I am so thrilled to announce that we have just added 6 new exclusive cookie favors to our current collection. These cookies are just under 4" in diameter and some of them can be personalized.

I was so excited when the sample box arrived from our baker, I couldn't wait to see what they looked like. And, as usual, I'm so happy with the perfectionism of my baker(s). They did a wonderful job.

What do you think of the cookies? Here's the direct link to each of the cookies for further information and more photos.

Asian Love Cookie Favors
Wedding Cake Cookie Favors
Snowflake Cookie Favors
Flip Flop Cookie Favors
High Heel Shoe Cookie Favors (Striped)
High Heel Shoe Cookie Favors (with Hearts)

Other cookies in our exclusive collection can be seen here

I found the idea for this amazingly cute and eye-catchy dessert from two food blogs and thought they would be perfect for bridal showers. On the Pioneer Woman Cooks blog, she calls them "Springy Flower Pot Desserts". At the My Sweet and Saucy blog, she re-creates the recipe from Pioneer Woman using mostly homemade components instead of store-bought ones. Both blogs have step by step tutorials to create these unique fancy flower pot desserts. To make these desserts, you place a round piece of pound cake on the bottom of a terra cotta pot with a straw inserted into the middle. Then you layer with ice cream or gelato and your "dirt" mixture. You insert your flower into the straw and your done. Very clever idea.

Image Credits:
Top Left, Bottom Left and Right: My Sweet and Saucy
Top Right: The Pioneer Woman

Hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. What better way to kick off the unofficial start of the summer wedding season than with burgers. These aren't just any burgers though - they're considered gourmet burgers. I think they’re perfect for your summer wedding parties, bridal showers, engagement parties, rehearsal dinners and maybe even the wedding itself. I love the newest trend in weddings of not serving the traditional (expected) types of dinner. Why not give your guests something unexpected? . . . a comfort food I'm sure they’ll love (and vegetarian burgers can be made as well). There's also the option of mini burgers (often called sliders) served as appetizers. Serve them on sticks and they’re sure to be an attention grabber.

Gourmet Burger image credits with links to recipes (where available):

Gourmet Seafood Burgers:
Tuna Burger with Cabbage Tzatziki from iVillage, recipe here
Sesame Tuna Burgers with Fried Shoestring Zucchini from epicurious.com
Salmon Burgers with Dill Mustard from Rachel Ray

Gourmet Vegetarian Burgers:
Open-Faced Falafel Burgers from Cooking Light
Grilled Mushroom "Burgers" on Polenta "Buns" from Rachel Ray

Gourmet Beef Burgers:
Tyler's Slider Trio from disney mike's flickr photo gallery
not shown Mini Beef and Sage Sliders with Gorgonzola from Rachel Ray

Peter of Callahan Catering is a well-known wedding caterer who creates mini versions of everybody's favorite dishes including mini cheeseburgers on the smallest of poppyseed buns.

For even more inspiring ideas and recipes I found The Gourmet Burger cookbook at Amazon and the article "Mini burgers, mighty taste" from the St. Petersburg Times

I came across the Geoff & Drew's web site recently and loved their packaged cookies and brownies. They would make a special sweet gift for your wedding attendants either as a thank you or to ask them to be in your wedding party. For the Bridesmaids, they have the Pretty in Pink Box and for the Groomsmen, they have the Sky Blue Gift Box. Each box is available with either all cookies, all brownies or an assortment of each with your choice of flavor combinations. The chocolate chip brownies and the white chocolate cranberry cookies look so scrumptious to me - I'm also writing this post right before dinner :). Geoff & Drew's also carries party favors, cookie gift boxes for out of town wedding guests and they even have a rehearsal dinner dessert basket. If you've tried either the cookies or brownies by Geoff & Drew's, please let me know what you thought of them.

After posting yesterday's blog entry, I came across Rebecca Thuss' web site and just had to share it with you - her site is filled with many more truly inspiring ideas for dessert buffet tables including both cookies and candy. Rebecca's bio says "she delights in throwing parties, has a passion for packaging, a weakness for fanciful candy and confections, and an infatuation with vintage paper items". Rebecca is a dedicated 10 year veteran of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia - so you may recognize some of the photos from the pages of the Martha Stewart Weddings magazine.

Enjoy the above pics and be sure to check out Rebecca's site for even more mouthwatering photos. Have a sweet weekend!