Sweet Pea's

National Peanut Butter Day!

2012-01-24T06:55:00.000-08:00

My husband loves peanut butter like most woman love chocolate. I came accross this this morning and thought I would share.......

Click here for the Link

A Celebration of Peanut Butter

January 23, 2012 at 9:00AM by Lauren Donaldson | 21 Comment

It can be creamy or chunky, salty or natural — but no matter how you spread it, there's no denying that peanut butter is a stellar nutty topping. Every year, peanut butter takes the spotlight on January 24 for National Peanut Butter Day, but true fans know there's a proper way to celebrate peanut butter every day — cooking and baking with it, of course!

Whether you like peanut butter for breakfast, in a sandwich, or in a rich dessert, we've got recipes that put the spread in the limelight. So go ahead, pick up a jar and head to the kitchen. Your family and friends are bound to shower you with thanks for providing such peanut buttery goodness.

Peanut Butter for Breakfast

Peanut Butter Pancakes

Banana-PB Smoothie

Peanut-Butter Apple Muffin

PB&J Updates

PB&J Sandwich Cookies

Cupcakes with PB&J Frosting

PB&J Cocktail

Get More Recipes for PB&J With a Twist

50 Year Old Stump

2012-01-21T16:00:00.000-08:00

A birthday bash for family & friends was held at the The 19th Hole in Mesquite, NV for a good friend of ours. Dean turned 50 this past week-end and his fiance wanted to celebrate with a memorable cake. Not sure of what she wanted except golf included, I came up with this.

Cake flavor was choco-latte with vanilla buttercream. Rice Krispie treats formed the roots and golf club head. The shaft was a wooden dowel painted with silver edible paint and the grip was fondant. Around the tree stump was a carving of D + L with a heart shape and a small sign saying "Happy Birthday....Your not old, if your a tree"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEANO!!!!

Carl & Jan's 50th Anniversary

2012-01-20T14:00:00.000-08:00

Chris of Mesquite Home Theater contacted me to create a small anniversary cake for his parents. They were going to have a small family gathering in Las Vegas in a suite at one of the casinos. He wasn't sure what he wanted but did decide on a monogram and cake flavor of Vanilla/Almond with a chocolate chip cannoli filling.

I wanted to make something simple but elegant with a hint of gold. This is what I came up with.

Happy 50th to Carl & Jan!

Good Luck Dave - "Fore"

2012-01-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

This week I had the pleasure of creating this for a gentleman that was moving. Dodie contacted me to create a "golf" themed cake that said "Good Luck" or "Our Best Wishes" to Dave a former employee. In the past I've created fairways or Par 3's and wanted to try something new.

This is what I came up with: a golf cart sitting on grass. Cake flavor was my Choco-latte cake with fresh raspberries and a fresh raspberry sauce mixed with vanilla buttercream. I really need to start taking more pictures during my progression as I get there. I always seem to forget until after the cake is complete.

Fresh Raspberries cooking down for my raspberry sauce, I just love the color!

The cart parts made of cake are the back-end seat area and the front "engine" part. The cart was covered in homemade marshmellow fondant tinted red and black.

Good Luck Dave! "Fore" future drives in life decorate the top of the cart...... A little play on words ; )

This was delivered to City Hall in Mesquite NV.

Baby Grand Piano

2012-01-16T14:00:00.000-08:00

I was asked to make a Baby Grand Piano for Rob's 50th Birthday. As I walked in his house there stood a piano which Rob plays most days. .... talk about pressure on making a replica!! Cake flavor was red velvet with maple cinnamon buttercream filling. The piano was covered with chocolate fondant and the music paper was made out of mexican paste. What a great medium....dries quickly and easy to write on.

This was so much fun to create and my first, looking forward to making the next one...

This one was delivered here in Mesquite, NV.

The bench was made out of wood and some fabric I had laying around the house.

Music sheet said "Magic is in the air it will be a magical year, lalallalal"

Rob's daughter asked me to make this for her father and this is what she had to say:

"Thank you for the cake everyone loved the cake....What a hit. You are a star - unbelievable! Thank You!!"

Jenny

2012-01-13T16:00:00.000-08:00

This simple cake was surprised birthday cake for Jenny. She apparently loves chocolate.......so I created this 8" velvety chocolate cake with whipped chocolate ganache. I decorated with a sparkling pink rose. It was delivered here in Mesquite, NV.

Parrish - Fuller Wedding

2012-01-07T17:00:00.000-08:00

Last month I was contacted by the Carol Lee of Mesquite Tile & Flooring, mother of the bride, to create a BBQ style wedding accompanied by a small cake & cupcake teir to celebrate her daughter, Randi's wedding.

We decided on Beef & Chicken Sliders, Cornbread, Corn Salsa & Chips, Deviled Eggs, 5 Cheese Mac & Cheese and Pink Lemonade. I made a Carolina Style BBQ saucee to go with the beef. At first it was sweet but at the end had some heat associated with it. The Chicken sauce was sweet, a peach bbq sauce to accompany that.

You can see Randi's accent color, Red, through out the theme.

The small cake was made of Red Velvet with Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting topped with red fondant roses and beading.

The cupcake flavors include lemon with lemon frosting, devil's chocolate with vanilla frosting and vanilla/almond with vanilla frosting. Each flavor was associated with a different red fondant flower.

The reception was held at the Parrish's house in Mesquite, NV.

Congrats to the Parrish & Fuller families on their union together!

Michelle's Sweet 16

2012-01-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

A recent customer who ordered the "Anything Blue" cake in December asked me to make another cake for his other daughter, Michelle, who turned 16. She loves pink and loved the silver dragees I put on her sisters cake. Cake flavor was Red Velvet with a Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese frosting that I tinted pink.

The cake was decorated with a large pink rose, silver dragees, the number "16" and dusted with pink shimmer with the words Happy 16th Michelle on the base.

This is a 7" square cake

I must give a shout out to my parents:
We started making syrup when I was little in a small shack behind out house in Pittsfield, Vermont. After testing the waters my parents decided to build a bigger shack and upgrade into a more professional system. As the years go by upgrades are constantly being done and all of our family still continues to make sryup every year. If interested in purchasing some they can be reached at marksugarhouse@msn.com. They can the product in a variety of glass or plastic containers and ship domestically as well as internationally.

Here are a couple pictures of the family Sugar House, which is actually located in Stockbridge, Vermont:

Our Family Sign hangs on the front

Here are a couple options for canning purposes:

Happy 2012!!!

2012-01-04T20:37:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's a New Year.....where does the time go?? I feel aweful, I'm so behind in posting the remainder of December postings and already behind in January. I applied and received my business license for "In-Home" catering & confections and it has been a whirl-wind since then. If I can breathe for just a short moment I will get together pictures and descriptions for all that has been happening. I wanted to wish my loyal readers and hoping for new ones a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous Year.

When I chased after money, I never had enough. When I got my life on purpose and focused on giving of myself and everything that arrived into my life, then I was prosperous.” Wayne Dyer

Italian Style Luncheon

2012-01-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

Cindy Biskup asked me to create a luncheon for her and 15 other guests. We decided on something you might not find here in Mesquite at any of the local fares.

Italian Pressed sandwiches made from geneo salami, proscuitto, provalone, roasted red peppers and a pesto sauce sandwiched between a 3 cheese artisan bread.

With that I made an Italian-sytle pasta salad which included mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, cubed pepperoni, black olives with a red wine vinager & olive oil dressing. I adapted the recipe from Michelle at the Brown Eyed Baker.

For dessert......there is always room for dessert.....i made Mini Pistachio Cannoli's. I've made this cannoli filling before and sandwiched it between cookies and cakes. I can't say enough about the filling. So creamy and delicious. For the finishing touch I sprinkled a bit of powdered sugar of the top of them.

Tanner Sports Cake

2011-12-30T16:00:00.000-08:00

A good friend of mine always has me create a birthday cake for her daughter every year. She just got engaged this past October and he finacee's son wanted a special cake for his birthday this year. He loves baseball, football and motorcyles and just got into basketball this year. She asked me to create a small cake revolving around those "loves". This is what I came up with. Nested under the fondant shapes sits a Choco-latte cake with vanilla buttercream.

I cut out the fondant shapes and let me sit for a couple days to dry out and crossed my fingers that when I painted and moved them they would hold together because I didn't have a back-up plan. To my surprise everything worked out just fine (whew!!).

For each sport he wears a specific number and I wanted to correlate that on each piece. For the motorcycle I created a finish flag with his number of his bike and his favorite color, orange.

Silver & Blue Kelley Wedding

2011-12-22T18:30:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of creating this cake and a variety of cupcakes for Anna & Sam for their wedding day. They were married at the LDS temple in St. George, Ut and held the reception in Mesquite, NV at the Falcon Ridge Golf Club.

Her colors were navy blue and silver and she was very specific in wanting something very simple but elegant. This is what we came up with.

Her cake flavor was vanilla almond with vanilla buttercream, covered with white fondant and blue swiss dots. Navy blue ribbon was added to the bottom of each tier. I placed it on this simple silver stand.

She also wanted a variety of cupcake for her guest. Flavors included lemon, red velvet, carrot, devils food and vanilla almond all with vanilla buttercream. I used silver dragees and navy blue sixlets to decorate the cupcakes.

Below is the complete tablescape. I used a variety of stands and cupcake tiers...The table stood in front of large windows which overlooked the town and their was a Christmas tree beside decorated with silver and blue.

My best wishes to Anna & Sam on their special day!

"Frosty" the snowman..

2011-12-19T05:24:00.000-08:00

What a great time or not to have a birthday. I know that most people I've talked to that have a birthday anywhere close or on Christmas Day they don't think its special. I actually know someone that celebrates his birthday every July 25th instead of Dec 25th just because and I might just do that too!

Noel (how fitting!!) celebrates her birthday on the 25th. A sheet cake was requested, but I really didn't want to make just a sheet cake for Noel's birthday, so in the spirit of the winter season I decided to make a snowwoman : ) from a sheet cake.

Red Velvet with vanilla buttercream was selected as the cake flavor. Frosty was decorated with red fondant buttons, scarf and detailed work on her hat. Her hat, eyes and mouth made from black fondant and an orange nose. I sprinkled coconut for the effect of "snow".

Anything Blue

2011-12-18T16:06:00.000-08:00

A repeat customer asked me to create a simple cake for one of three daughters birthday, Maggie. He claims she loves chocolate and the color blue. Chocolate cake it is! I tried a recipe from "Chocolate Chocolate" by Lisa Yockelson called Velvety Chocolate Cake. OMG!!! It came out beautiful.....buttery, satiny and uh-so-chocolately. I made a chocolate fudge frosting to go with this. I think one could OD on just a small piece, but Bob stated it was gone in less then a day! I made a large fantasy blue fondant flower for the top and decorated the bottom with small cut-out flowers with a silver dragee for the center. This cake was delivered to their home in Bunkerville, NV.

Happy Birthday Maggie!!!

Gutsy Women: Travel, Fashion & Fundraiser

2011-12-15T09:01:00.000-08:00

Celece Seegmiller with The Travel Connection contacted me to donate a cake for a raffle and to assist me to get the word out of my new business adventure, "Sweet Pea's - catering & confections.

Our Hostess with the Mostess, Celece

"Gutsy Women" was hosted by Celece and Janie Cook of Stella & Dot and Donna Roberts of Bella Donna Boutique held at the Eureka Casino in Mesquite, NV. The held a fashion show with outfits from Bella Donna and jewlery from Stella & Dot with local woman as the models. The had numerous raffle prizes and all of the proceeds went to Shop with a Cop.

Tablescapes provided by the Eureka

Beautiful Holiday Centerpieces

I provided a small cake for raffle and made each guest a decorated sugar cookie. It was nice to get out for a long lunch and talk about girl stuff.

Vanilla Almond Cake with Cannoli Filling & Vanilla Buttercream
wrapped in a Red Fondant Bow

A sugar cookie for each attendee

High Desert Design Seminar @ Sun City Mesquite

2011-12-15T08:18:00.000-08:00

Brenda, owner, of High Desert Design contacted me to cater her luncheon held at the Sun City - Mesquite Recreation Center here in Mesquite, NV. The seminar was for all of the Sun City residents and what Brenda and her consultants could assist a person with there decoration needs.

We decided on creating a simple but unique display of Chicken Salad Profiteroles, Tropical Salad & Holiday Cupcakes for approximately 85 people.

Chicken Salad with Grapes & Dill in a large "Cream Puff", Profiteroles

Tropical Salad
Spring Mix w/fresh Strawberries, clementines, coconut and a strawberry yogurt dressing

Pumpkin Spice Cakes with Maple Cinnamon Frosting
and a fondant cut out on top

Here is the complete set up. Also included was Peach Ice Tea, Water & Lemonade

Zachary's John Deere Tractor

2011-11-22T16:42:00.001-08:00

A cute little cake for Zachary who is turning ONE today! Cake flavor is vanilla almond cake with vanilla frosting. Tractor was decorated with green, yellow & black fondant. Tractor come complete with a smoke stack, steps and John Deere logo. Mesquite was delivered to Zachary's house here in Mesquite, NV. Happy Birthday Zachary!!

Bottom was frosting with graham cracker crumbs to resemble sand

Tangled with Oakleigh

2011-11-18T15:39:00.000-08:00

Happy 2nd Birthday Oakleigh. A return customer since birth : ) This is my version of the movie "tangled". Cake was decorated with dark chocolate fondant and ivory fondant.

Cake flaor was Pumpkin Spice with Maple Cinnamon Buttercream. The base was made of rice krispie treats covered in green fondant and green icing. The cake was delivered to the Shadow Hawk subdivison in Mesquite, NV

Base of the tree

The customer went to the local store and purchased mini figures to add to the cake

A Guinness Farewell

2011-11-12T15:24:00.000-08:00

CHEERS!!! A cheerful farwell to a wonderful man. Cake & flavor was decided on the customers favorite beer - GUINNESS. Bottles were made of isomalt and decorated with a piece of fondant. Cake flavor was Guinness with fresh raspberries and bailey's buttercream. Cupcake flavors were Pumpkin Spice with Maple Cinnamon Buttercream & Guinness and Bailey's Buttercream.

Delivered to the Elks Club in Mesquite, NV

Real or Sugar??

Beer keg (dripping) with isomalt bottles

Complete set up

Cheers Tim......we will miss you : )

T&M Wedding

2011-11-05T15:04:00.000-07:00

Maryanne decided to get married at a private Dance Studio in St. George, Utah. Her instruction to me were that her colors were purple (any shade) and silver and that she wanted a two tier cake. She wanted something very simple. This is what I came up with. The teirs were at bit taller than usual, but the final effect was stunning. Cake flavor was Strawberry with fresh strawberries and vanilla buttercream.

close up of the silver balls & purple edible fantasy flower

Silver stand made of a candle stick & silver mirrored platter

I was very lucky to receive a professional photo shot of the cake from Lynnette Brinkerhoff. She can be found at nettiebphotography.blogspot.com. What a wonderful job!!

Fall Inspired Anniversary Cake

2011-10-29T17:41:00.000-07:00

Carolyn & Robert found me through a cherished friend here in Mesquite. The renewed their vows at the Casa Blanca Resort & Spa in Mesquite, NV. When I meet with Carolyn she wasn't quite sure what she wanted but gave me the invitation, which was fall inspired. Thus giving me my inspiration. With the fall leaves on the invitation and the beautiful rich colors and print in gold. The cake flavors included vanilla/almond cake with canoli filling, pumpkin spice cake with maple cinnamon buttercream and hummingbird cake with lemon frosting. The cake was covered with ivory fondant with beaded bands painted in gold to reflect the gold in the customers topper. Cascading down around the cake are various dusted maple leaves in various sizes. Congratulation Carolyn & Robert on Fifty wonderful years!

PS...... I will have a few pictures from the photographer to follow, atleast I hope I do : )

Happy 50th Carolyn & Robert

Table setting......all the tablescapes are dark burgandy & black with a hint of golden yellow

Dr B's Camero

2011-10-27T17:06:00.000-07:00

A celebration of everything for the year and the boss! This cake was created for Dr. Blazzard and delivered to his office this morning. Amy, his right hand girl, asked me to make a replica of Dr. Blazzard's dream car. This car even rolls.....the fun part!!

Cake flavor was Pumpkin Spice with Maple Cinnamon Buttercream. The car was covered in white fondant and hand painted.

Happy Everything Day Dr. Blazzard!

Cowboy Boot & Hat

2011-10-27T16:59:00.000-07:00

A stylish boot & hat was created for a birthday party in St. George, Utah. Felisha asked me to create a cake for her boyfriend's birthday (Josh) and he loves cowboy boots & hats. Cake flavor is yellow with sour cream chocolate filling. Both the boot and hat are cake covered in brown & ivory fondant. The boot was hand painted and a sign on the hat said Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Josh!

Bulldog Football

2011-10-19T17:12:00.000-07:00

For fun I have been creating some fun treats for after the games for my son's football team. I try to include either the Bulldog or Football theme. Here are a couple I've created so far.

Paw print fondant cut outs for the top of the cupcakes

Soft Sugar Cookies decorated with frosting

Brandes Anniversary

2011-10-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Anniversary Craig & Daina........One Heart One Soul.........May you have another year of happiness.....

Cheers to you and your family on your first Anniversary......Cake flavor is Strawberry with Vanilla Buttercream covered with ivory fondant. I tried to replicate the color in the scroll work and monogrammed B.