friendsgiving

This week has been pretty busy with school and friends-giving planning! Our group of friends has decided to throw a mini Thanksgiving this Sunday, supposedly for our few (let's hope it doesn't turn into a party). Along with this is a bunch of school work and work that is wearing me down. Anyways I'm in charge of vegetable sides and stuffing but I'm also going to be making extras since the vegetables are easy to prepare.

I'm making:

Green Beans with Shallots and Breadcrumbs
Ginger and Jalepeno Glazed Carrots
Stuffing
Baked Mac & Cheese (yum!)
Pumpkin Cupcakes

The shopping and the cooking starts today since I work tomorrow morning, and will probably stress myself out trying to make everything in a few hours. The macaroni will freeze well and just be put in the oven tomorrow so it's hot. I think I might also do the cupcakes today so I can just decorate them Sunday. No thanks to piled pots and pans for me to come home to. I'll be sure to post pictures when all is accomplished..hopefully. *fingers crossed

Jesse's birthday went surprisingly well. The day of shopping was ridiculous and consisted of 4 separate stops to different stores. In the end the Pesto that I winged turned out really delicious and everyone loved it. Being surrounded by family and friends that were eager to help wasn't bad at all. Dinner ended up being Pesto Cavatappi (Jesse's favorite noodle hah) with fake chicken, roasted carrots and asparagus, garlic bread, and the cinnamon streusel cake with soy ice cream for dessert. It was all super simple, low key, and really fun.

All the food

Jesse's mom (Pat), niece(Emma), sister (Jennet), and brother-in-law (Joshua)

Cookies that Jennet made

The cinnamon streusel cake

kiss the cook

I decided to actually sit down and redo my blog layout. It took me forever and it's still not what I want it to be! I've also decided to combine this with the cooking blog I was going to start since I hardly write in this one anyways. I shouldn't say cooking blog, it'll be more of a baking blog. Cooking on occasion when I have the time and I'm feeling experimental. Baking just comes more natural to me and has become a hobby and a passion. I'm looking toward opening my own bakery one day, someday far away :) I love trying and reading new recipes especially since I need to modify them sometimes to accommodate different diets. I occasionally go vegan myself because it's a lot healthier and tastes the same if not better! I also substitute because Jesse's sister Jennet, and her husband Joshua are both vegans and since I love baking for other people it's made me a pro in vegan baking.

So coming up on the 16th is Jesse's birthday and he requested a Cinnamon Streusel Cake. I've never made a streusel before but the recipe looks pretty simple. This weekend will be a test trial so wish me luck! Jesse's birthday will also call into action my cooking skills since we are just doing a simple dinner with at home with his family. I'm REALLY going to need some luck with that. Getting into the fall season has made me use more spices and I've been making more cakes with pumpkin and cinnamon etc. I made a vegan Zucchini cake for Jennet's birthday and it was a success. I'll be making this cake again for the football game this Sunday when we go over to our friends Nate and Hollie's house. Go Patriots!

I'll be posting more pics and blogs up soon.