Saccharine Thoughts

After a tiring weekend of driving and lots of buttercream icing, I can mark one more thing off my list of things to accomplish before my birthday in November. My junior high pal Megan was married in Mineral Wells this weekend, and I had the privilege of playing an active part by making her wedding cake. Megan chose a Fall theme with lots of yellows and oranges and owls everywhere. When we met back in May to discuss the sugary details, she simply provided me with 5 pages of printed cake pictures, an invitation and a ribbon sample, saying "I trust you to make me something I'll love." Uh, pressure much? So I took the confidence she had in me and ran with it, creating the 4-flavor 5-tier 240-serving monster of a pastry you see here. In a turn of potential disaster the bottom layer (filled with lemon-cream cheese goodness) slid on the board, threatening a cake-toppling catastrophe. Dad and I *carefully* pulled it out of the back of their CRV and got it to the display table, t...

credit Here, my friends, comes the next installment of Two Dozen Doozies, my quest to undertake 24 new things before I turn 24. This specific doozie came rather unexpectedly, and I was quite sure I didn't want to cross it off my list until I was much closer to my November deadline. I sat through the summer with arms crossed, obstinately and presumptuously thinking that I knew what was best. Yes, I thought, I'll wait a while. I have plenty to focus on. Heart has some healing to do. No dates for this busy little lady. The universe retorted, "Oh really?" And threw me a curve ball in the form of a boy with pretty blue eyes and all the right words. Dammit. So one fateful Wednesday in July from across the poker table, boy made eyes at me over his winning hand of cards. "Smooth-talking asshole" were the misinformed descriptors that came to mind, and I thus gave him little more than my name and the time of day until the following weekend. That weekend, date went as ...

Why, what's this? Well well, it looks like me. On a stage. With a mic in my hand. Yes indeed, last Friday I drug my semi-sick self out to fulfill #11 on my list of 24 Things to Do. This actually makes the 3rd time I've sang karaoke in the past month - the first two times were warm-ups at Ego's, where I assuredly dazzled with my renditions of Total Eclipse of the Heart and The Donna's Take It Off . This was a whole other playing field because, in case you didn't notice, there's a real live band behind me. Those are the Dead Motley Sex Maidens, who facilitate Austin karaoke enthusiasts in fulfilling their exhibitionist needs through live band karaoke. Somehow I convinced myself to play lead singer through Poison's Talk Dirty to Me . Can I get a holy crap please? In case anyone is wondering why this is such a big deal in my little head, it's because through most of my life I was more or less socially handicapped by paralyzing stage fright. We're not ta...

I promise I don't have a fixation with bacon. No, really. I'm actually a vegetarian. Sort of, part-time, etc... I DO, however, have friends with pork problems, and I just facilitate their habits :) Just for Kim, here is the candied bacon ice cream from David Lebovitz 's archives. For the candied bacon: 5 strips bacon ~2 tablespoons light brown sugar Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Lay the strips of bacon on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or aluminum foil, shiny side down. Sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons of brown sugar evenly over each strip of bacon. Bake for about half an hour. Midway during baking, flip the bacon strips over and drag them through the melted sugar. Remove from oven and cool the strips on a wire rack. Once crisp and cool, chop into little pieces - I used a food processor here. At this point in the process, you'll want to beware of adorable bacon burglars . Just a head's up. For the ice cream custard: 3 tablespoons salted butter ¾ cup ...

I am joining Sarah Von in her endeavor to do 30 new things before she turns 30. I have 24 weeks until my 24 th birthday, so that just worked out way too well to not take part. Drumroll please: Find an organization to volunteer and become actively involved with. Hostess a breakfast/brunch, with Saturday morning cartoons. Take voice/singing lessons. Take a stripping/pole dancing class. Hostess a RockBand party. Learn to make pasties! Get an addition to my tattoo. Take a bellydancing class Go on a date. Go country dancing Do Karaoke. And rock at it. Spend a day thrift shopping Have my tarot cards and palms read. This may not be a first - I had a tarot reading done at the ren faire, but the reader was adamant that I would have a proposal for marriage before March, which I adamantly protested - so I am demanding a second opinion. Spend a day book shopping. Take a vacation. Preferably to somewhere I've never been. Make a wedding cake! (Not my own) ...