The Rockiest

Emotional baking, at it's core, is really the sugary manifestation of extreme emotions. Good, bad, undefinable. Matter of fact, the undefinable emotions, I find, are best for emotional baking. You sift, you ponder, you knead, you mull. Everything you do to an ingredient, you do to your own brain and psyche. Even more therapeutic with a glass of wine...
My most recent undefinable emotion came right as I bought my first one-way plane ticket. It was a quiet moment, no trumpeting fanfare, no booming announcement, but one click on the computer, and I was booked on a one-way to New York City. 
I was excited, scared, proud, unsure, relieved, and terrified all in the same nanosecond...
So I baked.
I chose "Three's A Crowd Rocky Road Bars," paying sugary homage to the road ahead that may, or may not, be rocky.
Upon explaining this to Mom, she gasped an immediate "Oh geeze, I hope not..." and then, I'm sure, began scheming how much money she can sneak into my bank account without damaging my pride. 

The Happy Baker should always have a fabulous apron to don when tackling a kitchen. It should reflect your personality, or what baking means to you, or how it makes you feel, or better yet, how you want people to feel when they are invited into your miraculous kitchen space. I imagine something shabby chic for myself, maybe with some cheeky embroidery, and most certainly, a big ol' butt bow. 

Couldn't find one, but I found this...shadow of my past, I suppose...

let it be known I RARELY take douchey mirror pics of myself. I'm not a wannabe body builder.

This recipe is so simple and quick. I enjoy bar recipes that require a crust/multiple layers because they're always much more impressive to the enjoyer. And lord have mercy, do I love a good marshmallow. 

Confession: Mom used to bribe me with marshmallows while potty training.....now I'm kind of embarrassed for putting that out there. Only because now I would demand a rocky road bar, because, you know, inflation.

Butter softening, people: it cannot be done in the microwave. You either have to plan ahead, or you stick 'em on the stove while the oven preheats, if your oven is underneath the stove. Otherwise, congratulations, you've buttered your microwave... (and I did).

Also, one of the side-effects of emotional baking is in spilled ingredients. Think about it: as you're unbridling your emotions, the same thing might happen to the flour in your bowl. It's kinda nice though :)

BAM. Done in like 15 minutes. Delicious in like forever. 

Next time I might even use more marshmallows, or maybe marshmallow fluff.

OR PEEPS. 

(wide-eyed, great idea thinking face)

It's like a delicious Martian planet surface or something equally nerdy...

Here's to hoping this will be the rockiest road I have to encounter ;)

Erin and Erin

Aren't we all a little emotional when it comes to baking?...

This year, I resolved to make resolutions that would actually take me all year, not just something I'd be excited about for, say, two weeks and then be distracted by all the great tv shows coming back on.
One resolution is: to log between 750-1000 running miles!! (I know...whoa).
And because who has the time for people to look at them and say "You look like a runner," my other, more relatable and universally beneficial resolution is:
To bake every recipe in Erin Bolger's "The Happy Baker: A Girl's Guide to Emotional Baking."

It's like a Julie and Julia thing, but with Erin and Erin, another emotional baker who had untamable curly hair growing up!

Kindred Spirits in white girl afros...

I began this morning with Jumbo Banana Pancakes for 2! I'll begin by making this statement: I actually don't really like pancakes, but I do like making them! I'll follow up with this statement: I'm single.

Nope, mine sure didn't look like that.

Since the recipe was specific for 2, and because I didn't want to be depressed, I halved it and made a "just for me"portion. So here I am, sending out "just for me" vibes into the Universe for 2013, and hoping they won't return to me in the form of "loneliness, carrying your groceries all by yourself" vibes.

The ultimate challenge in flipping. You can imagine what it looked like, don't need to tell you.

The trick is the proper amount of garnish to cover up what explodes in pancake tragedy when you try to flip it. Learning curve, it's just day one.
Whatever, these pancakes were awesome. They were like a flattened out blissful piece of banana bread, much like what I'm hoping this year will be like.

Just like my actual heart: made of powdered sugar.

To do list:
-Get a really cute apron.
-Get new running shoes.
-Get you to check her out at The Happy Baker blog!