Krista's Kakery
When baking is more than just an obsession. It's life.
Remembering Mikey
Every now and then, something happens to put your life in perspective. It can be something small, like seeing someone less fortunate than you to make you thankful for your life. It can also be something major, like losing a loved one.
Jennifer Perillo, of In Jennie’s Kitchen, recently lost her husband, Mikey, to a sudden heart attack. On her website, she posted a heartbreakingly sweet video of him dancing with their young daughter entitled, “One Last Dance.” (Warning: you WILL tear up!) She then followed it with a touching entry of how her fellow bakers could do something to honor him: making a peanut butter pie.
Unfortunately, the news of Mikey’s passing didn’t reach me until late last night. I really wish I would have known before Friday, so that I could have made his peanut butter pie and shared it with someone.
Things like this…I wish I knew why they happened. A few weeks ago, a high school friend died at age 36 from melanoma. It’s been almost 10 years since my best friend passed away for reasons unknown at age 26. So young. I don’t know how old Mikey was, but I do know that it was too soon. My heart aches for his wife, his children, his family and friends. Gone in an instant…how do you ever stay grateful for the things and the people you have in your life before you realize it’s too late?
I know it won’t be Friday, but I promise to make that pie and share it.
For Mikey.
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15 Years of Beauty
On August 5, 1996, my life changed. I became an aunt the very first time to a beautiful girl named Abigail Faith. She was the very first baby in our family, and we were all very excited to see her join our clan. My parents were absolutely over the moon to finally have their very first grandchild.
Abbey was a bright, alert little baby that even way back then loved having her picture taken. I remember babysitting her one night with my parents, and she was crying and crying…nothing we did made her stop. Then I brought out the camera, took a picture, and she stopped. One second: crying. Sees the camera: stops and smiles. After the flash: screaming again. Absolutely hilarious. I will never forget that night. I still have the pictures of it to this day.
Crying Abbey!
Abbey sees the camera! LOL
Over the years, Abbey has grown from a funny, charming little girl with an infectious giggle to a beautiful young woman with a wonderful smile and a genuine love for people. She is amazing with children, and is always ready with a smile. It has been an honor to be able to be a part of those years. I have enjoyed watching Abbey through all of her life stages so far.
Like learning to talk…
…learning to walk…
…playing in the snow…
…having tea parties…
…becoming a big sister…
…being a loving cousin…
…growing bigger every day…
…learning how to be a friend…
…learning how to ride a bike…well, kind of…LOL
…experimenting with makeup…
…looking exactly like her mother…
…enjoying time with the family…
…turning into a lovely little lady…
…somehow morphing into this striking, gorgeous young woman who steals the hearts of everyone she meets…
…especially mine.
Happy Birthday, my dear Abigail. I hope you realize just how brightly you shine, and how wonderful you are. Never let anyone bring you down, or make you feel like you are not worth anything. The world really IS your oyster, baby girl. Treasure your family and friends, for they are the rocks you will cling to as the years go by. And trust me…they will go by very quickly…faster than you are prepared for! LOL
You will always be so special to me, and unconditionally loved by your family for all time. May you continue to be blessed, and I wish for you a lifetime of happiness and the love of a sweet young man someday like you so richly deserve.
I love you.
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Gather ’round the table
Last week, my niece and nephew stayed with us here in NOVA. Ever the dutiful aunt, I snapped pictures galore, probably driving them bananas. I had a plan for them, though. I know that my niece is a huge fan of scrapbooking, so I opened up all of my scrapbooking supplies and let them have at it, chronicling their visit here for the week.
While they were busy working on their books, I placed some of the pictures I have been collecting over the years into albums. Admittedly, I got a little teary-eyed as I looked back at my family pictures. I thought about how much everything had changed, how much everyone had aged, how big the kids were now, and how I could never go back to those times. I also thought about how those were some of the happiest moments of my life, and how I was too ignorant to realize it, and how I’d taken it for granted.
One thing that I noticed repeating its presence in picture after picture, was our old dining room table. It seems that so many of the pictures were of my family, sitting around that old table. Meals, playing games, birthday parties, homework, crafts, talking, visiting…that table was like a divining rod for our family and friends. I really thought about how many happy times we spent with our family and loved ones at that table. How some of them would never sit with us at any tables ever again.
When the family started growing with marriages and grandkids, my parents got a larger table. I am not quite sure whatever happened to that old table we sat at for all of those years, but I found myself wishing I had asked my mother to set it aside for me. If there were any item of furniture in our house that could tell the most stories, that table would be it. I still miss it. Not because it was beautiful in any sense of the word, but because of what it symbolized in our family.
The new table has taken on the mighty job of becoming the familial divining rod just fine. It has already seated many of our loved ones, extended families, friends, and hosted its own collection of parties and crafts. It may not get its fair share of homework like its predecessor, but I am sure it will be well loved nonetheless.
So, the cool thing is now Beau and I have our own table…and we are already making memories with it. Dinners with friends, crafting with the kids, decorating dozens of cakes and cupcakes, intimate dinners for two, game nights…you name it. It’s a small, newlywed table: it seats four…six on a stretch. Eventually, our table will get bigger so it can hold all of our memories in life.
I think the table is very favorite piece of furniture in the world.
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Surf, Sand, and Oreo Balls
After just spending a lovely weekend at the Outer Banks with my entire family, I was also blessed with my niece and nephew coming home with me to Northern Virginia for another whole week. This has been a special treat for me, and I am loving it.
So far, we have played Laser Tag.
Baked and decorated cookies.
gone shopping, played Wii and Xbox.
Made Oreo balls…
…and it’s only Tuesday! It’s so wonderful to hear the laughter of kids in our house, and it’s even more wonderful to spend so much time with these special young people. What a fantastic week this is turning out to be, with much more planned for us to do.
I have also found out that Amelia and Ethan LOVE to work in the kitchen! The first batch of cookies, we all worked together rolling, cutting and baking. The second batch…I let them loose in the kitchen to do the whole process by themselves. I think they REALLY enjoyed themselves, and I enjoyed hearing their laughter and conversation from the kitchen when they thought I was not listening.
So far, this week is going great…can’t wait to see what else we have in store for us!
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Drama, Blood…and Chocolate?
Tonight is the season premiere of one of my guilty pleasures:
I thought to make a little something to – pardon the pun – nibble on, but was at a loss on what to do. Red velvet cupcakes? Vampire cookies? Heaven knows, I have rolled, cut out, baked and decorated more cookies than I want to admit this weekend. Unfortunately, the thought of doing more of that made my – forgive the pun again – blood run cold.
My next thought was comfort food. Something yummy, simple, and quick.
When I was little, my Aunt Dollie would make us kids something that she called, “Bingle Bangles.” I remember as a kid, absolutely loving these little cookies and begging her to make them when we’d come over to play. They were magical, these little drops of chocolate peanut butter oatmeal love.
It wasn’t until many years later in junior high taking Home Economics that I found out they were the same no-bake cookies that everyone was taught how to make if they took the class.
I still adore them, and consider them a comfort food of sorts. My dad still asks me to make them from time to time, and he calls them…”Bingle Bangles.” That’s just what they are known to us as in my family, and we love them.
Surely you, dear reader, have made them before…yes? (if not, for giggles I will put the recipe at the end of this post) You know the drill: milk, sugar, butter, cocoa, peanut butter, oatmeal, vanilla. When I decided to make these cookies, I decided to bring a new group of players to the table and mix it up a bit.
Chocolate milk, chocolate oatmeal AND Ghirardelli sweet chocolate? I have three words for that:
NOM, NOM, NOM!
However, I do have a secret weapon. Something that every baker needs in their arsenal of baking.
Vanilla extract. Big whoopie, right? Noooo…this is vanilla from Honduras. It is the Queen Mother of vanilla. Even the way it smells makes my mouth water. It makes whatever I use it in have the most amazing flavor. I am currently out. *sad face* I am also currently emailing the company in Honduras to find out if I can buy some from them. It really is THAT amazing.
Back to the cookies. How did they turn out, right?
YUM. Period.
Even Gray the cat looked interested in trying one!
No, my furry partner in crime. Chocolate and peanut butter is a definite no for you. It should be for mommy as well, but…*shrugs and grins*
Time to go snuggle on the couch with my sweet husband, kitties, and a big blanket. If you’re a True Blood fan, enjoy!!
And because I am good on my word…
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All the ingredients for Angry Birds!
So a lovely lady by the name of Lynne contacted me and asked if I could help her with cupcakes for a baby shower. When she explained that she wanted cupcakes with pigs and birds, I was super excited and bursting with ideas and plans.
The first question my husband asked me was, “Birds and pigs? Are you going to make the pig cupcakes and throw the bird cupcakes at them?”
He’s so cute it hurts my brain. >_<
I calmly explained to him that we weren’t talking about angry birds cupcakes (although I do dig that idea), but cute little birds and cute little piggies that would be for a baby shower. I can’t imagine there are crib sheets for Angry Birds but if there is, I for one don’t want to know about it.
I think I grossly underestimated exactly how much work was going to be involved in four dozen bird and pig cupcakes with cookie and fondant decorations. Make the cookie dough, chill the cookie dough, cut out the cookies, bake the cookies, cool the cookies, make the icing, tint the icing, decorate the cookies, make the fondant, tint the fondant, roll the fondant, cut out the fondant, decorate the cookies. *whew* That was just for the cookies alone…we haven’t even gotten to the four dozen cupcakes yet!
Hand making all of the cupcake picks that said, “Welcome Olivia!” was another several hour long process, but I could not be any more tickled with the way that they came out. When I put them on the bird cupcakes, I was SO glad I made them. They were just too cute and full of personality! It was perfect.
Know what, though? It was fun! Exhausting, but really fun >_<
When it came to making the piggies, I can say that Wilton saved the day with their new candy eyes. They were perfect for the pigs! My only complaint about them would be the pupils not being consistent in size or design. Well…that having to put them on using tweezers! LOL
Congrats to Nadine, and welcome Miss Olivia! I wish you both a wonderful shower!
Thank you Lynne for the business and I hope everyone enjoys the cupcakes! Hopefully your sister got in okay as well.
My super sweet husband helped me clean my kitchen. That was wonderful, because it looked like I’d popped a balloon full of powdered sugar everywhere! I do love that man. I am so blessed to have him.
With that, I am going to sit down and rest. Well earned.
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A Taste of Heaven
Today I got the urge to bake. (finally!)
My husband is a part of a gaming group that meets every other Friday night. Connie is the hostess with the mostest that cooks a giant meal for the entire group, dessert included. She makes some of the best cheesecake I have ever put in my mouth. When my husband told me that Connie is working and will miss the game, I offered to make some cupcakes for the group to soften the blow of missing out on Connie’s awesome home cooking.
Sean, one of the guys in the group, mentioned a long time ago that he wanted me to make him some red velvet rum cupcakes. I have a rum emulsion that I have been dying to try out, and this gives me the perfect excuse to do it.
What really set this all in motion was when I got the idea for some chocolate rum buttercream frosting. The rum emulsion paired with the butter and the Ghirardelli chocolate is nothing short of amaaaaaaaazing! It’s perfect…not too sweet, while being very light in taste. The cupcakes turned out flawlessly; moist, dense, and tasting all chocolatey-rummy-yummy. Adding the chocolate coconut flavored sprinkles to the top just seemed silly at first, but it adds a tiny bit of crunch and the coconut really brings out the rum flavors.
I can’t stop raving about these cupcakes. Really.
I split one with my hubby for tasting purposes, and it got the seal of approval. I love taste testing with him, because I know he will be honest with me about what he thinks.
I love you, honey <3
Thanks for being the taste tester of a crazy baking woman. I know it’s such a tough job…heehee!
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And the South shall rise again!
When someone mentions southern cooking, what comes to your mind first? I am willing to bet that one of the very first things that pops into your heads is fried chicken. I’m right, aren’t I? ;)
One of the things that I wanted to learn how to cook first from my parents, was my dad’s fried chicken. He has been making awesome fried chicken for as far back as I remember, and everyone has always raved about it. Before I moved away from home, I made sure that I knew how to cook daddy’s chicken. I prepared myself for learning the most complex recipe ever…because it’s so good that it had to be hard, right?
This is daddy’s gorgeous fried chicken. A whole platter full of it! That’s what happens when daddy asks what his daughter wants for her birthday dinner. The family gets a platter full of chicken, and his spoiled daughter (*cough*) gets a chocolate cake with peanut butter icing. heh heh heh
The first thing he told me was that it was important to soak the chicken in the fridge overnight in salted cold water. I once asked him why, and he said it draws the blood out of the chicken and tenderizes it. His favorite thing to cook is giant, meaty chicken legs. (to be honest, that’s my not-so-secret favorite, too!)
So here we go, here is the super complex, super secret recipe. Get your pens ready!
* Soak chicken overnight in salted cold water in the fridge.
* Pour buttermilk in a bowl.
* Pour flour in a bowl. Nope, don’t measure it. Eyeball it.
* Salt & pepper the flour to taste. Again, just eyeball it. ”Real cooks don’t measure stuff”
* Rinse your chicken and pat dry. Dredge through buttermilk, then flour mixture. Place in hot oil, cooking chicken slowly until done.
That’s it. I swear.
O_o
I guess you can call this my first lesson that in cooking, sometimes simple is better.
God, I love my Dad.
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HE’S ALIVE!
“Sin, where are your shackles? Death, where is your sting? Hell; has been defeated. The grave could not hold the King!”
Happy Easter to all.
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