You have to start somewhere

After graduating from college I came to the very sad realization I might never write creatively again.  I work at a theatre with a whole crew of intensely creative people, so this seems a strange and sad fact to face.  Though I'm learning quite a lot at my new job, I don't frequently have the opportunity to create something I can hold in my hand and feel proud of.

So in an attempt to bring creativity back into my life, or at least make sure I don't forget completely how to write in full sentences, I am going to post about something I've been doing since I was seven anyway: Baking.

It started with EasyBake and Betty Crocker cake mixes.  I would stand on the kitchen stool and add an egg and some oil carefully measured out, mix it all together, pour it into a baking pan, and save several spoonfuls of batter for the ever-important pre-baked taste-test.  Being small and perhaps somewhat clumsy, I was not allowed to wash the dishes, so I got all the enjoyment out of the baking without any of the drawbacks.  As I got older, my baking endeavors became increasingly complicated, the number of dirty dishes grew, and I suddenly found myself holding the sponge regardless of how many bowls I protested I might drop and brake.

I learned to bake to relieve my stress, and my very small, very competitive, very expensive high school, provided enough stress to fill my kitchen with a constant line of baked goods.  Hardly a week would go by without a batch of cookies, a three layer cake, or a soupy looking attempt at fudge.  After several complaints from my mother about increasingly expensive grocery bills and growing waistlines, I added cooking to my routine.  I started to make dinner for my family most nights, which became more difficult when I took on veganism my senior year of high school.

I gave up the vegan lifestyle after two years, but remain a vegetarian and have an impressive repertoire of delicious meatless entrees.  My desserts tend to get more recognition, but I maintain that is only due to America's incessant sweet tooth, and not my lack of skill in the kitchen.

So here on my blog, I plan to post the recipes and pictures of the desserts and weekly meals I make.  I have a full-time job at a Children's Theatre so I tend to do all my cooking on Sunday night and then portion it out over the next six days.  Baking is a commitment of time and energy in planning and preparing, but I promise to post simple, straightforward directions and pictures so you can impress all your friends with your new found skills in the kitchen.

It's been my experience that the stomach is the best way to the heart of anyone, so on that note, I hope I help you find your way into the hearts of everyone you feed.