Let Them Eat Cake: Desserts As a Sweet Sendoff For Mouse & Squirrel

A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure to participate in a couple close friends' wedding - but not as a bridesmaid. The lovely couple have affectionate nicknames for each other - Mouse (she) & Squirrel (he) of which they take complete ownership. How did my participation come to pass?

A few months prior to the wedding day, the bride-to-be emailed me asking whether or not I'd be willing to make some mini desserts as part of her desserts table for the reception. My initial reaction was to panic but then I took a deep breath & considering I've been down this path before - I built up some confidence & gladly accepted the offer. We were brainstorming back and forth and Mouse decided that she wanted some mini fruit pies & fudgy peanut butter brownies. Despite the fact that it's been YEARS since I've made a pie completely from scratch I was confident I could pull through with it. I spent a few weeks scouring the internet for inspiration & recipes for both the mini pies & the brownies. I feel like I went into sugar shock just from visual digestion.

I tried to relax the week leading up to the day. My mantra was "don't sweat the little things" - which I probably shared with Mouse on more than a few occasions. I thought about breaking up the baking into 2 days - the entire day prior & then the morning of the wedding but then I realized I didn't want to be in a last minute panic so I opted to do a marathon baking session the entire day prior to the wedding. The wedding was Saturday which left all day Friday to assemble & bake everything but I wanted to get the pie crusts ready on Thursday night so they would have sufficient time to rest & chill. (Did I mention I was planning a birthday dinner for one of my closest friends on THAT Thursday too?)

I had a pretty late start on Friday but I did manage to take some breaks here & there so I wouldn't be a zombie for the wedding & reception. Everyone who has tried my desserts knows that I tend to cut back on the sugar called for in most recipes which I again strove for because I knew that most of the guests would just not be that keen on something cloyingly sweet. My least favorite aspect of my project of love would be peeling & chopping the apples for the pies because it was so time-consuming. My most favorite aspect of my project of love would be baking the brownies. (From scratch brownies are SO EASY & SO convenient because it's a 1 bowl & you're done thing.) Mouse requested fudgy rather than cakey brownies and I was so nervous that they wouldn't turn out as requested but when I made the 1st cut to divvy up the brownies to package I was relieved to see the perfect fudginess quotient.

Saturday afternoon I was out the door on a mission to deliver the goods!When I arrived, Nancy, the wedding coordinator, was buzzing around the venue with her assistants & the other vendors setting up the eco-chic & eclectic wedding/reception venue - a dance of choreographed organization.

To my Mouse & Squirrel, thank you for the chance to participate in a unique way in your special day. I am blessed & honored to count you both as loved ones. My sincere prayer of blessings upon your future together as husband and wife were baked into every pie & brownie. =)