Showing posts with label brownies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brownies. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

The Joke Is On Me...

 
 
 
  I am funny. Just ask me, I'll tell you. It's not my fault that I have to remind people of this. Especially my children. I'd like to think that I have passed my wry sense of humour down to my kids, but apparently I am mistaken. 
 
  Yesterday was the first of April. April Fool's day. I thought it would be fun to play a practical joke on my family. I found the perfect gag on Pinterest; a creative play on words. It involved cutting several letter Es out of brown paper, placing them in a baking pan and covering them with foil. Homemade Brown Es!  I thought it was hilarious! 
 
   With mischief in mind, I decided to be deceptively delicious.  I baked up a batch of real brownies about an hour before my kids were due to arrive home from school.  This set the stage for my prank as the wonderful aroma of fresh baked brownies wafted throughout the house. I then put them out of sight to cool and proceeded to cut out the brown Es.  I placed them, along with the crumbs of the real brownies, in a baking pan, covered them with foil and left them on the counter with a note;
 
"Please enjoy this after school snack after you empty the dishwasher.
 Love, Mom xo"
 
*Getting them to empty the dishwasher was not part of the prank, but past experience has shown that bribery works best when it comes to chores. Yeah, I'm that kind of parent.
 
 
 
     With the 'real' brownies carefully hidden, their decadent smell permeating the house, and my note strategically placed upon the pan of brown Es, everything was set for my children to arrive home and find their after school surprise. 
 
      It took all that I had to wait patiently to  witness their reaction to my jest.  I needn't be so anxious. Apparently my sense of wit was not passed down to the next generation.  Sadly, not one of my three children had deciphered my play on words.  My disappointment was palpable.  How can children of mine not get such a joke?  Surely I have failed them as a parent. 
 


     In the end, I must say they laughed when I explained the method to my madness; at least I think they were laughing with me and not at me.  Suffice it to say, everyone enjoyed the decadent homemade brownies; even if they did not totally understand the brown Es. I'm going to have to work on their wry sense of wit. After all, witty repartee is something that has to be taught. Surely they will thank me later; won't they?
 

I apologise that I cannot post the recipe for these moist and delicious brownies.  It is one that we use at the bakery so it must remain top secret. Trust me when I say that they are the best brownies that you will ever taste! All jesting aside, these brownies are no joke.  If only the same could be said about  my children.
  

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Adjusting My Sails...




     If you are a follower of my blog then you know that I am a recent graduate of the Faculty of Education.  Going back to school at my age, with a husband, two teenage boys and a tween girl was hard I will admit, but my struggles are not yet over.  Now that I have that very expensive piece of paper that says I am a qualified teacher, I have the daunting task of finding employment.

     As is true in most provinces right now, teaching jobs are few and far between where I live. Since we are deeply rooted here in our little corner of southwestern Ontario, moving abroad is not an option for me. Fortunately, I've managed to secure a spot on the occasional list. Being on this list will ensure me sporadic work at best.  Now I, as well as 399 other teachers intent on obtaining a full time gig, lie in wait of a 6 am phone call. This means that I have to hope for a nasty bout of the stomach flu or a recurrence of the plague in order to get called in to supply teach.  Seeing as many of my friends are teachers, I feel a tad bit reprehensible for even thinking in such a way.

    That said, it became clear that I needed to adjust my sails. So, with resume in hand (actually it was in a cute cupcake folder, but I digress) I pounded the pavement.  Not surprisingly, I decided to narrow my search to local bakeries. After two years of emotional baking I've learned that baking not only makes me happy, it makes others happy too.  As I've mentioned before, one of the main reasons I love to bake is to see the simple pleasure it brings to others. I'd like to say that my baking is a selfless act, but that would be a lie.  The very act of baking soothes my mind and warms not only my kitchen, but my soul. Studies have shown that doing something that occupies one hundred percent of your attention while you are engaged in it will make you more motivated and focused. Both of these feelings are said to promote happiness. Baking equals happiness; this I already knew. So I figure if I can't land my dream teaching job, I can at least help to make ends meet by getting paid to do something else that I love... bake.

     Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Renee of Renee's Fine Cakes and Colleen from Sweet Revenge Bake Shop.  Not only did I enjoy a decadent and deliciously artful brownie and a mouthwateringly divine "hoppin' carrot" cupcake (did I mention that job hunting was hard?!), I also enjoyed talking with women who share my baking passion. It was evident by the ambiance of both of these sweet shops that these ladies love what they do.  It was delightful to meet you both and if nothing else, you have a new customer in me.  Life is sweet, stay the course.   


A Perfectly Huge Brownie!


A Hoppin' Carrot Cupcake


Ps- Thanks to author Allison Winn Scotch for the great quote!