Peanut Butter Ball Brownies

We always made peanut butter balls growing up and they were so good! 

They also took a little bit of time standing over the stove dipping each one in chocolate.

 This recipe is nice because it takes a little time but you don't have to stand over the stove dipping each ball. 

I made my favorite brownies (boxed will do just fine) and then added 

the peanut butter ball topping:

1 stick butter soft/partially melted

about 1 cup peanut butter

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Mix these together and spread on cooled brownies. 

**Some people would add crushed graham crackers to the peanut butter mix for texture, 

I don't because I love the creaminess of this recipe!

Topping:

Then I melted a bag of chocolate chips (any kind, milk, semi-sweet, dark, etc.) I used dark

with about 3-4 Tbls. butter 

and about 3-4 Tbls. of milk

Gently spread chocolate over peanut butter mix and let set up in refrigerator. 

Cut into 1" bites and serve on mini cupcake liners for a sweet treat. 

Peppermint Swirl Cupcakes

These were fun, cute and delicious! These were made with a moist vanilla cake recipe from The Cake Boss' cook book. The frosting was a yummy experiment. I remembered always loving those homemade butter-mints you'd get at weddings or your grandma's, so I tried to make a frosting with the same flavor, mission accomplished! I found a gingerbread man chocolate mold at Baker's C&C and created the peppermint swirl with this technique. I used disposable bags just to make it easier. 

Butter-Mint Frosting:

2 sticks butter softenend

5+ C powdered sugar

1-2 tsp vanilla

1/4 -1/2 tsp peppermint extract

up to 1/4 C milk

Cream butter & flavoring. Add sugar 1 cup at a time, thinning with milk as needed, always adding sugar last! Whip it with your mixer, and whip it good! Lots of air will make the frosting light. Enjoy :)

Christmas for Graham

Each year since moving to Utah, I've wanted to do a gingerbread house for the Festival of Trees. This year I decided to stop putting it off and just do it! If you don't know about the Festival of Trees all things made and donated are then auctioned off and all money is donated to Primary Children's Hospital. 

Thank you Centaurus Financial for purchasing my gingerbread house!

Our cousins were blessed with a sweet little baby boy, Graham Jacob. He was only able to be here on Earth with them for about six months. His life was spent in Primary Children's Hospital having surgeries, recovering and trying to 'Be Brave' and strong. 

He was a smiley, sparkly blue-eyed, boy that brought lots of love and joy to his family. 

Graham, this one's for you!

 H & J

 Graham and Claire building a snowman, having a snowball fight, and playing in their 'snow fort'.

At the Festival of Trees.

Old as Dirt

 Red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. Decorated in chopped chocolate and gummi worms.

Additional cupcake for the party; vanilla, chocolate and carrot with cream cheese frosting. 

Happy 60th Vern! I hope it was a great day!!

White Rosette

A vanilla cake with vanilla butter cream.

 In honor of my daughter's B.F.F.S.B.'s (best friends forever, since birth) baptism day.

 It is so fun to see these girls grow up so quickly! 

Lori

Lori's wedding cake:

Bottom layer- Chocolate cake with chocolate butter cream filling

Middle layer- Lime cake with coconut filling

Top layer- Lemon cake with cream cheese & blueberry filling

Lori's cupcakes:

chocolate & vanilla cupcakes with vanilla butter cream frosting

and lime cupcakes with coconut butter cream frosting

 All the best Lori!

Amy

For Amy's official cake:

Bottom layer- Vanilla cake with white chocolate & raspberry filling

Middle layer- Red velvet cake with cream cheese filling

Top layer- Chocolate cake with milk chocolate mousse filling

For Amy's Open House:

Red Velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting

Lime cupcakes with coconut frosting garnished with toasted coconut (my new favorite!)

Congrats Amy!