I didn't run away

I know it's been more than a month since I last posted something. I guess I've more busy than I thought I was.

Mom and Dad's Visit

Mom and Dad have come and gone from their visit. They are even back home from CA. Well, here's a few details.

Pre-visit preparation included a major cleaning of the house with rearrangement of the furniture in the living room. Now I really can use the elephant chair.

We visited Princess Annika in Queens. Mom and Dad's first meeting with the Princess. Had a great time. Got slightly lost going home because I missed my exit. No gps, no navigator. M/D are no help. Thank goodness I didn't freak out, I would have still been in queens if I did. Found my way back, lots of traffic. But made it home

Mother's Day went to Rutger's Garden Plant Sale. Got a hanging plant and few herbs to replace the ones that didn't survive this winter. Mom was oooing and ahhing at the azaleas that were in bloom. Here's a picture of M/D in a sea of azalea.

The only snag of the whole trip was the last day when I took M/D to the mall. D decided to not to come to J. Jill as M and I shopped. I guess we took too long and he decided to find the bathroom without tell us he was leaving. When we come out of the store, he was no where in site. Long story short--D was missing for awhile (well in my mind he was), I walked the whole mall (really fast) looking for him and he doesn't a cell phone or have my cell number. In the end I find him walking back towards where were. I don't think he even knew I thought I lost him. What I learned from this trip to the mall, stop at bathroom before we separate and maybe get a disposable cell just to in case.

Knitting

In between a lot of unfinished projects. Just can't finish anything especially any pattern that needs a lot of attention. Too tired, make too much mistakes, rip, rip rip. But I'm making attempt at toe-up socks for WG. Maybe this toe-up pattern will keep my interest. Here's a pic of the first sock.

Will try to post more often and take more pictures.

I'm so tired and full of anxiety

I need a day of doing nothing. My anxiety is through the roof with taxes and perfomance appraisals. Can't I have one day of sleeping in to 8 and nice massage.

My day as waitress

Worked the lunch shift and now waiting for the dinner crowd at the restaurant. The waitress got sick and no one else could come in.

After that I go home to make birthday cakes for the restaurant. Everyone get birthday cake tomorrow while suplies last. I'm forcing everyone to celebrate. Haha!



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Location:Cafe Bua

Exhausted!

And that's why I haven't posted in a why while.  I think things are catching up with me. I just feel so tired and just can't seem to make it go away. On top of being tired, I've been fighting a headache and anxiety. I need to workout to get it out of my system but when can I fit in my schedule. I wish I had a week of doing nothing but I really don't see that in my near future.

In my crazy baking life, been trying out some new recipes and adding to some old favorites.

-Earl Grey cupcakes with orange marmalade filling and vanilla cream cheese frosting
-Chocolate cupcakes with Nutella filling and chocolate cream cheese frosting
-Sausage and veggie strata (savory bread pudding)
-strawberry cream cheese scones


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Day off from baking

Tonight I have a day off from baking. But I'm still baking in my head. Trying to figure out what I should test next. Macarons, coco puffs, mochi, sweet or savory empanadas. . . The list is endless. On top of that I'm finding interesting savory baked goods (eggless quiche--so like a savory cheesecake). Hmmm . . . Where should I start. Probably tomorrow as it really too late to do anything. I need to get to bed, to get some sleep. If only I wasn't so hot (temperature-wise, that is).

I'm so proud of myself . . .

that haven't had a baking breakdown yet with many potential disaster just waiting to happen (But I was very close to tears a few times). Thanks to the handy thing called a the internet. I found a great solution for broken frosting (butter too cold). If you every need the solution, here's the link for broken and too hard frosting.

The latest disaster is a smoking oven as I was powering through chocolate cupcake batter and a cheesecake in the oven. Forgot to put foil around the springform pan and butter dripped in the oven. Suddenly, I turn to see smoke pouring out the vent of the oven. I don't know if it was because I'm so tired or I'm getting use to thing happening. I calming opened the oven, pulled the cheesecake out, I turned off the oven, turned up the oven fan, jiggled the cheesecake to see if it was down, pulled the racks out and started to clean the mess (waited a little bit for it too cool). Thank goodness the cheesecake was done and I think I save it from the trash can. Now I'm just resting my mind from a close call and will start the cupcake in a bit. 

2 days off from work at the end of the week. I hope I get back in to better form. I have some much on my list to do and try. Let's see if I can get some of it done.

UPDATE: baked the chocolate cupcakes without a incident but the frosting... Just when I thought I was minutes away from finishing up the baking for the night, the stupid frosting started to acted up. Got the the consistency that I wanted, 6 cupcakes done, 6 more to go and the piping tip goes haywire. Tried to unclog it but it just didn't want to work. So the last six looks like it got a bit of a perm. A little bit of curly top. But no tears, so I guess I win.

New flavor cupcake flavor

Chai cupcakes with cardamon spice cream cheese frosting. Trying to be creative with what I'm baking. Saw a recipe for Milk Tea cupcakes from justjenn and thought I could adapted it to a using Chai tea and with a cardamom frosting.

Here's some picture of the cupcakes, before frosting and after. I just took a bite and this may be a new favorite. Nice mild chai tea taste with a little bit of spice from the frosting. Not overly sweet. Added so lemon zest to the frosting. Hope people like as much as I do.