Toluu : Joy The Baker

Joy The Baker

baked from scratch. made with love.

What is going on in the world? Is Al Gore messing with the global temperature again? We’re sneaking into mid October and here I am in Los Angeles trying to talk myself out of using my air conditioner. It’s as hot here as it was in July. We’re talking 90’s people. 90’s! That’s just not normal.

All I want to do is get the cider going, maybe curl up with some pear upside down cake or anything filled with pumpkin flavor. What’s stopping me? All this blasted sunshine and heat. I know… I know… I shouldn’t let a little sunshine get in the way of my dreams.

Incidentially, just as I’m writing this, I have my neighbors glorious barbecue smells wafting through my window. I suppose I can’t be all that grumpy about a little sunshine.

Are you having more cozy, spice friendly weather? Here are some of the deliciously spiced recipes I’ve played with here on Joy the Baker. No doubt this Fall (as soon as it kicks in) I’ll share some new goodies with you.

Now I’m going to go see if I can snatch some barbecue scraps from my neighbor…..

Gingerbread Pancakes with Homemade Pancake Syrup Yes. More pancakes. Don’t act like you’re the least bit surprised.

Butterscotch Pudding with Bourbon Whipped Cream and ToffeeOctober 6

I was trying to come up with some charming childhood anecdote to accompany these butterscotch puddings, when I came to the blunt realization that I didn’t like pudding as a child. In fact, I may have purely despised the stuff. My only exposure to pudding came in the occasional lunch time trade with a friend for her chocolate pudding cup. I seem to remember a goopy, brown, almost plastic flavored dessert. Even when I was eight I knew that there had to be a better way.

A mere twenty years later I’ve decided on the perfect pudding solution r. Mix together cream, brown sugar and bourbon whiskey (among a few other ingredients) and call it Butterscotch Pudding. Glorious! Top that pudding with Bourbon whipped cream and toffee and life just got that much sweeter.

If I could talk to eight year old Joy the Baker, I’d tell her not to trade her all natural fruit snacks for the chocolate pudding. There’s something much better lying ahead. I’d also tell her that she won’t have horribly frizzy hair forever, and it really is ok that precious, blonde, adorable Hayden likes Alison and not her. It really is ok.

Things I Want To Put In My FaceOctober 4

What a week. What a week. Financial crisis. Bail out. Katie Couric interviews. Vice Presidential debates. So much has gone on this week I literally feel exhausted by all of the news. I do know one thing. I need the phrase “Joe Six Pack” out of my life forever. Seriously. Out.

I thought I’d treat you all to some blog love. Why? Because it’s free, and free is a long long way from 700 billion.

Smoky Barbecue Sauce- I know it’s not a dessert and I also know that summer is over but I could eat barbecue sauce by the spoonful. Really? Ok… maybe not. But I love the idea of homemade barbecue sauce, especially if I get to use those darling flippy top jars. Check out Cooking for Seven to figure out what they heck I’m talking about.

Ginger and Chocolate Gingerbread- Yes! The perfect introduction into Fall. I’m also thinking hard about pumpkin and chocolate combinations. It’s not too early, right?

Double Chocolate Layer Cake- Oh Amanda, you know just how to speak to my heart. Yes. My answer is Yes! I’ll

Carrot Cake PancakesSeptember 30

Forgive me. I realize I’m a complete maniac about pancakes. Not only did I post about pancakes just a few days back, but those pancakes were nearly two weeks in the making.

How about a pancake heavy on the cake? These carrot cake pancakes are like living in the best of both worlds. You’ve got all your warm pancake goodness embellished with carrot cake spices, loads of carrots and. AND! cinnamon cream cheese spread. In some ways, and let’s try to keep this a secret, these carrot cake pancakes are just an excuse to spread sweet cinnamon cream cheese spread all over my breakfast.

Joy, of Joy the Baker is learning all about Italian wines and cheeses. I got home from a morning wine tasting and decided that I needed something that would sit in my tummy and stick to my ribs. See, at this particular morning wine tasting I discovered why there are spit buckets. If you don’t spit out the glorious wines you’re tasting, you might find yourself tipsy, trying to pronounce Italian wine names to your Italian boss before 10 in the morning. Not so hot.

Not a winner, but these pancakes are.

Pan DulceSeptember 27

I was just thinking that this morning was one of those mornings where I feel like I’ve been struck by a train for no reason at all.

I was just thinking that this morning was one of those mornings that can only be healed with two things, sweet bread and milky, sugared coffee.

I seem to have a vague memory of a bottle of champagne last night. Although I certainly didn’t drink the whole bottle (I checked, it’s in the fridge), champagne is one of those buggers that sneaks up on you in the middle of the night, scrambles your brain around and then makes you demand sweets and coffee just a little harder than usual the next morning.

Today I have a funeral to go to and then a birthday party. Very funny God. Veeeery funny. These are the kinds of days where I have to throw up my hands and say ‘Ok! You got me!’. These are the kinds of days when I mentally search my closet trying to find a dress that goes from somber to celebratory. These are the kinds of days that demand a touch of sweetness first thing in the morning. Thank goodness for Pan Dulce.

By the way, have you entered the Martha Stewart Blog Contest!? Thanks for the heads up Ev!