Blondie Cheesecake & a Giveaway!

Today's post is a good one guys! This week marks my first year of blogging, and to celebrate I'm doing my first giveaway!  It's been such a great year filled with lots of desserts, videos, sprinkles, and disco dust!  I have learned so much this past year, and the biggest thank you goes to all of you!  I still can't believe how many amazing people I've met this year, you guys are awesome! Seriously, you have no idea how much I appreciate you reading, watching the videos, leaving comments, and just all your kind words and support.

Blood Orange Cornmeal Bundt Cakes

I made these little cakes for brunch over the weekend, and I definitely see more of them in my future. They were the perfect little cakes for the occasion, light, refreshing, and satisfying.  I started out making my cornmeal cake which has always been one of my go to recipes for brunch due to the fact that it's easy to put together and not overly sweet.  I wanted to make a blood orange version of the original cake, and once I started baking, it all just came together beautifully.

Meyer Lemon Chiffon Cake

I can't get enough of meyer lemons right now.  They have such a beautiful color, pack a ton of flavor, and add so much brightness to desserts.  To me they're like a little burst of sunshine in winter.  I picked up a few pounds of them this week, and the first thing I did was make a big batch of meyer lemon curd. I've made many different desserts using meyer lemons, but for some reason it always go back to curd.  I love the silky texture of it, and how it really showcases the flavor of the meyer lemons.

Nan's Potato Chip Cookies

Happy New Year!  Did you all have a fantastic holiday?? I hope so!  I've been hearing a lot about resolutions this week, and while that's the norm, January 1st is something totally different for me.  January 1st was my nan's birthday, and she was a big influence on me in the kitchen.  Today I would like to share with all of you the last recipe she passed on to me.

Persimmon & Champagne Granita

I'm so excited to share this recipe with all of you today due to my new found love of persimmons!  Have you tried them?  They're fantastic and definitely my new "it" fruit of the season!  Earlier this week I already had it in my head that I was going to make champagne granita for NYE.  It's the perfect dessert for the occasion, light, quick to put together, and boozy!  Originally I planned to use blood oranges, but after striking out on a mission to find them, I was introduced to the lovely persimmon.

Christmas Tree Cake

Well I finally put my Christmas tree up, and there's no doubt that it's totally me!  I make a Christmas tree cake every  year for my family, and I just wanted to do it up a little different this time.  I knew I'd be making walnut kiss cookies and peppermint milanos, so I thought it would be sweet if I tied everything together. There's also the my whole world is pink thing that might have been a factor in this project as well!

Penguin Cupcakes

To say I love penguins would be an understatement, so I had to put some on my blog.  I decided cupcakes would be the best way to go, and I'm delighted with how they turned out.  I can't help but smile when I look at them!  Of course I had to give them sparkly hats, because thats what all penguins wear, right?!  They're perfect for holiday parties, and were pretty simple to put together too.