Sweets Spil'd

Sugar cookie recipe

2010-12-05T11:15:00.000-08:00

Well it's that time of year and everyone is getting ready for the holidays and pulling out all their greatest recipes. I love this time of year not just because of the food but because I get to spend a little extra time with my family.

Sugar cookies seem to be among the most favorite to make with friends and family. I'm hosting a fun party at my house where we'll be making Christmas sugar cookies and watching "Elf." So in light of this event, I wanted to post my sugar cookie recipe. It's easy and taste much better than that store bought roll. :)

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup of sugar
1 cup butter (or shortening Crisco)
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup of light corn syrup (or pancake syrup)
1 teaspoon of vanilla
3 cups of all purpose flour (+4 tablespoons divided)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Baking instructions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine sugar,and butter in a large mixing bowl and beat at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, syrup, and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy
In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients including flour, baking powder/soda and salt
Once combined gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture at low speed
Mix until well blended without over mixing
Divide the dough into 4 quarters

Tip: If the dough is too sticky refrigerate for one hour in plastic wrap

On a sheet of waxed paper spread I tablespoon of flour and flatten one fourth of the dough by covering it with another piece of waxed paper to roll it out evenly
Cut out shapes with floured cookie cutters and place on baking sheet
Bake for 5-10 minutes (depending on thickness) and let cool on a wire rack before decorating!

Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

Butter cream frosting:

While baking get the decorating ingredients ready and be creative!
The key with butter cream frosting is that for every stick of butter you use twice as much of powdered sugar and one teaspoon of almond extract
If adding food coloring you can use vanilla extract

Have fun and get friends and kids involved!

xo
-Sweet Spils

Your friends will think you entered a pie contest!

2010-09-06T13:34:00.000-07:00

OK, so since this KCRW Good Food Pie Contest I'm on a pie kick, which isn't surprising since I get addicted to yummy foods. And even though my margarita meringue pie with a pretzel crust didn't win I made another pie today to take to my moms for Labor Day.

This chocolate, banana, peanut butter pie is so easy your friends will think you entered a pie contest! The whole process should take a half hour tops--if its taking you longer you're doing something wrong. As a reference this blog took longer to write than the pie! :)

Recipe as follows:

Crust

1 1/4 graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup of sugar
5-6 tablespoons of butter (add more or less depending on altitude, should be sticky yet crumbly)
1/4 cup of sliced almonds (optional)

Mix together in one bowl with a spoon or fork and transfer to a greased pie pan, pushing the sides up first then filling in the center. Make sure it's packed nicely.

Filling

1 packet of chocolate instant pie filling
1 packet of vanilla instant pie filling (if using almond milk or a milk substitute this helps solidify the filling)
3 cups of milk (I use almond milk)
1 thinly sliced banana (optional)
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoons of nutmeg

Mix instant pudding with milk. Once it begins to thicken add banana and peanut butter. Pour into graham cracker crust. Preheat oven to 350.

Meringue topping

Don't be scared of meringue, it's easy and yummy.

4 egg whites, or 3/4 cups of egg white from a carton
6 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of cornstarch

Remember if you plan on adding anything else to the meringue do it quickly after the sugar and cornstarch has been Incorporated with an additional teaspoon of cornstarch blended with whatever you add.

Beat egg whites for 2-3 minutes until soft white peaks form, add the sugar and cornstarch mixture one tablespoon at a time until fully Incorporated. The egg whites should be stiff and stand on their own.

Spread the meringue mixture over the chocolate filling all the way out to the sides of the crust should seal the crust. Then pile remainder on top so it creates a fluffy mountain.

Transfer to oven and back for 10-12 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Take out of the oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature and don't refrigerate.

WA LA you're done! Now don't just sit there! EAT!

Cookies for Kid's Cancer

2010-09-02T07:17:00.000-07:00

As we get our little kiddos ready for back to school we can pretty much guarentee a bake sale will take place, either during after schools sports, theater arts events, fundraisers and cheerleading activities.

This morning I came across a great organization called Glad to Give. They posted information about Cookies for Kid's Cancer a great non-profit who among many things are matching all bake sale funds to benefit kids with cancer!

So as you get ready to plan those neighborhood or school bakes sales take a minute and register your baking event here: http://register.cookiesforkidscancer.org/ and Cookies for Kid's Cancer will match the funds!

We are all strapped for time so this is a great way to help without having to worry about another charity event to attend or organize. No excuses!

xo
Sweet Spils

KCRW Pie Contest--Come Cheer me on!

2010-08-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

If you are planning on attending the Taste of Beverly Hills Event this weekend (or even if you aren't) come cheer me on at the KCRW Pie contest! This event is FREE, I repeat THIS EVENT IS FREE and open to the public.

I'm entering in the cream pie category and will be featuring my Margarita Cheesecake Meringue Pie with a Salty Sweet Crust--yummy! We also get to feature our favorite aprons in a mini fashion show. Sweet I'll be the 5 foot model.

I hope you will all be there to cheer me on! There will be plenty of pie.

CONTEST DETAILS
The pie contest begins at 4 pm at the Taste of Beverly Hills event space behind the Beverly Hilton.

Bar 210 (formerly Trader Vics)
9900 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills 90210
(directly behind the Beverly Hilton)

PARKING
Valet - at the Beverly Hilton, $30
Self Parking - at 2030 MGM Drive in Century City, $12; Free shuttles will take to you the event site. Shuttles begin running at 3 pm.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
The event begins at 4 pm. Winners will be announced and prizes will be awarded at around 5:30 pm. The event ends at 6 pm.
We will have an apron fashion show brought to you by the Urban Craft Center. So please plan on bringing your favorite apron to show off. Chris Douridas will be DJ-ing throughout the event. After the pies are judged, we invite everyone to taste all the pies.

PRIZES
There are 5 categories (Fruit, Nut, Cream/Chiffon/Mousse, Savory, and Interpretive) and they'll be awarding 1st, 2nd and 3rd place ribbons for each category. One pie will be chosen for Best in Show. We've also added a "Best Crust" award.

Host a child in your area!

2010-08-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

The Summer of 2010 is almost over, but The Fresh Air Fund still needs loving host families. They are looking for families in the following areas: Red Hook, Columbia County, Saugerties, Delmar, Guilderland & Altamont, Latham and Rensselaer, NY. If you or someone you know is able to host, please sign-up to give a child the summer of a lifetime!

To sign up visit: http://www.freshair.org/sign-up-your-child.aspx
For more information on the Fresh Air Fund:visit: http://weneedfreshairfundhosts.com/

Cupcake Wars!

2010-08-13T12:19:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in so long! New goal is to blog and share tips once a week.

Also I wanted to share some news, I was recently asked to audition for the Food Networks "Cupcake Wars," so I submitted a video. Chcek it out and let me know what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR_nXxXcX_U

xo
-Heather

National Wear Red Day is Everyday! Go Red to help save a life.

2010-02-04T23:23:00.000-08:00

While I believe in having your cake and eating it too. I also know how important it is to take care of your health from the inside out. Heart disease is the number one killer among women and there are steps you can take to help prevent the disease.

Go Red For Women and Go Red Por Tu Corazon developed by the American Heart Association provides tips on how making simple changes in your lifestyle such as reducing stress, exercising, having a positive attitude, knowing your numbers and changing your eating habits can help protect your heart.

My favorite part is the heart healthy recipes avaialable.The American Heart Association’s growing cookbook offers unique recipesthat are as heart-healthy as they are delicious. They’re developed tohelp you make the right food choices, with lots of whole grains,fat-free and low-fat dairy products, vegetables and fruits.

Tomorrow is National Wear Red Day, but remember going red is an everyday lifestyle. Make sure you make heart healthy choices everyday!

Mastering the Art of Baking

2009-12-30T00:19:00.000-08:00

I did it. I finally broke down and watched "Julie and Julia." I knew I would love it, I just didn't expect to be obsessed with it. I remember watching Julia Child when I was a little girl and thinking she was a bit of a beast, but a great cook. She in fact was not a beast at all. She was a woman looking for her passion in life and didn't want to stand by and wait for someone else to fulfill it.

She changed cooking and the way women are perceived in the kitchen, among a profession that remains for the most part run by men. Not only did it remind me why I love baking, but why I actually do it. I love the escape and creating something from scratch to share with the people that I love. I do it because it is a project I see from beginning to end and whether it is a success or a failure, it's motivation to continue to make better food.

In an effort to keep the movie alive I'm looking for a baking challenge to master!

Do you have any original ideas? Well...what are you waiting for send them in! All submissions must be entered by January 10.

Please RT and follow me on Twitter for your challenge to be considered. The winning challenge will receive a $50 Starbucks gift card.

If you have yet to see the movie here are a few clips and synopsis of the film posted by Hollywood Previews. Watch and then send in your ideas!! http://www.hollywoodpreviews.com/julie-julia-movie.html

Don't forget to RT and follow me on Twitter: Sweet Spils

The "Food Network" cake makers casting call

2009-09-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

I'm not gonna lie-I really want to be part of this reality challenge! the Food Network is casting bakers in the Los Angeles area who have a passion for baking and want to stir-up their careers in the kitchen. I am still trying to find out more details but it was posted on craigslist.org and iHireChefs.com

If you have any details let me know!

x to the o

Bring Back the Potluck!

2009-07-18T16:24:00.000-07:00

The other day I was thinking why don't people host potlucks anymore--and by people I mean young hipsters like myself trying to save money. I don't know about you but as we are reminded daily of the economic climate, I feel guilty about going out to dinner with friends when I have a full fridge and pantry.

I was researching some recent potluck facts posted online and the results confirm that "potlucks have an unfortunate association with the 1970s and seven-layer dip. Though many palates have matured, potlucks are still a hodgepodge gamble that challenges the control freak in every host or hostess."

But what's wrong with the 70's? Like fashion trends, can food trends come back minus the ugly tupperware? If you think about it, every time you get together for family events, like Christmas or Thanksgiving guests tend to bring their specialty dish; a family style restaurant, like dim sum could also be considered a "potluck" of dishes provided by the eatery.

Believe it or not potlucks have EVEN gone GREEN! Potlucks with a purpose are suddenly "hip." I'm all for it. I think we can bring potlucks back with a modern approach by taking the time to plan a menu that fits together and assigning dishes to each guest. It could turn out to be quite a nice spread. I'm convinced it's no longer just for church gatherings or plain casserole dishes, it's for people wanting to get together with family and friends around a table of good food without breaking the bank and perhaps engaging in some educational ideas.

Here are a few great recipes I found on Chow.com so you can help me bring back the potluck!

Save to My Chow | Email | Send to Cell | Print | Share
Our Table Manners columnist has a few things to say on potluck etiquette.

MENU

» Buffalo Chicken Tenders with Blue Cheese Coleslaw
BY SCOTT YOUKILIS

» Ricotta Gnocchi with Wild Boar Ragu
BY FRANK DE CARLO

» Baked Ziti with Prosciutto
BY HUGO MATHESON

» Baked Chicken and Artichoke Casserole
BY BENJAMIN FORD

» Spiced Lamb Riblets
BY LAURENCE JOSSEL

» Mayan-Style Pit Pork (Cochinita Pibil)
BY SILVANA SALCIDO ESPARZA

» Chocolate Brioche Club Sandwich
BY NANCY SILVERTON

» Tart Cranberry Pie
BY ALEXANDRA GUARNASCHELLI

Got dessert questions?

2009-07-08T22:29:00.000-07:00

I often get asked questions about how to make certain desserts or what ingredients to use.

The other day a friend asked:

"I really want to bake my daughter a cake or cupcakes but I don't want to use refined white sugar. We don't eat anything that has high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenized oils, food dyes, etc.

What can you recommend in terms of baking a healthier cake for her? I want her to have one, but not one full of crap. Is organic sugar the way to go, or raw sugar? I was hoping that maybe you could point me in the right direction."

Since I specialize in organic cakes I personally like raw sugar. The key with the raw sugar is to beat it with the butter for an extended period of time since it tends to be more coarse. If you have an organic food store, like Whole Foods near you they carry frosting packages that are good or you can just use butter and organic powdered sugar and vanilla to make butter cream frosting.

Keep the questions coming! And for all you healthy dessert lovers hope that helps!

Does anyone want to be my driver?!

2009-06-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

In New York just days after the cupcake truck’s launch, another sweets truck hit the scene called One Girl Cookies, so you know the croissants are going to be better than the travesties at your local coffee cart. Which gets me thinking I want take Sweet Spils mini cakes on the road!

In Los Angeles, more and more, we are seeing vendor trucks like King Kone and the Kogi BBQ truck that offer great meals on wheels for the everyday consumer. Why not offer baked goods?

Now I just need a driver and a truck-any volunteers?

Amazing!

“Eat Pie and Love Life.”

2009-05-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

Someone asked me the other day if I made pies and reluctantly I said no. For obvious reasons I love pie, unfortunately I don't have the patience to make them. My "gringa" grandmother as I used to call her, made fantastic pies and would always bring them over for my dad. It is actually the only apple pie I would eat.

I recently fell in love with the movie "Waitress" with Kerri Russell and was inspired with all the great pies they featured, but even with all of this inspiration I can't get myself to make a homemade pie, it's a different science than cake. I do however enjoy eating a good slice of pie and there is something so fantastic about the word "pie." It can be savory or sweet, unlike cake that really should only be sweet.

This years fifteenth annual American Pie Council (APC) winner, Linda Hundt, the owner of the Sweetie-licious bakery cafe in DeWitt, Michigan, made a pie titled “Tom’s Cheery Cherry Cherry Berry Pie” in honor of her brother-in-law who passed.

Linda is known for her 50s-style dresses and aprons, her pearl necklaces and her pearls of “pie wisdom” including her mantra, “Eat Pie and Love Life.” After leaving her career in politics, Hundt started her pie business in 2002, selling pies to high-end restaurants and at farmer’s markets. Coming from a long line of pie bakers, Hundt names her award-winning pies in honor of the family members who have inspired her over the years. In her bakery and on her website, she tells the heartfelt and sometimes humorous stories behind each of her pies. Her brother-in-law Tom earned his pie, the Best of Show-winning “Tom’s Cheery Cherry Cherry Berry Pie,” by being a great supporter of Hundt’s dreams and a friend to everyone he met.

The APC/Crisco ® National Pie Championships were held April 24-26, 2009 at the Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort and Convention Center in Celebration, Fla., in conjunction with the Great American Pie Festival. This year, the competition attracted 138 bakers who baked 465 pies in the Commercial division, 130 pies in the Professional division and 266 pies in the Amateur division. Talented pie makers came from 28 states, from as far away as Washington, California and parts of Canada.

For more details, to become a member of the APC or to register for the National Pie Championships, visit www.piecouncil.org

I will keep you posted on any APC upcoming events, in the meantime please enjoy the winning recipe below. Happy pie making!

TOM’S CHEERY CHERRY CHERRY BERRY PIE RECIPE:

Crust:

1 ½ cups of flour
¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
½ cup Crisco shortening

Mix all ingredients in a stand mixer on medium speed swiftly until crust appears “pea like.” Carefully sprinkle ice cold water in crust mix until it just starts to be fully moistened and gathers together. Pat into disc, wrap and refrigerate for at least one half hour. Roll out on floured surface and make and crimp piecrust. Freeze until ready to use.

Filling:

4 ½ cups Montmorency tart cherries –frozen
1 cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
½ tsp real almond extract
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ tsp orange zest
½ cup dried Michigan cherries
1 ½ cups of frozen blueberries

Combine frozen cherries, dried cherries, sugar, cornstarch. Stir constantly on med-hi heat until boiling. Add blueberries. Boil for one minute or until thickened. Add almond extract, lemon juice and zest. Pour blueberries in bottom of pie shell and pour cherry mixture over them.

Crumb Topping
1 cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
1 stick butter softened

Mix together all crumb topping ingredients by hand or a pastry blender until crumbly.

Cover filling with crumb topping. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes to one hour or until filling is bubbling over crust.

I bought a cake the other day

2009-05-05T21:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, I actually had to purchase a cake. A cake that I can in fact make myself. It was a triple berry cake from one of my favorite bakeries and one of my inspirations for making great desserts. The cake was $58, for about fifteen people. You think that's expensive right? Well to be honest it's not. If you factor in the cost of the berries, ingredients, labor and decorations--they probably broke about even. That is the sad part about the food industry, or any consumer based industry in this economic client. It is really hard to make it in the food business and become a household name or even a neighborhood name. But if you think about how hard it is you only want to give-up, so I have to remind myself that I make cakes for a number of reasons. I love the creative outlet, the fact that I make yummy desserts that put smiles on peoples faces and use top quality ingredients that I would feed my own family. Of course I still have the desire for Sweet Spils to succeed financially and eventually open a bakery where people can relax with a glass of coffee or champagne and a slice of Sweet Spils cake! As for right now the goal is to continue making great desserts that people love and let the product speak for itself.

And the WINNER is...

2009-04-18T17:16:00.000-07:00

Tim Gearin Jr of Springfield, MA who wrote:

"I cannot bake anything at all. I am a very good cook but baking baffles me, so I spent an entire Saturday trying to bake a birthday cake for my wife. This was from scratch as well as the frosting and the creamy stuff in between the three layers. I finished just in time for her to walk in, surprised as could be. It was terrible! Nothing about it resembled how cake should taste. She ate two pieces and smiled throughout. A very nice thing to do. I threw it away and took her to a good restaurant the next day. Lesson learned: leave cake baking to bakers."

Congratulations Tim and thanks to everyone who entered "My Favorite Cake Memory" contest. I had a great time reading all of your stories. Tim will receive a $25 dollar gift card from the Ecostore!

The Ecostore is an extension of a 20 year old New Zealand company that makes plant based, non-toxic household cleaning, baby and personal care products. They have an exclusive partnership with Meijer, and have just hit shelves in all 189 stores. Make sure to go onto their Web site and try out their products.

Don't forget Sweet Spils cakes are meant to be shared!

What is your favorite cake memory? Enter to win a $25 dollar gift card to the EcoStore!

2009-03-26T22:44:00.000-07:00

I was rummaging through all of my moms old photos last week looking for this one picture, this one memory I had of my third birthday. I can still remember what dress I was wearing and the two cakes that my mom got me, Mickey and Minnie, which at the time were my favorite.

You have to understand every favorite thing I had I was obsessed with, so when I was obsessed with Mickey and Minnie my entire room was decorated with of course Mickey and Minnie, and thus was the theme of my birthday. When I was obsessed with Strawberry Shortcake again my room theme changed and guess what costume my grandma recreated for me to be on Halloween? I have a photo of that as well.

Anyhow, back to the cake. I can still remember what the frosting on those two cakes tasted like. That was probably the making of my sweet tooth. I loved sweets but this was the best cake I had eaten, up until my 15th birthday. As a baker, moms are always sending me photos of their kids with the cakes I've made, which warms my heart and reminds me of my own memories.

Birthdays are special to me and have always been an excuse for me to get all my friends together and of course eat cake. My mom always made it a huge ceremony, as if it was a wedding. I can still hear her saying, "Okay, it's time to cut the cake and sing Happy Birthday!" And for that one moment everyone gathered in one room.

So I have to ask, what is your favorite cake memory? In a 150 words or less, tell me what your favorite cake memory is. The winner will be featured on my blog and will receive a $25 dollar gift card to the EcoStore, a company who's products are safe for the environment and your health. Like my cakes ingredients, I am passionate about the ingredients that go into my household products and used on my family.

Send your stories to heather@sweetspils.com and in the subject please include: favorite cake memory. You can attach any photos you don't mind sharing if selected.

White, Brown, and Dark Chocolate Lovers Unite!

2009-03-13T21:13:00.000-07:00

I recently met someone who does not like Chocolate. I know hard to fathom right? But it’s true. She will not consume anything that contains even the slightest hint of chocolate. I on the other hand cannot live without it, and in large part, my love for chocolate is the reason I started my cake company Sweet Spils.

I tried to cut it out of my diet for about a week and failed. When I was pregnant with my son I couldn’t eat it because of the horrible heart burn I would experience. Sweet Spils cakes are meant to be shared, so what do I do when one person out of the group doesn't eat chocolate?

And then I remembered, white chocolate has a distinctly different taste. For obvious reasons because it does not contain chocolate liquor, and there is much argument on whether it should even contain the word chocolate in its name, similar to the argument that white and black are not colors.

I began to substitute white chocolate in certain recipes and found it to be quite good. I have made white chocolate frosting and white chocolate cheesecake. Although I would never give up chocolate for a substitute it has definitely added more variety to my recipes.

As a baker, I think we need to be open about what ingredients and flavors we incorporate in our recipes to develop our palettes. Not everyone has the same taste but one thing is certain, we all love some kind of chocolate!

UNSCENEINC

2009-03-10T21:32:00.000-07:00

I did desserts for an event last Tuesday and the event company was amazing! I am a total perfectionist and control freak so I was a little worried to just leave my desserts without placing them, but the caterers were amazing. Everything was displayed beautifully. I look forward to working with Unsceneinc again. In the meantime go visit their Web site. Attached is a photo from the event. I made 30 mini margarita cheesecakes, 30 mini carrot cakes, 30 chocolate cakes, and 60 chocolate truffles. If you need any desserts for an upcoming event think of Sweet Spils! Remember a Sweet Spils cake is meant to be shared (unless it's a mini).

What to eat on "Game Day"

2009-01-18T13:55:00.000-08:00

Whether you are enjoying the NFL playoffs at home or right in the stadium it's hard to keep that new years resolution to eat right and lose weight. I know I make cakes but surprisingly enough I eat other food too! What is my favorite food on game day you ask? Even if you don't care I'll tell you anyway--its NACHOS! I love chips, cheese, salsa and guacamole so for me this is the perfect combo.

While its hard to stay away from fun food I am a true believer in whole products, so I can still have my favorite foods in moderation. I allow myself to eat a little bit of everything because I don't have will power when it comes to deprivation.

Organic nachos your guests will love:
1/2- 1 whole bag of lightly salted 365 tortilla chips
8-16 ounces of 365 Monterrey jack cheese
8 ounces of 365 sharp Cheddar cheese
1 can of Amy's organic chicken chili
Add Louisiana hot sauce to taste

*portions depend on the number of guests, serves 4-10

Homemade Guacamole:
2 or 3 guacamole's mashed
pepper
Lime
diced tomatoes
(I don't add salt because there is salt in the chips and cheese)

I like to put the salsa and homemade guac on the side and obviously you can improve with the ingredients, after all that is the best part--just remember to use whole products.

So here is the trick, get a cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lay parchment paper down on the cookie sheet. Spread a nice layer of chips, add a layer of both cheeses. Add another layer of chips, a little more cheese, and then top evenly with chicken chili. I like to add the chicken chili in coordinates on the nachos and then lightly spread so it is distributed evenly, that way the chips don't get soggy (which is also why I serve the salsa on the side). Finally add another thin layer of cheese to make it look pretty. Bake for ten minutes and serve! (Best to serve right on the cookie sheet over a cooling rack so they stay warm and the clean-up is easy).

*all 365 products can be purchased at your local Whole Foods Market

And ladies, make sure your boyfriend eats more than you, that way you can still have your Nachos and keep your waistline too!

Burlesque Bash!

2008-12-26T10:37:00.000-08:00

Although my desserts did not make it on the episode of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" this past Tuesday, Gretchen's blog on the site talks about Sweet Spils! I am so thankful to have such a great friend who supports my love of making cakes! I hope you all enjoyed the episode and come check out my site!

If you are a member of Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, or the Mom Blogs come join my network!

Happy holidays and here's to 2009!

Sweet Spils is keepin it Real...Housewives of Orange County style!

2008-12-16T00:07:00.000-08:00

Watch What Happens! All the desserts featured on tomorrow nights episode of the "Real Housewives of Orange County" during Gretchen Rossi's burlesque party were provided by Sweet Spils. For now, catch a glimpse of tomorrow nights episode on Bravotv.com

Sweet Spils is sweetening up the holidays!

2008-12-06T13:28:00.000-08:00

It comes to no surprise that I love making cakes. Particularly for friends and family who are celebrating special events, such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, you name it! After all Sweet Spils cakes are best when shared.

Don't forget the featured Sweet Spils "Cake of the Month" is pumpkin cheesecake with caramelized pecans benefiting the Foundation For Second Chances.

Everyone needs desserts around the holidays why not join the effort to help save the world one cake at a time while satisfying your sweet tooth?

Sweet Spils as featured on "Real Housewives of Orange County"

2008-11-24T17:22:00.000-08:00

Get ready for the 4th season of Real Housewives of Orange County to premiere tomorrow night at 10 p.m. PST. If everything goes as scheduled Sweet Spils deserts will be featured in an upcoming episode. Details coming soon!

"Watch What Happens!"

Saving the world one cake at a time!

2008-11-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

So how is my cake company different? Each month I will feature a cake who's proceeds will benefit a non-profit organization specifically targeted to helping children.

Sweet Spils is partnering with the Foundation for Second Chances, and for the month of November or December, customers who purchase a Pumpkin Cheesecake will automatically donate half of the proceeds to benefit FFSC.

Foundation for Second Chances, a nonprofit organization which utilizes hands-on education, mentoring, health awareness and community service to maximize the potential of youth will be holding its 1st Annual Leadership Awards Gala in Los Angeles on May 8, 2009. The event will bring together a diverse group of 150-200 business and community leaders at The Proud Bird in Los Angeles for a relaxed evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, dinner and education about our important work.

Foundation for Second Chances (FFSC) has been changing lives and building futures for children, youth and families in Los Angeles since 2004. FFSC programs show how afterschool, mentoring, health awareness and community service programs can have an impact on youth. Not only do FFSC’s programs enhance young peoples' attitudes about themselves and their futures, but FFSC’s programs increase academic achievement and decrease delinquent behavior. Foundation for Second Chances is committed to delivering programs that change lives and build futures.

To learn more about the important work of Foundation for Second Chances and how to get involved, I invite you to visit their website at http://www.ffscinc.org.

Sweet Spils is built around the concept that a cake is not an individual dessert, but an experience that should be shared. My Goal is to have your Sweet Spils dessert create continued memories of good times spent with family and friends. Sweet Spils is saving the world one cake at a time.

Foundation for Second Chances is a community based organization which utilizes hands-on education, mentoring, health awareness and community service to maximize the potential of youth.

Google Reader is cooking!

2008-11-11T21:27:00.000-08:00

Google reader thought it would be fun to have some guest bloggers write about how they use Reader. In this post, Ann Verbin writes about how Reader helps her find and organize recipes.

Better Cooking Through Reader-ing

Brown Bananas?

2008-10-21T20:31:00.000-07:00

I know people always say you if you have lemons make lemonade and if you have brown bananas make banana bread. Ok, so the last one is not as popular but as a baker/homemaker I always heard make banana bread with ripe bananas, but I think that's a little boring. I say Freeze those bananas! That's right put them in the freezer--go ahead try it. The options are endless. Once frozen you can melt chocolate and make chocolate covered frozen bananas, or let them thaw to use as a cake or pudding filling, or if your like me and like things cold you can cut it up and mix it with vanilla soy ice cream and graham crackers for your own homemade Coldstone treat. The possibilities are endless. Just make sure you get the bananas in the freezer before they are to the point of no return--otherwise your only hope is banana bread!

Top Chef New York

2008-10-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

For all you "foodies" out there the new season of Top Chef premieres Wed., Nov. 12. I love that the drama is minimal and it's all about the cooking.

The Next Food Star Network is also currently casting, and I overheard Bravo is in the works on creating another cooking show for people without culinary experience! Also check out Los Angeles Magazine The digest blog: Invasion of the food Network Femmes