TodayI'm getting to know Erica Pitera, the dentist and dessert blogger whohas the cure for your sweet tooth! Erica shares her original recipesand baking creations over on her blog Erica's Sweet Tooth.Notonly is she giving us a tour of her home today, but she is alsosharing her recipe forS'moresMarshmallow Shootersatthe end of this post!
Jacquin:Hi Erica! Tell us about your blog and life as of late...
Erica:Hi! My name is Erica Pitera - I'm the Erica behind the dessertblogErica'sSweet Tooth. Baking and blogging, along with food styling andphotography, are some of my favorite hobbies, but I actually spend mydays as a pediatric dentist. The irony of being a dentist with anextreme sweet tooth is real, but I try to keep everything inmoderation and brush and floss extremely regularly. I recently movedback to my home state of Connecticut after spending two years in NewYork City, and live here with my husband and official taste-testerRyan and our adorable new puppy Piper.
Jacquin: What is your favorite space in yourhome?
Erica: Theeasy answer for this question as a food blogger is the kitchen, but Iactually love our living room most. Although the kitchen in this newrental house is more than quadruple the size of our NYC one, I'm notthe biggest fan of the layout and we don't have anywhere verycomfortable to sit down in there. So I'm always drawn to the comfortof our big sectional and the surrounding decor that has developedfrom trips we've taken together. We have travel photos and antiquemaps, tons of wine corks, and special little mementosalldisplayed in our main room - how could it not be my favorite!? Thespace is screaming for a nice plush rug, but we're waiting untilPiper is fully potty trained before I'm allowed to indulge myinterior decoratingtendencies!
Vintage Prints: From the New York Botanical Gardens ||Flint Steel 24" Counter Stoolfrom CB2
Jacquin: Have you always been interested in baking? What is one of yourearliest baking memories?
Erica: I'vealways been creative and into arts and crafts, and since I lovesweets so much, baking was a natural progression. It's definitely mycreative outlet, and baking allows you to play with your food andcreate beautiful and delicious things that make people so, so happy.I started loving baking blogs my senior year of college, and once Iwas in dental school and needed a way to de-stress, I started one ofmy own. Six years later, here we are! One of my earliest bakingmemories has to be makingpeanutbutter cup blossomsaround Christmas time every year. I gota cookie cookbook from my Aunt when I was young, tried the recipe onmy own (with some adult supervision of course), and have been makingthem ever since.
Brookline Tufted Velvet Chair, Set of 2 from Target
Jacquin: As a pediatric dentist, what is something most people don'tknow about being a dentist. Any surprises about the careersince you've been a working dentist?
Erica: Thestaff or break rooms at dental offices are almostguaranteedtohave an excessive amount of sweets stashed away. It's crazy, butpeople who work in the dental field really tend to have more of asweet tooth than the general population in my experience. I know tonsof dentists and dental hygienists that are also very talented bakers,and I think it has a lot to do with the OCD/type-A personality thatis conducive to both activities. Unlike cooking, baking is veryprecise, as is dentistry obviously, so you find the two intereststogether quite often!
Jacquin: What has been inspiring you in life most recently?
Erica: Witha puppy in our little family now, I have a new focus in my day-to-daylife, and it has forced me to slow down and simplify things. I don'tknow if that's "inspiring" necessarily, but now that I haveresponsibilities beyond myself, my job, and my blogging, I try tominimize my distractions when I'm home so I can spend as much time aspossible with our furry daughter. Right up until we brought Piperhome I was obsessing over the decor in our new home and meetingblogging deadlines (theseNFLJello Shotsalmost did me in!), but now my priorities haveshifted. I realize I've become a crazy puppy mom in the process, butI guess you could say I've been inspired by simpler recipes andminimalist decor in order to maximize my happiness.
Bar III Box Pleat White Bedding from Macys ||Miami Headboard in Coffee finish from Walmart (Great budget option!)
Gold Hexagon Accent Table from Target
Jacquin: What is your favorite recipe to prepare when having friends andfamily over for a special get together?
Erica: Fora special get together, especially for a birthday party, I have arule that it must involve cake. Cookies on their own, no matter howdelicious, just aren't celebratory enough for birthdays in myopinion. Everyone deserves a cake with candles on top! So my personalfavorites are the cookie stack cakes (funfetti,caramelizedbanana, andm&m)I've made for friends and family members who love cookies, but need acake to pass my birthday test.
S'mores Marshmallow Shooters Recipe
Ingredients
Forthe marshmallows:
25large (or Jumbo if you can find it) marshmallows
6 oz semisweetchocolate chips
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
Forthe filling:
1part cup marshmallow (or cake or chocolate or plain) flavored vodka
1part Bailey's liquor
Drizzle of chocolate syrup
Usea strawberry huller, or just your clean fingertips, to remove theinsides of the marshmallows. You don't want to squeeze too deep intothe marshmallow or you'll tear through to the bottom of themarshmallow. Fingers or the end of a wooden spoon dipped in a bit ofwater helps even out the insides and makes things less sticky. I useda paring knife to smooth off the tops of the marshmallows once I wasdone. If you wish, set the marshmallow on top of a heatproof mug orbottle and lightly toast with a kitchen torch.
Meltthe chocolate chips in 30 second intervals in the microwave, stirringbetween each interval, until completely smooth. Dip the tops of thehollowed marshmallows in the melted chocolate, use a toothpick tomake sure the opening is cleared, and set aside on a wax paper orparchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with graham crackercrumbs and allow to set completely. You can store these in the fridgefor up to 2 days, but I recommend waiting to fill them until rightbefore serving.
Preparethe filling in a large cup, and then use a small cup with a spout ora plastic squeeze bottle to fill the marshmallows. Serve, gobble themup in one bite, and enjoy responsibly!
This recipe for S'mores Marshmallow Shooters is perfect for your next party or holiday get together! For more great dessert recipes visit Erica's Sweet Tooth blog.
Stop by and let us know if you try this recipe!
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