirations are the infinite sources of talent available to us in all forms of media... books... tv... the internet....  They are everywhere! It's a little daunting don't get me wrong, but it definitely revs my brain too just thinking of all the awesome ways to create art now a days.  The awe inspiring techniques that people come up with to create are just incredible! And there are so many to choose from I couldn't even come close to naming even a fraction of them... but some of my favorites are below (and to the right a smidge :)) Go check them out! You'll see what I mean!!! 

So tell me... what inspires you? Do you wake up in the middle of the night with ideas in your head you're just dying to write down? Do you keep a journal by your bed for just such occasions? Or am I just losing it? ;) Well... I probably am.. but I cant be the only one!