Under Construction

Hey everyone! Please excuse the lack of organization my blog has right now. I'm currently working on re-doing this blog AND creating a website! That way, I can use this blog specifically for recipes, pictures, and rambling, and I can use the website for business matters. I'm also working on a logo for Kristen's Cupcakery. It should make its premiere very soon. I have to thank my lovely mom for designing it for me. She's great!

Anyway, since it's been a while since I've posted, and because I promised you this recipe long ago, here's an appetizer to hold you over until I finish re-designing. Get it? Hold you over? Just as appetizers hold you over before dinner, this one will hold you over until my new look is ready. Ha. Ha. Okay...

EASY Guacamole 

Easy Guacamole 

Ingredients:

2 Avocados (very ripe...trust me on this one. Mashing rock solid avocados is no fun at all)

1 Small onion, finely chopped

1 Clove of garlic, minced

1 Ripe tomato, chopped

1 Lime, juiced

Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions:

Peel and mash avocados in a medium serving bowl. Stir in onion, garlic, tomato, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Season with remaining lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Chill for half an hour to blend flavors. 

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies out there! I hope you all had a wonderful day being treated special by your children. We don't always show you the way we should, but we all love you so much!

My family spent this rainy mother's day lounging around, eating, playing Apples to Apples, and watching movies. We watched Moneyball and Ides of March. I would highly recommend both movies. Moneyball is a baseball movie and Ryan Gosling is in Ides of March. I guess what I'm saying is...why wouldn't you want to watch them?

Doing absolutely nothing today was JUST what I needed. I have baked over 400 cupcakes in the last couple of weeks, and as much as I love baking, it was so nice to spend a day watching movies and NOT decorating cupcakes.

That being said, here's a glimpse at what I've been working on lately!

First, these are individually packaged teacher appreciation cupcakes I made this week for teachers at church. They were given to the Wednesday night and Sunday morning teachers (150 total). Speaking of which, I'd like to give a shout out to all of the teachers and staff. I know how hard you work each week, and I appreciate the way you share your love for the Lord!

Second, here are some college themed cupcakes I made for a graduation party. Half are cookies and cream and half are red velvet.

Third, camping cupcakes for an 8 year old birthday party. One dozen are triple chocolate and one dozen are vanilla.

And finally, a mother's day dessert for my wonderful mommy! She would eat chocolate all day every day if that wasn't frowned upon (who decided to frown upon that, anyway?), so I made her triple chocolate cupcakes. The recipe for these was given to me by the lovely Ashley Poole!

If you're still with me after all of these pictures and ramblings, good for you!

Again, happy mothers day, moms!

Sweet Summertime

I usually have a hard time coming up with a title for each post I write, but tonight, there was nooooo problem. You know why? Because I am DONE! It's sweet summertime for me. I have no more school to think about until August. Hooray!

I do, however, have work (I got a new job at a bakery! What a blessing!) and cupcakes to think about. I've practically occupied every minute of my last couple of weeks with work, baking, studying, and the occasional social activity. Meaning...the blog was a bit neglected. However, here I am!

I have a couple of pictures to show you today. I have a REALLY easy guac recipe that I meant to share on Cinco de Mayo, but I never got around to it. Maybe I will one day. For now, here's what I've been up to...

I made 200 cupcakes for a Children's event at church. It was a mother-daughter princess party. So precious.

The cupcakes were the centerpieces for the tables at the event. 

This next picture definitely isn't the best, but it gives you an idea of what my dining room looked like the night before I delivered these bad boys.

Next up, a cake topper to go on a sheet cake for the Allatoona lacrosse banquet.

Just a heads up...I can do this logo and others for you! I can also make the cake. As always, feel free to contact me!

Aaaand, considering I have to be at work bright and early, I should really be getting to bed. I'll be back soon with some more pictures and recipes!

Wedding Bliss

I love weddings so so so much. Love, food, Jesus, cake, family, friends, food, dancing, food. I love it all. Whoops, did I say food more than once? Oh well. What can I say? Let's just say there's a reason I run.

Anyway, weddings. I got to go to a wonderful family friend's wedding yesterday, and it was absolutely beautiful. The day before the wedding, I had the privilege of making a cake for the bridesmaid's luncheon. Ruffles galore!

Here it is at the luncheon...

Then, yesterday, I made some Alabama cupcakes for a birthday party. Half were red velvet with cream cheese icing and half were vanilla with vanilla buttercream.

I'm all baked out this weekend! Luckily I get a chance to recuperate this week with about 3 tests and a paper. Sounds relaxing, huh? Yea, didn't think so. BUT, I will be DONE with classes in one week! Praise the Lord!

Hope everyone has a happy Sunday :)

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Today is Tuesday. Tuesday is, unfortunately, my least favorite day of the week.

Yesterday was Monday. Monday is, luckily, one of my favorite days of the week because of Freshley. I just love the people I spend Mondays with.

Speaking of Freshley, yesterday was our last small group, so I made cookies for everyone...Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies to be exact. 

If you're as much of a peanut butter lover as I am, you will love these cookies. PLUS, they got positive feedback from my small group, so I would recommend making them yourself (this is for you, Breanna)! 

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Yield: 18 sandwich cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour


1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder


1/2 teaspoon salt


1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature


1/2 cup creamy peanut butter


1/2 cup granulated sugar


1/2 cup packed light brown sugar


1 large egg


1 teaspoon vanilla extract


1 cup quick-cooking oats

For the Filling
:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature


1/2 cup creamy peanut butter


1 cup powdered sugar, sifted


3 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, peanut butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Finally, add the oats and mix until just combined.

3. Take about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a cookie ball. Place on a baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between the cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly golden and the edges are set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. While the cookies are cooling, make the filling. Combine the butter, peanut butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until smooth. Add the heavy cream and beat until light and fluffy. Using a knife, spread peanut butter filling onto the flat side of a cookie. Find a cookie the same size and sandwich the cookies together, pressing the filling to the edges.