Same ole' resolution: To blog more....

I think I've said that for the past 5 years.  Like most resolutions, I did not stick with it.

Will this year be different? Who knows....

I've been struck with the inclination to write as of late. It's left me a bit astounded. I haven't wanted to write in a very long time. I hope to continue acting on the inclination.

What did I do a lot of this year? Bake. Yes, I baked A LOT. Big items, small items, chocolate, pudding, pies, cakes, cupcakes, candy..you name it...I tried it..okay..maybe not but I did a lot.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Let's start with the candy...chocolate covered Oreos, molded chocolates and chocolate covered pretzels. 8 hours later and not even water...I was a mess but my chocolates weren't.


I just realized that the next 2 recipes come from Sally's Baking Addiction. HA!

Next, Peppermint Mocha Cookies dipped in white chocolate. Divine. I made many holiday cookies but these were my favorite.
 

Donuts. Yes, I made donuts. You bake them and they tastes like giant sugar coated muffins. So delicious.


Chocolate covered banana muffins. Yes, chocolate covered banana muffins. The glaze is silky and shiny and hardens like candy. Make them.



Red Velvet Crackle Cookies. Yes, I used the recipe on the cake mix. No, I am not ashamed. In fact, I changed the recipe and they came out even better than anticipated.


Don't worry, I'll post more images and such. I already baked something in 2016. I'm off to a good start.

The Food Blogger: A dime a dozen

Last evening I had the pleasure of meeting Sally from Sally's Baking Addiction.  As I listened to her story I realized her story is very much atypical. The rise of her blogging fame was relatively short—a whole year or so. Most bloggers work for years and years before (or if ever) they can become a full-time blogger.  Needless to say, Sally worked hard and she's very fortunate - she's talented and has a knack for writing cute and clear blog posts. Ahh..yes..she's almost smart...and got in on Pinterest in the beginning..and we all know how the gals love to pin stuff.

The room was filled with wannabe food bloggers, asking questions about baking and blogging. I sat there....probably the oldest fan in the room and wondered...how unique am I if all of these "women" want to do the same thing? The thing is...I'm not..we aren't...in a way... Yes, we all possess our own thoughts but we are all very similar. We have almost the same dreams. How can we make our blogs and ourselves stand out? My answer: Be ourselves. That's my plan. It may not be their plan but it's mine. I can't try to be something I am not and I will continue to post about the foods I like rather than the foods I think my audience will like. Granted....it's not much of an audience.

Among all of the smart and fun things Sally spoke about, I took away an interesting statement. She said, "I started treating my blog as a business." That struck me. I said to myself, "Hmmm...okay...I understand but do I want to do that." The answer is no, not at this time but maybe one day after some cooking classes and soul searching.

For now, I will blog and bake as a hobby. Who knows? Next week I may just start taking it seriously. I will stick to my day job and moonlight as a baker. I even bought a chef's hat...I feel official.

I need to mention that Sally was a flipping delight! She was so warm, welcoming, enigmatic, and treated her fans as if they were already friends. That gal has charisma and it explains why she's so successful.

Keep blogging ladies...your voices matter.