Countdown to Valentine's Day! 6...

Oh my heavens, I just love today's idea!  I love it so much that I added a free printable for you too!  First off, the recipes are both so easy...and I even included two different options (and two different printables) for whichever type of dessert you prefer!  

First off, the printable (you can download it below)....

And next up, the idea!! 

Pop Tart Cake Pops
(via The Family Kitchen)

Ingredients:

FOR THE TWO-BITE POP TARTS:
1 c. fresh cherries, pitted and diced
3 T. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
2 T. water
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 pkg. prepared pie crusts

FOR THE POPS:
wooden popscicle sticks

FOR THE GLAZE:
1 c. powdered sugar
1-2 T. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
food coloring and sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

1.) In a small saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch and almond extract. Heat on stove over medium heat until mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool. Unroll pie crusts and using a pizza cutter to slice them into 1 1/2″x 2″ rectangles (I used a ruler to measure mine into equal sizes.  Just use a butter knife to score your pie crust before cutting).

2.) Place a wooden popscicle stick on top of one of the cut rectangles, then spoon a small amount (about 1 1/2 tsp.) of cooled cherry filling into the center of the pie square, taking care not to get it near the edges.   Gently lay a second rectangle over the top of the cherry filling.  Press the edges of the rectangles together with a fork.  Transfer to a baking sheet.  Bake poptart pops in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or just until the edges begin to brown.

3.) In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to make glaze.  Tint with food coloring, if desired.  Spoon over cooled poptart pops, sprinkle with colored sugar, and allow to the glaze to harden slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Cake pops not your thing?  Well then how about these absolutely divine homemade pop tarts.  You are really going to love how simple these are...and how much better for you than the store bought kind!!

Homemade Pop Tarts
(courtesy of So Rumbly in my Tumbly)

Ingredients:

~ Pie crust, refrigerated or homemade
~ Jam or Preserves (I used raspberry)
~ Glaze or Egg Wash
~ Sparkling Sugar

Directions:

1.) Preheat the oven to 375°

2.) Roll out one of the pie crusts and square the edges. Cut into rectangles. Place 1 tsp of jam in the center of a rectangle and top with another piece of crust. Crimp all four edges. Repeat until all of the pie crust is used. Take the rounded edges that you cut off and roll them together to form more pop-tarts.

3.) Brush with egg wash.

4.) Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake the pop-tarts for about 7 – 8 minutes or until slightly brown.

5.) Once cool, pour glaze over and decorate with sugar. If you don’t want to add extra sugar with the glaze, you can use an egg wash on the tops with some white sugar.

To Make the Glaze:
~ 1 cup powder sugar
~ milk to thin

1.) Place powdered sugar in bowl. Pour milk slowly until it has a consistency of really thick syrup.

The printable comes in two versions....one perfect to cut into squares, cut a small slit on the top & bottom center of each label and slide it onto your cake pop stick and the other to cut out and fold over table-tent style, to add to the tray of your homemade pop tarts!

Here's where you get them . . .

Valentine's Day Cake Pop Tart Labels from Juneberry Lane by Misty McGrew Tumino

Valentine's Day Homemade Pop Tart Labels from Juneberry Lane by Misty McGrew Tumino

And don't you worry, we'll be back all weekend to keep the countdown coming!!

Countdown to Valentine's Day! 7...

Well, here we are, only 7 days away!  Today we mark off the halfway point with an awesome little craft from my favorite girls over at A Beautiful Mess....GLITTER JARS!!  You know I love me some glitter, and these sparkly little numbers are just the most fantastic DIY project for a lazy weekend day in late winter.  See for yourself . . .

Valentine's Day Glitter Jars

Supplies You Will Need:

~ Craft Glue
~ Glitter
~ Paint brushes
~ Mason Jars

Directions:

1. Paint various designs on the inside of the jar with the glue. I chose to paint large hearts, stripes, and a solid gold for my three jars. Polka dots would also be cute!

2. Pour a bit of glitter into the jar to coat where you've painted on the glue, then tap the jar upside down onto a piece of paper a few times to remove the excess.

3. If you're using various colors of glitter on one jar, do one color at a time and allow the glue to dry thoroughly before you start another color. This keeps the colors from mixing!

4. After you've finished the designs and the glue has dried, coat the entire inside of the jar with a thick layer of glue and allow to dry for at least 24 hours. This forms a "seal" over the glitter and keeps it from flaking off.

5. Fill the jars with your favorite Valentine's treats! Note: Kind of obvious, but even though the glitter won't flake off I'd still recommend only using treats that are individually packaged.

A touch more fun . . .

And my absolute favorite?  The most awesome make-up brush holder EVER!!

Ahhh, some girls (and guys) were just born with glitter in their veins:)  

Countdown to Valentine's Day! 8...

What's in store for Day 8?  Well, these gorgeous heart brownie cupcakes via Delish and courtesy of the grande Madame herself, Martha Stewart, that's what!  These little delights are not only about as yummy as it gets, but oh-so-very cute too!  Check it out . . .

Heart Brownie Cupcakes

Ingredients:

~ Vegetable oil cooking spray
~ 3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
~ 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
~ 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) coarse salt
~ 15 ounce(s) (3 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
~ 12 ounce(s) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
~ 3 cup(s) sugar
~ 6 large eggs, room temperature
~ 1 tablespoon(s) pure vanilla extract

Basic Buttercream Frosting:


~ 12 ounce(s) (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
~ 1 pound(s) confectioners' sugar, sifted
~ 1/2 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract


Directions (for cupcakes):

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Coat an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray, line bottom with parchment, then spray parchment.

2.) Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Place butter and chocolate in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring until chocolate melts.

3.) Attach bowl to mixer, add sugar, and whisk on medium-high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture.

4.) Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Spread remaining batter in square Brownie pan (these will be for the hearts that top the brownie). Bake until set but still soft, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins and pan on wire racks.

Directions (for Buttercream)


1.) Beat butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.

2.) Reduce speed to medium. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition, about 5 minutes. (After every 2 additions, increase speed to high, and beat for 10 seconds, then reduce speed to medium-high).

3.) Add vanilla, and beat until buttercream is smooth. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (If refrigerated, bring to room temperature,and beat on low speed until smooth before using.)


Directions (for finishing):

1.) Frost cupcakes with buttercream. Cut out 24 hearts from brownie in pan using a 1 1/2-inch heart-shaped cutter. Top each cupcake with a heart.

(image via Domestic Wannabe)

Pretty darn cute and crazy clever too!  Pop on back tomorrow for some more February 14th inspiration...

Marvelously Moroccan: A One-of-a-Kind Baby Shower . . .

I just love when a typical event turns into something purely magical, don't you?  What could have been the standard, cookie-cutter pastel baby shower becomes something truly special in this one of a kind Moroccan Masterpiece via On to Baby.  

And the warm, rich colors work perfectly for a colder weather shindig too, which makes it just downright wonderful for that saucy mama who is expecting her little bundle of joy come early spring!  Just take a look . . .

How about those homemade cinnamon rolls with 'Bun in the Oven' tags and those stunning henna-inspired cupcakes?

Add in a henna artist & an olive bar serving four kinds of olives on tiny gold plates, some gorgeous Moroccan pillows, hand-colored mason jars, and homemade baklava and you are all set!

Fabulous Vendors:
Design: Jessie Jane of Lilyshop
Specialty Paper: Paper Source
Flowers: Cathy from Hollywood Vines
Henna: Elizabeth from Los Angeles Henna

Just downright gorgeous and so unexpected too!  Hope your week is going beautifully so far!!

FROSTED: Skip the Latte...Spice Up Your Fall With Pumpkin Spice Treats!

For some people, the first sign of Fall is seeing the leaves on all of the trees turn beautiful shades of red, yellow, and orange; watching those nail-biting Sunday afternoon football games, or putting on a sweater on a cool evening for the first time.  But I feel the first sign that Fall has begun is when I see all of those advertisements for Pumpkin Spice Lattes at the coffee shops around town.  I can slowly see my wallet shrink every time I take a gulp of that sweet, creamy pumpkin coffee.

But just in case you want to get that fabulous Fall flavor without breaking the bank, today I am sharing some Pumpkin Spice Dessert recipes with you. These yummy treats not only look scrumptious, but are a great way to incorporate that spicy pumpkin taste without staying up all night from caffeine or drinking a hot beverage if you live in a state where the temperatures are still soaring!

So put down that pricey latte....and try a bite of these mouth-watering pumpkin spice goodies.

Pumpkin Spice Pretzels
(Courtesy of Alaska From Scratch)

Ingredients:

• 1 (15 oz) bag of bite-sized pretzels
• 1/2 cup of canola oil
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup of cinnamon sugar
• 1 cup of white chocolate chips
• Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

1.  Set aside two large baking sheets. Into a large microwave-safe bowl, pour the pretzels. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined. Drizzle mixture over pretzels and toss to coat.

2.  Microwave the pretzels for 60 seconds. Stir well and microwave again, another 45 seconds. Pour the pretzels out onto two large baking sheets. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar while still hot. Melt the white chocolate (over low heat or in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time, being careful not to burn). Drizzle white chocolate over the pretzels. Then, sprinkle the pretzels with sprinkles, if using.

3.  Allow white chocolate to set and cool completely. Break apart and store in bags or airtight containers.

Pumpkin Spice Thumbprint Cookies
(Recipe by Pass The Sushi)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 of cup sugar
• 1/4 cup of chai concentrate
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of chai spice mix
• 22-24 Pumpkin spice Hershey’s Kisses

 Directions:

1.  Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer and cream at medium speed until fluffy, or with a hand mixer, for about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg, chai concentrate,  and the vanilla, mix until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl as necessary. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Using your hands, roll the dough into 22 to 24 1 inch round balls. Place the dough balls on parchment paper lined baking sheets and sprinkle chai spice mix lightly over cookies.

3.  Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, unwrap kisses. Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately place pumpkin kisses in the center of each cookie. Don’t touch or the kisses will turn into puddles! Cool completely.

 Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats
(Via Shugary Sweets)

 Ingredients:
(Serves approximately 16)

•  1/4 cup of unsalted butter
• 10 oz bag of marshmallows
• 1 box (3.4oz) of pumpkin spice instant pudding mix
• 5 cups of rice krispies cereal
• 1 cup of white chocolate, melted
• sprinkles

Directions:

1.  Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil. Grease the foil with butter. Set aside.

2.  In large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add in marshmallows and stir constantly until melted (lower heat to low-medium). Remove from heat and quickly stir in pudding mix. Fold in cereal.

3.  Pour mixture into buttered foil pan. Press treats into pan (but not too hard, that will dry them out).

Spread melted white chocolate over top of treats and sprinkle immediately with sprinkles. Allow to set about 1 hour. Cut and serve.

 Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes
(Recipe by Pennies On A Platter)

Donut Ingredients:

•  1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoons of nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of allspice
• 1/8 teaspoons of ground cloves
• 1/3 cup of vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/2 cup of low-fat milk 

Coating Ingredients:

• 1 stick of of unsalted butter, melted
• 2/3 cup of granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons of cinnamon

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.

2.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. In a separate large bowl, combine the oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter. 

3.  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, about 1 tablespoon in each cup. (You will have batter left over for about another dozen.) Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until passes the toothpick test.

4.  Remove the muffins from the oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes, or until just cool enough to handle. With the melted butter in one bowl and the sugar and cinnamon combined in another, dip each muffin into the butter then roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately. 

Pumpkin Spice Truffles

(Courtesy of Annie's Eats)

Ingredients:

(Makes about 30 truffles)

• 1 cup of white chocolate, coarsely chopped (about 5 oz)
• 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup of finely ground gingersnaps
• 3/4 cup of graham cracker crumbs
• 2 Tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• Pinch of orange zest
• 4 oz. of cream cheese, softened

Dipping Ingredients:

• About 16 oz. chopped white chocolate, melted (or white candy melts)

Garnish Ingredients:

• Additional gingersnap crumbs

Directions:

1.  To make the truffle filling, melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water just until smooth.  Set aside to cool slightly.  Add the pumpkin, gingersnap and graham cracker crumbs, confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, orange zest and cream cheese.  Mix well until completely blended and smooth.  Transfer the mixture to the refrigerator or freezer until it has thickened up enough to scoop and roll into balls (about 1 hour).

2.   Scoop the filling mixture and roll into balls, about 1 inch in diameter.  Transfer to a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet.  Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and let chill until firm, about 2 hours.

3.  When you are ready to dip the truffles, melt the white chocolate or candy melts for coating in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water.  Once completely melted and smooth, carefully dip one of the balls of filling into the chocolate.  Turn quickly to coat and balance on the tines of a fork to shake off the excess.  Transfer to a lined baking sheet and sprinkle with additional gingersnap crumbs, if desired.  Repeat with the remaining filling balls.  Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill until the coating is set.

 Low Fat Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Courtesy of SkinnyTaste.com)

Ingredients:

(Around 12 Servings)

• 1/2 cup of whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
• 2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoon of butter, melted
• 1 egg white
• 2 Tablespoons of pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°.  Line two cookie sheets with non-stick silicone baking liners (such as Silpats) or lightly spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. 

2.  In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, salt and pumpkin spice; stir to blend. In another bowl, whisk the sugars, butter, egg white, pumpkin puree and vanilla together until light and fluffy.

3.   Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions until the batter is very well blended. If the batter looks more “crumbly” than smooth, add just a drop of water at a time (ONLY if needed) until it smooths out.

4.  Drop by level spoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets. Bake 8 - 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let them stand 5 minutes before removing the cookies from the pans to cool on wire racks.

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies
( Via Kitchen Heals Soul)

 Whoopie Pie Ingredients:
(Makes approximately 18-20 assembled whoopie pies)

• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of  baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon of ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon of cloves
• 1/4 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup of puréed roasted pumpkin
• 1/2 cup of buttermilk 

Filling Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of butter
• 7/8 cup of full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup–1 cup  icing sugar, sifted   

Whoopie Pie Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the whoopie pie pan with cooking spray. Set aside for later. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.

2.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar for about 5 minutes.Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed with a spatula. In another small bowl, combine the pumpkin and buttermilk.

3.   To the mixer, add the flour mixture and the pumpkin mixture, alternately, beginning and ending with the flour.

4.  Fill each whoopie pie mold no more than half full, spreading the mixture into all the nooks and crannies. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes. Let the whoopie pies cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then tap them out onto a rack to cool completely before filling.

Filling Directions:

1.  Begin by browning the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until the milk solids turn a nutty brown. Set aside to cool.

2.  Beat together the cream cheese and the cooled brown butter (be sure to add all those nutty brown bits!) in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, slowly add the icing sugar. Beat until the desired consistency and level of sweetness is achieved.

Assembly Directions:

1.  Spread the filling on one cake and sandwich with another. Repeat to assemble remaining whoopie pies.     

 

What a great way to begin this Fall season, with the refreshing creamy spicy flavor we all love, but with a whole new look. These pumpkin spice desserts would compliment any Fall vintage-inspired bridal shower, would be perfect when hosting your own Autumn Harvest Party (like Juneberry Lane showed us this week with the creative hay bale seating), or at your next spooky Halloween cocktail party.

So when you find yourself craving a refreshing spicy Fall beverage from your local coffee shop, just walk into your kitchen, whip up some of your own pumpkin spice inspired treats, and impress your guests with your baking barista skills. Have a wonderful weekend!

Wedding Wednesday: A Political Showdown

In honor of our first presidential debate this evening, I thought today would be the perfect Wedding Wednesday to feature this amazing 'One Love' political inspiration shoot from La Boheme Events via the Ruffled blog.

A couple divided during a hotbed of political mayhem makes for such a playful theme for a wedding or special event, don't you think?  And the pops of bright colors, the sense of humor, and the air of sophistication just adds to the allure!  Take a look . . .

Fabulous Vendors:
Shoot Location: San Juan Capistrano, CA / Photographer: Focus Photography, Inc. / Event Planner: La Boheme Events / Floral Design: Shawna Yamamoto Event Design / Event Venue: The Villa of San Juan Capistrano / Wedding Dress: Schone Design / Hair: Kali Williams / Makeup: Elysia Moon Makeup Artistry / Wedding Cake: Filigree Cakes / Rentals: A Rental Connection / Stationery: Prim & Pixie

I told you that was fun . . . and an election party sounds like a thrill of a good time now too!  Have fun watching the show down tonight and enjoy the rest of your Wednesday!!