Book & Baking Blog Entry 40

As I sit here at the computer hardly able to type, certainly not doing a good job of typing and wishing that I were wearing my reading glasses (that I am too tired and lazy to go get), I have realized that sometimes some things are just not meant to be. 

In fairness, I am SURE that I will accomplish my goal (princess and castle b-day cakes for my daughters 4th b-day) by Saturday morning.  2 princess cakes.  1 castle.  It's enough.  It was my choice, and one I freely made.  The cakes are done.  They sit in Tupperware right now; except for the one that is in plastic wrap.  That one I forgot while mopping the floor and WHOOPS!  Left it out over-night.  I'm sure it will taste fine.  Small children.  Cake.  Does it really matter?

That question actually came up the other day.  Another mother said to me that I should just buy a Costco cake (thus freeing my time.)  After all, kids don't care.  And I have to agree, it's true.  I'm the one who wants a homemade cake, homemade pizza, and a party.  Well, OK, as Miss Thing gets older she wants the party too.  But as long as there's a bounce house and some kind of cake, does the rest really matter?  Probably not.

So why do it?  What do I have to show for it?  I'm tired.  In pain (a lot of standing.)  I have a lot of work ahead of me.  And the small child will not even realize all of the work that went into it (unless I remind her 85 times a day until she leaves for college--and maybe not even then.)  All of the parents will say what a great cake it is, but as my friend noted, they would say that if it were from Costco.  Slightly different compliments, but compliments none-the-less.

Let's get back to why do I do it?  Well,  it's for me.  It's an accomplishment.  I hope that long term it shows my child how much I love her that I want her to have a crappy homemade cake vs something store bought.  I hope to instill in her the fact that I love her enough to want to put in the time and effort even though I'm tired and could easily buy her something.  I want her to know that it's special.  And really I want her to know this when she's 30. 

Right now.  It probably doesn't matter (although she did say she wanted me to make the cake when given a choice.)  But maybe some day she think, "wow, making a castle and two princess cakes is NOT as easy as my mama made it look."

So, what is NOT meant to be.  Frosting.  I have baked 3 cakes.  They are in the correct shapes to make 2 princesses and one castle.  I just haven't had time to make the frosting.  Every time I start someone calls from work.  I'm lucky that I get to work from home in the summers, but GEEZE people.  I didn't think you'd actually call me THIS week.  Nothing should need to be done...except, of course it did.

So, frosting tonight?  I hope so,  but I'm awfully tired...

Book & Baking Blog Entry 39

Baking Baking Baking.  I do like it and wish I had more time to do it.  I also loathe that most of my baking now takes place after 9pm.  It's not relaxing.  Well, not as much as it should be.  It's either feast or famine with the baking for me.  This week I'm making a triple batch of sugar cookies (aka cut-out cookies) for Imagina's graduation.

The graduation cookies are  fun.  Hopefully Ruth will want to help me on Tuesday.  It's a lot more work baking with a small child.  You either have to be a martinet or you have to be ready to get really filthy and enjoy a small flour covered finger in your ear (at the very least....)

Nope.  This isn't the stress.  The stress is always the task that you set for yourself.  A birthday cake for a birthday girl who really wants a princess cake.  Of course.  She also said that she wanted Mama  to make it.  This is cool and awesome.  It's also chilling.  What if she doesn't like it.  Is there a cake that a 4-year-old doesn't like?!  What if she cries because it's not right?  I'm paralyzed with more than fear and wearing adult pampers.  I still don't have a perfect butter cream recipe.

So I have her convinced that she wants a princess castle.  And I'm making a castle.  The castle will take 2 cakes and 1 batch of cupcakes.  A mix of yellow cake (do people really need a flavor for this?  butter?)  and chocolate (probably devil's food--hmmm I should probably make sure that I have all the ingredients.)  But, what is my big surprise?  An actual princess cake.  Yep.  Probably make 2 of those as well.  So that's one other cake.  She likes yellow.  Yellow cake with white frosting hopefully colored to match the princess topper that I've bought.  Which princess?  Well, I bought them all.  Yep.  Seriously.  Well, all that I could find.  And I accidentally ended up with 2 Tianas....

There are so many ways for this to go wrong:  1.  She hates both (all three) cakes. 2.  She only hates one. 3.  It's the wrong princess (I am so not making five princess cakes.) 4.  She complains at all about any of  it and I haven't had a drink. 5.  The other kids make fun of her obviously homemade cake.  6.  Did I mention trying to color match a plastic cake topper and create a "skirt" for the princess.  7.  What if I make the wrong princess.  8.  Did I mention my fear of humiliation.

I know I had a bigger list of fears.  Oh, what if the cakes taste horrible?  It could happen.  What if the edible glitter really isn't? 

Well, I think I'll post a place for you to vote which princess that I should make.  It's not going to make a difference because I think that I know who she wants, BUT I'm curious. 

I'll take pictures.  It should be interesting.

Book & Baking Blog Entry 38

So this is a blog about baking or about books.  Sometimes I digress such as my rant about publishers and costs, etc.  But really, who cares?!  Frankly, other than a few fabulous people that I know about  I'm not getting much traffic.  So I thought I might talk about baking again today.  Not just any baking but VIRTUAL baking.

Oh yes.  Not only do I bake IRL but I also bake virtually.  Facebook, that great time-sucker, has a game called Baking Life.  I was introduced to Baking Life just like I have been introduced to all my games: My friend Tracy. 

This is not a popular game.  I also joined because my sister, the pastry chef, was also on it.  Well, that was good enough for me.  Then Tracy's daughter.  Finally, my husband joined, just to send me gifts, although he seems to enjoy it quite a bit now.

Baking Life is lame.  It is still in Beta.  Or so they say.  They have some stupid rules, the game runs slow, and there are often glitches.  So, naturally I am devoted.  I check my bakery regularly.  My small child likes to change me and make me different colors and have me wear new outfits.  She also loves to change my hair.

So I bake.  She gets to play dress up and Brian and I send each other gifts.  Everyone is happy.
So, the fun part.  Brian and I were discussing our bakeries (oh yes we do!) and talking about what we bake and how we decide to bake: Our strategies as it were.  It kind of pays to bake all of the stuff available.  But, well...I don't like peach cobbler.  It's OK, but given a choice of the cobbler, scones, and creme brulee, I'll take either rather than the cobbler.  I actually won't bake anything that I don't want to eat.  Really.  I know it's a virtual bakery.  If I won't eat it IRL I won't sell it virtually. 

So, now I can be stupid IRL and in my virtual bakery..  Yep.  baking.  Yep.  I think I should read more....

Book & Baking Blog: Book & Baking Blog Entry 36

Book & Baking Blog: Book & Baking Blog Entry 36

Book & Baking Blog Entry 36

It's been way too long since I've blogged about baking or books. I don't know that I'm going to be doing so this time either.  I've been really busy (as are most people who have jobs and families and a domicile.)  I have actually blogged quite a bit since my last entry here. 

I did, this week, bake a delicious batch of pinwheel cookies.  I never got enough of these as a kid.  They're quite simple. You need a batch of regular sugar cookie dough and a batch of chocolate sugar cookie dough.  Instead of rolling and cutting, you simply break each batch into 4 parts.  1 part of chocolate gets rolled out.  1 part of vanilla gets rolled out.  Lay the vanilla over the chocolate and roll it.  Once it's rolled cut slices, place onto a cookie sheet and bake at 400⁰ for 6-10 minutes depending upon your oven....

Enough about that.  I have been rereading so many books.  I am not sure that I care to review any.  Nothing stands out.  I do have one new Sookie Stackhouse.  Well.  You can't argue with the name.  She's quite a character, and while I don't generally love the vampire genre, it is a bit of fun.  I'll probably let you know how the latest Sookie outing does later...

I guess my new exciting kitchen moment was the appearance of my new refrigerator.  Oh yeah.  MY new 'fridge.  It's HUGE.  And what's so great about a huge 'fridge?  Well, first, we found a bunch of food that was hidden.  We also found the food that was rotten and making the 'fridge smell like freshman gym class.  It's all out the door now. Although I saved us $50 that we were going to spend on a used deep freezer on Craig's list by suggesting that we keep the old 'fridge in the shed for the kegs.  Yep.  Always have a great idea....

Well, the beauty of the new appliance encompasses many things not the least of which is ice cream.  Not just any ice cream, but home made ice cream.  For Christmas, my husband, not only got me a great deal on a HUGE (word of the day) new kitchenaid mixer, but also a free ice cream maker attachment.  Cheap and free.  In general two words that women don't want to be associated with, however, I'll make an exception here.  So, this week I will endeavour to make my first vanilla ice cream.  Why vanilla?  Well, that's what the incredibly loud bruiser that I live with loves.  She is so not the delicate flower of the past.  Almost 4, we tremble in fear of her.  I think home made vanilla ice cream should calm the beast....stay tuned for how it turns out.

I realize that this blog has meandered.  But hey, bite me.  It's my blog.

Book & Baking Blog Entry 35

Well, now you all know the truth, which is that I don't have a lot to say about anything that anyone really needs or wants to know about.  But sometimes I have something to say and probably some English major in the 25th century will come across my blog and decide that his thesis will include my savvy interpretations of 20th and 21st century pop fiction (which will have it's own separate major by then...)  Yep, what some guy won't do to get a PhD.  But I digress


I believe that I wrote a short review of a book by Linda Castillo, Sworn to Silence.  I thought that the author had potential.  So I bought and listened to Pray for Silence.  Both books had good, creepy crimes.  Our heroine, former Amish girl, and Chief of Police, Kate seems like a pretty good character.  I can't figure out if she's supposed to be an alcoholic, if Castillo wants you to think that she's on the edge, or if she just likes her vodka (to which I say, "YOU GO GIRL!)  Tomasetti (Thomasetti?  Spelling names from audio books can be a pain) is fairly limited as well.  Castillo keeps trying to draw these characters for us but instead just designates attributes that they have.  We also get to relive their traumas which regularly come back to haunt them at inopportune times.


It's a shame, because I think Castillo has some talent here.  But why, oh why go out of your way to have a hero and heroine with backgrounds in law enforcement (long and successful careers) and them have them be stupid in emergencies and ignorant of the law and how it works. 


In both tales, the final 1/4 to 1/3 of the book just becomes unbearable as Kate makes stupid mistake after stupid mistake.  And really, how many times does she have to prove that she has good ideas to those around her when A. She's chief of police and B. She was right the last time.  Duh.  Just fuss and nonsense.  Seriously.

If you don't mind a bit of foolishness and can get these for a good price, go for it.  If you have trouble with foolish characters, don't.

Happy Reading.

Book & Baking Blog Entry 34

I love to bake cookies.  Really.  And I prefer baking for others to eat.  Mostly because I put on weight easily and couldn't possibly eat all the cookies that I really would like to eat.


I just had to share the experience of making the rare, almost never seen out of its natural midwestern habitat, Orange Cookie.  Orange Cookies were almost never found at my house even  at Christmas.  Nope.  Why not?  They are delicious.  They are cakey and sweet.  They actually taste like orange.  They have lovely icing--AHA!  There's the kicker.  As a kid I had no idea that there were people out there regularly icing  their cookies.


I can't speak for my mother, but I suspect that she did not like to frost cookies.  For example, I thought that sugar cookies were called sugar cookies because you sprinkled sugar on them.  I didn't realize that it was because they are sugary goodness and most people put even more sugary icing on them.  Who knew?! 


So, of course, we all like to think that we don't have the hang-ups of our mothers.  So why don't I make the sugary, sweet, orange, frosted cookies?  Well, I don't keep orange juice in the house.  I should find out if there is such a think as powdered orange juice, not Tang, but real stuff.  There has got to be.  Seriously, you can get powdered milk...


I don't mind frosting the cookies and the best part about these is that the frosting gets nice and stiff.  You're supposed to use wax paper to separate the layers of cookies, but I don't.  Honey-badger just don't care....


So, rethinking the cookie line up.  What was really fun was that I know mom would always use orange food color so that the cookies were "orange." I made the frosting, well, mauve? even towards a lilac.  I used pink, but the cream color of the frosting clearly influenced the end color more than I figured.  Too cute.  My daughter LOVES it.


Happy Baking.