Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Banana Bites

It's a mouthful, literally. These tasty snacks are easy to make and delisious. With the recent heat here in Baltimore, MD these frozen sweets help to cool down. I got the idea from Pinterest, but made a few adjustments. If you want to follow me on Pinterest Click Here. Here's how to make these treats:

Ingredients:
- 2 Large Bananas
- Natural Peanut Butter
- Dark Chocolate Chips
- Milk
- Toffee Bits

Instructions:
1. Peel bananas and slice them into pieces 3/4" thick.
2. Using a Melon Baller scoop out a small amount of banana (this will make a little boat for your peanut butter)
3. Fill scooped out sections with peanut butter
4. Place dark chocolate chips in a small dish and add a little milk. Pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time adding more milk and continuing to heat until chocolate is melted and whiskable.
5. I used a fork to lower banana pieces into the chocolate, using a spoon to cover the top with chocolate. Then fork lift the banana out of there and place it on a parchment paper lined pan. (trick: I tapped the chocolate covered banana fork against the side of a dish. this creates an even layer of chocolate and keeps chocolate from spreading all over the paper)
6. Continue until all bananas are covered. Sprinkle with toffee bits and freeze a minimum of 3 hours

This snack is completly healthy... It's fruit after all... Right? (wishful thinking)

xOxO - M

Glow-In-The-Dark Bubbles

Looking to wow kids one evening now that it's warming up outside? You will have to pick their jaws up off the ground when you spring this one on them. Take a bottle of bubbles or make your own by combining 2/3 a cup of Dawn dish washing soap + 1 gallon of water + 3 tablespoons of glycerin, and include the contents of a standard sized glow stick. You will have awesome glowing bubbles! Making your own bubbles and need wands? Use pipe cleaner and bend them into fun shapes for kids. Check out an example:

     

xOxO - M

Make Your Own Flavored Water

As the weather warms up it is important to stay hydrated and this year making your own flavored waters seems to be quite popular. I have included my top five recipes (from Southern Living & Eating Well) and top five tips to making your water stand out in the crowd. 

Top Five Recipes

1. Citrus - Cucumber Water (6-8 Servings)

- 1 Large Lime - Sliced

- 1 Large Lemon - Sliced

- 1 Large Orange - Sliced

- 1 Large Cucumber - Sliced

- 1 Half-Gallon of Water

2. Cucumber - Melon Water (6-8 Servings)

-1 Large Cucumber - Sliced

- 1/4 Cantaloupe - Cubed

- 1/4 Honeydew - Cubed

- 1 Half-Gallon of Water

3. Herb - Berry Water (6-8 Servings)

- 1 Cup Fresh Blueberries - Lightly crushed (skin fully pierced)

- 2 Sprigs of Rosemary 4" - Bruised

- 1 Half-Gallon of Water 

4. Lemon - Lavender / Basil / Mint Water (6-8 Servings)

- 4 Large Lemons - Sliced

- 1/4 Cup Lavender or 1 1/2 Cup Mint Leaves or 1 1/2 Cup Basil Leaves - Bruised

- 1 Half-Gallon of Water

5. Fruit Water (6-8 Servings)
- 1 Granny Smith Apple - Sliced
- 1 Lemon - Sliced
- 1 Pear - Sliced
- 1 Orange - Sliced
- 1 Cup Raspberries - Lightly crushed (skin fully pierced)
- 1/2 Cup Mint Leaves - Bruised
- 1 Half-Gallon of Water

Top Five Tips

1. Bruising Herbs
This water is PRETTY! Keep it that way by bruising herbs and not slicing them into 'sip' size choking hazards. Lightly rubbing herbs between your hands prior to incorporating them allows their flavors to be expressed while looking lovely!

2. Piercing Semi-Permeables
Sometimes its good to have a thick skin, but not when attempting to infuse water. Fruits such as blueberries and  raspberries should be lightly muddled and others such as apples, pears and citrus should be sliced.

3. Flavored Ice
Pour your flavored water into ice trays and freeze to keep beverages from losing flavor as your party progresses. (Another bonus is to add these cubes to iced tea, lemonade or even sodas for a fruity kick.)

4. Mandolin Trick
If you have one of these your prep time is going to be a breeze. Set your mandolin to 1/4" to 1/2" (depending on the fruit) and slice away! The greater the surface area exposed the more tasty your water. Keep in mind, though, that you want your fruit to hold it's structure and not disintegrate.  

5. Patience is a Virtue
In this fast paced culture of instant gratification we want it and we want it now! Make your water before you go to bed. It will be perfect in the a.m.

xOxO - M

D.I.Y. Upholstered Wall Treatments

I tend to be a big D.I.Y.er when it comes to furniture rehabbing. There are a lot of really easy and inexpensive ways to inexpensively create one-of-a-kind pieces for your home. One recent venture was to make a wall panel installation for the wall behind my sofa. It was super easy and so I wanted to share instructions for those who have requested them after seeing my project pictures on Facebook.

Materials:
-12" x 12" Canvas' (Buy @ Michael's in Value Pack)
- Staple Gun
- Staples
- Pencil
- Exact-o Knife
- Fabric (I used fabric that I had covered an ottoman with that complimented the color of my green sofa)

Instructions:
1. Place fabric printed side down on the ground. Place the framed canvas facing down on the fabric. use the Exact-o knife to cut the fabric in a square shape 16" x 16"
2. At the corners of the square cut slits 1" long to keep fabric from bunching in the corners.
3. Staple fabric to the wood frame doing the 4 sides first and then fold the corners neatly and staple. (make sure you are pulling the fabric so there are no wrinkles, but not so tight that your pattern is stretching)
4. Once you have your canvas' recovered you can iron and hang them anyway you like on the wall. This is how I patterned mine:

 

I will be posting how to turn an old coffee table into an upholstered ottoman in the near future! Here is what the finished product looks like though:

 

 

xOxO - M

 

 

 

McKenzie Wild

Hey All! Guest Blogger Whitney has started her own blog called McKenzie Wild! Her posts can be found here: McKenzie Wild Blog and they are AWESOME! I hope you will subscribe to her and support her efforts!

xOxO - M

Guest Blog Whitney: Welcome to Baltimore, MD Growlers!

Pinehurst Wine Shoppe. Where everyone knows your name.

To all Baltimore COAEH Readers:

 

            Have you heard? Growlers are in! And if you haven’t jumped on board with this beer-buying-trend, you are missing out on the best way to enjoy the freshest craft beer.

What’s a growler?

            Dating back to the 1800s, when patrons carried fresh beer home from their local pub in     pails, the name “growler” allegedly comes from the fizzing sound as CO₂ escaped from the lid. Flash-forward to the twenty-first century, a growler simply refers to a reusable glass jug filled with delicious beer straight from the tap!

Thanks to legislation passed last July, Pinehurst Wine Shoppe became the first retail establishment in Baltimore to sell growlers. With a 13-tap growler station, Pinehurst sells and fills growlers 6 days a week. Manager, Gordon, says, “Why not growlers?” Not only are growlers the freshest way to enjoy craft beer but environmentally friendly. In less then a year, Pinehurst has sold 1,400 growlers and filled over 5,000. (To put that number in perspective: that is over 30,000 beer bottles NOT in the landfill!!)

But I think the best part about buying beer in growlers is the ability to taste the beer before you buy it! Which brings me to my Saturday afternoon.

Every Saturday, Pinehurst hosts “Tap Takeovers” featuring one brewery or beer manufacturer on all 13 taps! Last Saturday, Dog Fishead Ale was the featured brewery so I enlisted the help of my sister’s boyfriend, Martin, and we walked over to try some delicious beers. We had our work cut out for us, as clearly we needed to try all 13 beers!

As usual, there was a large crowd, growlers in tow, sampling and discussing the various beers to determine what to fill their growlers with that day.

Martin & I joined the fun & Charles, the resident beer connoisseur, started our tasting with the peach (sour) and we ended with the 120 IPA (20% alcohol!). As we sampled each beer, Charles explained the flavors, recipe origin, alcohol content, etc. I love hearing the different ingredients and seeing if I can actually taste them!

Here is what we tried:

 

Here is what we thought:

·         Martin’s favorite: Rhizing Bines. A Dogfish Head / Sierra Nevada collaboration 8% alcohol.

·         My favorite: Namaste

                  (Which Charles accurately predicted would be my favorite the day before!)

·         Least favorite: Probably the peach because it was very sour.

·         The 120 IPA 20% alcohol by volume . . . It was good, but I think a sip was enough!

 

 

Located on the corner of Bellona Ave. & Gittings Ave., Pinehurst is truly the Shoppe around the corner for its surrounding neighborhoods (remember I mentioned I walked over!) “And don’t you want to go where everyone knows your name, and they’re always glad you came?!

Cheers!

~Whitney Elizabeth (Thanks Mere)

Pinehurst Wine Shoppe

6242 Bellona Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21212

 

*This post is not endorsed by Pinehurst Wine Shoppe. The opinions expressed are my own.

Cookie Jar: Blueberry Lemon Cookies

 

These are ridiculous! I wish I had somewhere to take them right now!! The great thing is there are so many possibilities to add to the simple base recipe! They would also be super yummy with a cream cheese icing! Try your own creation and let me know how they turn out! I am already thinking of Strawberry / Basil or Dark Chocolate / Cherry!

 

Soft and Fluffy Cookie Base:

- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter, Softened

- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar

- 2 Eggs, Room Temperature

- 1/2 tsp Salt

- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

- 3 1/4 Cups Cake Flour

- (Whatever Mix-Ins You Like!)

 

For Bluberry - Lemon Cookies...

- 1 1/2 Cups Blueberries

- Zest of 1 Lemon

- Juice of 1 Lemon

- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

- 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

- 1 Cup White Chocolate Chips

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. If using extracts incorporate them now. If a seperate bowl, whisk dry indredients. With the mixer on a low speed (unless you want to make it snow indoors) slowly add the dry ingredients into the batter. Carefully fold in any mix-ins. Allow dough to cool 2-6 hours in the referigerator. Scoop 1 tbsp amounts of batter on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Bake 11-14 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.

 

xOxO - M

Guest Blog Whitney: Keep Calm and Plan On!

Hello again Confessions of an Entertaining Hostess Readers! True Story: I got a call from the bride-to-be 3 days before the wedding asking if I could PLEASE plan the decorations (that she kind of forgot about, but really wanted) for the her post-reception party. Since it was her wedding day & we have been friends for 17 years . . . I enlisted my mom to help and we made a plan.
Oh, her only instructions . . .  “make it cute” and stay within the budget, $70.
So in case you ever find yourself in a similar situation here’s how we did it:

1. Make a list & prioritize:

We created a list of everything we needed and prioritized based on cost. There were a few “musts” we set aside money for those. For example, we wanted balloons in the bride’s wedding colors. I called Party City and got the price for 20 balloons ($1 each) and we set that $20 aside.

               

2. Make a Plan:

             With only 3 days, so there was no time to spend shopping around. We decided to start at the dollar store and see what we could knock off our list there. After that we planned to go to Michael’s where we had a coupon. (I have the Michael’s app on my phone, which downloads coupons automatically every week!)

3. Make flexible plans:

            We originally wanted 12 mason jars but the sand was expensive and we would need A LOT of sand to fill up an entire mason jar. So when we found cute 8oz bowls for $1 and needed ½ the sand, we changed gears.

4. Use what you have!
 

 

Shells were originally on our shopping list, but we couldn’t find any we liked for the right price. We had a box of sand dollars in our garage. A little bleach + paint = the perfect shells for our decorations.

So what can you accomplish in 3 days for $70?
 

 

We made 12 votives to place on each table with decorative sand (in the wedding colors!) and battery-operated tea lights.

Supplies: Michael’s: sand, ribbon, rose bowls. Dollar Store: tea lights & white ribbon

P.S. With red, white, and blue sand & citronella candles these would be the perfect decorations for a 4th of July BBQ!

 

We decorated 4 vases and had originally planned on using flowers from our garden to fill these vases, but when we found out all the flowers from the reception were simply going to be thrown out, we grabbed them! 

Supplies: Dollar store: vases. Michael’s: ribbon.

We made 2 of these prints celebrating the bride’s new last name!

Supplies: Dollar store: frames. Michael’s: burlap fabric & black paint.

 

Meredith, thanks for letting me guest blog again! & Happy entertaining!

Guest Book Ideas

1. Readers? I think a vintage library card guest book is so creative! Etsy no longer has this available, but you could always DIY. Purchase the cards and pockets online and use a glue stick to adhere. Have people leave you messages and sign their pocket:

2. Enjoy hosting game nights? I think this is such a great idea. Not to mention that every time you play Jenga! you will be reminded of your special day. Grab some chalkboard paint and an inexpensive vase and you have a place for signed blocks!

 

3. This is another useful guest book idea that you can use and cherish forever. A guest book that can also keep you warm! It can be made in your wedding colors and hung to be written upon. Great for a rustic outdoor / barn wedding. 

 

 

4. Postcards may just be one of my favorite ideas yet. you could set up vintage postcards for guest to write you a short note or advice and then have a family member or a friend mail out a postcard every month or so. Or you could even store them in a box as a time capsule and open it up on your 1st (or 2nd, 5th, etc.) anniversary. I was recently at a wedding with postcards where they incorporated them into the centerpeices. Adorable!

5. Here is another creative guest book idea that you could frame on your wall. Puzzles come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colors so you could really make the puzzle as unique to you and your wedding as you would like. Check out Bella Puzzles for custom designs.

6. I love these little stones for guest to sign. Plus you could incorporate them into your home decor nicely. wine corks could be substituted for stones.

 

7. Want a fun way to incorporate a photobook without breaking the bank and have a hysterical guest book? Have guests take goofy photos and sign them. Plus you could set up a small chalkboard sign for guest to write notes or advice on that they can use in the photos as well.

 

8. Love to travel or having a destination wedding? Buy a globe and paint it white. use an old map (can make one look old by staining it with coffee or tea and cut out a monogram, word, etc. and have guests sign it.

 

9. Purchase old vintage keys online and ask that guests take a key, attach a tag and pin it to a board. Ask them to share their KEY to succes, happiness, or whatever works for you as a couple.

 

 

10. Whether fingerprints become leaves, balloons, or even sprinkles on a cupcake these are a cute way to let the ones you share your day with know that they have left an impression on your celebration.

 

xOxO - M

Herb Infused Olive Oils

 

Start with the best ingredients you can find or afford. For example, using good quality olive oil, fresh herbs, and organic ingredients will give you a stronger and cleaner flavor in your infused olive oil.

This is the perfect thing to do this time of year while your herbs are thriving outdoors.
Wash all herbs going into your oil and pat them dry as much as possible. Bacteria can not grow in  olive oil itself, but it can grow in the water left on the ingredients going into the oil.

When considering your container or bottle make sure you have something that has a good seal on it. Canning jars work well for this, but if you are looking for something a little more high end check out an Ikea Slom Bottle (pictured above is available for $1.99 in stores.) Just like the ingredients, be sure to wash and dry your containers thoroughly.

Bruise your herbs and put them in your container. Cover the ingredients with olive oil and seal the bottle. Build flavor by placing filled containers in a cool, dry and dark place for 1 - 2 weeks prior to use. Strain out the solid ingredients and re-bottle the oil once the flavor is to your liking.

Don't have 1 - 2 weeks to wait? Heat oil and ingredients in a sauce pan over medium-low heat (ideally cook to 180°), let oil cool, and then strain out the ingredients before bottling. This method not only cuts down on time, but also reduces the risk of bacteria growth.

Botulism is always a concern when infusing an olive oil. Infused olive oil will keep longer in the refrigerator (about a month.)

xOxO - M

Wine and Lilly Guest Blog: Whitney Wilder

Hello Confessions of an Entertaining Hostess readers! My name is Whitney and I am honored Meredith invited me to guest post on her blog today! I just love all of Meredith’s clever and classy party ideas, because let’s be honest…entertaining is hard work! But…there is nothing better then the perfectly-put-together get-together! I made these Lilly fabric wine glasses for a bridal shower my mom and I recently hosted. I think these glasses went perfectly with the “beachy” theme without going overboard!

Supplies you will need: 

Fabric (I cut up old Lilly pants to use but any bright and fun fabric will work!)
Wine glasses
Tacky glue
Sponge brush
Sharp scissors
X-Acto knife
Paint brush
Varnish / sealant
Sharpie pen or fabric marker

Step 1: Making Tacky-Glue adhesive: (2 parts Tacky Glue with 1 part water)
Use sponge brush to mix water and glue together. This takes some time because the tacky glue is so thick.
 *To be honest I never measured exactly. I just mixed until the glue was translucent (rather than white) when applied to the glass and I made sure mixture felt “gummy” between my fingers.

Step 2: Cut Fabric
Using the bottom of your wine glass as guide, use marker to draw a large circle around the base onto the fabric. It is important that your fabric circle is larger than the wine glass bottom so the fabric sticks to the glass.

Step 3: Apply fabric to wine glass!
Using the sponge brush paint a layer of the tacky glue mixture onto the base of the glass and place fabric so that the design will show through.43 Then apply mixture to back of fabric, making sure to soak the entire fabric circle with glue. (The excess fabric will dry paper-like and fabric will not fray as you cut it!)  

Step 4: Remove air bubbles (Helps fabric stick to glass & prevents wrinkling)
Using you finger, start at the middle of the glass base and drag your finger towards the edge ensuring all air bubbles get removed. Helpful hint: As you remove air bubbles, flip glass right-side up and you will be able to see the air bubbles so you don’t miss any!

Step 5: Let dry & apply finishing coat
Allow glasses to dry upside down for about four hours. Before you remove excess fabric, apply 1 coat varnish of choice to fabric. When that varnish coat dries, remove excess fabric cutting as close to the glass as possible. Then apply another coat (or two) of varnish.

Step 6: Remove excess varnish and glue
Using the X-Acto knife, remove excess varnish or glue that may of accumulated on the sides of the glass base. I also used the X-Acto knife to trim any excess fabric from base of the wine glass.

Not many things I love more then Wine & Lilly! Happy crafting! –Whitney

(Thanks so much for letting me share this Whitney! You are the best! xOxO - M)

Companion Planting: High School For Veggies

Keeping up with who gets along with who in the garden tends to remind me of high school for all the wrong reasons. Cracks me up... Here's how to keep your veggies from mauling one another in the halls.

• Beans get along with most veggies, but beans and onions do not get along.
• Broccoli and cabbage love beets, chard, celery and spinach. Onions are happy here, too.
• Carrots do well with peas, tomatoes and lettuce, but keep dill at the other end of the garden.
• Cucumbers like to be near beans, peas and radishes, but far from potatoes.
• Tomatoes will thrive near cucumbers, carrots and onions.

So, may you plant your veggies at the right lunch table and avoid the drama all together.

Magic Trick - Corn

When I discovered this magic corn cooking trick I simply couldn't keep it to myself! I was ecstatic  because there is next to no cleanup, I don't have to spend time trying to get the silk off of the corn, and the overall cook time is shorter. (additional bonus: This doesn't boil all of the nutrients out of the corn.)

Are you ready for this? Check it out:

1. Remove the outer husks that might be a little dirty.

2. Cut the bottoms off of the stalks. Be sure to cut above the part of the cob where the husk is attached. (That would be above the part of the cob where it starts to round down.)

3. Place a damp paper towel on the bottom of the microwave.

4. Use this guide for your cook time. Cook times can vary a little.

1 ear: 2 mins.

2 ears: 3 to 4 mins.

3 ears: 5 to 6 mins.

4 ears: 7 to 8 mins.

6 ears: 8 to 9 mins.

5. After cooking, let the corn sit about 2 minutes.

6. Pick up corn by the top (oven mits are your friend here) and squeeze and lightly shake out the ear of corn. It should slide right out clean of any silk or husk.

Chew on that! (I'm available for birthdays and weddings)

xOxO - M

Throwing Shade: Tent your Event

The next time you are having a tented event think outside the box. Throwing shade never looked so good!

When thinking about tent size, consider guest count, venue and event. Does your catering team need a prep tent? Will you need space for rest rooms? DJ? Bar? Do you want several smaller tents for an outdoor pool, beach or garden party?

- Cocktail parties you’ll want 6-8 sq. ft. per person with seating for 50% of your guests.
- Sit down dinner using round tables for ten, about 12 sq. ft pp. with seating for 100%.
- Dance floors usually about 3sq. ft. pp.

 

xOxO - M

Do-It-Yourself Fire Pit

If you are anything like me you love a good fire pit. They allow you to stay outdoors later into the evening and fight off those pesky mosquitoes. Ever wish you could afford one that looked custom built? One that didn't rust in the outdoor weather? Here is an easy way to save mega bucks and have your neighbors wanting to put in orders. Check it out:

Location! Location! Location!
Fire pits should be placed on a flat, level area at least 25 feet from any tree. Since fire pits are strictly enforced by local building codes you are going to want to follow the rules on this. Know the codes in your area before you build. This fire pit will be about 2' tall, with a 5' exterior diameter with a 3' interior diameter

Foundation
1. To mark the center of your firepit hammer a rebar (available at any home improvement store for about $2.50) into the ground.
2. Then mark the circumference of the circle. One easy trick is to attach a string 2.5' in length to the stake, pull it taut and spray paint the circumference.
3. Dig the inside of the circle 6 inches down. Then use the same method as listed above to mark inner circle, 1' in from the outside circle. The inner circle will be the edge of the fire pit wall.
4. Mix concrete with water until it reaches a peanut butter like consistency. This will help your foundation stones to sit up. Lay the concrete in between the two circles so it is level to the ground.
5. The inner circle should be free of concrete to allow for drainage. build up concrete until it is about 1-1.5" below ground level.
6. Use a damp towel to smooth the surface and let try for 24 hours.

Building Outer Wall
1. Mix mortar and shovel approximately 2" of it on top of the concrete base. Lay the stones on the mortar. You want to make sure your stones are matching the slight curve of your outline.
2. Repeat. As the first few levels of stones begin to take shape, begin to lay fire bricks to firm the inner wall of the structure.

Building Inner Wall
1. Continue to raise both the bricks against the inside circle and the stones against the outside circle, filling in any gaps between with stones and mortar as the wall increases in height. Staggering the stones and bricks makes the structure stable and is aesthetically pleasing. Use a joint to remove excess mortar from in between stones.
2. Lay a cap of flat field stones on top of the wall using approx 1" of mortar so they adhere. Make sure the top is flat and level.

Finishing Your Fire Pit
1. Using a paintbrush, brush the inner circle of the fire pit to release any extra debris. Then water the whole thing down with a hose.
2. Spray the inside bricks black using high heat stove paint.
3. Fill the pit with a generous layer of river rocks.

For instructional video, pictures, and materials list CLICK HERE

xOxO - M

Cookie Jar: Smores Cookies

Break out the sticks, flames, marshmallows, chocolate bars, graham crackers and what do you end up making besides a big damn mess? S'mores! If you are having a cookout this weekend and do not want sticky fingers and melted chocolate all over your patio furniture here is the tasty solution: S'mores Cookies! Don't knock 'em until you try 'em. They are mess free and full of toasty goodness! Yummm!

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour (Spooned and Leveled)
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour (Spooned and Leveled)
3/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup (2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, Room Temp.
3/4 Cup Light-Brown Sugar
1 Large Egg
8 Ounces Bittersweet or Semisweet Chocolate, Cut into 30 Squares
15 Large Marshmallows, Halved Horizontally

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse oats until finely ground. Add flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; pulse to combine. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. With mixer on low, beat in  flour mixture just until combined.
2. Drop dough by tablespoons, 1 inch apart, onto two baking sheets. Top each with a chocolate square. Bake just until lightly golden (approx. 11-13 mins) rotating sheets half way through. Remove sheets from oven; heat broiler. Top each cookie with a marshmallow. One sheet at a time broil until marshmallows are lightly browned (1-1.5 mins.) Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

(Above recipe from Martha Stewart)

xOxO - M

False Cake Tiers Money Saver

Looking for a way to have your cake and eat it too? Here is a cost effective way to affording the designer cake your dreams without going broke. They are called false tiers and consist of cake forms covered and decorated to look like the other tiers of cake. The trick is to ask that your bottom and top tiers be made of real cake. That way you will be able to cut the cake and save the top tier for your anniversary. For serving, order sheet cakes from the same bakery to be cut and distributed to guests. With the average wedding in 2012 costing over $28,000 (according to theknot.com) sometimes its nice to have a tip that will save you some coin.

xOxO - M