November 2013 – Long Distance Baking

Happy Thanksgiving! We hope your day is filled with family, friends, and food! Now officially begins the holiday season and it is universally accepted to listen to Christmas music (even though we’ve both been doing that for months). When taking a moment to reflect, we are both beyond blessed by having so much to be thankful for this and every year – loving family, full-time jobs, our health – not everyone is as lucky though.  We’ve both felt the desire to give something back this year, and … [Read more…]

I used to hate Black Bottom Cupcakes growing up. Well, I should not say hate. Hate is a strong word. As mom used to say, “You should only hate the devil and Hitler.” I think it’s safe to throw in some others in that saying too, but she made her point and it has had a lasting effect. To this day, I try and limit my use of the word hate. … [Read more…]

My mother is a firm believer that every woman needs to know how to make homemade pie crust, that it is a necessary skill for life. Problem was, she didn’t have a good recipe! Not that the pie crusts were ever bad, they just weren’t that perfect flaky crust everyone craves. Lucky for us, the mom of one of my friends is practically famous for her pies (as famous as you can be in a town with less than 3,000 people…). My mom spent one day with her learning her secrets, and has since passed it … [Read more…]

I’ve discovered the secret to winning over co-worker love… bring in baked goods on a regular basis. I started baking for my co-workers at my previous job in Los Angeles and you would have thought I was Kate Middleton handing out buckets of gold. They were truly the most appreciative group of people and they always loved what I brought in! I also love baking for my co-workers because I don’t want to eat all the sweets by myself. And trust me, I’ll eat every last bite. One of the traits I … [Read more…]

It’s true. I love Harry Potter. More than most. In fact I once flew to California, had my boyfriend pick me up at the airport, and immediately drop me off at the theater so I could see the midnight showing with Kelly. It’s only natural that my roommate and I (who also is HP obsessed) host a Harry Potter party! With butterbeer…of course. … [Read more…]

I like pumpkin dessert for what it symbolizes: Fall, coziness, a fire crackling in the fireplace, big comfy sweaters, cold weather, a good book and a lazy Sunday afternoon. I like baking with pumpkin because it means my favorite time of year is finally here and I love the smell of pumpkin spice because it reminds me of my childhood trips to Apple Hill and makes me miss home, or in my case this year, happy to be home! I have one problem with pumpkin, however. I don’t really like the taste. I … [Read more…]