Pea Pods Custom Cookies

I think most people love customized stuff right? This particular shop can bring your ideas to cookies! Let's say you're crazy about CELINE handbags - (who isn't?) - Kristie, the owner, can have them made very similar just for you! Sweet!

Based out of New York, her shop is called PeaPods & I managed to pick out my favorites! Let's see, the handbags, the Brooklyn bridge, & the stash of lingerie for Bachelorette parties. 

Which is your fave? Where would you serve these cookies??

-images via  pea pods

Enjoy your weekend!!!

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Food: Baked With Love

Happy Valentine's Day! Lauren here, and I love this month since it's all about sweet treats & little love notes, celebrating our significant others and also our girlfriends. I usually package up these heart cookies around Valentine's Day, but this year I was inspired to use my mom's sugar cookie recipe to create something new. 

Inspired by Jen's LOVE prints and colorful paintings, these painted LOVE cookies send a sweet message to their lucky recipients. I am not a gifted baker, so I promise they're incredibly easy too...they'd even be fun to make with kids! Keep reading for the rundown...

Whoops: I had a little kitchen accident and dropped one of my Anthropologie bowls, filled with flour, all over the floor. So I made the most of my mess and just photographed my ingredients right where it landed! My favorite part of these sugar cookies is the lemon...the lemon rind and juice add a subtle citrus flavor that really kicks them up a notch. 
 

I ordered this set of alphabet cookie cutters to create my L-O-V-E. Another fun option would be to use X-O-X-O.
 

For the dough:
 

1 cup butter, softened

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

As you can see, things may get a little bit messy, but that's okay! It's time to let your inner artist come through and not worry about making these perfect. Experiment with layering different colors on the paintbrush and trying different.

brush strokes. I used the edge of a sponge paintbrush we had on hand, but I'd actually recommend using a smaller art paintbrush. Just make sure it's brand new and hasn't been previously used with real paint. 

For the icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

Food coloring

Paintbrush

The final touch: See-through boxes that ensure your painted cookies are perfectly packed for gifting to loved ones at Valentine's Day. 

Makes about 3 dozen.

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, lemon rind, then lemon juice. Add flour, soda and salt; mix until blended.

2. Divide dough; wrap each half in plastic wrap and pat into a disc. Refrigerate several hours until firm.

3. On a floured surface, roll one disc about 1/4 inch thick. Cut with letter-shaped cutters (ex. LOVE or XOXO).

4. Transfer to a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake in a pre-heated 325-degree oven for 12-15 minutes, until barely browned. Cool on wire racks and repeat with remaining dough. 

5. To decorate, stir 1 tablespoon of cream into 1 cup of powdered sugar. Divide among small bowls and use food coloring to make intense shades.

6. Use a paint brush to paint the cookies with the icing, adding a little extra cream into the icing if needed to make it thinner. Wipe the paintbrush off in between, or even let a little color remain on the brush to overlap shades. Go back over each cookie with extra brush strokes.

7. Make sure you let the icing fully dry on each cookie, then stack into boxes.

-Recipe & images by Lauren Craig

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Pink Velvet Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

These cake toppers are so adorable! At first glance I thought, "Can I eat those?" - I'm no baker, what did I know?  So, my husband said, "YES Jen, they're totally edible." Phew. 

Well, how do they taste?? They actually seem to blend right into the butter cream frosting, so you're pretty much just tasting the frosting! I LOVE how they were inspired by the classic candy conversation hearts! Remember those??? 

My husband & I made these together - they're called Pink Velvet Cupcakes with Buttercream frosting. He made the butter cream frosting from scratch & I swear it tastes just like Magnolia. These goodies are also part of the Love Letter Mag we put together - you can see it all here.  

Recipe is below- don't miss it!
 

Pink Velvet Recipe

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon pink food coloring
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

Swiss Meringue Buttercream
-adapted from Martha Stewart-

5 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1 lb (4 sticks) butter
2 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and food coloring until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 23-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Place egg whites and sugar in a metal electric mixer bowl. Set bowl into a pan of simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch (3 minutes). When its ready, you should feel no sugar granules when you touch it.
Transfer bowl to mixer and use a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff, glossy peaks (10-11 minutes).

Add the butter, 1/2 bar cut in pieces at a time. Beat until incorporated after each addition. It will initially look curdled but don't worry - it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.

Change to a paddle attachment, and beat on the low speed to eliminate air pockets (5 minutes). 
Frost the cupcakes then top with the cupcake toppers.

If using the frosting within several hours, cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Can be stored refrigerated in airtight container for up to 3 days but bring to room temperature and beat for 5 minutes with paddle attachment before using.

 cupcake toppers via william sonoma

 
-images by jen ramos

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Pink Velvet & Berry Parfait

My husband rocks. He is so passionate about cooking & even though he's not a professional chef, his meals really impress me. 

I'm always posting them on my instagram, so if you follow me there, you'll see what I mean. He made these amazing parfaits for the LOVE LETTERS/Cartas De Amor digital Mag we put together, they were delicious! Below he'll add the recipe in case you want to impress your significant other! You can view the entire Love Letters magazine here. 

Also a quick shout out to Holly of Decor8 for sharing the 'Love Letter' mag on her blog! Thank you!
 

Here he is prepping...

Parfaits:
Cake (any kind of sponge or regular cake like the pink velvet)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Berries - cut strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries

In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with a whisk attachment until it begins to peak. Add the sugar and vanilla and finish whipping - should be light, soft peaks.

Cut small cubes of the cake and place in the bottom of a parfait or tall shooter glass (if you don't have those, champagne or wine glasses also work well). Carefully spoon about 2 tsp of cream on top then gently knock the bottom of the glass to force it down. Add a layer of berries, then another layer of cream. Top with an exceptional berry, or even a nice bing cherry!


Stay tuned for a few more sweeeeeeet Valentine's Day recipes this week!

 
-images by jen ramos

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