I'm back in the groove

Yeah, I know.

Shocked, aren't you?

I'm actually blogging again.  I'm actually sitting down and putting my thoughts to....well, not paper, but on something.

Anyway, here's a status update:

This SHIT would happen to me....

Occasionally I have one of those days simply meant for the record books.  Those days are few and far between, but when they happen, I can only sit in amazement that I made it through.  Usually, my body (or its unwillingness to listen to instructions) is a determining factor in this situation, but not always.

Yesterday, it was the only factor, in a brutal and embarrassing way. . .let me take you back about 24 hours. . .

(Author Note:  If you have a weak stomach, do not read any further.)

Baking in the Heat

For some reason, I've had more success baking this month.

This is surprising, given that this is the weather outside



Hurricane Season in Florida started on June 1st and the weather is determined to live up to the reputation. It has rained 4 times today.

I hate when it rains.

Anyway, Feng's 50th Birthday party was on Thursday.



I spent three days trying to figure out what to make, then I finally decided on the Strawberry Chiffon Cake that Smitten Kitchen had posted.



Her's looks better (of course) but I didn't think mine looked too bad. I think he thanked me for the cake at least 10 times (no joke). I thought the cake was good, but not quite the knockout I wanted.

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Today, I made Dorie Greenspan's Orange-Berry Muffins....

OH MY GOD


DELICIOUS!

It's taking everything I have not to eat all 12 in one sitting....

Two is the limit today....

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I'm glad I'm baking today. It's taking my mind off the fact that my job is in jeopardy. I have to find a new job ASAP but I'm having a mental block trying to complete my resume with the details of my current job. However, I'm determined to finish it and get some applications in before I go to bed tonight...

If you pray, pray for me. If you don't send good vibes my way.

Overthinking the Simple

My boss's 50th birthday is coming up and, in acknowledgement, the office is going to throw him a potluck party. Usually I'm relegated to bringing Brisket , which has become an office favorite and cemented me into that role. However, that Brisket is a $30, 8 hour affair. I don't have the time or energy.

So, I planned on bringing the cake. Since my love affair with yeast and baking began, I've been on a baking kick. This will be the first time I've had willing (probably eager) volunteers for taste testing.

I just checked Dorie Greenspan's Baking out of the library yesterday and I'm anxious to play with it (although I can already tell I will need to buy my own copy). I need to figure out which cake I'm going to make for the party on Thursday....

Smitten Kitchen's Strawberry Chiffon Cake?

Pioneer Woman's Strawberry Shortcut Cake?

Some unknown goodie from Dorie????

Plant City, FL is known nationwide for their strawberries (unless you happen to get California's overgrown behemoths). They are sweet, tender, and juicy and right now is the perfect time to pick some up from the fruit stand near my house.

Which closes at four.....and I don't get off until 6.....darn....

I have to figure this out.

Bread Baking

Lately I've been looking for new ways to save money. I'm having a great time going through my budget and trying to figure out how I can get the most bang for my buck.

One of the things I've decided to do is try to reduce the number of items I have to buy in stores. I don't think I'll be outside trying to milk a cow anytime soon (and unfortunately there are no sheep within shearing distance of me), but I can try to produce more of the simple items I have to pay for.

Like Bread.

Bread baking was my Rubicon because bread required Yeast. I simply wasn't going to cross that bridge again; I've never succeeded. Those gassy, unicellular creatures have never cooperated with me.

Yeast is SCARY.

But I'm cheaper than I am afraid.

So, here we go. I pulled The Joy of Cooking and read through the recipe.


Then I pulled Alton Brown's website, read through his instructions, and steadied myself. I could do this.

To the Kitchen!!! I measured everything carefully, reread the recipe and got started.


Hmm....

This looks promising.


Let's Bake...


Ni i i i i ce


I do believe this looks like bread.



It slices like bread. It takes like bread.

I'm going to eat the hell out of this, like bread.

**Edited because rereading this post in the light of day, I realized that the original read as if I'd written it while drunk.

Umm...I was drunk. Drunk on success. And passed out from the pure carb overload.

Tea

Ok, so this post is completely and totally about me . . .


I love Tea. I mean I really really really love tea. Right now, at 11:40 PM I am working on my third cup of Earl Grey. For some reason, I want to share that love with you.

Foglie de Tea, Earl Grey.


I love the smell of Earl Grey.

Seriously, you should smell this.


I would take a picture of myself but
a) that would involve getting out the tripod;
b) you do not want to see what I am wearing; and
c) I need to wipe the drool.

This is my Tea strainer. 99 cents at IKEA. Simple and functional. I'm making tea, not launching a space ship.


So, let's see....Boil the water, then measure one level teaspoon of loose tea into the strainer.

Oh, yeah, this is going to be good....

This is after two minutes of steeping....This smells so good.

Now, in the eternal debate of milk first or last, I am solidly on the fence. Sometimes I put the milk in first, sometimes it goes in last. Sometimes it's half-and-half, sometimes it's 2% milk, sometimes it's Heavy Whipping Cream (most of the time it's heavy whipping cream. American milk tastes nothing like the milk you can get in the UK). No matter what, 1 teaspoon of sugar is a definite.

Ouch...I just scalded my tongue. Oh well.



Now, I need some scones.