F.A.Q.

Hullo!

Here's a bit of info regarding the Sweet Life Kitchen Sweet shop that may be helpful!

Q: How do I place an order?

A: The easiest way is to email us! info(at)sweetlifekitchen.com
Please include the date you need your order, weather you will be picking up or prefer info on delivery/shipping options, the type of sweet you are interested in and the approximate quantity. We do our best to return all inquiries with in 1 business day of receipt, but almost always get back to you the same day whenever possible! You can also call and leave a message for Beth at 310-989-1521, with all the same info as above, be sure to include your first and last name and repeat your phone number TWICE, also feel free to leave an email address in your message.

Q: Where is the shop and what are your hours?

A: Our kitchen is located in Culver City, CA. At the moment we do not have an actual store-front, but don't let that stop you!! We offer delivery options through out Los Angeles, the valley and Orange County as well as pick up in Culver City.

Our HOURS are Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:00pm Saturday 10am-2pm, we are closed on Sundays (unless you have consulted with us and coordinated a special event order) and do not check or return emails on Sunday, just a heads up!
We are closed select Holidays as well, and various times throughout the year when we take vacation, so we can refresh and be even better and bringing you the sweetest sweets- become a fan on our Facebook page, we will always announce upcoming closures via Facebook, and a post here on the blog as well.

Q: Do you ship?

A: Yup. We do.
We ship the cake pops and the brownie bites, for now the pie pops are a locals-only SoCal treasure.
Since we are a just-getting-going biz, our shipping rates are still not what we'd like them to be. Because our product is perishable we must send it via overnight service. The most economical so far has been through the USPS which ranges from $16-$28. We're hoping to get a negotiated rate with UPS or FedEx so we can pass the better pricing on to you! Stay tuned!!

Q: What if I have a BIG order, like more than 5 dozen cake pops, do you do that?

A. Most definitely! We'll consult with you and go over all the details of your event and customize a confection perfect for your special occasion! Please email us for more info on special events.

MORE QUESTIONS???? Email us!! info(at)sweetlifekitchen.com

Be Mine....True Love....XOXO...UR HOT

I love those little conversation hearts that come around every year at Valentine's day- they crack me up!!

Here in the Sweet Life Kitchen, we're getting ready to fill LOTS of super sweet Valentine's Day orders.
Our featured flavors are Chocolate Heaven (Devil's Food cake with caramel, coconut, pecan filling- dipped in chocolate) and Velvet Bliss (red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting- dipped in vanilla coating)

Here are a few shots from our Valentine's Day Cake Pop Photo Shoot:

Order space is filling up FAST, so if you are interested in placing an order for you or your sweetheart, email us ASAP info (at) sweetlifekitchen.com

XOXO

Pepperoncini Crock Pot Beef

Ok, let's be REALLY honest here.......I scarfed this one down too fast to snap a pic. It's THAT good.
So, I force you to drool over jewelry instead of beef, while I tell you a little about this, one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE crock pot recipes.....

Unless this is your first visit to my blog you already know I LOVE MY CROCK POT!!!

I posted this recipe back in 2008 when it was first given to me by my dear friend Candy, who designs stunning necklaces~ scope out her site: J.Sky Designs.

We'll be doing a trunk show together this spring in Los Angeles, sweet treats and spectacular jewelry make for some super fun shopping! Stay tuned for that.

Anyhow, since it'd been quite some time, and I now have a new, full-size crock pot and have developed a recent OBSESSION with pepperoncinis, I though it appropriate to re-post about this yummy dish, anew. Minus the photo, sorry folks, it was SOooooooooo good!!!!

As with most crock pot recipes (hence my love for the contraption) this is VERY easy, full of flavor and makes a fantastic Sunday dinner.


1 Tri Tip Roast
1 can of beef consume
1 12oz bottle of beer
2 jars of pepperoncini peppers with the liquid
1 packet of All Seasons Italian dressing mix

Add all of the above to the crock pot, cover and cook on low for 5 hours.

BAM. That's it.

This is a REALLY FLAVORFUL dish, it's definitely got a bit of kick, so I served it with a mixed greens salad  and baked sweet potato on the side- for a cool/sweet compliment to the lil'bit-o-heat.

I hope you love it as much as we did :o) If you make it, do me a favor and take a photo for me, share it on our Sweet Life Kitchen Facebook page!!

Turkey Meatball New Year Soup

Maybe this will make up for the temptation-tastic Prime Rib post! I know that January is a time to start fresh and be the best we can be in hopes of a fabulous year ahead.

I made some BIG decisions last year and managed to accomplish every single one of my 2010 goals! One of those was becoming an instructor at The Bar Method in Los Angeles.

I've been obsessed with Bar classes since 2008 and not only have they completely changed my body (being a baker and still able to fit in the jeans I wore on the flight to Tahiti for our honeymoon is no easy fete) but it's a really amazing head-clearer.
It's one of those exercises that you feel AMAZING after every class, and I wanted part of my life to be sharing that expereince with others. After lots of studying, co-teaching and practice classes, I taught my first class of my own in August of 2010. I love teaching just as much as I love taking classes at Bar Method!

Part of my stay-healthy plans for 2011 include making sure I continue to take at least 3 or 4 Bar classes every week, and to eat TONS of veggies! You know I LOVE meat, but nothing keeps the booty in check like making sure to get 5 servings of fruits/veggies every day.

For our first dinner of 2011, I wanted to make a yummy, healthy soup. I picked up some Jenni-O ground turkey, a can of white beans, an onion and a big bunch of kale. My cupboard ALWAYS has Swanson chicken broth in it- so I was pretty much set.

I highly reccomend this, even if you're not so sure you like kale, or know even know what it is.

Turkey Meatball Kale Soup

1 lb ground turkey
1 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg
basil, oregano, chili flakes, salt, pepper
crushed garlic
32 oz Swanson chicken broth
1 large bunch of kale, washed, patted dry with a paper towel and chopped up
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 can of white beans

In a large bowl mix the turkey, bread crumbs, and egg. Add the basil & oregano (just shake a bunch on top of the turkey) add a pinch of salt and some cracked black pepper. Add 2 tablespoons crushed garlic. I like it a little spicy so I added a few dashes of dried chili flakes.
Mix the turkey etc all up with your hands and roll into walnut-sized meatballs. Put the meatballs on a plate and
heat a large skillet, medium-low heat. Spray the skillet with non-stick spray and add the meatballs- brown the meatballs on each side- don't worry about cooking them through just get a good sear on all sides of each ball- put the browned turkey meatballs on a clean plate.
In a large stock pot heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat and add 3 tablespoons of crushed garlic and the chopped onion. Simmer& stir 3-5 minutes. Add the meat balls and pour in the chicken broth, raise the heat to medium and sprinkle in oregano, basil, pepper and a few dashes of th chili flakes (if you want a little kick). Drain, rinse and add the white beans, stir in the kale and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and simmer 45 minutes.
This makes about 6-8 servings- so it's a good one to make if you need dinner for two nights in a row!

Prime Rib Christmas Dinner

In contrast to my vegan baking post, here's one that's all about the MEAT. Prime rib, a favorite guilty pleasure. I am not sure if I love prime rib because I love prime rib or because I LOVE horseradish...either way, love it.
A few years ago we had a New Year's Eve dinner party and made prime rib for friends, and thought that would perfect for our Christmas dinner this year. As luck would have it, Christmas week was super-sale-on-prime-rib week...it's not a cheap dinner to make, most of the time, and it's definitely not health food- so it's worth the once-in-a-while splurge. Lucky for us it was seriously like HALF off at the market. You want about 1.5 lbs per person, you'll have plenty for all and some leftover for next day steak & eggs.

You are going to want to line a baking pan with LOTS of foil, then rub the meat down with the herb rub and cover with plastic wrap to refrigerate for 3 hours to overnight.

Here's what you need to make the rosemary rubbed prime rib, mushroom & onion gravy w/ mashed baked potatoes & side of green beans~

Prime Rib
Fresh Rosemary
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Flour
Butter
15oz beef broth
1 sweet onion
big handful of mushrooms chopped
4 large potatoes
Sour cream
Green onion
Green beans
1 lemon

Herb Rub
Mix about 1/4 cup of kosher salt with 1/8 (or a bit more) cup black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (If you buy one of those plastic containers of fresh rosemary at the market 1 container chopped is perfect (set aside 1/2 a sprig or a few T of the choppings for your gravy)- and 2 tablespoons olive oil....you may not use all of it, but mix it all up in a medium bowl and then use your hands to cover the meat in the rub.

As stated above, I say it twice because I have a tendency to miss details like this and then have a gnarly time crunch situation....so to be clear- rub the meat down, cover it in plastic wrap AND REFRIGERATE FOR A MINIMUM OF 3 HOURS (or overnight).

After the meat is done chillin- Pre-heat the oven to 325 and cook for about 20-25 minutes per pound depending on how well done you like it. Nate and I like our prime rib (and steaks and everything along those lines) medium rare, so that's how I rocked it.
Check out this link for a table of meat temperatures ~ MEAT TEMP CHART

When ours was around 125 degrees, I took it out of the oven, let it sit in the pan for about 7 minutes, then removed it to a carving platter for a 15 minute rest.

Don't forget the horseradish!!!

While the meat was cookin' away I took a skillet and chopped up a whole sweet onion and let it caramelize on low heat for about 45 minutes, at about 30 minutes I added some sliced mushrooms and then set them on a plate to the side....when the prime rib was done I added 2 T flour and 2 T butter to the skillet- stir over low heat until butter is fully melted and combined with the flour- the mixture should be smooth and thick. Add about 15 oz of beef broth and about 1/4 cup of the drippings from the roast.
Add the onions and mushrooms and keep stirring on  low heat, add a bit of water if the gravy gets too thick.

Mashed Baked Potatoes-
This makes for easy, peasy mashed potatoes; Clean- puncture and foil-wrap 1 baked potato per person (this will make PLENTY)
While the prime rib is baking (for the last hour) put the foil wrapped potatoes on the bottom shelf of the oven.
Remove when you remove the roast- toss them in a large bowl and using a potato masher- add a few tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup sour cream and chopped green onions, mash and mix- skins and all.
Add a little milk or cream if they seem dry.

For the green beans-
Wash them, remove the tips and steam lightly so they are just cooked but still have a snap- add a bit of butter and a squeeze of lemon juice.