Its been a year?!

Can you imagine my embarrassment when I realized it's been a full year since I last blogged?! Oh dear. Well, nothing to do but to jump right back in!

This Valentine's Day I'm offering a new cookie:

Chocolate-Dipped Espresso Shortbread Hearts (it's a mouthful in more ways that one!)

This sweetheart (har har!) is sure to please the chocolate and coffee lover in your life. Each crispy cookie is the perfect balance of sweet caramelize sugar and intense espresso, all melded with smooth semi-sweet chocolate. Sooo good. 

And to make them extra special and gift-worthy, I'm boxing them in a sweet little 4" box (with window to peek in) and tied with red and white twine and a red paper heart you can personalize to your special someone.

Available by the half or full dozen:

Half Dozen       $7
Dozen               $13

And if these don't float your boat, feel free to order something else off my menu below -- I'm here to please and entice your sweet tooth :)

Hope you all have a wonderful February and an especially sweet Valentine's Day!

xomelissa

February Specials | Red Velvet Two Ways

I just noticed that I never posted my Christmas specials on the blog.... wow, talk about dropping the ball, there really is no excuse for that kind of mistake -- sorry folks! And, no, I haven't forgotten that I promised a recap of my all my holiday baking. I promise to get right on that, scout's honor.

But, before I do all that, we really have to talk about February and all the fun it brings.... you know, like, the SUPER BOWL -- GOOOOOO 49ers! -- and Valentine's Day! 

This month we're revisiting my red velvet cupcakes cause nothing says love for the 49ers or your sweetheart like the color red. One of my all time best sellers, these moist cupcakes have just the right hint of cocoa and are generously topped with a classic cream cheese frosting. And to sweeten the deal even more, I'm doing two sizes this time around, full size and minis.

For your Super Bowl party this weekend, the cupcakes come topped with white chocolate red and gold-dusted stars.  

For Valentine's Day, each cupcake will be topped with a pair of light pink sweet hearts for your sweetheart. Sold by the pair, they come boxed and tied with a red ribbon, intended to impress that special someone.

Check out the awesome vintage hand-embroidered tea towel
I inherited from my grandmother. Gorgeous, right? 

The minis are perfect for parties since they're the ideal size for popping and have just the right hit of sweetness. Priced to sell, they're not to be missed. 

$6 a pair (full size)

$1 each mini with a minimum order of 12

Happy Valentine's Day and lets all cheer on the 49ers this Sunday!

Cranberry Sauce

So, I've never really understood the appeal of that jelly log that slides out the can. You know what I'm talking about, we've all tried it and in some homes its a staple on Thanksgiving. As a kid, I always thought it was icky and, in turn, that all cranberry sauce was like that. And then, some years back in another life, I was working for a caterer and she made homemade cranberry sauce. From whole oranges and fresh cranberries. Let me tell you, it blew my mind. I'd never seen such a thing and was thoroughly impressed. 

With the preserving bug I caught recently, I decided that offering a fresh cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving would be a fun addition. And, after a few trials, I was rewarded with this....

Oh yea. Lovely, lovely cranberry sauce. Slightly sweet but with a nice cranberry punch, it's lightly spiced with cinnamon, allspice and cloves with a nice undercurrent of whole oranges. 

It will be a great accompaniment to your Thanksgiving turkey and the sandwiches the next day. Can you imagine a turkey and ham (yes, we do ham too!) sandwich with that sauce peeking out from the bread? Yum! 

I'll be making the sauce to order, so ping me if you'd like a jar. And don't forget that this would make a fantastic hostess gift if you've been invited to dine at someone's home.

Available in 2 sizes:

8oz     $5

16oz   $8

Please note: the cranberry sauce must be refrigerated.

And I have to tell you, in the process of testing recipes, we've been slathering it on toast in the morning -- Nolan is officially a HUGE fan of the cranberry sauce! 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Thanksgiving -- Are you ready?

Thanksgiving is a mere two weeks away and it's time to get serious. While you scour all your cookbooks, magazines and online options for winning recipes, why not get a jump start and check one thing off your list now? Place an order for your Thanksgiving desserts and save your precious oven time for the turkey.

I'm currently offering a 10% discount if you order two or more pies. Mix and match from Pumpkin, Pecan, Chocolate Pecan and/or Apple. All pies are made with my signature all butter crust, it practically melts in your mouth!

And if pie isn't your thing, consider ordering some Pumpkin Spice cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese frosting instead (dozen minimum please). 

And for all those potluck-ers out there, bringing a homemade pie or some cupcakes is a guaranteed pleaser. Just planting some seeds....

Have a great Thanksgiving and I look forward to making your day all that much more stress-free.

Pre-discount prices are noted on the menu below:

Strawberry Jam!

Is it just me or are the strawberries exceptional this year? We can't seem to get enough of them around here and so I decided to make some jam to enjoy long after the little green baskets disappear. 

Now, I don't know about you but we have an issue with things being too sweet. I know this seems like an oxymoron coming from a baker, but I think that the flavors of whatever you're making should shine through, not just the sweetness. I find that this a huge issue particularly with strawberry jam where its more sugary sweet than strawberry-y. 

That said, I embarked on a journey and found the most lovely recipe that perfectly balances the sweetness with bright strawberry goodness. 

Needless to say, it's been such a treat! My personal favorite (so far!) is to have it on an English muffin with a cup of coffee, but Nolan seems to really enjoy it on his waffles. Its so good, its hard to go wrong.

And, of course, I'm sharing the goodness with all of you! 

Packed in 4oz and 8oz jars, you can get in on the action. 

4oz jar     $3

8oz jar     $6

They should have a shelf life of around 2 years if unopened but should be refrigerated once you decide dive in. Limited quantities so don't wait too long....

August Special | Blueberry Pie

The monthly specials are back! 

I've been waiting for all the lovely summer fruit to hit their peak and didn't want to miss an opportunity to share the amazing rewards. A fresh fruit pie is such a special treat and, when it comes to summer time, it's a toss-up between blueberries and peaches. So I flipped a coin and we're doing blueberry pie this month. And, who am I kidding, there is nothing like a heavenly slice of blueberry pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Made with my signature all butter crust, each pie is filled with almost 2 pounds of lightly spiced fresh blueberries and then brightened with homegrown Meyer lemon zest and juice from my Grandmother's tree. If you're a pie lover, this is not to be missed!

$25 for a 10" pie (Pyrex size)

Pies will be available all month (all summer really) while the berries are at their peak and deliciously sweet.

Drop me a line if you'd like to order a pie or have something else in mind -- special orders are never turned away!

 

Right click image to download menu to your desktop

Long time no blog...

It's been a while, hasn't it?

Just a quite note to let you all know I'm still here and still baking! I've been keeping busy the last few months with a few orders and a lot of experimenting. Here's a peek at what I've been up to the last few months....

Cheddar Chive Scones. (Also known as Love At First Sight.) I even experimented with adding bacon to them which gave them a lovely hint of bacon without being overwhelming. Win win.

 And then there were the pies.... Lots of them. A couple of rhubarb pies:

A couple of Pluot Pies:

Peek-a-boo!

Some goodness on the homefront: Classic Peach Pie (and a blueberry pie, too, but we were so excited to dive in I forgot to take pictures!)

A birthday cake and cupcakes for our lovely little neighbor and all around cutie pie, Helen:

 

And the ever delectable Salted Caramel Chocolate Bars. Hello.

There were a few other goodies but, alas, I neglected to get pictures. Needless to say, we've been plugging along over here and are determined to keep at it.


Drop me a line if you're craving some sweet buttery goodness or to just say hi. And stay tuned for the August Special!