Tried and Tasty @ Pinners Conference 2014

Last Friday I had the pleasure of teaching a class at the Pinners Conference held at the South Towne Expo in Sandy, Utah. If you’ve been following my recipes over the last week, I’ve been flooding you with a whole slew of copycat recipes in preparation for my ‘Copycat Favorites’ class! Yesterday I even rounded them all up (and more) in the perfect roundup of 30 Mouth Watering Copycat Restaurant Favorites! The perfect one-stop-shop for the best of the best on the web! 

But back to my class. I’ve filled you in a little on bits and pieces if you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, but I wanted to share a little bit more about my experience. Several months ago I was asked if I would be interested in teaching a class at the conference. This is the 2nd Pinners, and sadly I missed the first one last year. I was eager to jump at the chance as I love giving demos and presentations. When thinking of what I wanted to teach on, I thought of the recipes that interest me most: copycat! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – I love being able to recreate my favorites from restaurants right at home. I can control the ingredients, make as much or as little as I want, and generally save money!

I’ve been looking forward to sharing this Copycat Cheesecake Factory White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake recipe with you for several weeks! This was the first recipe I made at the conference. I actually didn’t think it was going to pan out, the night before, I’d had two FAILED cheesecakes!!! Oh boy. I’ve got one word for you: stressed! And although stressed spelled backwards is desserts, I had one thing on my mind at that time: will this work or won’t it? Third time was a charm! The point I’m trying to make is, I’ve worked out all of the kinks so you don’t have to!

Because the cheesecake was so involved, I wanted to also share a quick & easy copycat that anyone could make. My Copycat Orange Julius was so simple if you blinked, you probably missed it. With only five ingredients, not only was this ready in a jiffy… after the sample line was over, it was gone in a jiffy! Everyone loved it and several even said it was better than the original! If that isn’t a compliment I don’t know what is. 

I love when friends come to see me at my events. It’s always comforting looking out in to the crowd and seeing familiar faces. I loved having my two blogging besties Amber (from Dessert Now, Dinner Later) and Aimee (from Like Mother Like Daughter) as supporters. At one point, Amber even helped answer a question from the audience. She’s a culinary grad and knew the exact answer as to ‘why you want to use room temperature ingredents’ when you’re making cheesecake. So fun! Additionally, my longtime friend Melissa came with her mom and sister as well. Loved having them! There’s nothing better than getting to do what you love for the people you love too!

Speaking of people I love, I must tell you that I couldn’t have done this without the selfless support of my amazing husband. My right hand man. He’s not only my #1 fan, but he’s my chauffeur, my sous chef, my tech guy, my sound board, my event photographer, my stage manager, my everything. He never once complains, argues, or has a negative attitude. He’s kind, he’s helpful, and he’s more supportive than I could ever put in to words. Without him I wouldn’t get to do the things that I do or succeed in doing what I love! A huge thanks goes out to my luv-a-duv-ski.

Want to know more about my style? Since losing 40 lbs, I’ve reignited my love of fashion. I’ve found a new found confidence and love putting together ensembles for my events! Here’s where you can find my look:

Blazer: Sam’s Club
Mad For Plaid Blouse: Our World Boutique
Teardrop Stone Necklace: Our World Boutique
Flying Monkey Skinnies: Bohme Boutique
Tersori Laurel Slingback Sandal: Nordstrom Rack

Love the way the look came together – want in on some of the action? Our World Boutique has extended a little love! Use the code TASTY20 for 20% off your order (exp. 11/30/14)! Happy shopping!