Sugar & Spice by Celeste

This cake is not for the faint of heart and quite possibly is the most decadent and rich cake I’ve ever made.  It’s actually the birthday cake that I made for my Dad back in November.  He requested a chocolate peanut butter cake, and boy did this one deliver!   I mean, how could it not be love at first bite?! Any cake with chocolate ganache tempting you as it drips down the sides ever so delicately is always delicious in my book.  The addition of actual Reese’s cups just sends this one right over the edge into chocolatey, peanut buttery perfection! Also, chocolate cakes made with a cup of boiling water are always super moist.  This one is no different.  I really think that step gives the cake a great texture. If you have a Reese’s lover in your life, you simply MUST try this.  In fact...it would make for a wonderful Valentine’s Day dessert! Aren’t they just the cutest?! Decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake with Reese’s Adapted from:   Life, Love ...

Jack Jack's Num Num Cookie at Hollywood Studios As some of you know, we are a Disney loving family!! I so enjoy making Disney inspired dishes at home, so that we can have a little bit of the magic on our table. Several years ago, I was able to turn my passion for all things Disney into a side job where I can help families, just like yours, plan magical vacations. I'm a Travel Specialist for Second Star Wishes , an Earmarked Agency, and I couldn't love the role more! I can help you plan a vacation to ANY Disney destination, Universal Orlando, and just about any domestic or international destination you can dream up! I've had the honor of planning vacations for clients to destinations like: Disney World Disneyland Paris Universal Orlando The Great Smoky Mountains Hilton Head Island, SC Washington DC New Orleans, LA Florida beaches Paris, France Amsterdam Munich, Germany Dubrovnik, Croatia Just to name a few. So, friends, please keep me in mind next time you'd lik...

    If I told you that this babka was the best thing I've ever baked, would you believe me?   No, seriously...Something magical happens when brioche is paired with Nutella and a crumble topping. My husband even agreed, and I'm not going to admit how many pieces I had over the weekend.  You know who else agreed?  Our four-legged babka thief of a dog, Ava. You see, I was trying to photograph this Nutella-filled, straight from heaven bread, and I stepped away for MAYBE 2 milliseconds.  All the while, our wily Springer Spaniel was crafting a plan unbeknownst to me.  She saw her opportunity and grabbed it...snagging one of the slices right off the plate and literally inhaling it so fast that it was all a blur.  The sheer speed at which she made it disappear was impressive. I was admittedly not thrilled about the whole situation at first, but then I realized...Could I even blame her??  I mean, I would have done the same thing if I were her...h...

After traveling to Italy back in 2009 and having *REAL* Italian pizza, we were ruined forever.  Our pizza standards were immediately raised, and once home, we knew we had to try and recreate the pure pizza perfection we experienced in Italy. At almost every restaurant we went to,  Pizza Quattro Stagioni (or Four Seasons Pizza), was on the menu.  This type of pizza has 4 distinct quadrants - traditionally prosciutto, artichoke hearts, olives and mushrooms.  Each section symbolizes the four seasons of the year.  We tried it once and fell in love, so we kept ordering it every chance we got.   Ever since, that has been our favorite to make at home (and a good ole' Pepperoni Pizza has now been added to our pizza nights for the little one).  Instead of separating the ingredients into sections, I cheat a little and spread each of the four ingredients over the entire pizza.  I love the flavor combinations and having them all in each bite is just so s...

Of all the cakes on my blog, this Strawberry Cake continues to be a standout family favorite. I can't tell you how many times I've made this throughout the years.   Yesterday, we celebrated my husband, Brad's, birthday.  We sure do love this guy, and we're constantly laughing at all of his antics...We think he's pretty great.💓   He requested this strawberry-filled, deliciously sweet dessert for the big day, so Caroline and I got to work whipping one up.  It has a strawberry cream cheese icing that's just perfect, as well. I prefer using fresh strawberries and pureeing them myself, but you can use frozen in a pinch. Simply Delicious Strawberry Cake Adapted from:  Cooking with Paula Deen   magazine - May/June 2008 Ingredients: 1 box white cake mix 1 (3-ounce) box strawberry flavored instant gelatin 1 lb. fresh strawberries, pureed 4 large eggs 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup water Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows) Garnish: sliced fres...