Space, cold, light, frightened, curious…wanting to be held…craving sustenance and affirmation and encouragement that this big, new world will be o.k.

I feel odd facing these challenges at this age, going into the Holidays, and at the time in my life when I should be the happiest, most secure, and most content. I know that my faith/trust/hope  in God will see me through and the outpouring of love and prayers and well wishes from my fans, readers, friends, family, and followers has been, in a word, staggering.  Thank you.

I have many challenges ahead, many difficult choices, and painful journeys through my thoughts, memories, and the dark recesses of my mind where I haven’t peeked in years. But hey, on the bright side, there will be awesome food, right?

So, I am ready for some surfing. You?

• Chai Coffee Cake from Tartelette looks like a great way to get a chilly day on track.
• Snickers Surprise Cookies from Jenny Bakes…wow..no surprise that they look great.
• Homemade Candy Corn from Dessert First..I love candy corn..really really love it.
• Stuffed Breakfast Poblano Peppers from Mele Cotte …Oh my these look good!
• Gingerbread Biscotti from She Runs She Eats..I love gingerbread in any form.
• Roasted Tomato Soup from Cafe Fernando …send a care package here please!
• Orange Slice Bread from CD Kitchens…Lets all pretend that it really IS a bread and not a cake, ‘K?
• Chicken Pumpkin Stew from Yumsugar
• Roasted Acorn Squash with Green Tomato and Jalapeno Jam….This is amazing.
• Jalapeno Cheese Burger Bun from Homesick Texan ….Brilliant.

Have a great weekend.

Images: Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

But I am blessed, I love my house (even if I don’t love the location) and my family is awesome. If you didn’t see the pictures I did of Kyrie this week (I posted on facebook) here is a sampling of the absolute cuteness…..

She was playing dress up with the hatbox. My mom’s favorite hats are in that box…along with gloves and scarves and purses…When mom was alive it was not allowed to be opened too much but now I let Kyrie dress up with it… She is quite the ham in front of a camera..but Oh! so photogenic.

So the other big news for the week was that my authors copies of the cookbook came in. It was weird seeing my name on a book.

Are you ready for some blogsurfing?

The Daring Bakers Did Dobos Torte this month. One more time I didn’t get to it. I believe that it is going to be time for me to step out because it is hard for me to commit to doing anything right now and will continue to be until my medication levels out… Anyway..I looked at a lot of them..but the one I liked best was from Canelle et Vanille.  Just beautiful!

Lori, from Recipe Girl, did some awesome Fig Bruschettas with Gorgonzola and Honey

Plum Frangipane Tarts from Veron at Kitchen Musings…

Donna made Key Lime Cheesecake at WayMoreHomemade

Pistachio Petit Four Cake from A Whisk and a Spoon….

And that’s it for this week.  Have  great weekend!

images:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

I am starting to feel frustrated with being out of my kitchen. I think today I will try to get in there and maintain enough momentum to actually finish something. I have an idea for ….well never mind. You should see it soon. I am so ready to be back to full energy that I can’ t stand it. The last surgery I had was when I was 27 and I was definitely back at it before now..of course that was over 20 years ago…Surely I couldn’t be slowing down? The horror!

I was so excited this week because Marc and the kids built a small run for the one, lone chick we hatched. It was the only chick that hatched out of the great “incubation experiment” of 2009 and had been living in the house in a large, metal horse tank tub. It was time for it to move outside, it is half grown and the kids were taking it out everyday for sunshine. It has become a pet, following them around and standing on their feet chirping at them intently. The other chickens would have killed it..and so now it has its very own home. I am hoping to add to it soon.

My scar is healing finally, and it doesn’t look too bad. So much for it being small, though. It is about five inches long, taking up most of the front of my neck. Looks like a five year old sewed it up. I am thinking of getting some black leather and going for a tough-girl look. Thoughts?

O.k… ready to see what I have found?

• Susan at Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy created a homemade version of the 100 Grand Bar, one of my favorites. I am hoping she does Milky Way next.
• I am so going to try Lori’s Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Ben, at What’s Cooking made a Cantaloupe Ginger Ice Cream and reminded me that I need a new ice cream maker.
• Need something savory to clear the palate after all that dessert? Check out Valli’s Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Goat Cheese Croutons.
• Looking for something for back to school lunches? Peanut Butter and Jelly bars from Emily at Sugar Plum look like they would do the trick.

That’s it for me…I hope you have a great weekend, and I hope I get to do some baking!

image:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

I have my consult with the general surgeon on Wednesday, July 15. Not sure where we are headed after that but you know you will be the first to know…o..k…so maybe second to know. I am hoping to get a contest post up later today, so please check back before bedtime.

I can’t believe it is the middle of July, can you? I am looking at the unruly pile of firewood that needs to be split before cold weather gets here and wondering when Matt will have to to do it. We seem to have so much going all the time that it is tempting to give up, sell out, and buy a McMansion on a Zero Lot.  I keep reminding myself how miserable I would be and how miserable the kids would be although a couple of them keep pushing for that lifestyle.

17 years  ago today my third child was born. He was my first to be born at home. So much has changed in our lives since then; we have lost people we love and gained people we love. We have moved several  times. Our finances have changed. More than once! And for some reason, we have been increasingly busier.

I wonder where the simple life went? Where did we lose the ability to sit and drink sweet tea on the porch on a hot afternoon? And more importantly, how do we get that quality of life back?

Today’s blogsurfing Saturday is a little different. Instead of highlighting other blogs I am going to be linking to some very cool posts on Baking Delights that you may have forgotten or not known about. I realized last night that I have so many posts (well over 900) that some of the first ones have become invisible!

• Tie Dyed Tortilla Chips – I love these. I came up with this idea for a groovy retro party. The kids had a great time painting the tortillas and there is just not anything better than homemade chips.
• Blueberry-White Chocolate Muffins – I think the original for this came from Nestle? I have been making them for several years (5 or 6!) and they are ALWAYS a hit. Just in time for National Blueberry Muffin Day today!
• Cookie Dough Brownies – amazingly yummy for all you raw cookie dough fans. This one is in my upcoming book.
• Plum and White Tea Scones -  Oh I need to make this again ….SOON.
• Orzo Salad with Asian Ginger Dressing – there just isn’t much more to say about thing. Yum.
• Summer Squash Pudding - this is addictive. Even your dyed in the wool squash haters will love it.
• Coconut Praline Pie – my very first post at Baking Delights. Lousy picture. GREAT recipe.
• Lemon Brussels Sprouts with Pistachios - I love these. Absolutely could eat them 24/7
• Banana Maple Bundt Cake with Walnut Praline Swirl – if you have some really ripe, gooey bananas this is what you need to do with them!
• 50 Best Cookie Recipes on the Internet - this post still gets MOST of my traffic every month. It has been copied, stolen, complained about, made fun of, and worshiped. Still a great list. Think it may be time for a part II.

There ya have it. Ten recipes, dusted off and ready for you to take a look at. Have a great day and don’t forget to check in later about the giveaway!

images:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

It is so unbelievably windy outside.  Our house is covered in old, faded, blue vinyl siding (yuck) and I can hear the wind pulling and tugging at it outside my bedroom window.  I am barely awake..It is one of those days where your eyelids keep trying to meld shut no matter what you do.

I probably need to head downstairs and try to find coffee.  I am a big fan of Joyce Meyer and she has a new (to me anyway) magazine out.It is on the order of maybe *O* or Martha Stewart but from a strong Christian perspective.  I haven’t had a chance to do much more than glance through it but one of the articles asks, Are Your Fruitful or Just Busy?

While I hope I am both I think I am leaning toward the busy side.  I seem to be coming into another one of those times of reevaluation.  I am looking at what I can drop to try  to have more time for the things I like to do, like…Baking Delights!

Anyway..it’s Saturday and we are here to surf.

Tanya at Take the Cannoli posted a way cool sugar cookie that she did in a gorgeous mold.  I love the idea!

Ready for an awesome chocolate mousse? Cathy has one at Noble Pig…and it looks amazing.

O.k.  you might have known that it was Daring Bakers Reveal Day last Saturday but some of you may not have seen the absolutely amazing cake that Vera did and posted at Baking Obsession.  Go, go now…don’t look back..

O.k…maybe you need something a bit more on the healthy side to make up for all that sugar your eyes have been gawking at?

Meeta is a fantastic photographer, as well as a talented cook…and her Jamaican Jerk Chicken smells amazing.  What? You can’t smell it from there? Go closer to What’s for Lunch, Honey?…

Courtney did some very Easter-y lemon springerlie over at Cococooks… They look like you could put them in Easter baskets!

I have the coolest news ever…Inge of Vanielje Kitchen is BACK! And with a Kosher Pork Pie no less..yeah.  Not a typo.

Molly’s, aka. Orangette, book came out this past week!  It is called A Homemade Life and I am anxiously awaiting the break in my finances to get a copy…run by and tell her congrats!

All into the late night the other night I followed Stephanie ’s mad Twitterings that resulted in an unweildy fondant object. It is, however, very cool looking.

April made apple turnovers at Abby Sweets this morning…and  I want one. Funny, a friend and I were just talking the other day about apples and especially heirloom apples.

I have some other projects to get going with..so I am leaving you with that.  Have a great weekend!

image:maryeaudet

Post from: Baking Delights

There were some amazing things that were posted in 2008 but from what I can see 2009 is going to be even better.

Congrats to all the Daring Bakers who completed their challenges. Oh my gosh..the yule logs and cakes were amazing.  I ALMOST want to try all the variations that I saw.

Please note the word ALMOST in that sentence.

Have you been checking out the Baking Delights Flickr group? I love the images that I am seeing there. If you haven’t signed up, please do.  If you are posting images there could you do me a favor and leave a link to your post in the comment section of the image on FLickr? That way when I do the blog surfing I can link to your post more easily.

There is an upcoming give away.  I decided that everyone had too much going on at Christmas and that a nice box of Sees Chocolate would be an awesome pick-me-up for some lucky Baking Delights reader in mid-January..so stay tuned for details!

In most parts of the country it is cold but for some reason here in the Dallas area today the sun is shining and it must be about 70 degrees.  When I was younger I missed the cold and the snow but I think I am over that now.  I am thinking of my spring garden and hoping I can get time to actually plant it.

So…are you ready to do some blog surfing?

Micha at Scraping the Skillet posted an awesome looking fresh dill bread.  I love dill, I love the flavor of it in everything from pickles to fresh salads and this bread not only sounds good…it looks great.

Closet Cooking is one of my favorite stops when I get time to surf a little. I could easily just make Kevin the weekly surf but I resist the temptation.  Perhaps part of it is that I live in a reality where men don’t cook…and seeing his amazing creations is a bit surreal to me.  Definitely this is the case with the turkey and cranberry quesadillas!

Texans, on New Year’s Day eat black eyed peas.  It is tradition.  Well, kudos to Lisa at Homesick Texan for managing an awesome sounding black eyed pea dip for the potential skeptics of black-eyed-peaology.

If you have resolved to lose weight this year check out the SouthBeach recipes at Kalyn’s Kitchen.  They all look amazing.

Hannah at Honey and Jam produced this grapefruit curd.  I am now thinking of five thousand ways I can use it.

That’s it for this week.

I am hoping to announce some new things next week.  Have a great weekend!

image:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Yeah..I just could not get to it yesterday.

So…let’s see what’s out there for Thanksgiving weeks shall we?

• Sweet Potato Pie on Homesick Texan.  Man are these things GOOD.
• Cookie Baker Lynn has the same food philosophy as me…and she made some awesome carrot cupcakes.  I think chef Kyrie would try to convince me they were a side dish.
• Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy..one of my favorites…check out the Pumpkin Cheese Pie wi th Toffee and Caramel Swirl
• Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart from Recipe Girl
• Baking Bites has something a little different with this Cherry Cornmeal Cobbler
• Ezra Poundcake…glorious Mashed Potatoes. Yum
• Another Potato dish from Grandma’s Kitchen Table: Potato Gratin with Garlic and Cream
• Pressure cookers are Grandma’s microwaves and Kalyn’s Kitchen shows us how to use it in Vegetable Soup with Beans and Ham.
• Becke at Columbus Foodie does comfort food so well with Grown Up Mac and Cheese.
• Holler has the No Croutons Required Round-Up posted. Glorious pasta soups perfect for this time of year.

And that’s it for me today.Don’t forget to check in tomorrow for the new Hershey’s basket giveaway.

Image:Hershey’s, used with permission

Post from: Baking Delights

Well, the first full week of Novemer is over and we are rushing toward the holidays!  I am so not ready this year.  Have you begun preparing?

Linette is one of the  members on the Baking Delights flickr group.  She made awesome hot chocolate cones that would be perfect additions to a gift basket or teacher gifts this Christmas…Check them out.  If you haven’t joined yet, please do!  It doesn’t cost a thing and you know how much foodies love looking at food images!

Speaking of which, April did the most mouth watering picture of chocolate chip cookies ever. You can find the recipe at her blog, Abby Sweets.

White Chocolate Walnut Gingerbread Blondies. O.M.Gosh.

Micha has paired some of my favorite foods in her Kale Apple Bacon Salad.

Kevin is brilliant as usual…Thai Style Coconut Butternut Squash

No pictures for this caramel apple pie but…the recipe sounds fantastic!

There is a new (to me anyway) food blogging group, My Kitchen, My World.  They do different countries every week and I think I am going to try to get involved with this group if I can remember! It sounds like great fun.

Marie has done a French Shepherd’s Pie..I didn’t know there were various kinds but this one, as every recipe from her blog, looks fabulous.

Coconut and White Chocolate Windmills  look amazing..

I have another birthday party to be at in five minutes.  Have a great day!

Image:maryeaudet

Post from: Baking Delights

I have missed blogsurfing but life has been so extremely hectic that I haven’t been able to get there!

On a happy note, the VA called to confirm our number of dependents yesterdaya nd said that they had made a decision and we would be getting the letter with their decision in the next 10 days.  You gotta wonder why they just wouldn’t say, “Hey! Good news, as long as we have ya on the phone…this is what we decided…”

Anyway…here’s what I found this week…

Bunny made some awesome looking Apple Cinnamon Rolls 

Peanut Butter Candy Bar Squares from Bake or Break  look fantastic.  My kids have been trying to get me to make a recipe similar to this for a couple of weeks…perhaps I am inspired now…LOL!

The Blushing Hostess has a Harvest Bread with Cream Cheese Cinnamon Icing. MMM.

Homesick Texan has a recipe for Wacky Cake...I had not thought about it in YEARS.  Now I have to make one.

Daisy Lane Cakes is giving away a copy of the Sweet Melissa Baking Book..hurry!Have you noticed how many more cooking blogs there are getting to be? Wow!  It is hard to keep up with even your old favorites, let alone new interesting ones!

One of my favorite OLD friends is Courtney at Coco Cooks.  If you haven’t seen the baby shower cake she did please head over there and oooh and ahhh appreciatively. It is a brilliant piece of work.

Kevin always makes the best stuff…and has the best images…check out this pastitsio with greens.…a great vegetarian meal.

Individual pot pies always say autumn to me…Check out the ones that Megan did on Megan’s Cookin’

Valli has changed the picture at the top of her blog..it is worth heading over there to see what beautiful scenery is up there now…but also for the pumpkin creme brulee that she has posted.

Don’t forget to vote in the Boobie Bake-off …there are a few more days.

Have a great weekend!

image:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

I have had an amazingly busy week. Hopefully soon I will be able to share a couple of bits of fantastic news…(no I am NOT pregnant)..Until then check out what I have found today! The image is the caramelized onion and eggplant pizza I made for dinner last night..recipe coming soon….

You know that with me it is all about the desserts. Check out this Black Forest Tiramisu by Alexandra at Addicted Sweet Tooth…

This next post got me on two counts…I spent summers in Michigan as a kid, and the state just oozes fruit and vegetables in the summer..I miss that! Also, being in the south, who can resist fried pies? These Sour Cherry Pocket Pies at Dog Hill Kitchen are baked not fried, but you could easily deep fry them…Yum!

Peabody has a rockin’ recipe for brown sugar pound cake, but what I found more interesting this morning is the beginning of that post where she talks about being rejected on Tastespotting…Peabody? Rejected?Geez.

I have been rejected, but I expected that because I don’t see myself as one of the cool kids with the super imaging powers. I likeTastespotting for several reasons, one it helps me to find out what I want to feature on Saturdays, although that isn’t the only place I go.

But then I started thinking. Are we, food bloggers all, becoming a caste system rather than a bawdy band of foodies? Are there certain people who, when you see their names in your comment section, make you feel like you have hit a pinnacle? Do you find yourself lusting after the kudos and accolades? Sometimes I do! O.k.back to your regularly scheduled Saturday…I just felt philosophical this morning.

If you haven’t heard, Courtney is going through a rough patch, so if you pray I am sure she would appreciate them, and if you don’t good vibes sent her way would be helpful.

It is summer and what is summer without blackberries? You have to check out these amazing sounding Blackberry Almond Bars from Jacque at Daisy Lane Cakes…Yummy!

I was browsing Epicurious and found this Frozen Mango Meringue cake. I am thinking of doing it this week since i have the egg whites from Eggology left…It just sounds so ..wow!

If you like that salty/sweet combo in chocolate covered pretzels, and chips head over to How to Eat a Cupcake and check out these Salted Caramel Cupcakes.

I don’t think Em is a Repressed Pastry Chef any more..check out the Double Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Jennie, at My Cake Wardrobe has a pink post. I love the images on this Strawberry Panna Cotta.

O.k…that;s it for today…I have women’s ministry lunch to attend. I am taking the penne salad but this time I made it with broccoli and wild rice…eh..I liked it better with the penne, the rice soaked up too much of the dressing and it seems bland to me. Sigh. Shooulda stuck with the penne.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Image: Marye Audet 

Post from: Baking Delights