Annaboo's house: Vintage Votives

Annaboo's house: Vintage Votives: A simple algorithm : Empty jam jars and charity shop tumblers + vintage lace trims and garden twine = elegant vintage votives T...

Chocolate Peppermint Hearts...

Love the fondant angel...

 All the chocolate goodness finished with Peppermint Royal Icing... Mmmm ;)

Ready for eating!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I have been baking up a storm here and this is what we have come out of the kitchen with this Valentine's Day. Sweet and tasty these shortbread cookies are always my kids favorite.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

So I have been off of the blog for nearly a year. I just haven't been baking much. Christmas always gets me going again though. I jumped right in this season with my annual gingerbread houses. I made 23 last year, the only gifts I gave to friends and family. This year I am not making as many, but still excited to crank out what I can. I cut out a house for each of our 6 kids this year to have them decorate on St Nick's Day- December 6th. They had a blast decorating them...

Even Grandma B. got in on the decorating :)

Crandall does an amazing job every year, my best helper!

Callen, you can see his house a mile away, haha!

Cadlynn is all about the details!

Crawford did an amazing swag on his house, it was inspiring!

Clayton was cautious, but made the prettiest snow covered roof I have ever seen! I took his idea and ran with it on a big house I made and gave to dear friends of ours :)

Cross, he did so great with the greenery...our future designer...

...and taster, lol!

'Twas a fun St. Nick's day!

There's yours Meredith, on the left! xo

Lots of Royal Icing, and we have a VERY snow covered gingerbread house!

Love is in the air...

...can you smell it? Yes, it is sugar free, low carb,

New York Style  Raspberry Cheesecake, and I am telling you it is fabulous!!!!

I was so inspired after visiting The Cheesecake Factory for a slice of their Low-Carb Cheesecake that I had to make my own at home. Well, my daughter beat me to it and here it is, more delicious I think (not at all bias) than its inspiration. It is creamy and it is crustless, and it is oh-so-good!

Recipe from Somersize Desserts, by Suzanne Somers:
 
We used the NYStyle Cheesecake recipe. For the sweetener she used 3/4 cup Xylitol and for the raspberry Coulis, she used sugar free raspberry jam heated in micro a few seconds. Pour half of the cheesecake batter in springform pan, drizzle all over with 1/2 c of the jam. Add remainder of cheesecake batter over top. Drizzle another 1/2 cup of the jam over top. Using a toothpick swirl the jam into the cheesecake to create marble effect. Bake as directed in recipe (this is a water bath version, key to its creamy texture). Bon appetit!

It just didn't sound right? Could it be?

I was at the grocery store this evening, wishing I wasn't on a diet, wishing I was picking up more flour and sugar for baking, and wishing I hadn't gone to the store hungry. I made my way up and down the isles, reading carb and sugar contents on each label. Isn't there more sugar free stuff out there, I mean really, come on! Anyway, I finally got to the check out line and unloaded my high protein diet unto the conveyor belt, boy did it chug to get that load to the clerk! As I stood there waiting my turn, the clerk at the adjacent counter turned and asked for my clerk to unlock the cabinet as she needed a can of formula, Infamil, specifically for her customer. I thought "Huh?" did she just get a can of baby formula from a locked cabinet? Yep, she sure did. The same cabinet held all the baby formula, locked safely inside. I immediately got a bit choked up thinking about some poor mother or father trying to steal milk for their baby. How desperate they must feel, would I do the same if I was as desperate. I think I would kill to protect my child, who wouldn't? Locked baby formula in a cabinet at the store really sent a message home with me this evening. A reminder really, to continue to pray for those struggling in these hard economic times. And to pray for those who may be going hungry tonight, infant to adult. That their belly's would not know their hunger. It's just not right.

The Sugar Shack

I love to bake, well even more I love to eat baked food. Oh, alright I just love to eat!!