Happy Birthday!

Yeah I know, I really should say Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you have a wonderful day with family, friends, or quiet solitude-whatever you have going today make it terrific! Make sure to take the extra second to say thank you to all those who matter to you and let them know how special they are. Like to all of you, thank you for being the best blog friends a girl could ask for. I am very thankful for your friendship, encouragement, and humor!

But, for today I get a dual celebration. This day also happens to be the birthday of the most incredible man I know. Happy Birthday Prince Charming! Thank you for being my best friend, a compassionate husband, a gentle soul, a always unpredictable joker, and the love of my life. I cherish every moment I have been blessed with having you in my life and wish for you many, many more years of living life to the fullest.

I love you Prince Charming, forever and always!

PS Did I mention in the midst of all the Thanksgiving feast and preparation, I also had to make the most over the top carrot cake with cream cheese frosting you can imagine? Good thing I love him isn't it? HA!

Headed for the hills

Well, the day has finally arrived for the long dreaded drive to the MIL ranch. I hope I have remembered to pack everything, made the list, checked it twice etc. Oh well, improvise is my middle name if I didn't.

Best wishes for all your holiday preparations, enjoy the day!

New toys

Don't you just love new toys? Frankly the Prince says if I don't have a yard sale soon we may have to move, but I can't help it. I love to cook, experiment, try new things. I bought my new friend on, you guessed it, QVC, but I think there are other sources and there is always http://www.cookschoice.com/.

Meet my friend the Better Baker Gourmet Bowl Maker! They come in two sizes, 3 inch or 5 inch. Mine is the 3in as I thought it would be more versatile for things like party treats or if you are hungry you can just have two! Oh, the goodness you can make is endless. Seriously. You just make any old cake mix, bread mix, bisquit mix, whatever strikes your fancy. Poor in the molded pans, pop out when done and you have an edible bowl to fill with any old thing you want. The following are examples from their website to give you an idea.

Who wouldn't worshship you if you serve up a cinnamon pancake for breakfast filled with warm apples and some warm maple syrup?

Or impress the guests with a simple brownie mix filled with ice cream, drizzle with syrup. Good eats for sure.

And a final peek of sheer goodness, make an ice ring to serve up some shrimp cocktail! Genious I tell you, simply genious. Uniform sizes, endless possibilities. Think bisquits and gravy, chili in a bread bowl, stew in a sourdough bowl, pumpkin mouse filled spice cups, chilled soup in a ice bowl (slip a few flowers or fruits in the mold to be in the ice), strawberry short cake, quiche, oh my. I think the choices are endless! You can bet after this Thanksgiving chaos I will be whipping up a few varieties to try this out. Thinking a cheese cake deal for Christmas desert with a filling, hmmmm.... now if I just had my vanilla paste..............

Mourning the loss of a friend

I simply must share my sadness over the loss of a dear, sweet friend. This friend filled my home with love, tender moments, spicy flavor, subtle flecks of sunshine, warming the senses with the sultry flare of complexity. Yes, it is a sad, sad day and I will be forever in mourning. Seriously, forever.

My friends, it is with deep sadness I share with you the name of my VERY best treasured friend who is no more.





His name was Trader Joe's Vanilla Bean Paste. Simple, stately name, completely unglamorous, honest, and true. Yep, my friend has been called to the retail heaven in the sky, never to be seen, smelled, shared, or cherished again. My heart is heavy and my pantry is in full mourning. My baked goods will never be the same again, my senses forced to endure the more costly, less exotic taste of plain Jane old vanilla. Snob that I am simply refuses to accept the "alternatives" out there from "high class joints charging over 3 times what I will pay" for the delicacy. Sniff, sniff, sniff.

Suppose there is a Vanilla Paste Addicts Anonymous group out there I can join? I just want my vanilla paste back folks. Is that seriously so much for one girl to ask for? Pretty please?