A Big Announcement!

Today I have some really special news to share with you.  It looks like I’ll no longer be baking for just my husband and I.  We’re adding a member to our small family of two.  WERE PREGNANT!

I am 17 weeks pregnant!  I have wanted to share this news with you for SUCH a long time.  It was just the hardest to hold it in!  I am not good at keeping secrets, especially big ones like these.  But finally it’s out and I’m so excited to talk about it!  Now I can tell you everything I’ve been going through for the last 4 months.

Luckily I’ve had a wonderful pregnancy!  No getting sick, or feeling under the weather.  Thank God!  However, one thing I did notice was that I got tired a lot more easily in my first trimester.  I quickly realized that you really need to take it easy.  But thankfully I’m in my 2^nd trimester now and I feel even better.  It’s as if I’m not pregnant, except that my stomach is growing every day and I definitely don’t need to worry about my waistline anymore! 

But don’t get me wrong, I feel different.  SO many things change when you’re growing a little person inside of you.  You get these weird aches and pains throughout your whole body, and you have to make sure you take extra care and caution with everything you do.  Sleeping is not the same anymore.  My back hurts pretty much all day, every day.  And you really have to be careful of everything you put into your body.  But it’s all worth it!  Because in less than 5 months we’ll have our little baby boy.

Yep, you read it right.  We’re having a BOY!  And we couldn’t be more excited!  You probably could also imagine how even more excited Steve is.  He has always dreamed of having a little boy.  And being a Professional Baseball Player has made him want a boy even more.  Of course he would love a girl as well, but it’s something about men getting their first son that makes them so happy and proud.  I was fine either way so I’m so excited to start preparing and decorating for a boy! 

For fun, I thought I'd share some questions that many, many, many people have asked so far:

We're you trying?

Yes! And we got pregnant on our first try!  I know, how lucky and blessed.  I read up on some basic information and got to know my body pretty well.  Before we knew it we were taking a pregnancy test and it came out positive!  We were in shock.  We didn't think it was right.  So just to be sure we took 5 more for good measure!

Any weird food cravings?

Not really.  Sometimes I get a craving for something that I would rarely ever eat before I was pregnant, like egg sandwiches or nachos.  But that is very rare.  It's really more what I don't want.  There are just some foods that don't sound appetizing at all.  It changes often, but right now it's beans and greens, including green vegetables.  The funny thing is that I lived on those 2 things before I was pregnant, but now I don't want them all.

Has your diet changed?

Yes and no.  As I mentioned above, there are some things that I don't eat and some random little items that I've added.  But I still eat my normal favorite foods, like fruit, yogurt, smoothies, cereal, and pasta.  I make sure to maintain a balanced diet, without being strict.  I eat what I want and make sure to give my body what it wants.  

There is one pretty big change that happened a couple weeks into my pregnancy.  I now eat meat!  Before I was pregnant, I didn't eat meat (chicken, turkey, or red meat) because I didn't crave it all.  My body just didn't want it and I didn't really enjoy it.  Now I eat it weekly and actually enjoy it!  The baby really needs a lot of protein so it makes sense why I started wanting it again when I became pregnant. 

What's the hardest thing about being pregnant?

I'm going to be honest.  It's not the easiest thing gaining weight and growing bigger every day.  But what helps is that I still continue to eat pretty healthy and I work out almost every day.  This makes me feel better about my self and my growing body.

Do you have a name?

We have some options, but nothing chosen yet.  We have a front-runner but don't want to make a decision quite yet.  

Will you still bake and cook?

Absolutely!  I will never stop baking and cooking, no matter how busy or tired I am.  It is my passion.  My happy place.  And the blog will not change either.  I will continue to post recipes as often as possible, and definitely won't let it go forgotten. 

Feel free to ask me any questions you wish as well :).  Now that the news is out, I'm an open book!

To celebrate this wonderful occasion I made some Blueberry Baseball Cupcakes.  I'll be sharing the recipe with you later this week!  It's a good one.  Simple and cute :). 

Walnut Cream Cheese Cinnamon Biscuit Rolls

I rarely ever eat processed foods.  It’s just not my cup of tea.  I try to lead a healthy diet, and processed foods just aren’t good for you.  And to tell you the truth I never really feel good after I eat them.  Well last night I broke down and had some nachos at the baseball game.   I’m talking your basic chips covered with melted cheese and pickled jalapenos.  That kind of nachos.  I’m not going to lie to you – they tasted great at the moment.  I truly enjoyed those nachos.  Of course after I ate them it was a different story.  I felt full and bloated, and just wanted to brush my teeth.  But sometimes you just need to enjoy those moments.  Enjoy that unhealthy junk food every once in a while.  And during all the other times, make your food from scratch and enjoy it even more!

Like these Walnut Cream Cheese Cinnamon Biscuit Rolls.  I made these one morning while my parents were visiting us in Florida.  I wanted to make Cinnamon Rolls for them but I didn’t have much time.  At that moment I didn’t have my No-Yeast, Quick Cinnamon Roll recipe, so I thought back and remembered about seeing a Biscuit Cinnamon Roll recipe on Joy the Baker.  Instead of making a yeasted dough, all you do is throw together a biscuit dough and fill it with cinnamon sugar.  It was exactly what I wanted!  But to kick it up a notch I filled it with cream cheese and walnuts as well.  They were even more perfect.

The dough for these biscuit rolls is really soft.  It is the perfect base for the creamy filling with the crunchy walnuts.  The sugar and butter also creates this crunchy exterior that adds to the overall great texture and flavor of these rolls. 

These really are a great option when you want to make something special for breakfast or brunch, but want it to be quick and easy.  Enjoy! 

Stovetop Mac and Cheese

So my husband and I are a little obsessed with Mac and Cheese.  It’s one of our favorite meals.  This is our complete favorite.  When I first tried this original Mac and Cheese recipe I thought there would be nothing better. Ever.  This was the ultimate Mac and Cheese and nothing else could ever rival it.  Until now!

This Stovetop Mac and Cheese is seriously inching its way up into being our new favorite Mac and Cheese recipe.  And there are so many reasons why.  One of the best things about this recipe is just how easy it is!  It couldn’t be any easier.  Seriously.  All you do is boil the pasta, drain it, and then add the added ingredients – including garlic, Gouda cheese, milk, Greek yogurt, and a little bit of butter.  Stir, stir, and stir, until the pasta is creamy and delicious.  That’s it!  All stovetop, no oven, and in no-time.

And, of course, the other great thing about this recipe is how great it tastes.  It’s cheesy and creamy and has amazing flavor.  The Gouda gives it a great silky-smooth texture and flavor, and isn’t too overwhelming.  Plus the garlic is nice added ingredient that really pumps up the flavor, and makes this dish really shine.

This might just be our new favorite mac and cheese.  And I bet it will be yours too!

Enjoy!

A Wedding & A Winner

Before the baseball season started {in March} Steve's sister, Christy, got married.  We traveled up to Santa Cruz and had the amazing pleasure to be part of the wedding.  Not only was Steve a groomsmen and I was a bridesmaid, but I had the most incredible honor to make the desserts.  I was truly stunned and completely honored when they asked me to make the cake.  It really is one of the best things being able to create desserts for the people you love, not to mention for their wedding! 

After going back and forth, we decided on making 3 smaller, 1-tier cakes, and cupcakes.  Each cake was a different flavor and was frosted with a different technique.  And then I made 2 different flavors of cupcakes, making about 80 total.  {Christy is Gluten-Free, so we made sure to have some Gluten-Free Options as well.}  Included was:

*Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake, frosted with a Rustic Buttercream, and topped with fresh roses {This was the cake that they cut for their official cake cutting.}

*Fluffy, White Cake, frosted with Buttercream Roses

*Sprinkle Cake, frosted with a Smooth Buttercream and Ruffles on Top

*Chocolate Cupcakes, frosted with Peanut Butter Frosting, and topped with Valrhona Chocolate Pearls

*Gluten-Free White Cupcakes, Frosted with Pistachio Buttercream, topped with Edible Chocolate Buttons

I had a blast baking all of their desserts.  I was in the kitchen all day the day before the wedding, and even the morning of the wedding, and it was all completely worth the time and effort!  And I think the work paid off :).  Enjoy these photos I got from the Photographers website.  His name was Scott Wilson from Urban Earth Photography and he did an amazing job - Check out his website here. 

Steve and I with the Bride and Groom (Christy & Jesse)

The photographer caught me loading on up on sweets.  Typical Krissy!

AND there is even more exciting news to share - The winner of the Keep it Sweet desserts giveaway!  Based on a random generator, the winner is Jen!  She said:

Jenn, please contact me at krissyscreationsblog@gmail.com to receive your amazing gift!

Happy Tuesday!

Milk Bar Mondays - Compost Cookies

I made homemade pie crust 2 days ago and it’s still sitting in the refrigerator.  What is wrong with me?  Normally I would make the crust and bake up the complete pie in the same day.  But now that I’m at home for this month I’ve barely been baking.  I’ve been running around doing all sorts of different things and I’m barely even at the house.  But things will quickly change when we move to Kentucky in the next couple weeks and all I’ll be doing is baking, working out, and watching baseball!

One thing I made sure to get in the kitchen and bake up are these Compost Cookies for Milk Bar Mondays.   These cookies are filled with all your extra sweet and salty pantry items, such as Chocolate Chips, Butterscotch Chips, Graham Cracker Crust, Oats, Ground Coffee, Pretzels, and Potato Chips.  Now you know why they’re called Compost Cookies.  Some people might call them Kitchen Sink Cookies – They have everything in them but the kitchen sink {I'm sure you heard that before}.  

This isn’t just a good cookie to use up all your extra pantry items.  It’s a down-right, delicious cookie!  When I made these cookies I actually had none of the special ingredients that the Momofuku Milk Bar Cookbook required.  I went out and bought everything.  And let me tell you, it was definitely worth it!  The crazy combination of flavors and the sweet and salty taste of these cookies, really made this a mouth-watering treat. 

Feel free to add different items that the recipe calls.  Use anything you have on hand!  Go crazy.  Have fun with it!

*Be sure to view some of the other girl’s Compost Cookie creations:

Audra from The Baker Chick
Cassie from Bake Your Day
Nicole from Sweet Peony
Jacqueline from The Dusty Baker

Meagan from Scarletta Bakes

Averie from Averie Cooks

Erin from Big Fat Baker

It was my week to host Milk Bar Mondays, so you can get the recipe below.  Enjoy!

Cheddar Green Onion Biscuits

What a week!  We started out this week finishing our taxes.  I know, it seems like we cut it pretty close, but we’ve actually been working on them for quite some time.  After sending over some checks to good ole Uncle Sam, I was in the kitchen all day creating some fun summer desserts.  Summer isn’t quite here, but as many of you know with blogging, we bloggers need to be prepared and ahead of the “holiday” schedule.  For example, when everyone is preparing for Thanksgiving, were whipping us Christmas treats to share on the blog.  I know, it’s a pretty crazy thing, but you get used to it :).

The rest of the week was filled with meeting up with good friends, a doctor’s appointment, and then packing and preparing the car to be shipped to Kentucky.  It was a full week, but of course I still manage to do the normal things, like blogging, working out, and shopping! 

Whenever I have these busy weeks, it takes more effort to get in the kitchen and cook dinner.  But I always seem to make it happen.  You would think that I would only make simple dinners, but I often find myself cooking more complicated dinners on busy days.  I know, I know, that really doesn’t make sense, but it’s just what happens.

One night I made a smaller Thanksgiving Dinner.  It included my favorite Cornbread Apple and Sausage Stuffing, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, and these Cheddar and Green Onion Biscuits.  After making the stuffing and sweet potatoes, I knew something was missing.  The dinner didn’t seem complete.  Yes, I know I didn’t have a major protein either, but there was sausage in the stuffing and I thought it counted.  So, I quickly (and I mean like really, really quick) whipped up these biscuits.

They are one of my favorite biscuits recipes that I got from Alton Brown on the Food Network.  But to change it up, I made them a little more special by adding Cheddar Cheese and Green Onion.  Just as always, they were soft and fluffy, and the added savory additions really pumped up the flavor.  Steve said they were his new favorite biscuit flavor!

Enjoy!  

*Don't forget to enter the giveaway here to win 1 dozen cookies or bars from Keep it Sweet Desserts.  You have until Sunday night (April 22nd) at 12pm PST to win! 

Keep it Sweet Desserts Giveaway

Thank you SO much for the wonderful and sweet comments I received on Monday for my 1^st Blogiversary.  I was completely overjoyed!  The smile on my face couldn’t be any bigger!

Today I have a special treat for you.  One of my good friends Lauren from Keep it Sweet Desserts recently opened up an amazing online bakery.  And let me tell you, her desserts are mouthwatering!  I always knew from following her blog that she was a talented baker.  But being able to taste actual treats that she made really sealed the deal.  She knows what she’s doing!  Trust me! 

I received 3 lovely desserts from Lauren:

1)   Peppermint Patty Stuffed Triple Chocolate Cookies

2)   Milk Chocolate Toffee Almond Oatmeal Cookies

3)   Milk Chocolate Toffee Rugelach

I couldn’t decide between my favorite.  Each one was just so different, and so delicious!  At first I thought it was the Oatmeal Cookies, but then I kept going back for just one more bite of the Toffee Rugelach.  Both were just so soft and delicious!  And the Peppermint Patty Stuffed Cookie was just so chocolaty and flavorful.  

Lauren is doing something really special for one of you!  She is going to send 1 dozen cookies or bars to one lucky reader. 

To enter, all you need to do is comment on this post and choose which dessert you would like from Keep it Sweet Desserts.

For an additional entry, you can tweet about this giveaway.  Be sure to leave an additional comment stating that you did so.

AND there is one 1 more thing!  Lauren is giving 10% off your order to all Krissy’s Creations readers {until May 30^th}.  Use this coupon code “krissyscreations” to receive the discount. 

The giveaway runs through Sunday, April 22^nd at 11:59pm PST.  The winner will be picked by a random generator, and will be announced the following day on Monday, April 23^rd on the blog entry posted that day. 

Enjoy!

Celebrating my 1 Year Blogiversary with Strawberry Ombre Cake

1 year ago today I started Krissy’s Creations.

1 year ago today I had no clue what I was getting myself into.

1 year ago today I had an amazing love for food, which has grown into something much more than just a love.  It’s a passion.

1 year ago I thought I wanted to just have a food blog.  Now I want way more than just a food blog.  I want a food blog and a food career. 

1 year ago I knew no one in the food blogging world.  Now I have made friends that I am so blessed to have.

1 year ago I wanted to show people how important it is to just get in the kitchen and start cooking and baking.  Now I see more than ever how real, fresh food can brighten your day.  And how it doesn’t need to be daunting, it can be and IS fun!

1 year ago I had no idea how much time and effort I would put into this blog.  But that time isn’t work for me.  It’s fun.  

I’m so incredibly proud of what Krissy’s Creations has done in just one year.  For me and for my readers.  Up until now I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life, as far as having a love and passion for something career-related.  I didn’t have anything that I wanted to pursue.  Now I know and I couldn’t be more excited!

I hope that in the past year I have touched and inspired you.  Showing how a passion for food can truly create a fun, loving, and happy life.  For you and for the people around you :).

For my 1 year Blogiversary I created a Strawberry Ombre Cake to celebrate!  The cake is a Strawberry Cake made out of fresh strawberries.  Each cake is a dyed a different color pink to create an ombre effect.  Then I filled and frosted the cake with a silky, smooth Swiss Meringue Buttercream.  To create another some-what ombre effect, I dyed some of the buttercream pink and spread it into the white buttercream.  And then to top it off, I added a pink buttercream rose swirl on top.  

This cake represents things I love – Pink, pretty things, fresh ingredients, delicious food, and, of course, baking, especially cakes.  

I hope you love this cake as much as I do.  Enjoy!  And cheers… to many, many more years of Krissy’s Creations!

Berry Tart with Almond Crust {Gluten-Free & Almost Vegan}

There are infinite amount of gluten free recipes out there.  But many of them involve different types of gluten free flours or starches, such as rice flour, coconut flour, or a combination of many different types.  Most of these flours are pretty pricey, and I don’t often have them on hand.  And when I need to quickly whip up a gluten free dessert, I don’t always have the time to run the door.  Well when this happens, I now know what I’m going to do – make a tart with an easy almond crust!

This almond crust only requires 3 ingredients – almonds, butter, and sugar (and I add in a pinch of salt but of course that doesn’t count).  It’s really just like making a graham cracker crust, but instead you use almonds that you’ve finely ground. 

After fully baking the crust and then letting it cool, I filled it with a simple blackberry jam and then topped it with fresh raspberries and blueberries.  A simple, quick, and easy tart!

And bonus is that not only is this recipe naturally gluten free, it’s almost vegan too.  All you need to do is replace the butter with either margarine or oil.  PLUS this recipe is quite healthy too!