Feeding the "need" and helping eachother out! :)

A customer of mine, in fact she is my "photographer" ... saying that makes me feel so special ;)  just told me the other day... she was having withdrawals. It was not only a huge ego boost :) as I love to hear that people really enjoy my treats- it really makes me happy that what I do makes others smile as well! Anyway... back to the story...  I normally do a photo shoot with her every few weeks, and bring her caramel apples, (her favorite treat) and basically whatever treats she photographs she gets to keep. It's definitely a great deal - I get beautiful photographs for my websites and she gets some sweet treats! However, due to both of our crazy schedules the last month or so, we haven't  been able to meet.  Not to laugh at anyone else's pain, but it got me thinking... what about a membership club??? That way people could get their "fix", so to speak, while also getting a delicious delivery every month!

I live to serve you know...

So far, my thoughts are doing Cake pops, Caramel Apples, Fudge, and Popcorn of the Month Clubs (as those are some of my most popular items for the moment and easiest to ship!) I have also been contemplating cupcakes! If there is something you might like to see included in this list let me know! I will see what I can do!  The only requirement would be to be able to ship safely and relatively cheaply :)

Each month, for the specified price that you pay only once (including shipping!) you will, for 3, 6 or 12 months, receive a package filled with delicious goodies - new flavors, special flavors, seasonal, or even special requests. You can even send them as a gift to a special sweet loving friend (lucky friend!) (for the listed price, each membership can only be sent to one person- if you would like to split the membership between two or more people please feel free to contact me!) . Please see my Online Store for pricing and more information!


And on a similar note... to anyone interested- if you would like to talk about trading services- please let me know! (You can message me on Facebook, or email me here :)) I am always willing to trade/barter services to help save money and at the same time boost other small businesses!

YIPEE!!!! Online Store NOW OPEN!!!

YIPPEEEEEE!!!! YAY!!!! YAHOOOOOIE!!!! Is that excited enough for you? No?

!!!!!!!WOOHOO!!!!!   

Hows that? :)

What's the big news you ask? I now have an official online STORE! Open to the public... right now... where you can purchase goodies... RIGHT NOW!!! I am just so incredibly excited I just can't stand it!!! Picture cartwheels and parades and confetti people... well if I could do a cartwheel that is... I always was kinda clumsy.  Well, I didn't need to be athletic, I was creative ;) but that's a whole other story...

If you are interested- and of COURSE you are :) Go check it out- all you have to do is click  HERE... right NOW!!!!

Let me know if there is something you would like to see... I would so love to hear from you!!!

So hooray for Online Stores... Hooray for super dedooper (ewwww... Barney... really???) awesome friends- and hooray for SUPER short posts!!! So excited! Must go dance in the streets now!!!

Much love and as always- Sweet Dreamz!

Renee :D

Pretty Pretty Princess Cookies :)

I just couldn't wait to share... I just made some fun cookies for a 4 year old's birthday party :) and I am so excited! Here is a little sneak peek :)

The crown ones weren't quite finished as I took this picture- but I was just so pleased with the 4's... I couldn't resist... and then the little pink and white polka dot M up in the corner :) yah... I liked it :) Here is a picture of the finished crowns :) I really wish I knew how to make the glitter show up better... the dark pink is all covered in glitter... darn it

 

I admit I am a little less pleased with the crowns... some ended up bumpy and some smoothed out beautifully... grrr.   but the pink parts have glitter- I guess you will just have to imagine it though since it is almost non existant in this picture :) haha 

And I am literally sick to my stomach thinking about all the terrible things that could possibly happen in the mail ;) but they are wrapped so well in bubble wrap, I think aside from tossing it like a basketball... it should be ok :)  still ... I'm crossing my fingers and saying a little prayer all the same :)

Here is a pricing chart that breaks down all the prices and sizes  - Please contact me with any questions you might have!

I am so excited to hear how the little birthday princess likes them... what dya think?

Not your ordinary berries :)

Now I have to say... I have never really been a really big chocolate and fruit fan ... Not really sure why. Probably because of those disgustingly sweet cordial cherries we had as kids... my dad has always been a big chocolate cherry fan so we had those all the time at the holidays.  Fast forward to about 5 years ago, when my mom asked for some chocolate strawberries for Mother's Day :)

Oh the joy that is a fresh strawberry drenched in delicious chocolate.  Not the chocolate flavored "coating"... k... do we need to have another discussion about this? No? ... good...

Needless to say from that point on, I have been hooked.  And contrary to what you might think, they are pretty readily available all year round!! The sizes may vary mind you, during the end of winter, into spring and summer you get the HUGE ones... but you can still find some pretty darn decent ones during the winter.  They are super popular at Valentines Day of course, but anytime is a good time for one :) Just because you decided to get out of bed today... see? That's a good reason- and on top of that they are a pretty healthy treat!

And not just strawberries either! :) Raspberries are particularly delicious with chocolate- and also end up being quite healthy for you as well with dark chocolate involved... so how can you go wrong?! And they are also very readily available all year long- so what are you waiting for??? And if you love those chocolate cordial cherries? Just wait til you try one of mine... trust me... they are not even comparable :) And if you want a real treat- try fresh cherries dipped in chocolate... we have 4 cherry trees in our back yard so I couldn't believe I waited this long to try it!

My berries are always purchased just before dipping to ensure quality- strawberries especially decline in quality pretty fast after purchase.  Raspberries are more forgiving, but I still try to purchase them as close to dipping as possible :) I am thinking of you after all :)

Now I have a few options when it comes to chocolate covered berries.

For raspberries, I can dip individually, but because of the significant labor they are a little more expensive.  I recommend keeping those for the fancy things- like my bride and groom berries.  I have learned the hard way that these cannot be made in large amounts... so please... just trust me.   I can do the bride and groom berries as treats for the bride and groom- possibly the bridal party, then beautiful berry cups for the rest of the guests, or even do the bride and groom berries as anniversary gifts... just not in large quantities... I still have nightmares about it.  For cups, I take 2 (if they are particularly large) or 3 berries and stick them in a cute chocolate shell.  Then, depending on your preference, I can either cover said berries with chocolate to complete the cup, or drizzle them for a more elegant look.  I can even add a filling to the raspberries like cheeesecake, or lemon or vanilla marshmallow (so super yummy). Here is a pic of my Bride and Groom berries :)

For strawberries, I dip them in white or milk chocolate then drizzle them with the opposite chocolate- or add yummy toppings- like coconut, nuts, sprinkles, or mini chocolate chips.  For an extra elegant (and tasty) presentation, I dip them in white chocolate, then milk chocolate, then drizzle in white (or dip in dark, then white, then drizzle in milk chocolate) for a beautiful and delicious variation :).  Now for an awesome taste sensation... try my filled berries :) I take a cup of white or dark chocolate, add a half strawberry, then pipe in fluffy chocolate, white chocolate, or cheesecake filling and drizzle with chocolate or add toppings... This is something I started this year for Valentines Day and went over REALLY well!  Unfortunately, these, at least for now, can only be ordered locally.  I can ship regular berries, but the filled ones are a little more sensitive, so I am not comfortable with shipping them ... yet :) If anyone is interested, let me know, if you would like to pay shipping (it would have to be Priority or even overnight) I would be happy to send you some berries to see how they fare! :)
I know there is a picture of this already on my blog on an earlier post... but here is a picture of my deluxe berries anyway :). 

I can also do berry "bouquets" - fresh or chocolate dipped :) All kinds of fruit can be added, (except bananas or other such soft delicate fruits) or you can just keep it berries, but again, as these are very sensitive, they can only be locally ordered for now.  Here is one I did for Easter - I was trying to recreate an order for a customer - I really should have known better than to do that ;) so it ended up being more of a pain in the patootie than I expected - and me being the consummate perfectionist... yah... you can see where I am going with this right? Right. :)

 Well, since spring has sprung and summer is coming up on us soon... keep these delicious treats in mind for your next party! Or like I said... any occasion... really :) Nothing says "Yay me!" or "Thank you!" like a box of chocolate covered berries! :)  Ask me for details about other fresh fruit delights- like carved watermelon- and "cakes" made entirely of fruit!!! :)

Thank you for stopping by- and as always :) Sweet Dreamz to all of you lovelies out there!

Renee :D

If you love Salty & Sweet ... read on :)

So I guess before last weekend I hadn't posted in say... about 6 months... ouch... I guess I am making up for my absence, by bombarding you with posts... sorry about that :)

Today I am going to be featuring my pretzels. Not sure why I have never done that, but here ya go :)

Chocolate covered pretzels are kind of an awesome thing... you get the salty and the sweet to balance eachother out, and also you get to feel slightly less guilty because after all, a pretzel is healthy right? And one could also argue that chocolate is healthy... so we just have to figure out a way to say sprinkles or candy bars are healthy... hmmmm... I will work on that and get back to you ;)

So I do 3 different sizes of pretzels, the mini twist, the large twist and the pretzel rod.  And actually it is more of a  small rod comparatively, (no not the miniscule ones you find at bars and parties to dip with) but not quite the large rods that are like a foot long.  Maybe not that big but almost ;) ... I find them a lot more manageable than the huge ones... I honestly have a hard time eating the large ones... it's a bit much :)

So what is so special about these pretzels? Well I will tell you... not only are they not only dipped but DOUBLE dipped in creamy milk chocolate (or white or dark... whatever your little heart desires) then they are drenched in toppings.  Not sprinkled... not covered, but literally drenched.  I cover all sides copiously with whatever yummies you desire. Then after all that... I drizzle with your choice of chocolate - even colored if you need something to match a color or theme for your party ... not only does it help it look finished, but also helps all the yummies stay in place :) Which is a good thing... And trust me... it is an experience :)

"So what yummies can I cover my pretzels with?" you might be asking? Here is a short list... but if you have anything in mind that you would like to see... let me know! I love doing custom orders and finding fun new flavors!

Candy- like Toffee (mine is homemade but tastes like Skor or Heath Bars :)), Butterfinger (I do use the original on this one... can't beat it...yet that is ;))  & M&Ms Minis (or full size... they just don't fit quite as nicely as the minis :)- but you can get seasonal colors and flavors in the full size, so that's a plus :))
Marshmallow
Caramel
Nuts
Sprinkles
Peanut Butter Chips (my normal for this one is dipping it in Peanut Butter chips- Reeses PB Chips- then dipping it in milk chocolate, then swirling it in the PB chocolate, then finally covering it in chopped PB chips.... and nuts... if you so desire... it's kind of a PB explosion if you will :))
Mini Chocolate Chips 
Oreos
White Chocolate Peppermint Oreo (one of my personal favorites :))

Now I will say this... My pretzels are never coated in candy coating (ok... whatever possessed someone to say that is chocolate? Chocolate flavor? Come on... really???) I use only REAL 100% Milk, Semi Sweet, and White Chocolate, as I do with all my chocolates and goodies.  I actually make a custom mixture of milk and semi sweet for my milk chocolate- it gives you not only the smooth and silky texture of milk, but the rich flavor of the semi sweet. You may request one or the other, but if none is specified, then I use the mixture. And just an FYI :) I use a custom blend of Nestle, Hershey's and Ghiradelli chocolates- sometimes a little Guittard if I can get it- just because they all have different qualities and characteristics... so yah... I am a bit of a chocolate snob... fanatic I suppose... what can I say!  I love chocolate :) And I hope that loves comes through in every yummy somewhat healthy bite :)

Prices are as follows :)
One topping:
Mini Twists- $5 per 2 dozen
Large Twists- $4 per dozen
Rods-  $4 per dozen

Specialty:  up to 2 different toppings (like the White Chocolate Peppermint Oreo).  Add $1 to price above

Deluxe: Up to 4 different toppings (you crazy person you ;)) Shall we call this the kitchen sink?  Add $2.50 to price above

To order some yummies- you can email me here - or contact me on Facebook here :)  I really hope to have an interactive purchasing basket on my website very soon!!!


So what fun toppings can you come up with?

Cafe Rio fans... You're Welcome!!! :)

OK... I know this isn't a "sweet" post, but I seriously just had to share.  I mean this is huge... epic if you will...
If you love Cafe Rio salads, then stay tuned... their salad dressing is amazing am I right? You just can't have a Cafe Rio Salad without the dressing... it's just not the same... I mean you couldn't put a regular old Ranch on it could you? NO... never.
So I bring to you... the frugal person's answer to the Cafe Rio Salad.  Because everything else on it is pretty easy to make- come on now ;) The recipe is ever so slightly modified from the Our Best Bites gals (I love them :))

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch Mix
1/2 cup milk
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup cilantro chopped
2-3 TB (yes TB) of fresh garlic (the original calls for 2 cloves, and if I understand correctly that equals about 2 tsp, but I misread ;) , and I didn't notice a overpowering aftertaste or anything from adding this much even 2 days later... I started with 2 TB then added more- you can of course add as much or as little as you like)
1/4 cup (plus) of green chile salsa (I used Taco Bell, but for more heat I understand from the original recipe Herdez is the best)
juice of 1 1/2 limes (I added more than the original recipe because it thickened a little too much in the fridge for my taste- I like the dressing to be pretty runny, but add 1 lime and go from there- whatever you like :))
handful of garden fresh chives chopped :)

Blend this all up REALLY good in the blender and there you have it :) Use it on your copycat Cafe Rio salad- or even dip chicken nuggets or veggies in it :) (That's what the OBB gals say to do.. haven't tried it yet myself but certainly will soon :))
YUMMMMM- seriously this stuff is awesome... I will definitely be adding this to my family recipe book. 

Adventures In Cake Pops

I just realized that I haven't made a post about cake pops! :) Shame on me!!! And like I have mentioned... I do make both types of cake pops- the Bakerella type - AKA the original cake pops :) (and many kudos to her and those who have come after her for all the awesome inspiration!!!) and the baked type that don't involve anything but cake and chocolate- yes, that means no icing. And yes, in case you were wondering, I absolutely love icing in all  it's many luscious forms- American, Italian and Swiss Buttercream... (I am equal opportunity here after all) cream cheese icing... you name it, I love it... just not so much mixed WITH the cake. Which is why I offer both... because I know that most people either love or hate either one.... it's almost like the BYU/University of Utah rivalry... liking both would almost be sacrilege... but I digress :) sorry... 

And while I have made them quite bit- even done a few classes for kids :)  I just have never really taken any pictures.. why? not quite sure... I apologize... and what is a blog post about cake pops without pictures! So here ya go :) My gallery of luscious cake pops :)

I made 5 different flavors the other day for an order- and I made them both ways so I could share- and of course experiment :) so I didn't have to make so many batches of cake batter... again with the frugal-ness ;)



First was Red Velvet... a classic... delicious tangy chocolate and that deep luscious red - awesome! And forgive the red hearts so far after Valentines Day... I just couldn't resist... I love these sprinkles :)  (the mixed ones are done with cream cheese icing... of course :))  Red Velvet also lends itself well to the holidays- so I make a White Chocolate Peppermint version as well... (not pictured here)

This is my Chocolate Raspberry- made with a rich delicious Fudge Cake with pure raspberry extract as well as raspberry oil in the dipping chocolate :) and the mixed ones are made with chocolate raspberry buttercream...

Here is my cheesecake cake- a pound cake made with real cream cheese- not an actual cheesecake... (mixed with cream cheese icing) and dipped in white chocolate, then sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs :)

White chocolate is next... full of white chocolate chips and then dipped in white chocolate and topped with white chocolate crumbs-- then mixed with a white chocolate buttercream- so lots of white chocolate-y goodness! (can I say white chocolate enough?) (sorry, I didn't get an inside picture of the mixed version... This was for an order, and I didn't have any extra to take pictures.- and yes, I ran out of chocolate crumbs for the baked version... sprinkles work too... right?)

And finally... my personal favorite cake... pumpkin spice (mixed with cream cheese icing).  Again with the out of season sprinkles, but come on, tell me these cute leaves don't just scream fall- just like pumpkin spice... so a perfect match :)  These would be good dipped in white chocolate too :) but who doesn't love pumpkin and chocolate!And again... sorry I didn't get a picture of the inside of the mixed... shame on me...

So what d'ya think??? And if you are looking to order any... (like you could resist after seeing these pictures come on ;)) just click here and let me know! I have a list of cake flavors here- and they can all be made into cake pops but if you have an idea that you would like to try and don't see listed please feel free to let me know! I love making new flavors!

Prices are as follows :)
1 Cake Pop for $1.50
6 Cake Pops for $8.00
12 Cake Pops for $12.00
24 Cake Pops for $22.00
(and these are base prices- all one flavor PLEASE and with simple decoration like drizzle or sprinkles - I do charge extra for more flavors, for custom shapes, or for airbrushing or fancy decorations )

Let me know if you have need for a larger amount- I can usually work with prices especially if combined with other desserts.

Hope you all have a most wonderful rest of your week!!!
And as always Sweet Dreamz to you!

Renee :)

The Most Awesome Baker's Secret (well... today ;))

Hi... my name is Renee and I am... cheap. Frugal is a nice way to put it, penny pincher if you will, but if I can find a way to make something less expensive... you better believe I will do it.  Now what does this have to do with today's post you ask? Everything... and I will tell you why!

Last year, I purchased cake pop pans, "Bake Pop" Pans as they are called- the type you bake the cake in instead of making the cake and mixing with icing type.  Kind of like the Babycakes Cake Pop maker... only in pan form that you can bake in your oven. Personally, these kind of cake pops are my favorite.  No offense to those of you cake pop purists... or to the ever awesome Bakerella...  I do make them both, and respect the process (messy hands and all) I just have texture issues... as I have mentioned before sorry... and I prefer the more "donut hole" like pop.  Just my opinion.  No nasty messages below please ;)

Anyway, these particular pans say that you must buy Baker's Secret pan release spray with flour. (hence the name of this post... little play on words... hahaha... sorry) Not that this isn't too surprising, since I grease and flour all my cake pans, but seriously... this stuff is almost 4 dollars for a can that is almost half the size of your regular baking spray (like Pam).  So I bought one... just to make sure that there was a real difference between it and greasing and flouring the pan.  And lo and behold there was... greasing and flouring the pans was not only time consuming, but left kind of a ... baked flour layer on the cake pops... not too appetizing.

And then I remembered a recipe for pan grease that I saw in a cookbook put out by one of the popular bakeries.  (Pink Cake Box? one of the others? I honestly can't remember, but if you know please enlighten me so that I can offer credit where it is due!!) I had made it once and loved it, but for some odd reason I never made it again.   Until now.  Not only is it quicker and easier than individually greasing and flouring the pans, but it doesn't leave a flour-y residue on your pans, but it uses every day ingredients so you know exactly what is going into your pans and onto your food.  And it is super simple ... and cheap... so seriously what is stopping you???

So here is the recipe... brace yourself... it's a doozy...
You take equal parts of shortening and flour and mix them in your mixer bowl until super smooth and creamy.... got that? K.. then you slowly pour in an equal amount of vegetable oil and beat the mixture until light and fluffy. There ya go... did you survive? I hope so :) And it looks like this...

Tell me I am wrong, but to me this looks like some gorgeous fluffy icing... is it just me? ;) So keep it marked well so kids don't decide to take a finger full... my daughter accidentally did after I had made it and lets just say she wasn't too thrilled with me... ;)
.
This lasts a long time (well as long as your shortening and oil are fresh that is) - and you can make as little or as much as you need since it's all equal measurements.  You don't need to keep it in the fridge, but I would suggest not letting it get too hot.  Room temp is fine. I just put mine in an ice cream bucket and keep it in my baking cupboard- and I bake a lot, so I make quite a bit (at least 1 cup of each).  It has never gone bad before I have used it.

So there you have it... the most awesome replacement for Bakers Secret ever- and even the replacement for your shortening and flour regimen.  Trust me... it's worth it!  You're welcome ;)

And to all of you out there in blogger land-
Sweet Dreamz!!! :)

Renee :)

Fluffy Bites of Awesome Deliciousness... too much right? ;)

Ok... now by a raise of hands... how many of you love marshmallows?
Now how many of you have had a homemade marshmallow?

GASP!!! What?! You can make marshmallows... it's true.  Yes, it does require a heavy duty stand mixer, and a little bit of candy making skills but honestly, it is almost a tragedy to even compare these to storebought marshmallows. There are so many chemicals and preservatives in storebought marshmallows, I don't even want to think about it.  These are basically just sugar, cornstarch, gelatin, and real fruit flavorings and pure extracts.

For those who are vegetarian, I do make a marshmallow with egg whites instead of gelatin, (since gelatin is a meat byproduct), but sorry vegans... I haven't found a reasonable substitute for the gelatin or egg whites. Marshmallows are a naturally fully gluten free product, however, since I do still produce things with flour, I would only recommend it for people who have a gluten intolerance rather than an allergy, since grains of flour can sit in the air for almost 2 days (or so I am told).  I don't want anyone to get sick on my account :/. 

My marshmallows are light, fluffy and delightfully creamy... everything a good, fresh marshmallow should be.  And not so disgustingly sweet that you will go into a sugar coma from eating a few (or feel sick to your stomach like I always do after choking down a marshmallow or two)

I make marshmallows in a myriad of lovely flavors- here are a few :)





Mint Chocolate Chip- a creamy mint (creme de menthe) marshmallow topped with mini chocolate chips like eating the ice cream only it doesn't melt :)

 Fresh Strawberry- a delicious vanilla marshmallow with juicy bits of REAL strawberry in it... like eating a strawberry cloud :)








Lemon - a luscious lemon marshmallow made with real lemon juice, zest, and pure lemon extract.  For anyone who loves lemon- or better yet, lemon meringue pie (ME!)... you will LOVE this... they are literally to die for.  It isn't sour, and it isn't super duper sweet- just a perfect combination of lemon and fluff :)





Here are some other flavors we enjoy- but as always, if there is a flavor you like please let me know!
Vanilla (of course :))
Orange
Raspberry
Blackberry Raspberry
Blue Raspberry
Cherry
Banana
Pumpkin Spice (seasonal- I do use real pumpkin)
Root Beer Float
Lime
Cream Soda
Double Chocolate Chip
Cappucino
Chai Tea
Chai Spice
Cinnamon Red Hots
Cinnamon (the spice :))
Peppermint
Peppermint Chocolate Chip
Cherry Limeade
Caramel
Butterscotch
These are awesome in hot tea or hot chocolate, and are just as amazing right out of the bag (I won't tell :))

Now if you are looking to purchase some, just click here- I have sampler packs (up to
4 flavors- 12 total marshmallows), and packages of 12 or 24 (1 flavor).  They are molded, if you will, in mini cupcake tins into 1 oz mallows (saves me the hassle of having to cut them later with greased scissors and getting all frustrated because they aren't perfect or all the same size :)) I do take special orders to cut with flower, or egg, or bunny cookie cutters (or egg molds)- or really pretty much any shape you can imagine... cars, hearts, skulls :) You can also get these in mug size (a large round marshmallow perfect for the top of hot chocolate mugs) they melt so beautifully into hot drinks... not into bubbles like regular marshmallows, but into ooey gooey yummy deliciousness... I double dog dare you to try it :) And since summer is coming up- these make incredible Smores too!

 And finally, I also make Glamour Chicks (my version of Peeps- only significantly more awesome...) Tell me those aren't the cutest little marshmallow chicks you've seen? I mean come on...Peeps? Not even close... I add some gorgeous edible glitter to the brightly colored sugar, (because everything is just more awesome with glitter :)) and trust me... you will never touch a Peep again. :)  The sugar isn't super thick, and the marshmallow inside is soft and fluffy :)
And they are available all year round, not just during Easter- so even better right?! 


So any ideas as to what I should call them? To call them marshmallows seems so... I don't know... ordinary ;)

Have a wonderful week!
And as always - Sweet Dreamz everyone!

Renee :D

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!  

I know I am getting old when....

So...my oldest daughter turned 15 today :) a part of me is so proud of the beautiful, strong young woman she has become, the other part wants her to STOP GROWING UP!!!! Just stop the train for a few years... what happened to the last 15??? ;) And seriously... I am going to be teaching her to DRIVE???? WHAT??? I am seriously not even wanting to think about that one... let alone the fact that my other daughter turns 15 in 10 months and 7 days (yes my daughters are 10 months and 7 days apart :)) ... oh heaven help me!

OK... gotta stop thinking about it... Well, on another note :) she took the initiative this weekend and wanted to draw the cake she wanted for her birthday.  She is quite the amazing artist- and I said sure :) We went through a few designs and came up with a simple but pretty awesome cake :) Here are her drawings.... (I know I know... I need a new camera :))

So her drawings went from that ... to this :)

 

 The side pictures are the 4 sides of the square... I hope that makes sense... the skull was on top of a square (and since it is black... it is hard to see that isn't it?... sorry) I did feel like we needed something else... not sure quite what, I mean I do like the shiny black fondant... but hmmmmmmmm.  We had wanted to do some quilting with blue and pink pearls but for some reason, this particular fondant  batch was just a little too soft so it only tore when I tried... darn it... but I was still pretty darn proud of the result :)

Oh I almost forgot! Shame on me... Megan painted the colors on the crest (the pink and the blue.) I didn't want her not to get credit for her part :) She chose a cherry vanilla cake with vanilla and marachino cherry filling for the square, and the skull was mint chocolate chip cake with mint filling both with white chocolate buttercream :) and of course, my homemade marshmallow fondant :) I think with it being so hot, I didn't want it to get too hard so I held back on the powdered sugar... but next time I will definitely stick to the recipe.

Speaking of which... instead of shortening, I have been using butter in my fondant recipe (I haven't tried margarine... I wouldn't recommend it seeing as how much water there is, but you can certainly try it :)) and it really does seem to improve the texture.  I will have to try it a few more times to make sure that I like it better, but so far, it seems to be a pretty good recipe :) 

So what do y'all think?? Any ideas for what we could have added? I am really scratching my head about it...

Happy Monday everyone! And happy birthday sweetheart! We love you!!!!
Sweet Dreamz!!!

Tangled Cakes 1 & 2 aka... Heat + Cake= DISASTER!

Ok... so there is a little bit of a story behind this one... (and please bear with me... or just scroll down, there is a better cake below!) I was asked to do a few cakes for one of my sister's friends a little over a week ago.  Sure! Especially since I have been DYING to do a Tangled Tower cake for so long... but I figured my daughters were too old for that, so I would just have to wait! Well... unfortunately, things didn't go as swimmingly as I had intended... and I shed a few tears about it- trust me- there was definitely pulling of hair on this one.  First, I tried to make the tower out of cake.  I had made a lighthouse cake before, with no problem, but for some reason, this one wouldn't stand up for anything.  So I decided to bite the bullet so to speak, and use Rice Krispy Treats.  That turned out better, but ended up well... not so peachy.  I seriously felt sick. By the time we delivered it to her party, (it was of course SUPER hot that day..) I was about to cry.  It was probably about 4 inches shorter than it was when we left my house.  GRRRR!!!!

So I vowed I would make it again... if for no other reason than to prove to myself I could do it! So my daughter Shelly, whose birthday was about 3 weeks ago, decided since I didn't make her an official cake, (I had broken 2 bones in my wrist the night before her birthday... nice huh?) that she wanted one... isn't that sweet???? This time, not only did it go so much faster, easier, and BETTER than last time, but I figured out a lot of things I would even do better next time! Always learning, that's me ;) So here is the final result! )

 

Anyone else want a Tangled Tower cake???? I absolutely LOVED doing it and I would love to do another one! Just let me know! ;)The bottom is the only cake- the tower itself (all of it - including the little turret on the roof and the chimney:)) is Rice Krispy Treats covered in fondant... that was sooooooooooo much fun! The "smoke" coming out of the chimney would normally be cotton candy... but since I didn't have any for the picture- but a cotton ball works in a pinch right?  This particular cake only feeds about 15-20 people with the cake, but could easily be made to have more cake at the bottom. Or even cupcakes :) (and of course about 15 people with the Rice Krispy Treats too :) 2 treats in one! For those who don't like cake ... gasp!)

Well...Whatdya think???? :)

Sweet Dreamz everyone!!!
Renee :D

Woohoo :) New Website Up and Running! :) Check it out!

I did it... it only took me 4 hours, but I did it :) I woke up this morning at about 2:30 to take an allergy pill (geez today has been the worst!) and couldn't get back to sleep. So what did I do? I created a new website :) Well, it's not all I want it to be, but it's better than my old one was! So click HERE to check it out! I hope you enjoy!!! And please feel free to let me know what you think!!! What I can change... what you like... I love suggestions that help me improve!! It's off to bed for me now at least for a few hours :) so quite literally... Sweet Dreamz y'all!

Renee :D

OHHHH NOOOOO!!!! NEW Contact info!!! PLEASE READ!!!

Especially just after I put out a bunch of business cards... I just found out that my website is no longer managed through Microsoft... and I will have to pay almost 200 dollars (as opposed to the 15 I have been paying) per year to keep it!!! So if you have tried to get on my website, www.sweetdreamztreats.net and can't-I do so apologize!! (I can see it, but I can't change it at all... but I know that doesn't necessarily mean that everyone can see it ...and all this not even 4 months after paying a renewal fee... dang it....) I CAN see emails so far on my rdalton@sweetdreamztreats.net, but I don't know how long that will last. Please feel free to contact me on sweetdreamztreats@hotmail.com for the time being, if I don't contact you within 1 business day.... I will let you know as soon as I have things figured out!!! Or even better yet click HERE for my Facebook business profile :) I will be starting on a new website tonight!!!! So keep a weather eye on the horizon my dearies :)
Thank you so much!!! And I am soooo very sorry for any inconvenience!!!

Happy (Belated) Mothers Day :)

OK... First of all... Happy Mothers Day (yes 3 days late... I apologize) to all you wonderful mothers out there! I can't even begin to describe how grateful and lucky I feel to have grown up with such a wonderful mother- one who encouraged me and helped me realize what sacrifice and unconditional love really mean :).  I can only hope that I can be half the mother she was to me.  I am also very grateful that she and my other immediate family (I am the second oldest of 6- 2 girls and 4 boys- ranging in age from 37 to 21... and there are 13 grandchildren ranging from 14 to 2.) :) all live within a 20 mile radius. Now I know how incredibly lucky I am because I know that there are many of my husband's family, and my extended family that live far away.  So I am a very very lucky girl :) 

A Mother's Day (late mind you :)) present for a teacher that has touched my daughter's lives very deeply this past year. She is probably one of the sweetest people I know :) and I am so grateful for her influence on my girls!

 This week we also have been making cupcake bouquets for the Davis Education Association Teacher Appreciation raffle.  I feel very honored to be able to give of some of my talents to say thank you to any teachers, and definitely brought to mind those who have taught me and my children.  Teaching is a talent that many possess, however, the truly great ones are priceless- and I feel so very blessed for the ones that have touched my life. Mrs. Lee... my 3rd grade teacher in California, where I grew up, is one of the ones I will never forget.  We are even friends on Facebook... 27 years after she taught me... now how cool is that???! (ouch... that just made me feel super old just then... geez...) She taught me so much - I still remember sitting in her room learning that a tomato was a fruit... such a shocker back in the day let me tell ya. That is just the tip of the iceberg... and honestly, I am not sure why I remember that little tidbit of information...  Did it make me like tomatoes any more? Nope ;) She also is the one who encouraged my writing- even at that young age- she entered a story that I wrote about a family of bunnies into a District contest- I still have the 2nd place ribbon and the story of course now it is all faded and worn, but oh what a memory.  She has touched the lives of so many, inspiring so many of her students to themselves become teachers, and that is what a truly great teacher is.

There are a few others... Nolan Ryan, Judy Freidig, and Rich Rogers... not that I have seen them or heard from them in over 20 years, but honestly, they changed the way I looked at, and still see education today.  So to all of them, and to all of you amazing teachers out there... THANK YOU for all you do!!!

So just a little bit of what we were up to today :)

And here are the bouquets that I made for the Davis Education Association... of course, I don't know who they went to, but I really hope they enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed making them- it was a lot of fun!!! I found the cutest bright pink and green vinyl baskets at Dollar Tree- and of course the cute little windmill picks- and this is how they turned out!  I really liked the result!

 

I also want to thank a dear friend Jessica for this opportunity to get my products more out there :) We met when we first moved out here almost 18 years ago- (ok... maybe a little less than that... I met her when she came home from her mission ... :)) and she and her sisters and family are some of the most awesome people in the world! She is also a 3rd grade teacher- so she deserves some applause as well!!!                               I am also so lucky to have amazing friends :) Luv you all!!!

Hopefully this will mean good things!!! 

So if you have a friend or family member who is in need of some cheering- or a thank you- or just a hello gift... let me know! These cupcake bouquets are such an adorable, and unique way to show someone how much you care!!!  And they are fully customizable- flavors, sizes, containers, designs... the possibilities are limited only by your imagination :) I will be doing more designs to demonstrate as the week goes on... I have to use up all these cupcakes! :)

Sweet Dreamz everyone!!!!
Renee :D

Cuppycakes :)

What is not to love about cupcakes :) They are cute... they're small (so you don't feel so guilty), they are portable- and they are just plain awesome!

My daughters asked me to make a treat for their dance class tomorrow... and of course, since I am trying to get my website up and running, what better way to help that cause than to make treats! And well... I can't just have all these goodies just lying around right? So anyone close by who is interested, seriously let me know! I would be glad to share some yummies with you! (I am being totally serious :))

Here are the cupcakes we made...
This is an idea that I found on a cute website... Bake It In A Cake check it out- it's a lot of fun!

Rainy Day cupcakes... now tell me this isn't the most adorable idea for a cupcake ever!!! Next time I will definitely put a little less blue on the bottom, but that is supposed to be a little puddle- and the cute little blue sprinkles in the batter look like rain drops!

And Rainbow cupcakes- which seem to be all the rage nowadays :) I just love color- and cake is no exception! It's just plain fun! And of course the colors can be mixed and matched to coordinate with your party or theme :) 2 colors, 3 colors you name it! The possibilities are endless!\

And of course when the inside is cute... the outside has to be cute too right???

Check these out...

Sorry about the crazy colors... That blue really was a beautiful sky blue... but for some reason... uh yah.  But I couldn't decide which one to use, so I tried all 3 :) Homemade cotton candy ... homemade marshmallow... and mini marshmallows :) And the rainbows are something every little kid loves... Extremes Sour Berry Rainbows! When I saw them for the first time, I knew I had to make a rainbow cupcake... seriously... they just beg to be put on top of a cupcake don't they?

Then the other cupcakes we made were Oreo... uhhhhh Cookies N Creme :)

They were technically made with Oreos (not the store brand), but I don't think I can call them Oreo Cupcakes can I? Hmmmm.  Anyway.  These are also something that is all the rage right now... making cupcakes more decadent and scrumptious... hey why not? I put an Oreo in the bottom of some of the cupcakes we made (under the Oreo batter- with lots of crushed Oreos in it :)) then topped it with an Oreo Cream Cheese Buttercream- again with lots of crushed Oreos, and topped it with more Oreo crumbs and a halved cookie :) But that's not all... ohhhh no... we actually filled the cupcake with a luscious light creamy Oreo filling. Can I say the word Oreo any more???? Seriously... it tastes like Cookies and Cream ice cream... only it isn't frozen so it doesn't melt and get your cupcake all soggy and gross... yummmm indeed. See that creamy goodness in the middle of the cupcake?  It is reeeeeeally good- but don't take my word for it- send me a little note :)... order a few... or a few dozen :) I won't tell!!! :) (Unfortunately, I didn't make sure the cupcake I cut open had a cookie in the bottom... and of course I didn't realize that til JUST now... and I hate to waste the whole cupcakes... but if I remember, I will find one and cut it open for you to see... I am telling you... it is to die for :))

Well hope you all have had an awesome week- and here comes the glorious weekend!!! I say it's about darn time ;)
Happy Mothers Day to all you mothers :) and hope you have an amazing, fantabulous time this weekend pampering your mommies!!!

Sweet Dreamz all!!!
Renee :D

Happy Birthday Trianna :) Candy Flowers and my Soon-To-Be Apprentice

The 3rd of May was my niece Trianna's birthday - and I was asked to do her cake as usual :) It's the first time doing a fondant figure- and probably the first time I had ever done a horse, so it took a little practice- trial and error if you want to call it... but this is what we came up with :) (and no, I cannot draw or sculpt a realistic horse to save my life ;) so floppy and cartoony is what she got ;)) Hey... it's a tired little pony after walking up that steep hill right? Right ;)

I was pretty excited about how it turned out :) As always, it is 100% edible.  And who says a horse can't have hot pink glittery horseshoes??? ;) If I ever have a horse, it sure will ;) (probably not going to happen... I am a city girl... I am so sensitive to smells it's almost like I have beagle genes :)) 

I was also really proud of my daughter- she made the cow spots, and also helped me paint the horse (we painted a white horse instead of dying the fondant first... I definitely recommend dying the fondant... that is too much of a pain in the patootie to get all the tiny little crevices- (especially when you put it on a cake that isn't straight on the top like this one, and it starts to pull slightly- showing every little white area we missed ;) and its a little too shiny for my tastes) My daughter is really showing a lot of promise- especially when it comes to fondant. About 4 years ago, when she was 10, we did some Starburst roses.  What is a Starburst rose you ask? Well, you take a Starburst, or a Laffy Taffy, or an Airhead, or Tootsie Roll (basically any soft stretchy candy) and warm it slightly in the microwave- then use it like fondant- or playdough! And to top it all off, it's delicious :) She made a pretty mean rose after me showing her only once- she actually made it better than mine!!!  If I had a sensitive ego- well... that would have bothered me, but I was really proud of her! She is even considering cake decorating as a career path :) I'm all for that!

Mothers Day is coming up people :) so if you want some candy or a cake to make your mom's day special - feel free to let me know!!! :) (click on the let me know... it goes straight to my email ;))

Have a most fantabulous week- and Sweet Dreamz!!! :)

Renee :D

Cups O' Deliciousness :) And Totally Random Life Convergences :)

I thought I would let you guys see a little of what I was up to yesterday :) A very sweet friend and neighbor of mine has some raspberry canes growing in her backyard - and since they are pretty hard to find in the stores anywhere, I asked her if I might be able to buy some from her.  She came up with the awesome idea of bartering for candy :) Hey... I can do that!!! :)

Funny story how she came to be a fan of my chocolate... and one of those "wow- small world!" moments :) A friend and coworker of my husband's, when he worked at the Cottontree Inn in Bountiful a while back, called me up out of the blue 2 Christmases ago.  He remembered the candy that I brought into work for my husband and the crew 2 Christmases before THAT (4 Christmases ago... if you lost me ;)) and wanted to know if he could order some for his friends and coworkers.  Wow... is what went through my mind ... We hadn't talked or anything for over a year so I was a bit surprised to say the least- and so totally flattered!! I made him 4 tins of candy and he even drove from Provo to come and pick them up! (Provo is over an hour south of us here in Layton).

Move ahead a few months, when a newlywed couple moves in 2 houses down from us.  We meet them at church, and they are 2 of the sweetest people you'll ever meet. He was recruited immediately to Scouts- teaching my youngest son, and she was called to Young Womens teaching my oldest daughter :) So already we had interactions with them- then one spring day when I was out sweeping my driveway, who should come walking up the street but hubby's old coworker :) who happens to be Mr. Newlywed's best friend from High School... and they were one of the recipients of my candy at Christmas! Once she found that out, she has been a loyal customer ever since! And the last little wow moment was we found out that their anniversary just so happens to be my birthday ;)) I mean come on... was there an alignment of stars there or what???

So yesterday was the first day it was below 80 degrees- and we do not have air conditioning... so the warm days, as you can imagine, aren't very conducive to candy making ;) But since I knew a storm (and a cool one at that) was coming in, I figured it would be a great time to make some goodies and get those raspberry bushes ready for this summer! I make a bunch of different varieties of candy with raspberries and strawberries during the summer- like these I made last year :) (for before mentioned cutie pie neighbors for their anniversary... on my birthday ;))

Romance on a platter... n'est-ce pas? (Isn't it? in french... sorry) And see those cute little berries at the bottom?  Bride and Groom Berries- and the Bride berry had sparkling sugar on it for some extra bling (since you can't see it here :)) I thought they were pretty cute! And the strawberries in the middle is how I dip my berries... first in white, then dip in dark, then drizzle with white... it's a totally mind blowing experience... seriously!

... and now that I will be growing them myself :) it's not only cheaper, but fresher- and you know fresh always taste better!!!

Now I made a variety of caramel, coconut, and nut combinations, fruity "s'more" combinations, and some fudge cups.  I am not quite sure why I didn't realize til I was done that I hadn't done any of my usuals... peanut butter cups (of which many of my customers will tell you are better than Reeses Peanut Butter Cups...) or pretzels... but if today stays as cool and breezy I may just do those later :)
Here's a sampling of what we did yesterday :)

4 Different Fudge Cups... Fudge... dipped in chocolate :) Could you get any better than that??? ;) (am I channeling Chandler from Friends here?... maybe... wow... I feel old right now...)

(and yes, I made this on a collage website :) actually a few websites... but it was fun :))(One link takes you to photovisi.com where I did the collage, and the other takes you to picmonkey.com where I did the editing... feel free to check them out :))

6 Different Smore Cups- (well 4 kinds, just 2 different chocolates :)) What are S'More cups you ask??? Well... they are homemade marshmallows in a variety of flavors (all made with real fruit pieces and juice :)), with a yummy Graham Cracker/Nilla Wafer/ Cookie base, and either hand-dipped in chocolate (white or my combination of dark and milk... dalk? mirk? don't think so...) or put in a cute little cup of said chocolate - like you see here :)

The banana and raspberry cups are available in both dark and white chocolate.

We also did all kinds of combinations of nuts, caramel and coconut...
And here is an example of the caramel recipe here...  made with the homemade sweetened condensed milk recipe here ... just look at that caramel stretch... it's beautiful isn't it?? Almost brings a tear to my eye ;)

Here are a few pictures-  toasted coconut... nuts... caramel... coconut marshmallow- in every combination possible- with almonds, peanuts, cashews and macadamia nuts... and even a little peanut butter marshmallow for good measure... this is just a sampling... we made about 10 lbs worth :)

 see? My smiley obsession has passed on to my pictures... I really do need help don't I???

So... if you feel the need to contact me and place an order? Don't fight the urge ;) Just click on the little link there, or there's a link at the top of the blog :) I would if it were me!

And to all of you a very happy weekend! Sweet Dreamz!
Renee