Well the epiphany finally came a day late. After much deliberation over whether to continue Diary of a Cash Starved Foodie, I finally made a decision. I am going to put it to rest...and begin a new blog - purveyorofhugsandcookies.blogspot.com. Yes, I have a thing for blog titles a mile long. I tried for simply hugsandcookies.blogspot.com, but amazingly the title was taken. So I opted for the title from my new Heartsong Cookies business card.
With my new venture into the world of entrepreneurship, I find it only fitting to begin anew with my blog as well. I plan to document my journey into the business world and fill my postings with my usual gush and goo. I am still wrestling with its frequency. Karen's look of disappointment when I told her I was considering no more daily posts haunts me. I don't want to disappoint her. So daily posts are my plan. I have so much to do in less than a month to get ready for my debut at the Maitland Farmers Market. It is a bit overwhelming. For now, I am going to create my new blog site and get a little shut eye. Look for the first Purveyor of Hugs and Cookies posting tomorrow night.
Many hugs,
Kathy
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Happy Dance - Day 365
As I labored through the day, little thought was given to just how momentous this day really was. Today was August 6, 2010. A Friday. The beginning of the weekend. The finish line. The attainment of a goal. Day 365 in a year of blogging. A year that brought me closer to my friends and family. A year filled with self discovery and realization of a dream. The day I gave out my first Heartsong Cookies business card.
Day 365 was a day filled with work frustration one minute and a relaxing dinner with Mike the next. It was a microcosm of the last year. A roller coaster ride of highs and lows. And I wouldn't trade one moment of the whole experience. I owe it all to a challenge issued by my son Ryan. He told me there was NO WAY I would blog for a full year. Well Ryan, this blog is for you. I know you rarely read it, but maybe someday you will pull it out when you need a dose of your goofy mom.
The epiphany I hoped would bring a resolution to the blog never came. I have absolutely no idea if tomorrow will bring Posting Day 366 or if Heartsong Cookies will win my attention. All I do know is that it is time for the Happy Dance of all Happy Dances.
Thanks for joining me for the ride of my life.
Many, many hugs,
Kathy
Day 365 was a day filled with work frustration one minute and a relaxing dinner with Mike the next. It was a microcosm of the last year. A roller coaster ride of highs and lows. And I wouldn't trade one moment of the whole experience. I owe it all to a challenge issued by my son Ryan. He told me there was NO WAY I would blog for a full year. Well Ryan, this blog is for you. I know you rarely read it, but maybe someday you will pull it out when you need a dose of your goofy mom.
The epiphany I hoped would bring a resolution to the blog never came. I have absolutely no idea if tomorrow will bring Posting Day 366 or if Heartsong Cookies will win my attention. All I do know is that it is time for the Happy Dance of all Happy Dances.
Thanks for joining me for the ride of my life.
Many, many hugs,
Kathy
Thursday, August 5, 2010
I Have A Dream - Day 364
I have a dream. A dream of a business all my own. A business whose mission is to spread hugs and happiness in the form of a tasty treat. A cookie business. Heartsong Cookies. Today I took another big step. I have a business card. One lonely little business card...only a proof really. Tomorrow it will be joined by about 500 friends and then passed around to as many people as possible. It will be my ticket to dream fulfillment and it feels so good. Happy dance good.
Business card giddiness was not my only source of joy today. In fact, my entire day was filled with good things. I had lunch with Heather, Scott, Chris and Tim at Brio to celebrate Heather's promotion. We talked about the RFQ from hell, everyone's new responsibilities and cookies. Heather and the guys loved their cookie gifts. Perhaps the highlight of the lunch was a comment...no a compliment, from Scott. He told me he thought I would be stand out and be successful as the farmers market because of my engaging personality. At a time when my confidence is riding a roller coast of highs and lows...lots of lows, this compliment meant the world to me.
Tonight I met Susan and Chris for a culinary adventure outside their two mile radius requirement. We met at The Ravenous Pig, Oooooh, I love The Pig. We started with a basket of their fabulous Gruyere biscuits. Next was the Charcuterie Platter of homemade sausages, cheeses and pickled veggies to be shared by the table. My entree was the half order of Goat Cheese Tortellini in a Parmesan broth with tri colored cherry tomatoes lightly blistered to a consistency that made them pop in your mouth with an explosion of fresh tomato flavor. All the flavors were savored with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc shared with Susan. Even though we did not get an entree, we spent more than we intended. But it was money well spent. I could live off the flavor memories for a very long time.
Earlier this afternoon Kenda presented me with a Blue Bird Bake Shop cupcake. The cute little brown box was sealed with a sticker, so the flavor remained a surprise. A surprise that drove me crazy all the way home. When I arrived home, I couldn't stand it any more. I peeled off the sticker and opened the lid to reveal a beautiful sight. A chocolate cupcake topped with just the right amount of pink strawberry frosting. I was compelled to have a little sliver. I did, placed the box in the fridge and walked away...about 5 steps and circled back. That cupcake was amazing. The cake had a vanilla center surrounded by chocolate. It was moist with just the right balance of sweetness. The frosting was light and creamy and filled with fresh strawberry taste. I took another slice and quickly placed it back in the fridge. This time I made it to the stairs before circling back. Another sliver, a moment of guilt and soon the entire cupcake was history.
This was the cherry on top of a day of indulgence. I can't wipe the smile off my face.
Many hugs,
Kathy
Business card giddiness was not my only source of joy today. In fact, my entire day was filled with good things. I had lunch with Heather, Scott, Chris and Tim at Brio to celebrate Heather's promotion. We talked about the RFQ from hell, everyone's new responsibilities and cookies. Heather and the guys loved their cookie gifts. Perhaps the highlight of the lunch was a comment...no a compliment, from Scott. He told me he thought I would be stand out and be successful as the farmers market because of my engaging personality. At a time when my confidence is riding a roller coast of highs and lows...lots of lows, this compliment meant the world to me.
Tonight I met Susan and Chris for a culinary adventure outside their two mile radius requirement. We met at The Ravenous Pig, Oooooh, I love The Pig. We started with a basket of their fabulous Gruyere biscuits. Next was the Charcuterie Platter of homemade sausages, cheeses and pickled veggies to be shared by the table. My entree was the half order of Goat Cheese Tortellini in a Parmesan broth with tri colored cherry tomatoes lightly blistered to a consistency that made them pop in your mouth with an explosion of fresh tomato flavor. All the flavors were savored with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc shared with Susan. Even though we did not get an entree, we spent more than we intended. But it was money well spent. I could live off the flavor memories for a very long time.
Earlier this afternoon Kenda presented me with a Blue Bird Bake Shop cupcake. The cute little brown box was sealed with a sticker, so the flavor remained a surprise. A surprise that drove me crazy all the way home. When I arrived home, I couldn't stand it any more. I peeled off the sticker and opened the lid to reveal a beautiful sight. A chocolate cupcake topped with just the right amount of pink strawberry frosting. I was compelled to have a little sliver. I did, placed the box in the fridge and walked away...about 5 steps and circled back. That cupcake was amazing. The cake had a vanilla center surrounded by chocolate. It was moist with just the right balance of sweetness. The frosting was light and creamy and filled with fresh strawberry taste. I took another slice and quickly placed it back in the fridge. This time I made it to the stairs before circling back. Another sliver, a moment of guilt and soon the entire cupcake was history.
This was the cherry on top of a day of indulgence. I can't wipe the smile off my face.
Many hugs,
Kathy
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Almost Done - Day 363
My blog is heading toward the finish line. Only two more days until I reach Day 365. I keep waffling between taking a sabbatical and moving my focus on to my much neglected Heartsong Cookies blog. My friend Karen begged me to keep it going. My friend Kenda strongly suggested I document my business journey on Heartsong. And I cannot make up my mind. Hopefully the next two days will bring an epiphany.
Amazingly, COOKIES were the theme of the day. I delivered the Love Always Cookie to Carolyn with an added bonus basket of NO NUT Cookies for her husband Randy. They were the result of another cookie experiment...a mix of semisweet, bittersweet and milk chocolate chips added to my base with a touch of cinnamon. The taste was interesting, but not perfect. The cookies spread to the size of Montana. Most of my cookies are filled with lots of chocolate, nuts and/or dried fruit...4-4 1/2 cups. NO NUT Cookies only have 3 cups of goodies, so they don't hold their shape so well. I must find a no nut dough that holds its shape. Maybe a denser flour is the answer.
Tonight after work I threw together a batch of White Chocolate Blueberry Pecan Cookies for Heather's promotion luncheon tomorrow with the boys. Heather is one of my biggest cookie fans and I could not think of a better way to thank her on her way to bigger and better things than with a cookie and a hug.
Many hugs,
Kathy
Amazingly, COOKIES were the theme of the day. I delivered the Love Always Cookie to Carolyn with an added bonus basket of NO NUT Cookies for her husband Randy. They were the result of another cookie experiment...a mix of semisweet, bittersweet and milk chocolate chips added to my base with a touch of cinnamon. The taste was interesting, but not perfect. The cookies spread to the size of Montana. Most of my cookies are filled with lots of chocolate, nuts and/or dried fruit...4-4 1/2 cups. NO NUT Cookies only have 3 cups of goodies, so they don't hold their shape so well. I must find a no nut dough that holds its shape. Maybe a denser flour is the answer.
Tonight after work I threw together a batch of White Chocolate Blueberry Pecan Cookies for Heather's promotion luncheon tomorrow with the boys. Heather is one of my biggest cookie fans and I could not think of a better way to thank her on her way to bigger and better things than with a cookie and a hug.
Many hugs,
Kathy
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Love Always - Day 362
Work today was filled with tedious computer work...definitely not my idea of fun. But tonight more than made up for it. Maddie and I fixed a pretty tasty dinner considering the centerpiece of the meal was a bowl of ramen noodles accompanied by a salad and slices of fresh nectarine. My brother joined us for dessert...a cup of the homemade chocolate, strawberry, chocolate chip, pecan ice cream I made the night before. After hanging out overnight in the freezer, the ice cream was pretty darn good. Michael doesn't even like chocolate ice cream and he devoured the cup in record time. After dessert I showed him my plans for displaying the cookies at the farmers market. He approved. I want my booth to stand out in the crowd and I definitely think I am on my way.
My friend Carolyn asked me to bake a large cookie for her anniversary tomorrow. Her husband Randy loves chocolate chunk cookies...no nuts. Instead of a groom's cake for their wedding 20 years ago, they served a chocolate chunk cookie cake. Carolyn wanted to honor that cherished day. I whipped up a batch of chocolate chunk cookie dough and baked it in my large heart cookie pan. Judging cooking time is a challenge with this pan and I am afraid it might have overcooked. But with a little cookie icing, I think it will make Carolyn and Randy smile. The sentiment was simple...Love Always.
Many hugs,
Kathy
My friend Carolyn asked me to bake a large cookie for her anniversary tomorrow. Her husband Randy loves chocolate chunk cookies...no nuts. Instead of a groom's cake for their wedding 20 years ago, they served a chocolate chunk cookie cake. Carolyn wanted to honor that cherished day. I whipped up a batch of chocolate chunk cookie dough and baked it in my large heart cookie pan. Judging cooking time is a challenge with this pan and I am afraid it might have overcooked. But with a little cookie icing, I think it will make Carolyn and Randy smile. The sentiment was simple...Love Always.
Many hugs,
Kathy
Monday, August 2, 2010
It Worked! - Day 361
Dinner tonight was simple fare at its best. Barbecue Pulled Pork Flatbread Pizza, Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Flatbread Pizza and a salad. The crust was about as easy as it gets...a new find from Costco. It is better than any Boboli crust I have ever had. Not too thick or too thin with a made from scratch taste. I topped one with a little barbecue sauce, some of the leftover pulled pork from last night, a few handfuls of Italian blend shredded cheese and a sprinkling of Parmesan. The second was topped with Ragu Pizza Sauce, slices of fresh mozzarella, more Italian blend shredded cheese and a parm sprinkle. They both were popped in a 400 F oven for about 18-20 minutes. Each rectangular shaped crust yields about 8 small slices. Mike and I tried two of each and still have enough for lunch or dinner tomorrow.
Feeling pretty cocky after my pizza success, it was time to try my hand at another batch of homemade chocolate ice cream. Undaunted by last night's failure, I dove into another batch. This time I waited until the very last minute to remove the freezer bowl from the freezer. After the machine ran for about 20 minutes, I added sliced strawberries, chocolate chips and toasted pecans at Mike's request. The goodies took a ride for about another five minutes, then headed for the freezer to
"cure". I was full of pizza, but Mike was ready to tackle the ice cream. I scooped up a bowl after only 45 minutes in the freezer. The consistency was still not real firm, but extremely creamy and rich. Mike have it a thumbs up. Yahoo...it worked. Thanks Michael, for a wonderful early birthday present! With my ice cream craving husband, it will definitely get a lot of use.
Many hugs,
Kathy
Feeling pretty cocky after my pizza success, it was time to try my hand at another batch of homemade chocolate ice cream. Undaunted by last night's failure, I dove into another batch. This time I waited until the very last minute to remove the freezer bowl from the freezer. After the machine ran for about 20 minutes, I added sliced strawberries, chocolate chips and toasted pecans at Mike's request. The goodies took a ride for about another five minutes, then headed for the freezer to
"cure". I was full of pizza, but Mike was ready to tackle the ice cream. I scooped up a bowl after only 45 minutes in the freezer. The consistency was still not real firm, but extremely creamy and rich. Mike have it a thumbs up. Yahoo...it worked. Thanks Michael, for a wonderful early birthday present! With my ice cream craving husband, it will definitely get a lot of use.
Many hugs,
Kathy
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The Gift Of Gab - Day 360
My mom was blessed with a special gift...the ability to open up and share a piece of herself with perfect strangers. She is warm and engaging with a knack for putting people at ease. As a teenager, her gift was largely unappreciated by me. In fact, at times I found it somewhat embarrassing and annoying. My friends would come over and spend more time with my mom than with me. Over the years as I ripened into my 52 years, I gained a deep appreciation of just what a special gift she has...the gift of gab. And as much as I fought the idea I was anything like my mom, I realized she had passed the gab gene on to me. Now it is my most prized quality. It is a quality that has served me well during my hours spent at Costco. Friendships have developed from a simple smile, a question answered or a story shared.
As the weeks count down on my time at Costco I realize just how much I will miss all these friendships. Friendships born from the gift of gab.
Tonight Mike, Chris and I created the grand finale for Chris' weekend of thrills. We took dinner over to his house to share a meal with his family, Tom and Susan. After the car was unloaded, it looked like we were moving in instead of just fixing dinner. The menu was a simple mix of prepared items with touches of home cooking. Grilled buns were topped with Costco Pulled Pork. Stouffer's Mac and Cheese, fresh creamed corn and a simple salad rounded out the meal.
Dessert was supposed to be the debut of my early birthday present from my brother, Michael - a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker. This morning I got up early to make the chocolate ice cream mix. We froze the Freezer Bowl the night before and packed it in ice for the trip to Tom and Susan's. Directions were carefully followed and the mix took a ride in the machine for the suggested 30 minutes. I was filled with joyful anticipation as I stopped the machine to check out the contents. Unfortunately I found chocolate soup instead of creamy ice cream. For the life of me I cannot figure out what went wrong. Time to re-read the directions and try again tomorrow night. Maybe Michael put a hex on the first batch since it was meant to be shared with him. Whatever it is, I can't wait to shut off the machine and find a bowl of decadent creamy chocolate goodness staring back at me.
Many hugs,
Kathy
As the weeks count down on my time at Costco I realize just how much I will miss all these friendships. Friendships born from the gift of gab.
Tonight Mike, Chris and I created the grand finale for Chris' weekend of thrills. We took dinner over to his house to share a meal with his family, Tom and Susan. After the car was unloaded, it looked like we were moving in instead of just fixing dinner. The menu was a simple mix of prepared items with touches of home cooking. Grilled buns were topped with Costco Pulled Pork. Stouffer's Mac and Cheese, fresh creamed corn and a simple salad rounded out the meal.
Dessert was supposed to be the debut of my early birthday present from my brother, Michael - a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker. This morning I got up early to make the chocolate ice cream mix. We froze the Freezer Bowl the night before and packed it in ice for the trip to Tom and Susan's. Directions were carefully followed and the mix took a ride in the machine for the suggested 30 minutes. I was filled with joyful anticipation as I stopped the machine to check out the contents. Unfortunately I found chocolate soup instead of creamy ice cream. For the life of me I cannot figure out what went wrong. Time to re-read the directions and try again tomorrow night. Maybe Michael put a hex on the first batch since it was meant to be shared with him. Whatever it is, I can't wait to shut off the machine and find a bowl of decadent creamy chocolate goodness staring back at me.
Many hugs,
Kathy
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