I'm Baked

Well I have been baking since this AM and I am pooped/ baked, whatever you want to call a tired baker. The first cookie tin is being delivered tonight to my hair stylist, Amy. She is really awesome and I am glad that I found her about a year ago. It has been about 3 months since I had time with her and boy am I long over due. Enjoy the pics of her tin above- it consists of chocolate-chip cookies, gallon of milk brownie and a new additional this year, toffee chip brownie. I also did a peppermint candy cane brownie that was just ho hum, so no one will get that one. I may crumble it up and put it into my candy cane cupcakes that I have not made yet. The eggnog ones where made and never frosted- boy did they smell good. What can I say, a mothers work is never done and the cupcakes took a back seat to Z-man's teething.

On the Harmony front, it looks like we may have an architect. I had a wonderful conversation with a woman that one of my friends referred me to. Her fees are super reasonable and she has lots of experience with Butler County codes. We will see how it goes. WE are making progress, it's slow but at least we are still moving forward.

Anywho, I am off to see Amy.

Later, Buckeye Bakers.

Oh the weather outside is frightful......But the fire is so delightful....but since we have no place to go....Let it Snow...Let it Snow...Let it Snow

Well folks, the "BIG ONE" has come and gone. I am not sure what the total tally is but it can't be more than 2 inches. After a 1 hour school delay, school was canceled at 7:15AM. The roads must be pretty bad even though there is not even enough snow on the ground to build a snow man or have a decent snow ball fight. Check out the picture of the kid's swing set above. This was taken an hour ago and the storm has pretty much passed. Needless to say the kids are excited and hoping to go out and play in a bit.

On the agenda today:

Talk to my business coach

Bake some cookies!!!!!!!

Have fun with the kids!!!!!!

We are going to play with one of Chaka's b-day gifts. Nalah-B gave him Battleship and we can't wait to play it.

Stay warm and be careful out there.

THE BIG ONE IS COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!

I must vent for just a moment so bare with me.

Every year there is mass hysteria when the first snow storm is forecasted in southern Ohio. There is utter panic even if we are only expecting 1' of precipitation. Teachers prepare their students, the school district's automated emergency communication system is tested, people leave work early so they can clean the grocery store shelves of bread, milk, and soup. Folks just go plane crazy.

We are expecting 1-4" which in my opinion is manageable, especially for a city in the Midwest. School might be delayed by an hour but nothing major, right? WRONG! The school closings will start coming in before the first snow flake appears. The kids will start celebrating before they even go to bed. I just don't get it.

As an east coast girl I grew up dealing with a huge amount of snow. I remember waiting for the bus to come while standing on top of a 5 ft. mound of snow. We did not get snow days unless there were several inches of ice and close to a foot of snow on the ground. OK, I do remember in 12th grade, school was cancelled for 2 days in a row and the snow never came. In fact it was 60 and sunny both days.
Anywho, stop the panic, the big one is not coming and it seldom does. I am done preaching for now.

I am off to make Chaka's b-day dinner. I am making steamed broccoli, seafood and chicken in a garlic cream sauce over whole wheat pasta, mmmmm good!

Enjoy the evening and just in case the big one hits make sure you have gas in your snow plow, so I can borrow it.

Peace.

Happy, Happy, Birthday, Baby!!!!!!!!!

Well, Chaka's Sweet Potato Cheescake turned out nice, not my best and not my worse looking. This has become my specialty over the years. I have had a love affair with sweet potatoes for several years now but the cheesecake is by far my favorite to make. It is so easy and folks are always pleased. I also make an awesome sweet potato pound cake and a mean sweet potato cupcake (Southern Sweet Pot). It is filled with caramel and is by far my favorite least ordered cupcake. Folks give the sweet potato some love next time you place an order.

Well, I am out for now. Lots to do today and Z-man has been a cranky spanky for 3 days now. He is teething and I wish that I could give him some relief. I have tried everything, any ideas?

More cupcake pics to come.............

Candy Cane Lane and Egg Nog Spiked with Rum

Today I am making candy cane and eggnog cupcakes. I can't wait to taste them. I simply love candy canes, especially the red, green and white kind. You know the kind that I am talking about. They taste so much better than the red and white kind, at least to me. The candy cane is sweet with a milder minty flavor. My mom started buying these (the green and white and red candy cane) when I was a little girl and I was instantly hooked. For several years I have not been able to find them but this year my supermarket has stocked more of them than the red ones. I just hope that they taste the same. I am going to crush up some of them and add them to my cupcake batter. I am also going to make a round of eggnog cupcakes. I am not a huge fan of the drink (it is too thick) but I think that it would make a "mean" cupcake. It is also one of my holiday varieties so I better practice it. I also need to pick a cookie to bake today. I am thinking about a triple chocolate chunk. My first round of cookies should be ready for baking a shipping by Wednesday (I made lots of dough over the weekend and decide not to bake all of the cookies).

Oh, I almost forgot, tomorrow is Chaka's b-day (the big 32!!!!!!!!!!) He has requested a sweet potato cheesecake as his b-day cake. I better get baking............

...And as we trim the tree How much fun it's gonna be together....This Christmas

The title is from my favorite Christmas song by Donny Hathaway, This Christmas. The tree is done and I am officially in the spirit. Enjoy the picture above, the kids had a blast!

I am headed to relax before a new week begins. Good night.

Where's the tree?????

So the tree is still not up. The goal for today is to get it up and decorate it, I hope. If my 7-year old son asks me one more time if we are going to have a Christmas tree, I may just have to sell him to the elves.

We got completely side tracked with cookies and watching our neighbor (Z-man's Godfather) hang his Xmas lights. It was so comical, sorry JT. The funny thing about JT is that his intentions are always so genuine. All he wanted to do was hang a few lights to make his wife happy (good trained man, just kidding, not really). He started by trying to hang the lights from his gutter with clips, that did not work so he proceeded to outline the door archway and the window that is near it. He dragged out the 2 deer he purchased last year and situated them next to the tree that is in the middle of his lawn, then he stopped. I really hope that he is not done, even though Chaka says that JT is done and will add on next year. I am not mad at him though, b/c our house is lights free, at least he made an attempt. He will truly be the one house on our cul de sac that shines and shows the spirit that we all share. I will take a picture if he says it is ok.

As for our house, someday we will put up lights. When Harmony is open and Chaka is not working long hours it will be done (when I hire someone to do it). For the now, the spirit of Xmas is starting to flourish inside our house. Cookies are coming and the tree box is being located as we speak. I will be sure to post our progress later this evening.

Until later, be blessed, bake more and bring Harmony into your life.