Nintendo Cake

Sharing Love for Christmas.

Brownie Variety Boxes

Because.. SUPER chewy, fudgey, dark chocolate brownies made in different variations.. look real great and pretty in boxes. And they make beautiful Christmas gifts with a nice pretty bow. 

Gender Reveal Cake - There's a Bun in the Oven!

And THAT my friends.. . is what baking is all about - Helping others celebrate a special moment, helping bring joy and memories. Getting to be the special one to create something to help bring joy and tears. I could not be happier for this couple. They are truly amazing. Not only are they foodies alike - running their own restaurant and creating AMAZING/unique flavors of icecream, but they are also incredibly kind folks that are unique. It is such a blessing and so so wonderful that they are able to have this baby girl and raise it just like any other couple. I am so incredibly happy for them. So filled with joy. It makes me so happy that they are so in love and such good people, and they are able to do the same thing that many couples are able to do... I can't help but have a smile on my face whenever I think about them. I must look silly with a huge smile on my face out of the blue. But there is no way around the Holiday season that it was possible to not be filled with Joy just because of this.

It feels wonderful to get so many complements and so many thank you's for being a part of their special day. I am so happy to make others happy. A video to show their excitement while cutting into the cake.. brought tears to my eyes. Tears of SO MUCH Joy. Tears of knowing why I do what I do. I love good people. Heck, I love people. Thank You Trevor and Michael for letting me be the one to create this fun cake. SO many amazing memories ahead!

Joy of Cupcakes

Gooey Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Spice Buttercream,
Chocolate Ganache and a Cherry Ontop

An Extra Special Cake for Family

Chewy Gooey Chocolate and Orange!

Double Chocolate Cookies with a hint of Orange and Cinnamon, dipped in Orange Peel Chocolate. The best Double Chocolate cookie recipe I developed a few years back that also makes good Macadamia Nut Cookies, or Chocolate with White Chips, etc. Super fudgy and soft! They look swell when made Jumbo and they come out nicely rounded. But the best thing... that perfectly soft chewy chocolate. Delicious I am told.

 

Painted Cakes Experimenting

LOVE and Warm Apples.

It's interesting how baking can really be soothing. While listening to some fine music and slicing apples, I thought of how nice it felt and the beauty of slicing fruit for a dessert - the calmness, warmth, memories and joy it brings. Apple Crisp is an all time family favorite and comfort food. It's the dessert of love. Sharing love. Sharing warm comfort and pretty much saying "I love you" to family and those close. It fills your home with the smell of warm apples and cinnamon. It brings warm memories and love. Warm apples are simply combined with cinnamon and sugar with a toasted, crunchy topping.. beautiful. Baked together to create pure comfort and bliss. If one must Enjoy the Simple Things -- there is nothing better than this.

It's funny the thoughts going through my head while slicing apples. Five minutes of complete joy and comfort, thinking of the simplicity this little moment brings and how everything else completely disappears. Everything is just warm. Like when you eat it. But while slicing apples and enjoying the moment, while coming to the last bit of apples, I suddenly thought of the fact that this was only the second time cutting apples in the past 3 years. Then my eyes filled with tears. But 3 years ago, the apples I sliced for the pie I was making was just the beginning of one long night. I believed the apple pie I made played a part in karma. NO REALLY. Baked Apples with love will save the day. Always. Well, with this thought of what Apple Pie reminds me of - good times, and bad times.. it's kind of like life, full of good and bad.. but it's all good. After 30 seconds of watery eyes that didn't shed a tear, I suddenly smiled, This apple crisp is going to a coworker who watched my dog for me a couple of days, and is having a bad weekend because she has to put her own dog to sleep. It's the joy and comfort that warm cinnamon apples brings that overrides all. In the end.. LOVE WINS. While such desserts can bring joy and comfort, we also have memories of people attached to them. My grandma loves to cook apples and I have fond memories of her cooking (maybe a bit too old and mushy apples) and making apple crisp with my mother while young and it always being a comfort food after family dinners. So we must share Apple Pie for love.

The past few weeks I've really been appreciating what I have. It's amazing how we learn from moves we make and keep on growing. I've been thinking lately that I am truely blessed with life and gifts that I have, and blessed to be in a great town with some good people. I realize that Sioux Falls is incredibly good for me at this time and I am grateful for people in this town and happy to be here. I realize that moving from Brookings was really good for me and I have everything I need in this moment. We all carry a lot with us day to day and within our lives, but I am incredibly blessed and grateful for the good life I have and the bad things that come to help me grow the way I need to and appreciate what's most important. I am happy for love, grateful for my wonderful comforting pup. It's important to keep the bad away and focus on the good. I've been doing that a lot lately. It's important to keep the people whom are good for us in our lives and let them know how we feel. Thank you to kind folks and friends. I wish I could share warm Apple Crisp with you all. Much love.