5 Amazing Valentine Treat Ideas, plus a bonus!!

5 Amazing Valentine Treat Ideas, plus an Added BONUS!

You can certainly tell with the blow up on Pinterest lately that Valentine Treats are of major interest this week! So I decided to share with you some of my FAVORITE treat ideas straight from Pinterest.

Product Review: Baking Buddies Silicone Baking Cups

It isn't every day that I get a chance to do a product review. But this weekend was one of those lucky times. I was given a set of Baking Buddies Silicone Baking Cups and asked to share my honest opinion about them by Rizzi from The New York Baking Company. What better way to determine my feelings than by comparing them to other similar silicone baking cups, right?

So here is the Battle of the Silicone Baking Cups!!

In the left corner, Baking Buddies Silicone Baking Cups. And in the right corner, generic silicone baking cups from the local grocer.

Here are the similarities. (read more...)

101 Reasons Why I love my Husband

The Dating Divas emailed an awesome printable for all of us to use that helps us develop our 101 reasons why we love our husbands. As much as i like print, I think a public forum would be best. My husband doesn't usually get the recognition he deserves for all he does. Nor, do I praise him enough in public.

My husband, is a great man! There are so many amazing qualities about him; many that people don't even know about. I'm not getting on the 30 days of Thankfulness that is flying all over facebook because I am thankful every day for what God has given. And every day is a day to share it, not just during the month of November.

BUT, I am going to share why I love my husband because He doesn't hear it enough.

To my husband: (read more...)

Art & Science of Baking: Free e-book

You know, as well as I do that there is a science to baking. It isn't one of those "toss this ingredient in" or "add a pinch more of that" situations. It truly requires a balance, sometimes down to the hundredth of an ounce to nail the right combination to produce something truly amazing.

I personally struggle with this. I'm the "follow a recipe two a T" person and my husband is not. He just mixes to smell, which works great when he cooks. But not so great when I bake. Oz simply has his own way of doing things. Which i LOVE! He can create the most scrumptious meals from mere ingredients in my pantry. But sometimes, I just want that calculated baked good full of warmth and sweetness. And I'm simply not willing to just toss in items without knowing the outcome will be exactly what I want or better than I can dream.

I NEED to know the science before I'm willing to just toss and bake.

This weekend I was introduced to a free e-book, How to Bake, the Art & Science of Baking.

Oh be still my heart! Here it is.

Happy 50th Birthday Easy Bake Oven!!!

What little girl in the last 50 years doesn't have a distinct memory involving the Easy Bake Oven? I do. I remember very clearly making brownies in my Easy Bake Oven with my older sister. It consumed our afternoon, which I'm sure mom loved. And it made us smile to know we had created something so yummy with just a few steps. We were bakers! 

I recalled this memory very fondly when my niece turned 3. Now remember, i don't have any girls. I just have my nieces. They are my lifeline to pink, purple and all things frilly. That includes the fabulous world of Easy Bake Ovens. So I staked claim when she was three that I would be buying her first Easy Bake Oven. Who better than the Great Cupcake Aunt (said with a resounding super hero voice)! It was perfect. And it was a perfect way for me to connect with the sweet little girls in my life and provide them a sweet little adventure into baking. So at age 5, Emily opened a large heavy box from Aunt Sherra and unlocked a world of baking possibilities! 

It made my heart smile!

This past week marked 50 years since the Easy Bake Oven made is debut and for that, Easy Bake Oven, We salute you! 

Happy 50th Birthday!!

Next Food Network Star Auditions: Calling all Cooks

Imagine my surprise when I opened an email and it was directly from the casting company for The Next Food Network Star Season 10. I just about dropped my jaw. How cool was it that "I" was privy to such a cool email and even better, that I would get to share it with you!!

They are looking for individuals with captivating personalities and strong culinary expertise. If you believe you are The Next Food Network Star, then here is your chance to prove it. 

There are two ways to enter. One is through an in-person audition and the other is through a home video submission.