It’s been a while since I’ve had time to blog, but I couldn’t wait any longer to share this with you. Have you ever had marshmallow creme? This awesome stuff is like fluffy, spreadable marshmallow. You can sandwich it between cookies, use it in s’mores, spread it on a cupcake…   or just lick it off a spoon

Everything is better when you make it yourself, and this is no exception. Making this is a lot like making marshmallows – you add a hot sugar syrup into egg whites and then just beat it until it magically transforms into a full bowl of fluffy goodness. Watching the egg whites become marshmallow is almost as much fun as eating the fluff itself (almost).

You’ll need an electric mixer, unless you want to whisk until your arm falls off, but it’s not too difficult with the right tools. Use a mixer, a candy thermometer, and add in the 4 ingredients below to make your own soft, sweet marshmallow creme.

Stay tuned – I have 2 awesome desserts that use this marshmallow fluff and I’ll share them soon! (more…)

Time to usher in spring and summer time with some Salted Caramel Mocha Frozen Yogurt!

A few weeks ago I polled all my Facebook fans with a simple fill in the blank sentence: My favorite ice cream flavor is ___________! I got 60 responses, from the classic, simple vanilla to more complex flavors like fig and orange custard chocolate chip (I’ve never had either of those but I’d love to try them!). I have to admit I had an ulterior motive – I wanted to make my own frozen yogurt, but couldn’t decide on what flavor to make.

But let’s be real – as much as I loved hearing your diverse list of favorites, 60 more ideas didn’t really help me or my poor decision making skills!

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Almost a year ago, I posted my now Pinterest-famous guide to making cupcake bouquets. I had seen photos of similar bouquets floating around Pinterest, but never found a good tutorial on making them, so I figured it out and put together my own. I guess I wasn’t the only one who loved the idea – I got an overwhelming response to the post (it’s been pinned over 600,000 times!) and have been meaning to make a different version ever since.

After my last appearance on the local Fox morning show, they asked me to return in the spring and I knew this was the perfect opportunity to share how to make a cupcake bouquet and try out a new version! I’ll be on this Friday, March 29th, at 9:20am PDT. Watch the livestream from wherever you in the world and see how I put together this Easter basket version of the cupcake bouquet.

If you want to try making your own, you’ll need: a basket, green floral foam inserts that fit in it, toothpicks, fake (or real) leaves, cupcakes, frosting, and a piping bag with a tip like the Wilton 1M or Wilton 2D.

Get instructions on how to make a basic cupcake bouquet here or watch me demonstrate it on Friday! I’ll update this post with the video on Friday afternoon so you can watch it if you miss it live.

P.S. Here’s another cupcake bouquet I can’t help but sharing – a cute pink polka version from my best friend’s baby shower!

Hummus is one of my go-tos when I want a great snack. It’s healthy, tasty, and filling, plus it goes so well with so many things – veggies, pita bread, crackers, tortilla chips…the list goes on. I bake so much that I need regular breaks from sugar and make sure to eat healthy things like hummus in between.

Hidden Valley^® challenged me to remix a classic recipe with their Original Ranch^® Salad Dressing or Seasoning Mix and as I was trying to think of something to makeover, hummus crossed my mind. Ranch + hummus – why not? Hummus comes in lots of flavors and ranch is such a classic snack flavor. Who doesn’t love ranch chips or dipping a baby carrot in ranch dressing?

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As many of you know, I got engaged on Christmas, so the last couple of months have been a flurry of research, planning, and decision making. I knew who I wanted to be in my wedding party before I even got engaged, but it still took me about 6 weeks to ask them. I wanted to make something special, and since my closest friends are scattered around the country, it had to be something I could easily mail too.

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