If you are new to my blog than you might not know how very much I LOVE peanut butter + chocolate. It's absolutely my very favorite flavor combo because not only does it combine two of my favorite things to eat, (peanut butter + chocolate), but it also covers my love for salty + sweet. I've been known to put peanut butter on a spoon and add some chocolate for a quick no calorie, no fat, no sugar treat! *wink*

So…when a friend is celebrating a birthday and that birthday-celebrating friend loves peanut butter + chocolate just as much as you do…well…you go all out to knock their socks off with an amazing dessert, right? 

That's exactly what happened this past weekend. It's been awhile since I've been able to REALLY do some baking so I was excited to dive right into the task of creating the perfect recipe!!  

The recipes I kept coming across had too much chocolate…

or too much peanut butter…

and for me…

it's GOT to be just the right balance of both.  So, I took bits and pieces from a couple of different recipes and tweaked things to create…

SUGAR | No-Bake Easy to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Oreo Mini Pies

I'm back with one more deconstructed halfway-homemade, last minute mini holiday dessert idea to help keep you out of the kitchen and mingling with your family, friends and guests.
You can whip up these impressive little bites in minutes and they are packed with flavor!
This MIGHT be my favorite deconstructed dessert idea I've shared...since it's all about my favorite flavor combination: chocolate + peanut butter. (not to mention it includes my very favorite candy bar: Snickers Peanut Butter Squared).

Chocolate + Peanut Butter Oreo Mini Pies

These are so seriously easy…you can thank me later.
Here's what you need to make them...

RECIPE RADAR | Mini Cast Iron Skillet Desserts

It's Fall Ya'll!! (said in my best southern accent)!!

Yep! Yesterday marked the first official day of Autumn and my mind went immediately to Fall Desserts. (go figure).

To celebrate, I decided to do a round up of delicious recipes using a method of baking that has a Rustic, Fall-ish vibe to them...

MINI CAST IRON SKILLETS

RUSTIC APPLE TARTS

by Sprinkle Bakes

MINI BERRY COBBLERS

by Southern Living

COOKIE IN A SKILLET

by Some Kitchen Stories

OATMEAL COOKIE BANANA CRISP

by Half Baked Harvest

MINI SKILLET CHERRY PEACH PIES

by Baked By Rachel

BERRY SKILLET COBBLER

by Home is Where the Boat Is

MINI SKILLET BROWNIES AND BLONDIES

by Food Network

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP PIZZOKIE

by Tikkido 

Itching to grab yourself some mini cast iron skillets now?
You can find 3.5" Mini Skillets HERE
or some 5" Mini Skillets HERE!!

KEEPiNG iT REAL
These little skillets aren't cheap by any means...
and the budget J likes to keep me on will absolutely effect how quickly I'm able to collect the set of 8 I'm dreaming of!!

SUGAR | Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites

You HAD to know these were coming!?
I mean they were totally inevitable...right?
My love for peanut butter + chocolate...
plus the Recipe Radar post last week featuring the yummy recipe from +Jamielyn Nye aka +I Heart Nap Time
combined with my love for all things mini sized...
and you've got yourself some...

 Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites

aka HOMEMADE REESE'S CUPS

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites SQUARED

Using the same recipe but two different techniques/molds...
you've got yourself two varieties of sinfully delicious grab n' go treats.
Keep reading to get the full scoop and recipe...

RECiPE RADAR | I Heart Naptime's Homemade Reeses

When I spotted these the other day...
I instantly pinned them... 

Reeses Peanut Butter Bars

by I HEART NAPTIME

Hover over the image and Pin it too!!

My love for chocolate + peanut butter 

combined with the flashback of something similar offered in our "Junior High" cafeteria...back in the day...

well...

you KNOW I couldn't pass up trying this out.

I'll be back soon with my results...

A huge thank you to Jamielyn from I Heart Naptime for the inspiration.

If you live under a rock and haven't visited her site yet...

you'll want to add her to your list of favorite sites!

She's got a tremendous following and for good reason...

she shares things related to budget-friendly crafts, home decor, diy, recipes and more.

Here's all of the I Heart Naptime social media links to stalk follow Jamielyn - *wink*

Website

Pinterest

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

Google+

If YOU have a favorite peanut butter + chocolate recipe you want to share...

send it my way. 

I'd LOVE to see it...and try it out! *wink*

KEEPiNG iT REAL

With the odds working against me today...

I had to postpone my original post.

Ella is sick - has been all weekend.

With a doctor appointment scheduled...

and a load of design work to get caught up on...

My very first "RECiPE RADAR" post has been born.

Short and "Sweet"...

I think I'll be sticking to it on Mondays from now on.

I LOVE the idea of getting to share a sneak peek with you as to what's on my baking/cooking agenda.

I hope you love the idea too!!

iNSPiRE | Promise Me 2013 - 4 Rivers

15 Days into the "Promise Me 2013" journey... 
and I am happy to report I've officially crossed off one of the things on my list...

A Visit to 4 Rivers Smokehouse
SWEET SHOP VIDEO FILMED VIA THE  VINE APP

4 Rivers Smokehouse from Jessica Kirkland on Vimeo.

Alongside the smokehouse portion of this dining establishment is their 4Rivers Sweet Shop.

It's loaded with oversized delicious desserts that are not for the faint of heart.

There are giant cakes, cookies, milkshakes, pies, unique cupcake flavors - like Mountain Dew with the icing rolled in Doritos... and more! (You can even order some fried Oreos while you are dining in the Smokehouse).

Here's what we brought home with us...

Oversized Peanut Butter Whoopie Pie

Why this? Because it was obnoxiously large, I love peanut butter + chocolate, it was unique 

and I'm totally inspired to create some dipped cookies like this! *wink*

This is just the beginning...

Keep reading for the rest of the yummy details...

SUGAR | Halloween Cookies

Remember the Spinning Leaf Oreo® Cookie Molds I introduced you to?

Well, I've got a few more SUPER CUTE...

SUPER creative ideas for you today...

Along with a couple of other "filling suggestions" for your kitchen crafting...

Halloween appropriate...of course. *wink*

Phantom + Jack-O-Lantern + Monster Cookies

Cookie Crime Scene *wink*

LOVE the versatility of these Spinning Leaf Cookie Molds...
After creating the basic cookies... (GO HERE FOR MY FULL TUTORiAL)
All I had to do was add some...
ROYAL iCiNG GOOGLY EYES for instant spookiness.
and I even tried some green sprinkles for frightfully simple ghoulishous cookies.
Did you notice I also used some "mouths" I created from the these Ghosts Sandwich Cookie Mold.

MOLDS USED TO CREATE THESE COOKIES:
• Rectangle Stencil Sandwich Cookie Mold (two versions created using Nutter Butter Cookies and Mini Pretzel Rods)
• Standard Sandwich Cookie Mold (using Oreo® Cookies)

LOVED using the mini pretzel rods to create a Salty & Sweet combination.
I encourage you to be adventurous...get creative!
and email me anything amazing you come up with: pnpflowers AT live DOT com

I also wanted to mention...
Spinning Leaf has some BRAND NEW festive Cookie Stamps available for creating embossed sugar cookies...
Here are just a handful taken straight from the website...

EMBOSSED SUGAR COOKiES using Spinning Leaf Cookie Stamps

Cookie Stamps from Top Left: Poison  |  Top Right: Evil Grin 

Bottom Left: Black Widow  |  Bottom Right: Halloween Cat

Super cool...right?
I haven't yet tried them myself...
 but there's a TUTORiAL on the Spinning Leaf Website you can check out.

DON'T FORGET:
Save 30% on any of the Spinning Leaf products...
Now through October 31st.
Here's the discount code: pnpflowers30
Thanks again Spinning Leaf for the fab giveaway and discount!

Enjoy your week, sweet friends.
Hugs!!

KEEPiNG iT REAL
The mouths and eyes I used on the cookies...
from the Ghosts Sandwich Cookie Mold??
They MiGHT have been a couple of weeks old. shhhh!

BAKiNG | Buckeye Brownies

My stepdad is a huge Ohio State Buckeye Fan...
He's also a lover of sweets...
especially anything he can consume with several large, cold glasses of milk.

I knew when I found this recipe from Cookies and Cups...
It'd be the perfect thing to make for him for Father's Day...

Buckeye Brownies

These. are. rich.

Seriously rich.

The kind of rich that makes you WANT to share with others...

knowing you'll never be able to eat the whole pan yourself.

If you like peanut butter and chocolate...

these are for you.

Go HERE to get the recipe.

KEEP iT SiMPLE

Slice and serve straight from the pan.

MAKE iT SPECiAL

After cutting individual brownie squares...

Wrap with 2" strips of wax paper. (trimmed to size with a decorative rotary blade to create a cute edge).

Cut a smaller strip of kraft wrapping paper to add an accent and secure with some string.

LOVE!!

KEEPiNG iT REAL

These were a complete FAiL on my first attempt.

I bought a box of brownie mix that was too small for what the recipe called for.

I then attempted to adapt the recipe to accommodate my error.

Let's just say it didn't work out. *wink*

The Pastry Pedestal™ | Easter Styling Inspiration

I wanted to share some quick styling ideas for all of you who own The Pastry Pedestal™.

Using these no-bake sweets...
you can put together a super-cute display in no time for your Easter weekend celebrations...

SUPPLIES NEEDED:
• The Pastry Pedestal™ Starter Kit - The Pastry Pedestal™

• Ice Cream Cups - The TomKat Studio

• Striped Paper Straws - The TomKat Studio
• Ribbon for wrapping around the Ice Cream Cups
• 2.75" Decorative Paper Rounds (used under The Pastry Pedestal™ Rounds)
• Scissors (for cutting the paper straws to size)
• Toothpick or small wooden skewer (for pre-poking the candies) *wink*

SWEETS USED:
• Wonka Sweet Tart Jelly Beans

• Marshmallow Peeps

• Reese's Mini Peanut Butter Cups

PLEASE NOTE:
The soon-to-be-released Pastry Pedestal™ Platform was used for my display.
Sticking The Pastry Pedestals™ into a a vessel of sugar or candies for support also works.
(Go here for the how-to).


KEEPiNG iT REAL
Completely under-the-gun to be ready to travel to Savannah for a wedding this week.
Not only am I trying to wrap up design projects for all of my ULTRA SWEET customers...
I've got a list a mile-long for things to finish/do personally.

While I'm gone, I've got a surprise post coming to you on Friday...
If you have been wanting a copy of Tori Spelling's new book, "celebraTORI" - (JUST RELEASED TODAY by the way)
Stay tuned for your chance to win it!!

holiday | Valentine's Day 2012

Sending out a little bit o' LOVE to all of you today...

Hoping each of you is having a very Happy Valentine's Day!!

You guys are seriously the "peanut to my butter"...*wink*

Here are the surprise beverages I'm serving at dinner tonight.

(It drives me nuts that I couldn't find the glass bottle rendition - but the tags still look great on the cans)

Go here to get all of the FREE printables you see pictured...

coming up | Bedazzling Inspiration...

Are you kidding me?
Only one blog post this week?

Things have been sooooo busy.

However...
I just can't stand to let you go into the weekend...
without SOME sort of new eye candy.
So I've decided to share with you...(drumroll)
an image from a blog post I just finished moments ago for Hostess with the Mostess.
(literally 5 minutes ago) - and it was due yesterday at 4p.m.  yikes!
See...
I'm THAT busy!!

So here you go...

Gorgeous glittered bonbons...

perfect for Valentine's Day!

Enjoy your weekend...

I'll be working to catch up on that list of things I needed to catch up on LAST week! *wink*

I truly love you guys.

So many fun things coming up to share with you!!

One of the fun things is going to be a FAB giveaway for The Pastry Pedestal™!!

Finally...

right?

*wink*

recipes | chocolate peanut butter cupcakes

As promised...
THEE Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake recipe I promised to share with you...

Use this link to download the recipe card
(folds in 1/2 to form a 4x6)

recipe adapted from relishmag.com

Those of you who know me well and have been following along for quite some time...

You know I have a weakness for any treat with a peanut butter and chocolate combination.

I've been holding onto this recipe for some time...

just dyin' to try it out and just not having a free moment.

But I made it happen...

and it was worth the wait.

I altered the recipe to include using the peanut butter filling AFTER baking...
instead of including it as part of the baking process. (I think it's easier this way anyway??)

Tutorial on this coming tomorrow using a new cute little tool I finally tried after purchasing a couple of months ago.

I must warn you...

These are very rich...and very peanut buttery.

Which for me is heaven.

If you don't want so much peanut butter - skip the filling.

TIME SAVING TIPS & A CLEVER TRICK

• buy a box of chocolate cake mix 

• skip the filling (although not recommended because it's so yummy and it's really a cinch to make)
• make your own buttermilk by adding 1 TBSP. of vinegar to 1 cup of milk.


KEEPiNG iT REAL
I think I've had the recipe for almost a year now...
Can't believe I've JUST gotten around to trying them out.

In the kitchen | a peek at the results

For those of you who happened to check in on Friday...
You know Ella and I did a little bit of baking...

If you happened to guess that we were making Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes then you were right...
Here are just a few photos of our YUMMY and FUN results...

I can't wait to get these on The Pastry Pedestal!!!
Full recipe, simple tutorial and some really easy centerpiece ideas coming up later this week...

Here's to a GREAT Monday for all of us
and a super productive week ahead!!

KEEPiNG iT REAL

Ended up at the Urgent Care with Ella (my almost-three year old) on Saturday morning.

By Friday night she'd developed a croup-like cough with a relatively high fever.

I couldn't bare to wait until Monday to take her to our regular pediatrician.

So...a couple of days of antibiotics and she's on her way to being 100% again. 

I'm SO grateful!!!