Celebrating Spring...with Chocolate!

I love cake bites.  They're fun, they're simple (and beautiful and delicious!) and they make such pretty presentations.  They can be changed up to fit any theme, any event, any party, any season.  These particular little beauties are all chocolate, but, as with most of my desserts, they can be changed up and as creative as you'd like!  I love trying different flavor combinations.  Previous yummies have been chocolate raspberry brownie bites, red cake balls, oreo cookie truffles, carrot cake truffles, lemon, strawberry cake dipped in chocolate...what is your favorite cake flavor?  What would you like to try in cake ball form?

Valentine treats

When you want to show someone in your life how special they are, why not do so with some yummy treats?
 

Peanut butter and strawberry jam thumbprints

Sugar cookies with white chocolate chips and crushed honey roasted peanuts; a request from my husband.  Surprisingly good, and an example of a personalized treat!

Sugar cookies!

Who doesn't love sugar cookies?

A few holiday treats.

Due to lack of time and energy this holiday season, I was not able to bake nearly as much as I wanted to.  However, I was able to make a couple of fun, good treats that were thoroughly enjoyed.

Sugar cookies with a thin, almond-flavored icing.  I liked the "whimsical" look of the icing on these drop cookies rather than the royal icing I normally use.

Pretty and simple decorations, made from melting chocolate.

Happy 2011!  Numbers made from melting chocolate and decorated with sprinkles.

Very rich  but good parfait: Brownie bits, chocolate pudding, vanilla pudding with mini chocolate chips mixed in, and whipped cream.

Oldies but goodies

Before I started my blog, I enjoyed taking pictures of my food.  My photography skills have definitely improved (thanks to the Nikon my husband got me as a gift), but these are some "oldies but goodies".  Good for holiday celebrations, get togethers, or just a yummy treat to have around the house.

Snickerdoodle cookies for a shower

Whole wheat pumpkin apple muffins.  Very healthy, and very good!

Peach muffin with a pecan and brown sugar topping.

An amazing addition to brunch, or a snack.

Harvest cheesecake: All the flavors of fall!  Apples, nutmeg, cinnamon, pecans on a delicious pecan and graham cracker crust.

Side view of the yumminess.

Inside view of my most requested cupcake (lemon cupcake with blueberry filling, lemon cream cheese icing)

I accidentally spilled the sprinkles on this cake...at least it wasn't over the floor!  I just went with it.  Luckily, it was just for us and some friends.

Vanilla and almond scented cake, buttercream frosting, blueberry preserves filling and (homemade) lemon curd filling. I had a bunch of leftover filling/cake/icing from an order, so this is what happened!

Baby Shower cuteness

So much can be done with sugar cookies.  Any size, shape, color, theme....the possibilities are endless!  These cookies were made as favors for a baby shower (my own, actually...how fun to make something for us and our family!), as favor bags for the guests to take home.  People loved the design, and of course, everyone loves cookies, not to mention edible favors!  The colors (pink, blue and green) were used because those are nursery colors.  But again, with sugar cookies, only your imagination will hold you back!

A perfect "Thanks!!"

What better way to show your appreciation than with a bouquet of COOKIES?  Beautiful, simple, and of course, delicious, a cookie bouquet will brighten anyone's day and show them that you went the extra mile to say "Thank you!!".  Of course, the cookie bouquet doesn't end with thanks; be it baby shower, congratulations, good luck, graduation...the sky's the limit!

Welcome, baby Logan!

For a friend/co-worker's baby shower, I made sugar cookies with royal icing, and the lemon-blueberry cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and blueberry filling that always go FAST!!  These kind of treats are fun and simple, and because of their versatility, they can be used for any theme, any color, any occasion!