Colors of Fall---and my Maam's rolls

It is unusually warm out today----I have taken two walks to enjoy it despite it being a little rainy. I find it to be so crazy beautiful outside, with the different colored leaves falling down creating little abstract paintings of their own on the side walks- different patterns of colors everywhere you look.

Whenever I see anything beautiful in something so ordinary I often think of my grandmother (my Maam). Sometimes when I am so grateful to be living and walking through colors of fall, or along the beach with my dog, or even enjoying a good cup of coffee I think of her. It's always beautiful things that remind me of her because she had such a truly beautiful spirit. I miss her immensely and often- sometimes I find something amusing and I reach for the phone to call her and realize I can't anymore....but I feel like she's always smiling at me when she sees me smiling at ordinary beauty. I love you Maam.

I mention my Maam in this food blog because she left me with this ridiculous task for thanksgiving---or rather I have sort of brought this upon myself....My Maam made the best yeast rolls at Thanksgiving---like really it was my favorite part- that and her cranberry sauce. Well this year I have decided that I will tackle the yeast rolls....for years she showed my sister and I how to shape them---but did I ever once write down the recipe??? of course not. So starting November 1st I'm going to be a yeast roll baking queen and try everything to get them down. I know that even if I fail at least she would be laughing at all the work I'm going to be putting into something that she did so easily.

Anyway I hope that for anyone who reads this--you go and call your grandparents and tell them how much you love them...and even write down that favorite recipe of theirs that you adore.
Cheers.

Give those Muffins Hell

My boyfriend left me a note last night for me to find when I woke up for my 3am bakery shift this morning---it read: "Give those muffins hell today!" Amusing yes- but this also pretty sums up what my life has been like for the last 3 weeks since starting the pastry assistant job.

I've some how gotten over my insomnia (thank you Valerian Root!)---however my mind and body can't quite match up ever- and when they finally recover, say on Sunday evening--it's by then time to start the week all over again. Oh well I'm definitly learning a lot.

And did I mention I'm a fool for baking? The pictures above are what I have created after working 8 hours and coming home to an empty house. One day I decided I must have Sourdough pancakes---they beckoned me all week- and my sourdough starter was also crying at me to feed it-damn you sourdough starter.

Another afternoon we had all this left over croissant dough from work---i thought I would make mini pain au chocolat. Basically because I'm a fool for anything mini and chocolate. Plus- have you ever made croissants? They literally take like one billion hours- okay not that long but they are a major pain in the ass and it makes me depressed to watch that buttery goodness of scraps get thrown in the trash.

Anyway as you can see I've been busy mainly with feeding people- and myself. I've had to up my walks daily just to keep up with the baked goods I keep feeding my face with. Hope to keep up this blog more- now that I've started adjusting to this ridiculous sleep deprived lifestyle.

Cheers-

Insomnia and Plain Cake

I suppose that Insomnia means many many nights in a row with no sleep. However- I declare that I'm a full out insomniac after two nights of so very little sleep. I go to bed with the best of intentions of getting 6 hours (since my new job consists of me working 3am-11am).....as soon as I lay my head on the pillow my mind starts racing- and I keep thinking good lord what if I can't sleep??? What if I only get three measly hours of sleep before having to get up at 2am and bake for 8 hours? Well that's exactly whats happening.....I'm like a zombie now---I have never gotten so little sleep in my life---even in college!!!!!

Let's hope I get some sleep tonight----I don't think my body can fit any more coffee in the morning...

In other more exciting crisis's: I need to make a birthday cake for a friend this weekend---however the friend doesn't have very exciting taste buds and wants a chocolate cake with plain old vanilla frosting (no nutella? no PB?) *sigh*
So if anyone can think of any way to make this cake more exciting (mainly for me to make)...let me know!

Okay time to go mope about and dread trying to sleep again tonight. I swear I'm unable to even speak sentences at work now---special.