Looking for a dessert that is as nutritious as it is delicious? Try the Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Cups, a delightful treat that combines the wholesomeness of sweet potatoes and the creamy goodness of peanut butter. It's a dessert that you and your kids will love, and it's a great way to sneak some veggies into your diet in a fun and tasty way!
This is a healthier version of my all-time favorite chocolate is so good, I have to fight my own kids for the last piece!
Ever thought about combining the wholesomeness of sweet potatoes with the creamy goodness of peanut butter in a dessert? If not, then you're in for a delightful surprise! Presenting the Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Cups - a dessert that is as delicious as it is unique. These cups are smooth, creamy, and oh-so-delicious. They will not only satiate your sweet cravings but will also provide a nutritional boost.
Ingredients
What makes this dessert so special is its simple yet interesting combination of ingredients. Here's what you'll need:
The sweet potatoes are the star of this dish, bringing in their natural sweetness and distinct flavor. The semisweet and dark chocolates add a rich depth to the taste while the peanut butter taste and vanilla provide a nutty and aromatic essence. The peanut butter powder adds all the flavor and half the calories!
How to Make It
Now let's get down to the exciting part - making these sweet potato peanut butter cups! The process is really simple and straightforward:
*I used a mini cupcake nonstick mold and was able to make 20 cups.
And there you have it - Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Cups! This dessert is perfect for any occasion and is sure to be a hit with both kids and adults. Plus, it's a great way to sneak in some veggies into your diet in a fun and delicious way. Enjoy!
Visit JTWoodworksme.com for an array of handcrafted serving trays & cutting boards to display your favorite desserts. Boards are handmade in Maine with locally sourced lumber.
These unique earrings are perfect for foodies and chefs alike. Handcrafted from miniature cutting boards, they make a fun and quirky statement piece.
As a small woodworking business, it's important to have a clear and consistent brand to stand out in a crowded market. Your brand tells a story about your company and products, and helps customers understand what sets you apart from competitors. When developing your brand, consider your target audience and what they value most. Use this information to create a unique brand identity that speaks to your audience and sets you apart from the rest.
Once you have a clear brand identity, it's time to get creative with your marketing efforts. While traditional advertising methods can be effective, they can also be costly. Consider alternative marketing channels, such as social media, email marketing, and influencer partnerships. These channels can be a cost-effective way to reach your target audience and build brand awareness. Additionally, consider hosting events or workshops to showcase your products and expertise. This can be a great way to connect with potential customers and build relationships that can lead to long-term business success. Remember, with a little creativity and strategic planning, even small businesses on a budget can successfully market their products and grow their brand.
When I created our Miniature Cutting Board Earrings to sell at a local craft fair, I wanted them to double as a business card. Our XTool laser engraver did the job! It was quick and easy once I figured out which settings worked best. I imported my design into Lightburn and set the speed to 45%, power to 85%. Make sure to do a test as blank jewelry card thickness might vary.
I would love to hear from you with any questions or suggestions. Let’s help each other grow!
]]>My family missed conchas so much and I tried stocking up every time we returned to California. The problem was that as much as I would buy, it was never enough. We ate it so quickly sometimes it barely made it past our connecting flight home. I decided to try to make it at home. This was not, not intimidating.
I found many promising recipes online with pictures and videos that showed the conchas looking just like I remembered them. One bite though and umm, nope! After many, many disappointments it hit me - I had yet to try my go-to for authentic Mexican recipes: Rick Bayless. The look on my kids' faces when they took that first bite told me I had found the right recipe! Click on the picture below to get Rick's recipe.
CONCHA RECIPE:
Dough:
1/3 cup milk
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar (divided use)
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 stick unsalted butter & 1/2 c plain shortening at room temperature, cut into 1-inch cubes
Concha (Shell) Topping:
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
To make the dough:
Heat the milk to 110 degrees. In a small bowl, add yeast, 1 tsp sugar, and heated milk. Stir and let it sit until foamy, approximately 10 min.
In a different bowl mix bread flour, all purpose flour, 1 tbsp sugar, and salt.
When yeast becomes foamy, pour into stand up mixing bowl. Add eggs and mix with dough hook until eggs are incorporated.
Add flour mixture a little at a time, mixing slowly. When dough becomes smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl easily, start adding pieces of butter and shortening one at a time until each piece is incorporated.
Place dough in a lightly buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic is touching the dough. Put in fridge to rise overnight.
Concha Topping:
In a medium bowl, mix butter, sugar, and vanilla. When combined, add flour. You can add food coloring at this point, to make the conchas more festive. Refrigerate until you are ready to top the conchas.
Forming the conchas:
After the dough has risen overnight in the fridge (or when it has risen until doubled in size after rising in a warm kitchen) you have two options: make 9 large conchas or 18 smaller ones. I personally like the smaller ones. If you have a little sweet tooth you can eat just one. If you have a monster sweet tooth, you can eat more. Plus they’re easier to dunk in a cup of hot chocolate!
However you divide the dough, lightly roll each into a smooth ball and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a tea towel and let the dough balls sit until they double in size (1-2 hrs).
Baking the conchas:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Divide the concha topping according to however many dough balls you need to cover. Roll each concha topping piece into a ball and place between two pieces of plastic wrap. Take a glass with a base with approximately the same diameter of your dough balls and use the base to press down on the concha topping balls until they're wide enough to cover the risen dough balls.
Brush risen dough balls with an egg wash (whisk one egg and 1 tbsp of water) and place a pressed concha topping on each dough ball.
If making the shell design with a paring knife, use the sharp tip to score the concha toppings. If using the concha cutter, press the cutter into the concha topping to stamp the design.
Baking Times:
Small conchas, 9-12 min
Large conchas, 25-30 min
The only changes I made to the original recipe:
To form the shell shape you can use a sharp paring knife or you can use a concha cutter. They both work nicely, but I must admit the concha cutter was a lot of fun to use.
Look how cute these turned out! The bread was tender and the streusel had a little crunch to it. They were perfect!
If find yourself far away from a good panaderia and you're craving an authentic concha, this is your recipe. When you do make them, serve them on one of these cute serving trays/cutting boards from JTWoodworks and enjoy them with a nice cup of Mexican hot chocolate !
]]>WOOD BLOCK CHRISTMAS TREE
Take personalization to the next level this with these adorable tree ornaments. So easy with your home printer and semi-gloss photo paper. Seeing your family's smiling faces will make your Christmas tree extra special!
DIY SNOWMEN CHRISTMAS TREE TREE ORNAMENTS
CHRISTMAS CRAFT TREE
FARMHOUSE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS
WOOD BLOCK CHRISTMAS TREE
RUSTIC DRIFTWOOD CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS
DIY ORNAMENT DISPLAY TREE
WOOD CHRISTMAS TREE
CHRISTMAS TREE SHADOWBOX SIGN
Perfect for a rustic, farmhouse Christmas. It's subtle, but so impressive!
MINI DEER PALETTE ORNAMENTS
It seems like each year as the weather starts to cool, I start making false promises to myself: THIS year, I really mean it, I know I said the same thing last year, but I MEAN it this time: This year I'm going all out decorating for Halloween. Fast-forward to about two weeks from the big day and my house is unspooky'fied. I'm not going to stress about it though because over many years of procrastination I have a developed a few easy ways to get the house Halloween ready in no time.
This Halloween decoration is so overlooked and underestimated, you don't even have to worry about it selling out. TIP: a little goes a long way. You only need a few bags because you will be stretching the strands out as much as you can. This will give you a realistic look, otherwise you end up with gobs of fluff and that's just not cute. Stretch them over mirrors, fireplace mantels, vases, wall art, framed photos, and staircases. Throw those spider webs everywhere, basically live out your Spider-man dreams.
What goes well with a ton of spider webs? Big, hairy spiders. A couple of big, posable spiders are an easy, and effective way to give your home Halloween vibes. I have one for the living room and one for the front porch. I'm getting one more for the bathroom. I think hanging one in an unexpected place (like a shower with a half-opened shower curtain) would have the very best willies-inducing effect. Don't forget the spider webs.
You don't have to go all elevator scene from The Shining, but feel free to let the red stuff fly. The cons are: it's realistic and gross. The pros are: it's realistic and gross. TIP: it can be a bit runny so add cornstarch (a little at a time) to thicken it. You can also mix in some cocoa powder to deepen the red. Muahaha!
You can find flameless tealights online, but if you want them same-day and you can't find them in the Halloween section, check the plain ol' candle section in the home goods department. You can find these at your local craft store as well. The cool thing is that these little candles have an orange, flickering "flame", which makes them a little extra spooky. I forgot to turn one off and it stayed on for two whole days, so you know they will last. Keep your lights low and scatter these around the house. I really liked the effect of placing them in clear, glass containers. Visit your local thrift shop for these. Reduce, reuse, recycle honey!
While you're at the thrift shop, pick up a few framed pictures. You'll most likely only find ones of fruit or covered bridges. NOT creepy, I know. All you have to do is put a couple of large slashes in it, spread a little fake blood, and (you guessed it) add some spider webs. If you don't want to drill holes in you wall to hang them, just pick up some Command picture hanging strips! If you find a framed photo of a person you can give it a Halloween makeover with a sharpie and a little blood. If you have time, take a small cutting tool and cut out the eyes. Then you can take a battery-powered small string of lights and stick the lights where the eyes should--you know what, forget the lights - there's nothing quick or easy about that!
There you have it! You could go all out and buy the fog machines and create one of those awesome ghostly figures with chicken wire (more power to you) and set up an amazing Halloween display, but who are we kidding? If you're anything like me you still don't know what's for dinner. You're a busy person who loves to spend any spare time with friends and family because that's what really matters. Besides there's always next year and you're going to kill it next year, riiiight?
***BONUS TIPS***
If you are hosting a Halloween party, JTWoodworks offers really cute Halloween serveware from cutting boards to dessert and beverage flights with a cute little Halloween accent. They also make bat-themed and spider-themed cake pop stands. All of their stuff is 100% handcrafted and affordable with 2-3 day shipping on most items.
Portland, Maine has more restaurants per capita than probably any other city in the country. Despite the bevy of fabulous dining options, one of my favorite places to nosh is the Cabot Farmers’ Annex on Commercial Street. Why? Two words: cheese samples.
]]>Portland, Maine has more restaurants per capita than probably any other city in the country. Despite the bevy of fabulous dining options, one of my favorite places to nosh is the Cabot Farmers’ Annex on Commercial Street. Why? Two words: cheese samples. We’re not talking tiny nibbles of so-so cheese, oh no. We’re talking about 1 inch cubes of the sharpest, tastiest, creamiest cheddar you’ve ever had. The ones I seem to gravitate towards, and am hoping I will be enjoying tonight, are their Hot Habanero, Alpine, Smoky Bacon, and Seriously Sharp.
Cabot Farmers' Annex storefront photo credit: visitportland.com
1.) HOT HABANERO CHEDDAR
I love spicy foods (I am Latina - it’s in my blood). Ever since I moved to the east coast, I have become skeptical of anything labeled as “hot”. Well, let me just say that my favorite thing to do when snacking on this cheese is to see how many bites I can take before I’m reaching for a pretzel and a glass of milk to ease the burn. My record number of bites is TWO. This cheddar is hot, but it’s so good and creamy that I just can’t help myself. I could probably eat a whole bar.
photo credit: cabotcheese.coop
2.) LEGACY COLLECTION, ALPINE CHEDDAR
Everyone I have shared this with just about falls in love with this memorable cheese. I almost don’t want to describe it so that you will experience it the same way I did. I guarantee the first thing you’ll say after one bite is going to be, “Mmmm...what is THAT??” All I will tell you is that it’s tangy, nutty, and fruity in a very parmesan-like way. The rest you’ll have to see for yourself. No spoilers.
photo credit: cabotcheese.coop
3.) SMOKY BACON CHEDDAR
I don’t really need to sell you on this one, do I? It’s cheese. It’s bacon. It’s hickory smoked.
photo credit: cabotcheese.coop
4.) SERIOUSLY SHARP CHEDDAR
You really can’t go wrong with this one. This goes well with just about anything from crackers, to fruits, to my husband's Bachelor Pasta Salad (stay posted for that recipe). I have always wanted to add this to my famous mac n cheese sauce, but honestly once this block of cheddar is in our home, it’s usually devoured within an hour.
photo credit: cabotcheese.coop
Aside from my favorite Cabot cheeses, the only other cheese I would love to be indulging in, if I could find it (if you know where I could find it, please let me know) would be a chocolate cheese. Yes, you heard me. There is a cheese out there that is chocolate-based. I tried it once at my husband’s company Christmas party and I have never forgotten it. I was only able to taste a tiny bit of it. Unfortunately, I was on my best behavior and 2nds, 3rds, and 4ths at the cheese table would have been uncouth...so I've been told.
When (not if) you decide to treat yourself and your favorite people to a beautiful array of your favorite cheeses, visit JTWoodworks. They have an assortment of cheese boards and cutting boards that double as cheese boards that you will love. Especially unique and charming is their polka dot series. If you want to host a wine or beer and cheese sampling party, they have you covered for that too.
HAPPY NOSHING!
]]>
Food conjures up lovely memories. Each bite of a certain food can transport you to a special time and place. Every time I bake my sister’s chocolate chip cookies, I am right back in her living room, binge-watching episodes of the Twilight Zone on Christmas day. Believe it or not, the other day I became similarly nostalgic, not over food, but rather over beer. This started when I came across a list of the best craft breweries in each state. It made me think about my favorite beers and I wondered: What would be my dream beer flight?
Here's what I came up with:
1. Best Brown, Gritty's Brew Pub (Maine)
While dating I knew, or rather my husband knew, that we had something very special when he decided to bring me to his favorite brew pub, Gritty’s. Probably as important as introducing me to his family. Probably. Jeremy was a member of their Mug Club since they opened. On our first date in Maine I took my first sip of their brown ale from his mug (I snapped this picture of him that day). Their brown is still my favorite because it reminds me of our first east-coast date and because it goes so well with our family favorites: Gritty’s chips with tartar sauce and an amazing "half bbq sauce/half alfredo sauce, with chicken all over" pizza our kids created. They should just name it after us already.
2. Framboise Lambic, Lindemans Brewery (Belgium)
During our first trip to Las Vegas, Jeremy and I visited the Petrossian Bar at the Bellagio hotel. It was a great way to relax and enjoy a drink after walking in the hot sun. This bar offers a skilled pianist and an array of complimentary bar snacks served on an elegant little tray that they bring right to you when you order drinks. I ordered the Lindemans raspberry lambic that day. Look what a pretty glass they served it in! Every time I sip some of that fruity and tart drink, I remember what a great vacation we had and how much I would love to go back!
3. Curieux, Allagash Brewing Company (Maine)
There are some moments when the choice you have made in a spouse is confirmed. When your husband tells you that Allagash is hosting a beer and cheese pairing event at a local restaurant (DaVinci’s, home of the best garlic knots) and asks you to go - you know you’ve chosen wisely. My favorite that night was the Curieux, but I don’t remember what cheese it was paired with...probably because of the 11% ABV. What can I say, I love beer, but I’m a lightweight.
4. Blueberry Wheat Ale, Sea Dog Brewing Co. (Maine)
While we were dating, I flew out to surprise Jeremy for his birthday. His family had planned a surprise party for him and it was my job to keep him busy until all the guests arrived back at the house. After he picked me up from the airport, I told him I wanted to drive around to find the biggest snow banks because I had never seen snow before. He wasn't buying it, so we stopped at Sea Dog for a drink. That is where I had the best, most blueberry’ish tasting beer. And it was on tap. They also had the best tourtiere pie (a very tasty, pork pie) that Jeremy said reminded him of his grandmother’s recipe. Food and beer ceaselessly conjuring up memories.
5. Ice Scream for IPA, Albany Pump Station (New York)
We have six kids together; we are a modern-day Brady Bunch. This Fall, another one of our birdies flew the nest all the way to college. That road trip for college move-in day was bittersweet; realizing our little girl wasn’t so little anymore and had become a smart, independent young woman who was ready to conquer the world. During this trip, we stopped at the Albany Pump Station for burgers (and beers for the parents). They had a beer with a flavor combination that seemed to be made just for me that day: a vanilla ice cream-flavored IPA. Sounds strange, but it worked beautifully and added a little more "sweet" to that road trip.
That is my list, my dream beer flight...for now.
To create your own dream beer flight, visit JTWoodworks for beautifully handcrafted beer flights. There are lots of varieties, each beautifully handcrafted and custom made. Personalize your beer flight or beer sampling tray with laser engraving to make it even more special.
]]>What you'll need:
I love made-from-scratch cakes, but for this I use box cake mix. First, bake the cake as directed on the box. Once it's done, let it cool enough to be able to handle because you're going to dig in with your hands and crumble the whole thing in a large bowl.
Once it's crumbled and there are no large pieces, you add frosting a little at a time, starting with about 1/2 cup of frosting and mix with a spoon (otherwise the frosting will stick to your hands and will end up being the best edible hand treatment ever).
When the frosting and cake crumbles look pretty integrated, test out its "roll'ability" by taking some of the mix, about 1-2 tbsp (depending what size cake pops you want), and start rolling it into a ball. If it starts to fall apart, add more frosting. If you're able to form a nice round ball that keeps its shape, you're good to go! Roll out as many as you can. Place them on a cookie sheet and chill in the freezer for about 5 min. Take them out and they're ready for you to insert the sticks.
Now this is where I got in trouble the very first time I made these. I stuck my lollipop sticks right into the cake ball, which was a big no-no. Those sad pops just slid right down the sticks because there was nothing there to help keep them up. Here's what to do! Melt your candy melts as directed on package and dip the stick in the melted candy about 1/2 inch deep and THEN insert it into the cake ball. This creates a little seal to prevent the pops from sliding down. Freeze them for about 5 min. Take them out and dip each pop. You may have to reheat your dip to get it to the right consistency again.
You will need to place the pops somewhere to decorate them and allow them to dry after you dip them. I have tried cups - no good. The ops smacked into each other. I tried a styrofoam block - no good. You could only poke so many holes into styrofoam before it becomes completely useless. This handy, cake pop decorating and drying stand was perfect! It's reusable and makes decorating and drying the cake pops so much easier. I love it! Did I mention DIY cake pops are messy? Your board will end up drippy like this:
But it's OK because you are going to want to display your finished cake pops on these super cute cake pop stands! They come unfinished so you can paint them however you'd like! These are Christmas-themed, but there are other shapes available at JTWoodworks.
I've come a long way, but it will take more time and patience before I have Bakerella-type cake pop skills (she's awesome!). Regardless of what your pops look like (see my pic below), I promise your family will love and devour them! Plus, you will have fun painting and personalizing each cake pop stand with friends and family!
*Tip: If your dip is not melting properly, check out this tutorial on melting Candy Melts by the very talented Rosanna Pansino from Nerdy Nummies
]]>On one of these occasions I took the usual amount time (many hours of planning the perfect outfit and accessories) to get ready for a friend's soiree. Finally ready, we headed out. When we arrived I immediately started looking for the appetizer table because that's just what I do. Well, I greeted our hosts first--I'm not an animal. While my husband went to grab us a drink, I started to fill our little plates with appetizers. I turned around and there he was with a drink in each hand and there I was with a plate in each hand. He tried handing me my drink, I tried to hand him his plate (unsuccessfully). We found a space where we set everything and we each pick up a plate and a drink. Done? Nope. I held my drink in the crook of my arm while I ate. After spending all that time getting dolled up for this party, I ended up spilling wine all over myself.
Why am I telling you all of this? Well, because I want to introduce you to my new best friend. This beautifully handmade wine and snack tray by JTWoodworks via jtwoodworksme.com.
This elegant little tray has a well to hold the wine glass in place and enough space to hold a small mountain of appetizers. Perfect for weddings, office parties, holiday parties, etc. You can mingle and nosh without having to juggle a drink and a plate. Your wine will stay in your glass where it belongs. Love it!
]]>Fall will inevitably arrive, but I would like to hold on to summer as long as I can. What better way to do this than to enjoy a nice (huge) scoop of the creamiest, yummiest ice cream I can get my hands on? Enter these handy (and adorable) ice cream cone holders by JTWoodworks (jtwoodworksme.com). Instead handing out cones one at a time I was able to satisfy everyone's sweet tooth at the same time.
]]>
Available at: jtwoodworksme.com
]]>Available at JTWoodworks via jtwoodworksme.com
]]>