A Few Pictures to Sum Up My Week

A week in photos.

I discovered a new yummy (healthy) treat this week. I like Greek Yogurt, but I'd never seen coconut Greek yogurt before until a recent trip to the grocery. It was extra good with a few blackberries (that were on sale at Kroger) on top ... almost as good as La' Berry.

Friday afternoon I kept Kansas for my mom. She kept looking at me pitifully while I was in the kitchen, because she is not liking her very strict prescription dog food diet.

I've started watching the DVDs of the first season of Downton Abbey this weekend. I read a review in a magazine over the holidays about this new British series (a new season begins this month on PBS), and it looked liked something I would take to watching. It's weird because I've not followed a TV series in some time with school work having taking precedence over everything. I feel like I'm crawling out of a pop culture coma.

I have heard great things about the resident sushi chef at the Kroger closest to my house. Every time I go out for sushi, it always seems to add up so fast. I picked up 2 packages of generous sized rolls tonight: Hawaiian on the left and Rainbow on the right. I ate my sushi (which cost me a grand total of $15 for all of what's pictured above) and watched some Downton Abbey and Something Borrowed for a quiet evening at home. I was up early for a work meeting, and I was in need of some down time.

The first batch of cupcakes I've baked in I-don't-know-when, chocolate devil's foodcake with a rather tasty icing: Bailey's Irish Cream Buttercream Icing. These were to celebrate my boss' birthday at the office Tuesday.

Cupcakes for a Cure!

Cupcakes for a Cure...

In an effort to raise more funds for my Relay for Life Team, I made some relay-themed cupcakes to take to work and solicit donations today.

Thanks!

Having my Cake and Eating it Too

Having my cake and eating it too...
...because what's the point of having a cake and not eating it.


My mom's a kindergarten teacher and has always taught on the elementary level. I grew up around construction paper, markers, paints, glues, sequins, etc. She has always had a knack for creating stuff out of odds and ends. And it's amazing what she's pulled off with a stapler and some fabric which explains why I used a few staples on some curtains recently...

I'm not quite sure where the cake-creating-interest came from now that I think about it. I have watched different cake-deco TV shows over the years and always find these fascinating. About a year and a half ago I felt compelled to buy some fondant and a Wilton fondant roller at Hobby Lobby and just sort of went with it. Since then I have made a few cakes here and there for birthdays and other occasions.

Baking is not necessarily a gift for me. It's taken quite a few years to finally master my grandmother's homemade buttermilk biscuit recipe which is a proud accomplishment since it's a skill shared by most of our female ancestors on my mom's side. (Baking cookies still alludes me.)

With cake baking, finding and doctoring a good cakemix has been my safety net. I can also turn out a pretty decent poundcake base for a cake, which is ideal for hardcore decorating because it is nice and heavy.

I took the Wilton Cake Decorating I class last fall which proved to be hardwork! My experience has been with fondant, so it was great to take the steps back and learn the basics of how to ice a really smooth cake, pipe borders and so on...and I still have much to learn in this area by all means. I have not been able to locate any fondant decorating classes around this area, so I am more or less teaching myself and relying a lot on the internet and booklets/magazines.

If I want to go anywhere with this craft, I know I need to practice a LOT more. I also will need to be in top form, because my friend Sarah has asked me to make her wedding cake for the end of October 2010 on Hilton Head Island. I am excited about this opportunity and that she is trusting me with one of the most important elements of a wedding. Fortunately, Libby is volunteering her services to the venture, since she has culinary classes on her side and is always willing to help me with my baking.

My goal this Spring and Summer is to kick it up a notch and practice, practice, practice. I'd like to challenge myself to 1 cake a week (or 2 weeks), depending on what all else is going on in my life. (And yes, I have seen the movie Julie & Julia and there is no way I am attempting to crank out a cake a day like Julie did with her daily Julia Child dinners! Gotta be realistic!)

The next cake on my agenda will be for my Dad's upcoming birthday, and I am thinking baseball. I will keep you posted.