Patiently Waiting

For these muffins to cool. In the meanwhile I procrastinate with taking pictures, checking Facebook, and playing around with the template for this site (again!). At some point I am sure I will either (a) teach myself html so I can format this to look exactly the way I want it or (b) buy Seton a beer and beg him to redesign it for me.

Why does the layout matter so much? And why would I be writing about that instead of the muffins that are sharing this dining table/desk/end table/catch all for my junk that I am currently sitting at? Because I am adore order and I work best when my working area works for me. Things need to be where they belong. Out of place and I concentrate more on that then the task at hand. Hence, the entire paragraph on this ridiculousness.

It has been AGES since I have written or posted anything, hasn't it? Apart from this site I have also been relaxed in posting to other food blogging sites. Not to mention my time in the kitchen has not been nearly as plentiful as I hoped.

Yes, there was the 5am attempt at dried apricot scones. Turned out more like weird biscuits. Not a fan.

There was my baby brother's birthday cake. That was started, um, twice. That's what happens when you get in your mind that the cake you were making called for 1 1/2 cups of milk instead of just 1/2. And, well, once you have already beaten in the four eggs into the over the top milk, well, you have no choice but to start over. There went 4 eggs, 1 1/2 cups of milk, and about 2 cups of flour (something like 10 ounces). Oh, and sugar. There was sugar in there too. And vanilla extract! All of it in the trash. Started again. I can't believe I forgot the wasted butter too. I need to move on. Moving on. The cake. Tasty. Basic yellow with a lemon icing. The icing was SWEET and quite lemony. My niece licked all of the frosting clear off her cake and kept saying out loud how good it was. I truly believe that is what every baker strives to hear--a five year old who never eats anything you bake and calls your souffle a "snowflake" exclaim loudly how good the cake is.

The remaining icing had to then be used somehow. So I made cupcakes out of another yellow cake batter. Keith and I took those to two separate picnics and the remaining ones were taken to work where colleagues decided dessert was best served at 10am with the first morning's cup of coffee. Who am I to argue?

There was a batch of late night cookies. I played with the recipe and added a touch of ginger. A few days later the cookies are still moist and chewy and the ginger is coming on strong. Gives a great extra kick to the overall taste. And it makes me want to buy a cookie jar. Some people disagree but who doesn't love a cookie jar?

There was also my first (well, second) batch of bread. But that will be for a later post and a tomorrow post. Because I am tired. My feet are dirty. And I need a shower.

But tonight. Tonight I took a great gift of Raspberry Peach Champagne Jam and I folded two heaping spoonfuls of it into the muffin batter I had waiting. I find myself waiting now. Not so patiently. I need the muffins to cool so I can wrap and freeze for later consumption. There is nothing like taking one of those out of its casing and plopping it in the oven to warm to have with a cup of joe in the morning.

I sent a message of thanks to the giver of the gift along with a picture of the cooling muffins. This serves as an extra thanks. A humble thanks. A very grateful thanks.

Now what should I bake tomorrow? ;-)