Company arrived yesterday for a four day stay. It always feel nice to have visitors from home because it helps bring our two worlds together. We haven't made many plans yet and are keeping things pretty relaxed. Growing up we always had a house full of visitors, especially around special occasions. So, for me to have a houseful over Valentines and to play the hostess, makes me a happy woman. My mom was always very good at creating a relaxing and welcoming environment in our home. A place where people could come as a reprieve and just be themselves. She instilled in...
Read More Post a comment (17)
The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca
Read More Post a comment (27)
When I was in high school my sister-in-law and I decided to make a cake as a surprise for my mom's birthday. We successful snuck her trusty mixer out of the house to the church next door, giddy with excitement that we were going to pull off such a wonderful surprise. We got to work, with me manning the mixer and feeling ultra important. I was doing so well and everything was going swimmingly. I left the mixer for a moment and continued on my mary way to complete the other important tasks in front of me. Suddenly we were...
Read More Post a comment (43)
It's incredible how just the right smell can stir up emotions, bring back memories, and make you think of a particular person or place. Every time I get a whiff of pine or freshly cut wood, I am reminded of my Dad. When he would come home from working outside he would smell of earth, trees and fresh air. I love that smell. It brings me comfort and I can almost feel the warmth of my Dad's embrace. Likewise, when I enter a room to the scent of freshly baked cookies, I am a child again sitting at the kitchen...
Read More Post a comment (0)
I failed. Miserably. Two failures in a row, people are going to stop visiting this blog pretty soon. Well, I shouldn't say it was a complete failure. The cakes turned out beautifully, the buttercream was exquisitly delicious, and the caramel was caramely. What killed me was the assembly and pretty much everything else surrounding this whole situation. It took me three days to make this cake. One day to bake, another day to make the buttercream and then find out that both of the batteries for my camera were dead, and another to finally assemble this monstrosity. I thought I would...
Read More Post a comment (32)
I know you are probably going to think I am crazy, but I could not resist another challenge. This time it is Sugar High Friday! The host this month is Zilla from Climin' the Walls and the theme she picked is Sweet without the Wheat. As is fairly obvious, we were to come up with some form of dessert that could not contain any wheat. This came just in time for Mothers day. I was wracking my brain trying to think of what to make when I stumbled upon this challenge, and then the wheals started turning. I knew that I wanted...
Read More Post a comment (9)
