October 2011
1 post
8 tags
Pumpkin Bread
“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” ~ George Eliot
In my last post (three weeks ago…yikes!), I pretended it was autumn. Now it actually is! The air is crisper, the leaves are hinting at changing color and there are pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere. I can never quite decide, but...
September 2011
2 posts
6 tags
Apple Festival Cobbler
“Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness.”
~ Jane Austen
Can it just be Fall already? It’s September. Football is back. School is in session. There’s a hint of crispness in the air. And apples are ripe for the picking. Ok yeah, I’ve decided it’s just going to be Fall right now. Sorry, Summer lovers! And an apple cobbler is...
6 tags
Parmesan Thyme Crackers
“Those herbs which perfume the air most delightfully, not passed as by the rest, but, being trodden upon and crushed, are three; that is, burnet, wild thyme and watermints. Therefore, you are to set whole alleys of them, to have the pleasure when you walk or tread.” ~ Francis Bacon
Happy Labor Day! I’m deviating a little with these crackers as they are obviously not a...
August 2011
8 posts
4 tags
Pinterest Inspiration
Ever since I discovered Pinterest (and wrote an article about it), I have been bombarded by amazing, fabulous, endless ideas for everything. Everything. Including wedding desserts! Here are a few of them.
etsy.com
stylemepretty.com
enchanteddreamweddings.com
everlytrue.tumblr.com
brides.com
stylemepretty.com
ruffledblog.com
engagedandinspired.com
...
5 tags
Chocolate Pound Cake
“What you see before you, my friend, is the result of a lifetime of chocolate.”
~ Katherine Hepburn
I’m not quite sure what she meant by that, but I have never seen Katherine Hepburn look anything shy of stunning. Oh well. Watching The Philadelphia Story the other day gave me incentive to use her quote when I found it. Ahhh, old movies.
Anyway, sometimes you just need...
Rustic Dessert Ideas
This Colorado photo shoot showcased some awesome ideas to do desserts for rustic wedding in a home-y but chic way.
(Angie Wilson Photography via Style Me Pretty)
6 tags
Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze
“You ought to have seen what I saw on my way To the village, through Mortenson’s pasture to-day: Blueberries as big as the end of your thumb, Real sky-blue, and heavy, and ready to drum In the cavernous pail of the first one to come! And all ripe together, not some of them green And some of them ripe! You ought to have seen!“
~ Robert Frost (excerpt from Blueberries)
...
6 tags
Wedding Wednesdays: Cake Banners
So I’ve been slacking on my Wedding Wednesday posts the past two weeks. Putting more effort into making up my own recipes for Mondays has been taking up a lot of my time. Plus I got a writing job for an online magazine! For which I am immensely grateful, and it too has been taking up more of my time. Here’s my latest article, a Barefoot Contessa cookbook review.
But I’m...
8 tags
Strawberry (Honey Lemon) Shortcake
“Are wild strawberries really wild? Will they scratch an adult, will they snap at a child? Should you pet them, or let them run free where they roam? Could they ever relax in a steam-heated home? Can they be trained to not growl at the guests? Will a litterbox work or would they make a mess? Can we make them a Cowberry, herding the cows, or maybe a Muleberry pulling the plows, or...
6 tags
Lime Tart
“You like pie? I like pie.” ~ Barack Obama
Oh, Obama! I’m not sure what the context was for this quote, but I thought it was random and funny, and it was his birthday last week. It was also the closest I could get to a quote about a tart. Tart, pie…close enough, right?
Well, happy Monday! Today’s post is going to be a personal one because this lime tart is my very...
8 tags
Ina's Brownie Tart
“Any sane person loves chocolate.” ~ Bob Greene
Anyone who has read my blog knows I love, love, love Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa.) In fact, my inaugural post for this blog was her Pear, Apple and Cranberry Crisp. I can’t say enough about how much I love her food. It’s good, simple food made with quality ingredients. And she’s all about layering flavors...
July 2011
8 posts
8 tags
Wedding Wednesdays: Alice and Her Mad Hatter
Mad Hatter: Have I gone mad?
Alice: I’m afraid so. You’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. All the best people are.
This photo shoot was inspired by Alice and Wonderland! Which I absolutely love, so I had to feature it. I adore the use of clocks and teapots! The whole photo shoot is featured in Style Me Pretty.
(Photos by Jessica Claire)
11 tags
Potions and Exploding Bon Bons
“There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don’t expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. However, for those select few who possess the pre-disposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses; I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in...
6 tags
Wedding Wednesdays: Cupcake Bar
Last week the DIY Ice Cream Parlour got such good responses, I decided to post pictures of a cupcake bar! I love the idea of making your own dessert, choosing your own toppings. How fun!
(Jen Huang Photography via Style Me Pretty)
8 tags
Butterbeer Cupcakes
” But he understood at last what Dumbledore had been trying to tell him. It was, he thought, the difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high. Some people, perhaps, would say that there was little to choose between the two ways, but Dumbledore knew - and so do I, thought Harry, with a rush of fierce...
5 tags
Wedding Wednesdays: Ice Cream Parlour
It has been hot, hot, hot (well, in most places) the last few weeks. Today temperatures are expected to be up into the triple digits for much of the South and Midwest. Heat index readings could reach 117 in South Carolina from Charleston to Beaufort! In the Midwest, temperatures have reached the 120s in some areas! So my slight obsession with the weather made me think about doing an ice cream...
7 tags
Cauldron Cakes
“But one thing’s certain, something about you stumped him that night. That’s why you’re famous, Harry, that’s why everybody knows your name. You’re the boy who lived.” ~ Hagrid
I’m so happy to present the first of three Harry Potter dessert posts! In honor of both the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II and...
4 tags
Wedding Wednesdays: Pies
In another ode to the Fourth of July, this week’s Wedding Wednesday post features pies! Pies are used a lot in outdoor weddings and give a rustic, home-y feel to a celebration, or so I’ve noticed in wedding blogs. And, dare I say it, I think a lot of people prefer pie to cake.
This one is my favorite. :)
EE Photography via Style Me Pretty
La Vida Creations Photography via...
9 tags
Mini Apple Pies
“The winds that blow through the wide sky in these mounts, the winds that sweep from Canada to Mexico, from the Pacific to the Atlantic - have always blown on free men.” ~Franklin D. Roosevelt
“You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and...
June 2011
9 posts
4 tags
Wedding Wednesdays: Oh My Cookies!
This week for Wedding Wednesdays, I’m featuring my friend Suzanne’s wonderful cookies. My fellow grammar lover, crossword puzzle doer, and avid baker makes cookies for every holiday and special occasion. As roommates in college, a lot of our time was spent baking together. She would bake cookies and we would both decorate them, usually with some Disney movie on in the background. I...
6 tags
Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
“When you look at a cupcake, you’ve got to smile.” ~ Anne Byrn
Summer is the time for freshly picked strawberries and lemonade stands…so why not combine the two in a cupcake?! Whoever thought up these delicious creations is a genius.
I searched high and low and found a ton of strawberry lemonade and pink lemonade cupcake recipes, but I really wanted one that used...
6 tags
Wedding Wednesdays: Lil' Cake Toppers
These are so stinkin’ cute! I can’t get over it. Graphic Designer Esther Mun launched her shop, Lil’ Cake Toppers, on June 1st. She customizes all her toppers for any occasion, especially weddings. Examples of her work are modeled after real people, and you can get an idea of what she can do and how she customizes each set. All the ethnicities and backgrounds represented are...
6 tags
Banana Cream Pie
“When you die, if you get a choice between going to regular heaven or pie heaven, choose pie heaven. It might be a trick, but if it’s not, mmmmmmmm, boy.” ~ Jack Handy
This classic Southern staple is my brother’s favorite dessert, which I made for him for his birthday last week. My mom has always made it, but I thought this time I’d give it a go. ...
5 tags
Wedding Wednesdays: Outdoor Dessert Tables
This first shot is from a photo shoot by The Nichols (a husband and wife photo team) and The Nouveau Romantics design studio taken at a spring wedding in Austin, Texas. I love, love, love this for a dessert/cake table!
Desserts by Bake Sale and Photo by The Nichols
Desserts and Photo by Eat Drink Pretty
Desserts by friends and family of the bride and groom and photo by Polly Alexandre...
9 tags
Blueberry Muffins
“Local food generally leaves a much lighter environmental footprint. The average fruit or vegetable on an American plate has traveled 1500 miles from the farm, and a lot of diesel fuel has been burned to get it there. Local food has much lower energy costs, and as the era of cheap energy draws to a close, eating local will be more important than ever. Before you buy the Prius, start...
6 tags
Wedding Wednesdays: Bella Cupcake Couture Wrappers
How fun are these cupcake wrappers from Bella Cupcake Couture?! They’re definitely not just for weddings, but I found them in Style Me Pretty. I just love them! You can find them in stores all over the U.S. as well as Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Australia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Check out their store locator to find a retailer (online or in-store) near you that sells these...
5 tags
Lemon Ricotta Cookies
“Cookies are made of butter and love.” ~Norwegian Proverb
Confession: I actually made these cookies for my blog about a year and a half ago and never got around to posting them. (Talk about procrastination!) I even took pictures but forgot they were on my camera until I found them this week. Que sera, sera.
Right after I made Ina’s (or the Barefoot Contessa - I enjoy...
8 tags
Wedding Wednesdays: Backyard Chic
Style Me Pretty has quickly become one of my favorite wedding blogs. They have the cutest and most creative photo shoots. Lots of them have a theme or have been inspired by something in particular. Backyard Chic is the theme of this shoot, and it’s just wonderful. Those two words, “backyard” and “chic” don’t really seem to go together, but Style Me Pretty...
May 2011
4 posts
5 tags
Peach Cobbler
“A Georgia peach, a real Georgia peach, a backyard great-grandmother’s orchard peach, is as thickly furred as a sweater, and so fluent and sweet that once you bite through the flannel, it brings tears to your eyes.” ~Melissa Fay Greene
Ahhh peach season in the South! Everyone knows Georgia is famous for their peaches, but South Carolina peaches are just as wonderful. The ripening...
4 tags
Wedding Wednesdays: Nine Cakes
Nine Cakes is a Brooklyn-based studio that churns out amazing wedding, custom and signature cakes. They are colorful, whimsical and unique, and the detail of each is incredibly intricate. Below are some of my favorites, nine to be exact. :)
Photo credit: Heather Waraksa
Photo credit: Jessica Mahady
Photo credit: Jen Huang Photography
Photo credit: Marlo Gamora
Photo credit: Jen...
5 tags
Wedding Wednesdays: Royal Wedding Cakes
I got a smashing idea inspired by the royal wedding a few weeks ago: Wedding Wednesdays! I love browsing wedding blogs, and due to the incredible amount of creative wedding flair out there, I will share with you some wedding sweets that are sometimes my favorites, sometimes themed and sometimes just plain interesting. Forgive me if it doesn’t happen every week, but I will aim for as...
7 tags
Pinwheel Cookies
“Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o’clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap.” ~Barbara Jordan
Pinwheels are another old family recipe passed down from my mom’s mom, Granny. These are most peculiar cookies because they’re not very sweet. In fact, everyone that has married into the...
April 2011
1 post
9 tags
Chocolate Hazelnut Turnovers with Strawberries
“If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you. But you have no chocolate! I think of that again and again! My dear, how will you ever manage?” ~Madame de Sévigné
I’ve been wanting to experiment with phyllo (or fillo or filo) forever, but never really got around to it. So I bought a box of phyllo dough about two weeks ago without a clue what...
March 2011
4 posts
8 tags
Cherry Blossom Sweets
“It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want - oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” ~Mark Twain
Cherry blossoms, or sakura, are in season! These beautiful cherry trees are native to East Asia, Japan particularly having a wide variety of sakura. In...
7 tags
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Spelt Flour
“Don’t wreck a sublime chocolate experience by feeling guilty.” ~ Lora Brody
While these cookies may not be purely guilt free, you absolutely can feel a little less guilty about eating them. They are made with spelt flour instead of all-purpose flour, kosher salt in place of regular table salt (both of which the original recipe calls for), real butter instead of Crisco...
6 tags
Vegan Banana Muffins
“To eat is a necessity. To eat intelligently is an art.” ~François de La Rochefoucauld
*Note to vegan skeptics: You absolutely cannot tell there aren’t eggs in these muffins!
I know, I know…more muffins! Why in the world would I possibly be making more muffins? Well, these are a byproduct of my amazing friend Lindsay coming in town to visit! She brought with her...
6 tags
St. Patrick's Day Treats
“May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks. May your heart be as light as a song. May each day bring you bright happy hours, That stay with you all year long.” ~ Irish Blessing
As I was browsing through one of my favorite blogs, Twig & Thistle, I came across this St. Patrick’s Day Cake with green layers. I never thought a green cake could look so good! And...
February 2011
4 posts
7 tags
Red Carpet Desserts
“Every time I go to a movie, it’s magic, no matter what the movie is about.” ~Steven Spielberg
Here are some fabulous party desserts I found with the Academy Awards in mind, airing this Sunday night! (Personally, I’m hoping The King’s Speech sweeps everything…it was just fantastic!)
Brownie Popcorn Bags
...
9 tags
Citrus Fruit Muffins
I made citrus fruit muffins in addition to the apple streusels for the brunch. These cupcake wannabes smell absolutely fantastic while you’re making them. Not even just while their baking, but the whole assembling process is wonderfully fragrant. There’s nothing quite like lemon, lime and orange zest. Oils in the rinds of the fruits are released and that quintessential citrus...
7 tags
Apple Streusel Muffins
“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
~Lewis Carroll
Let me begin by saying where I got this recipe (and the one to follow.) My mom and I were browsing our way through World Market, which is a fabulous store that I wish we had in Florida, and came across a book called 1 Mix, 100 Muffins by Susanna Tee. Flipping through it, we...
6 tags
Bennie's Fudge - the closest to Granny's Fudge we...
“Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts.” ~Author Unknown
In the little town of Duncan, Oklahoma, lived a woman who baked and baked. Pies and cakes she made year round. The fudge, however, came but once a year. Frances Spruiell, my grandmother (affectionately known as “Granny” to her family and “Dolly” to her friends), hunkered...
April 2010
1 post
6 tags
Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake
“Let them eat cake.” ~Marie Antoinette
Well this post was a long time coming! I haven’t written in so long because my computer got a virus, and my internet was on the fritz. That would happen right after I mentioned having no major catastrophes. Oh well…I’m back!
I wouldn’t quite say that making the coffee cake was “fraught with ...
January 2010
2 posts
8 tags
Pear, Apple and Cranberry Crisp
“Vegetables are the food of the earth; fruit seems more the food of the heavens.” ~Sepal Felicivant
Choosing to wear my brown and olive green apron I got two Christmases ago and selecting a random playlist on itunes, I set to work on my very first dessert. I chose this recipe from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, on foodnetwork.com for several reasons. The main one...
The Mission
As I teeter on the edge between collegiate life and whatever else may be out there for me, I’m finding creative ways to make sure I’m writing, writing, writing (and editing, editing, editing.) This blog being one of them. Now what to blog about? Cooking through an entire cookbook? Too cliché. Freelance writing about various topics in the news? Too broad – and possibly too boring. And...
