Sundays with Joy/Coffee Bacon

Good morning!  I made you breakfast today.  Sure the eggs are overcooked but the biscuits are fresh and the coffee comes WITH your bacon.  I had heard of people making coffee bacon before.  I didn’t know what for.  I do now.  Oh, and baking the bacon in the oven?  I knew from years of food service that was the way to do it but I had sure forgotten how perfect perfectly cooked bacon can be.

Yo.  I made you coffee bacon on Saturday and I didn’t finish writing the post on it till today, Tuesday.  Which means I totally had to start over.  Mostly, just because I am a procrastinator but also I just think I am having some issues.  Things are going pretty well.  Now, I am not one of those “glass is half empty” type of people waiting for the other shoe to drop but it seems it is worse.  I am turning into a person on the precipice of change and maybe big good things but apparently I run, hide (procrastinate) and maybe even try to sabotage oneself from obtaining said things.  I don’t like it.  I don’t want to be that.  I need to focus on the blog, my future, my writing.  Of course all of that is easier said than done.  Hmm…

Anyways, onto to the bacon.

I love what Joy does here.  I think I would have enjoyed it more if I liked my coffee more.  I just recently switched to a stronger blend because my husband was begging me.  Every other ingredient in this bacon played perfectly but the coffee I used was just too strong for my taste.  I also think next time I’ll up the chili powder just a smidge.

So after I made breakfast and had a hard time eating the bacon plain, I went and made a BLT for lunch with the rest of my coffee bacon.  Um, Best Idea EVER?!  Yup, pretty much.  I used Greek yogurt instead of mayo and mixed it with pinches of salt, pepper, and garlic powder to spread on my bread and the rest is L&T.  So, if you’d like to make your own coffee bacon BLT or just some for breakfast please check out Joy’s cookbook.  Please also check out Bakeaholic Mama for our other variations.

My GeekyLink for this week is well me, kinda.  I did a review a week ago on iGameMom for Teach Me 3rd Grade which is part of a series of apps I love.  One of my other favorite reviews I did was for LEGO App4+.  That was super fun.  I have a new one coming this week but I’m not sure when.  I’ll link to it when it posts.  (Update: Here’s the link for  Toy Story: Story Theater!)   You could also just search for NerdyBaker on the site for my reviews but even though I’m a contributor I am always checking the site for apps I don’t review that I think are good for my kids.

WonderCon, Easter, and Birthdays (My Spring Break)

Only a portion of the entire haul, we are missing a couple of Creeper pins, another Minecraft pickave pin, a Nyan Cat pin, a Wii U Bag, a Rainbow Dash thingy and all the stuff my nephews got.

For any of you that didn’t know, the nerd/geek community apparently really SUCKS at planning things. Otherwise WonderCon would not have been the weekend of Easter and TableTop Day would not have been the day before Easter. Luckily for me, WonderCon started on a Friday and I was able to participate and still do the mom/family stuff the rest of the weekend. If it wasn’t Easter weekend, I would have totally ditched my little ones and run to this place that was hosting TableTop Day games that was super close to my aunt’s bar & grill. I could have eaten a nice lunch and then gone and played board games. It would’ve been a great day. It still was, we did some fun family stuff and I was able get home early and bake for Sunday. O well, maybe next year…

 

Onto WonderCon…

 

A Harley Quinn, some Wreck-It-Ralphers, Guardians, and a Wolverine.

Last year, the first year it moved to Anaheim, I totally regretted not going even though it was pouring torrential rain that weekend. After we parked and walked as far as we did to get into the venue, I don’t regret it as much. Because of Easter, I wasn’t even sure I was going to go. Just so much going on, lack of money, blah, blah, blah. But I had already mentioned it to my nephews, my niece got to go Gallifrey One, my husband has been on this “its just money/life’s too short” kick, and two days before Easter I am NOT baking and am out of town for the entire day. I had a blast.

I helped Captain America zip up in the ladies room. Her back “shield” is a purse. That little Iron man was PERFECT.

The programming was a bit light because well, it wasn’t a Saturday, but we still made it to a Geek and Sundry panel. We tried to get into a Regular Show panel but apparently that was the same room they were going to preview the season premiere of Doctor Who and so was longest line EVER and we couldn’t get in. I was bummed for the kids because they really wanted to see that one. So even though there wasn’t much programming for our group, who doesn’t LOVE the convention floor? Super crowded at times but mostly fine, we navigated most of it really well. I was able to hold the kids off on buying stuff till we actually saw most things and then we went back and bought. They all bought posters (our group bought Modern Warfare III, Adventure Time, and Regular Show) and some pins. I had been bugging Angela about a poster since Gallifrey One. She didn’t get why till we got home from Gally and I pointed out her many years old High School Musical 3 poster behind her door. Since then she had been on the lookout for a new poster. I bought pins and a Walking Dead trade paperback for my sister/me. I spent the bulk of my money on bows, seriously. Ponies, Hunger Games, and Adventure Time hairbows for my girls. One vendor, who didn’t sell online, had some great deals so I just HAD to get them.

Felicia Day, John Saxon, Noel Gugliemi, my nephew and Lou Ferrigno,

There was NO Fringe love AT ALL. I was SO bummed. The lady who we bought our pins from said she might help me out with that but I haven’t contacted her yet. I mean, for a series with so many iconic images and phrases (the glyphs, Red Vines, a white tulip, the RedVerse Fringe division logo, a frickin Fedora for goodness sake!) there was nothing. And it JUST ended! Did I mention that she made zipper pulls and bracelets as well from her pins? Yeah, I also bought my Sarah a My Little Pony bracelet for her birthday and zipper pulls for Sarah and Robert as well. A Fringe bracelet and zipper pull for momma sounds just dandy.

The kids and some stormtroopers and Angela inside a Tardis tent.

The kids loved looking at the cosplay until Angela realized that she had a Hermione costume she could/should have worn. Then she was just bummed. We got some free Wii U bags for trying games, lanyards and pins from the Geek and Sundry panel, and a paper ship from Oblivion (oh yeah, the full size ship was there too) and I think that is about it for the free. Not bad for showing up, walking around, and having a good time.

The coolest WORKING tardis console EVER! I should have taken video.

Easter and Birthdays…

I would make this a whole separate post but I didn’t take any pictures of my Easter goodies. A whole post about goodies without pictures is just mean so I’ll just have to tell you what I made. For our Saturday celebration, I just made some Joy the Baker Cookbook’s Simple Vanilla Cupcakes and Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. I love those cookies. I added some festive M&Ms and that was it, Easter cookies.

I took the rest of the cookies over for Sunday. I made the same shortbread cookies I made last year and I brought over some Apple Fritter Cake for brunch.

The week after Easter was our big party for Justin and Sarah. I remade Joy’s Simple Vanilla Cupcakes with the Best Chocolate Buttercream (what Sarah wanted) and even though Justin said he didn’t want anything, I knew exactly what to make him. And yep, he finished what was left over the next few days.

See, I told you I could do the ganache right.

Oh yeah, Geekylink? There are only days left to preregister for Equestria LA. I don’t know if I’m going. I hope since its Mother’s Day weekend my husband wouldn’t mind us maybe going to our THIRD convention this year?! I am not really a My Little Pony fan myself but my girls are huge ones. I’m just not sure we can make it that weekend (Mother’s Day weekend? Again with the bad planning?). We’ll see…

Sundays with Joy/Brown Butter Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Treats

I’ve just been trying to get back into the swing of things. After the long weekend last week, then my two Gally posts, then my igamemom post, then I made these crispy rice treats, and then it was Oscar Sunday and I had my party. It was a big turnout this year. Instead of just my friend and I we became five this year.  Exciting!  It was also the first time I asked my oldest to watch the babies upstairs with monetary compensation.  She did alright.  Next time I will stipulate that she must also help me get ready for the party if she wants to see any cash.  But the main goal was to keep the babies’ (please realize they are 4 and 5, but my babies) visits downstairs to a handful a piece and that goal was met.

Butter browning, then with added peanut butter and marshmallows.

No cash actually exchanged hands, mind you.  I promised a $10 transfer to her bank account and $10 cash but she had been bugging me about going to the comic book store for a few weeks so yesterday I ended up buying her $12 of books and we finally got put on a “pull list” for her comics.  We actually had a really great time just looking around and seeing all the stuff that was available and what she was into.  All this was after having a breakfast date with the husband while my son was in preschool.  We ate and I thought we were going to go home and I was going to write this post but then we went to the mall and did some shopping. And I’m sorry but I must admit it, I am really glad this post is even later than I was anticipating because we had a really nice time.  The girls got out of school early and then my oldest and I went on our comic book excursion.  The girls had dance after that and while we were gone my husband got the names for our daughter’s spring soccer team.  To me, it is so adorable when my husband has to talk to parents and stuff since he is normally really shy with new people.  It was also just nice to see him so excited for a change.  The only thing that could have made yesterday better was capping off dinner with one of these.  Sadly, we finished them off almost a week ago now.  Time to buy some more cereal…!

Sadly, I don’t think I will be having an Oscar post this year.  I asked one of my guests to bring the appetizers and I just made a simple roast.  I made a lovely cake but it was only 85% of what I wanted.  I know what I want to do to fix it but I need a break from chocolate cake.  That one was like the third in about a month.  I’ll leave a sneak peak at the bottom of the post.  However, if you’d like the recipe for these treats all you need to do is buy Joy’s Cookbook.  Also, don’t forget to check out Bakeaholic Mama for variations.  I’ll just say someone dipped them in chocolate…

For my GeekyLink this week, well, its me!  Here is my first post for igamemom!  I am so excited that I started this and yes, the particular app I reviewed Game For Two, is totally addictive (Tiles, I can’t quit you, and medium is even BETTER than easy!).  It looks like I’ll only be posting every other week, at least till after soccer season and the girls’ dance recital (dang you real life!) but please check it out!  Also the best video I have seen recapping Gallifrey One 2013.  Thank the kid for finding this one.  And yep, I realize I still owe her $8.

Look! Proof I can make a pretty ganache. Unlike my last attempt.

Bob’s 4th and Why We Can’t Do Small Parties

Angry Birds Party anyone? All party photos courtesy of my dad.

Sorry folks, no new recipe today. I tried. I got one about 75% right but it still needs more work. In the meantime, I keep writing down more ideas and ideas. I just need to find the time and more time to work on them. Meanwhile, life still goes on and little boys have birthday parties…

Bob’s actual birthday. Big one for my baby and cupcakes for his sisters. I finally figured out what to do with half used boxes of cake mix…

I never understood the small family party. Growing up it didn’t exist for me. Sure, sure, some parties are bigger than others with friends, godparents and their families, and if I was lucky friends from school but my smallest party ALWAYS at least included my mother’s own nuclear family with her four siblings, their kids, and my grandparents. 30 years later the tradition continues…

When my husband and I discussed what we would do for our son this year, the word was always “something small”. We even discussed *gasp* not doing something but my aunt and grandma wouldn’t have it (even offering to make food). I mean we did that whole football themed party last year with family and friends with all the Super Bowl type goodies that I made where I hardly got any sleep but still had a good time and managed to pull it off. And even though it ended well, that is not what we were going for this year. We even thought Chuck E Cheese and back to our house for cake and piñata. But then I thought, if I still have to clean up house for guests we might as well just have the darn thing at home again but just invite family. But therein lies the conflict. My kids, my sister’s kids, my uncle’s, my nieces…our small family party not including a new baby cousin is already 9 kids. I love it and I hate it. I hate eliminating friends too because that means most of my husband’s side because his dad’s family lives in Texas and his mom was an only child. Suffice to say my husband’s upbringing was way different than mine with my mother’s four siblings and my father’s thirteen (who, sure we don’t get to see ALL of lots, but split up into groups of four or five siblings and their families still adds up to lots of people).

I got this idea from Sesame Street faces I’d seen done in veggie and fruit form. For the veggies I just used ranch dip but I will post links at the bottom of the post for the fruit dips.

So we didn’t have family friends THIS time (which adds about 9 more kids) but speaking of my dad’s family, I was so blessed to have my cousin and his wife come to the party. They live several hours north of us and were down south for the usual sights with his wife and kids. We were going to meet up but then I invited them to Bob’s birthday instead hoping they’d come and they did. There are a handful of cousins that live up north that I would say I am close to and my cousin Robert is definitely near the top of that list. We married weeks apart, we both have three kids, and his wife is just as much my cousin as he is. So the addition of them was fantastic and I like it when my mom’s family gets excited about seeing some of my dad’s family. I always did, even back before my mom passed and even when they were still married. It felt like that is what family is supposed to feel like (to me anyway)…BIG.

Got the idea for the Angry Birds Cupcakes from thecraftingchicks.com. I came up with the black ones on my own. It was my husband’s favorite!

So while I complain about the work, it is always worth it. Where we cut back was regular food. We went with Costco pizza and salad. Way less work, and it made for a happy host. This was my last chance for something small too. My husband and daughter who usually celebrate together had a smallish one last year so I think we are going a bit bigger this year. Then we are going to combine my oldest with her middle school graduation so…even bigger. I don’t know if I’d have it any other way…or if I could?!

My GeekyLink for this week, I had bookmarked awhile ago but hadn’t read through it till today. Oh my goodness, this list of Free Stuff from NASA will provide hours upon hours of fun for my 9 year old! They have paper models with instructions! She had asked for big kid legos for Christmas and Santa obliged. She even bought a set herself with Christmas money. She is beginning to get into experiments. So I think she could get into the idea of a paper model. Especially if I make it clear she could work uninterrupted for most of it. There are links to free printable posters. She’d love them. I need to go back and look at the lists of apps and audio files that you can make into ringtones.

He’s a good boy…

The dip that I made for the strawberry Red Angry bird with blueberries for eyeballs and eyebrows and grape kiwi snouted Green Pig was a Brown Sugar Fruit Dip from Half Baked. I found it pinned as a cheesecake fruit dip so I thought it was perfect for the strawberries.

For the pineapple Yellow Angry Bird, I made this Coconut Cream Fruit Dip from Dessert Now, Dinner Later! This recipe was a revelation! I had never heard of using whipped coconut cream before. It was hard not to finish off the leftovers.

While, both recipes call for Cool Whip I used homemade lightly sweetened whipped cream, just my preference.

The Crafting Chicks link for Angry Birds Cupcakes that I loved! Can you believe I had every other chip in my cupboard except minis? I had to use individual jimmies for the eyeballs instead and poke them into the eyes of the birds. It worked. I used colored sugar on all of them. About those snouts…frosting a cut marshmallow is no easy task.

All the leftover fruit and veggies that I only used a few of in making the faces, made its way onto extra platters so nothing went to waste.

Sundays with Joy/Sweet Potato Pie with Easy No Roll Piecrust

Writing this on Thanksgiving morning after everything is baked, half of it is packed and I am still in my pajamas soon to get ready to go to my Uncle’s house in a few hours.  I actually made this pie last Saturday and am just getting to write about it now.  Even though I’m disappointed in myself for not getting to blog about this earlier I am pretty proud of myself for finishing up everything I wanted to make for Thanksgiving without any major baking fails.  There is a first time for everything.

Anyway, onto the pie.  The one thing I really really loved about this pie (except for the crust which is its own crowning glory) is the addition of coriander.  Yup coriander.  It really hangs onto the savory side of the sweet potato and helps to meld it to the sweet side of pie.  The filling is creamy and lovely and baked up amazingly well.  As with my favorite pumpkin pie recipe, it does have a little filling leftover to bake in a mini pie or ramekin all alone for you to stuff into your face privately.  That way when you can resist in front of family and friends, they think you have sweet superpowers.  The crust is just awesome!  Joy said to bake this pie in a 10 inch pie shell but I only had 9 inch and as such should have put some of the crust inside my ramekin to go with my extra filling but alas I didn’t and the crust was a little thick but plenty yummy.  I have made it once before, as it is on her blog and this time it came out much better.  I can tell I am getting the hang of this baking thing a little bit.  Most of this pie made it to my dad’s because I have been seriously negligent in bringing him the things I have been baking lately.  He did get half a sourdough on Saturday (the first one in my family to get any) and even though half is kind of lame it is all I could spare.  That is the one thing that bugs me about sourdough.  It takes time.  Unless I make a gallon of sponge, it is going to be awhile before everyone gets a loaf while I still make them for home to go with dinner or sandwiches.

My personal sweet potato pie ramekin.

Don’t forget to check out Bakeaholic Mama for the other variations and pictures.  And please don’t for get to buy Joy’s fantastic cookbook.

My GeekyLink this week, well, moves us onto Christmas.  My brother just sent me this fantastic link of 10 Gifts You Should Get Your Daughter This Christmas.  While I do like the idea of Science kits I don’t know if I could get my oldest into the idea of a perfumery one or a spa one.  The books are great but my favorite, their #1 Goldie Blox™ is the one I really want for my girls but it isn’t available till April (Christmas fail).  It teaches them about spacial reasoning with the hope of jump starting an interest in engineering.  My oldest has been flirting with that whole idea (thank you NASA!) and even though they look more appropriate for my five year old, it is one of those things that my oldest would think was babyish, she would see her younger sister playing with it, and would immediately take it over.  I guess it will have to wait for Easter.

Happy Thanksgiving, I gotta hop in the shower now.

Chewy Blondies and Running Out of Time

I only had to make these twice.  No fault of my own, I made my adaptations and they were good and all would have been fine but my daughter had her soccer party the night I made these and time ran out and I couldn’t finish baking them.  However, remember when I talked about happy accidents?  The same thing here.  I added 3/4 of the add ins called for in this recipe and even with the undercooked batch I HAD to taste them.   I realized that there still were too many for me.  I really wanted to go for more of a “plain” blondie.  I love these now and am super glad I had the opportunity to adjust them!

Man, time is just getting away from me lately.  I made the blondies last week.  I wanted to post on Sunday but it just didn’t happen.  Last week was filled with trimester awards for my girls during the week and early morning participating in the 100 Mile Club.  They run for about 30 minutes but I have to stay there and walk my kindergardener to class because they start 10 minutes before the rest of the school and that is about 2-3 laps that her big sister would be behind.  The girls had Friday and Monday off and those were big work days for me and the kids.  Friday, I gave the girls a list of things to get done and all the kids and I cleaned the house.  Saturday, as always, is soccer.  Even though my daughter’s season just ended I still have two nephews that I gotta see through to playoffs!  Sunday we rented movies and stayed in but that day I tried to rest.  Monday was awesome!  My son’s preschool was still open and so I took him to school but then I took my girls to breakfast.  I had no business spending that kind of money on breakfast (I mean Christmas is coming up for goodness sake) but one thing my mom taught me is no matter how much money we didn’t have, we always had money when an opportunity to do something special came up.  Justin called us during breakfast wondering where we were and he understood.  He didn’t even make me bring him breakfast back.

The picture on the left is with one cup of chocolate and butterscotch chips and walnuts EACH. On the right is the one I prefer with just a half cup of each.

On the way back home, we returned our movies and rented Just Dance 4.  It is killing the 9 year old that we don’t have it yet and after the kids played it for awhile, it is kind of killing me too.  I actually haven’t gotten to play it yet and we kept it an extra day.  I need to sneak a session in because I have to return it today.

O yeah, did your realize Thanksgiving is next week?  Let’s just say at some point this week I realized it and began to panic just a little bit.  So I will have this week’s Sundays with Joy and that will probably be it till after Thanksgiving and then I can show you all the things I am making for that.  If you want a sneak peek of some of what I may be making, check out my This Week board on my Pinterest page.  There is one more pie that is in a cookbook that I am especially making for my dad, but other than that the board has all that I hope to bake for Thanksgiving.  I actually think I might get to make desserts this year!  Usually I get rolls, which if you know how much I am in LOVE with bread is not a bad thing either.  Speaking of bread, I believe my sourdough starter is finally done and I am making a sponge tonight and my first sourdough of the fall tomorrow!!!   I really want to make a sandwich with it but we have all gone so long without it that I do believe we will just tear into it and eat it outright.  I can’t wait!

Yes, I brought up Christmas earlier.  Your GeekyLinks today, add to my growing frustration over what to get my oldest.  Not that I don’t know what to get her, I know EVERYTHING to get her.  It is hard not to JUST BUY ALL THE THINGS!  So here now, in addition to Doctor Who stuff, My Little Pony stuff, she wants “real” Legos (we’ve got buttloads of Duplos for the under 6 set) are some gifts that cater to her love of reading.  Also, when we got our iPad, all my husband used it for was to read.  Now he plays an annoying soccer game that he is always yelling at so to get him back to reading I think I am going to get him some gift cards for eBooks.  Last year, he had a big list of books he wanted but I gotta pay attention right now to determine what he wants this year.

Pesto Bread with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Some Halloween Goodies

Happy Halloween folks!  I figured today is as good as any for my first midweek post in two weeks.  I’m bringing you my Pesto Bread that I made awhile back plus a few goodies I made for a party that my oldest had at her school the other day.  They were fall/Halloween goodies but the party was more of a celebration than a Halloween party.  It was for her class from last year. That class did the best in the school on their state test including three girls that got perfect math scores (one may have been related to me).

The best thing about the Candy Corn Cookies are the scraps, ugly but still tasty! Chocolate Chip cookies and Eyeball Oreo Truffles.

Apparently the entire class remembered the eyeball Oreo truffles I made last year and they were requested.  I figured that the Candy Corn Cookies were easy and kept the theme so I made a batch of those.  Lastly, I made a chocolate chip cookie that I added fall M&Ms to at my husband’s suggestion.  When he came home he was floored that I actually listened to him and had some left over just for him.

Making recipes…

I don’t really like making the Oreo truffles (I am the WORST at dipping things in chocolate) but the kids requested it so I did it.  I didn’t get to chill the chocolate chip cookie dough as long as I’d have liked but it’s kinda hard to screw up a chocolate chip cookie.  The Candy Corn Cookies were just as easy as I remembered except next time I am lining my baking pan with parchment (for when the dough chills) because the plastic wrap just wasn’t cutting it.  The dough ended up being really difficult to get out of the pan.

Soft dough, warm dough, little ball of flour…

Onto the bread, I just did the opposite of my Tomato Basil bread (seeing the pesto paste on the shelf at the store gave me the idea).  It was an experiment that worked and I LOVE it when that happens on the first try.  This also was another bread like that one that screamed, “Make me a grilled cheese out of me!”  So I did!  If you like bread that is bursting with flavor than this is the one for you.

My GeekyLink for this week is going to have to be for next year, like last year when I posted the Candy Corn Cookies after Halloween.  Just click the link and save it or pin it so you don’t forget.  A Plethora of Pumpkin Patterns from GeekMom.  My favorite link that they had there and where I got all my pumpkin patterns for this year came from ThinkGeek.  And for any family members (whenever we pick names) this is where you need to shop for me, k?  Once I get a better picture of all our pumpkins I will post them on my Facebook page.  Everyone have a safe and fun Halloween!

So pretty on the inside too!

Sundays with Joy/Vegan Pumpkin Pecan Bread

Life is the master of throwing curve balls.  Remember when I told you about my lovely cat, Sally, that we spent lots of money we didn’t have fixing her broken leg over the summer?  Well, now after just beginning to let her out again (for about 3 weeks) we cannot find her.  Believe me, none of us were at all thrilled that she was going out again (she just gets into trouble) but she INSISTED.  She would meow and meow till you couldn’t take it anymore no matter how loud the computer or television volume.  We’ve looked at the shelter, online, around the neighborhood (we put up signs and posted online ads everywhere) with no luck.  We did get a call a few days ago that my husband followed up but it wasn’t her.

Adding all the pecan bits I had left in the house…

It is still too soon to call it over.  It hasn’t quite been a week.  The younger ones and I are doing fine but my husband and our oldest aren’t taking it well AT ALL.  My oldest cried in the shower the other day after soccer practice.  We could hear her sobbing from the living room.  We tried to comfort her but then she denied she’d been crying.  Apparently the crying didn’t stop once she went to bed either.  It is kind of funny, the two that are so devastated by the loss are the ones trying to convince me to get a new cat.  I think we should save the money on cat food and shots (that Sally was due for) and NOT get another cat, at least for awhile.  They look at me like I’m heartless and I do want to give in sometimes but we have to be practical, especially with Christmas coming up.  Who knows?  Santa may seem fit to bring us a new pet.  Especially since my younger daughter said that she was fine with Sally being gone but she’d better be back by Christmas because it wouldn’t be Christmas without her.  O geez…

Ready for the oven!

Onto the bread…I really loved it.  It reminded me of why I gravitated towards Joy’s blog to begin with-her AWESOME quick bread recipes.  A few slices pair perfectly with coffee in the morning.  This bread is my second favorite vegan recipe.  My first being Joy’s Vegan Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I was really bummed I didn’t have all the pecans that the recipe called for.  I only had between 1/2-3/4 cup of ground pecans, which I think I will use again in addition to coarsely chopped ones.  I could have used other nuts but I didn’t want to change the flavor profile at all.  I really liked where she was going with this bread.  So did my 3 year old.  I had cut into the one I wasn’t taking pictures of, just two slices.  I decided I would wrap up the rest of it and give it to my dad.  My son decided, when I wasn’t looking, it would be the perfect thing to take off the wrapping and dig right into the rest with his hands.  So I had to slice off what he messed up (and yeah I gave it to him) and again wrapped the rest of the bread to give to my dad.  A sad, sad half of a loaf as opposed to a nice 3/4 loaf.  Well, at least we know it was good.  Also, for being vegan, this bread puffed up so nice and pretty you would NEVER know.

As always, please buy my favorite cookbook for the recipe and check out other links for variations (some made muffins!) at Bakeaholic Mama.

My GeekyLink for this week isn’t exactly a link.  Just a tweet from my boyfriend Chris Hardwick that just increases my excitement over Wreck-It Ralph.  I am hoping that my whole family can go together this weekend.  I guess we will figure it out tomorrow night.  Sometimes we all go together, all the little cousins and the grown ups.  If we don’t, I am going to be first in line with my kids on Friday afternoon.  I can’t wait!

Sundays with Joy/Peanut Butter Birthday Cake with the Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

I finished putting together this cake on one of the busiest and most fun days I’ve had in awhile. Some friends of ours needed someone to watch their kids for the day and most Sundays include my kids and I just hanging out and having a lazy day so I offered. I know how hard it is to unload 3 kids so I didn’t hesitate. The only time don’t feel guilty about leaving them with someone is when my dad watches mine because he makes it look so easy. My son could set his house on fire and dad would laugh and say he was just being a boy.

I mix my Ovaltine and cream in this shaker and it gets so nice and thick and yummy. I almost try and make sure I don’t use it all in the frosting.

But I’ve known these kids since forever and two of them since before they were born, in fact, the last two times their mom and I were pregnant together. When our oldest girls were dancing at age 4, she had her son and I had my Sarah. The next year I had Bob first and she had her second little girl a few months later. So I figured with a kid a piece, it would be smooth sailing. It was! Everybody played a little with everyone and I even got the big girls to play with some Play Dough (which made me so happy I couldn’t even tell you). I let them make their own pizzas for dinner and then everyone got a slice of this cake.  The only time it got to be a bit much was when all of the sudden it was 8 pm and I had to get 6 kids ready for bed in an hour with baths/showers included.  I basically just ran up and down the stairs that whole time.

Back to the cake. everyone liked it but both boys DEVOURED it.  Bob just about had a panic attack when he saw me clearing plates.  He ran back to his spot and made sure he got his last bite.  Also, this week I figured since we were doing a cake that I would finally buy a cake stand.  It is okay if I don’t used one for my cakes but…this wasy’s Joy’s cake.  So I went to our new Home Goods that I had been looking for an excuse to go see.  I only found a couple of cake stands and only one I liked.  However, I also found a marked down copy of Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours.  I was torn but eventually (seriously I walked the isles for an hour debating) the book won.  I have only gone through half of it and am already so excited!  More and more and more baking!

The only picture I have of the entire frosted cake.

As always please buy the Joy the Baker Cookbook: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes.  It has already given me so many wonderful surprises and I can’t wait to see what else we get to make!  Check out Bakeaholic Mama and see what spin other bloggers have put on this wonderful cake.  Indigo Scones cake looks so pretty, I can’t even tell you!

Your GeekyLink for today is Story of the Week: Free Fall.  If you were at all enthralled as I was by Felix Baumgartner’s flight last week, check out the story of Lieutenant Colonel William H. Rankin.  Fifty years ago he ejected from his plane without a pressure suit about nine miles above sea level and into a storm.  The link leads to an excerpt from the book that recounts that particular story.  See if you can get passed the part about his distended full term pregnant looking belly or the blood coming from all orifices…

Then eat some cake.

Fourteen Years of Bliss? Hardly and Entirely.

This is MY favorite picture from our wedding.

I have been wanting to write this post for awhile now.  Mostly cause I get to talk about these two people: my mom and my husband. Justin and I were very young when we got married.  We got married a month after my 21st birthday and a week before he was about to turn 21 and a half.  When we look back, we marvel at what little resistance we met from our parents especially since we were so young.  Lord knows I will not be so silent if one of my kids, at 20, who has been dating some other kid for five months says they are going to marry them and marry them soon (six months later).  I wouldn’t be mean or anything but just informative, probably just ask are you sure? and why so soon?  All four of our parents were really pleasant (almost pleased) about everything and surprisingly  very supportive.

See? She looks genuinely happy at her daughter’s 21st birthday party/wedding shower!

One day though, I thought the other shoe had finally dropped.  I don’t remember what I was doing.  I only recall I was in my mother’s room talking to her while she was in her closet.  She somehow got around to asking me if I loved Justin and when I said yes, she said, “No you don’t.”   I thought, this is it, here it comes, and I braced myself.  Then she said something that has stayed with me ever since, probably the most profound and most important thing she has ever said to me.  She continued, “what you feel for him now is nothing compared to how much you WILL love him.”

From our carefree tailgating days in San Diego…

First off, it was nice to know that she felt confident we had some sort of future.  Second, at the time, I couldn’t even imagine at all how right she was.  Our shared history, memories, and experiences as well as our shared future with our kids brings so much depth and focus to this man and our marriage that when I try to think about it, I just cry.  Our life that we have have built together, beginning in my room at my mom’s house, to our little studio with no furniture and only a mattress in the “bedroom”, moving up north for a few years and then moving back home to make our home and all of life that happens in between, it is just crazy.  I would say that I couldn’t be happier but that is not entirely true. My mom isn’t here anymore, to teach me anymore.  What else would I have learned?

…to having babies and more babies.

We all have our things to deal with.  At least she knew I was going to be fine.  We had been married almost 8 years when she passed and we had our first child and were trying to save for our first home.  She knew all of this.  She knew not only that I loved Justin more than when we married but that it was true for him too and that I would be okay, that I would be loved.

I love you Justin, SO much more than the day we were married and I am sure more tomorrow (unless you really piss me off).

My absolute favorite picture of my family. Yes, I did have to live all day every day with my husband for 5 weeks because of that foot and we survived!

I also made him his own entire batch of chocolate chip cookies just for the occasion, Joy the Baker‘s Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, seriously people if you don’t have that book by now…