a slice of pie

Dayton Gets A New Business on Main Street

2011-03-05T22:28:00.000-08:00

Hey There,

Lets celebrate, Dayton has a new business on main street called, "Cascadia Pizza"

Something really wonderful is happening at "Home Baked Goodness" these days. If you haven't heard by now then you have come to the right place to find out all the facts.

Our son Corey has opened a pizza shop, "Cascadia Pizza" it all takes place in the kitchen of Home Baked Goodness at 309 E. Main, Dayton Wa.

What makes his pizza so special is the fact that he makes his crust and sauce from scratch and hand tosses the crust to achieve the final thickness. He tells me that tossing the crust improves the texture of his custom product rather then rolling it which would degrade the texture.

Do you remember the blog about the dough sheeter? Well he does use that to get the disk flattened and then he takes the dough up into his hands and some how, I don't know how he does it but when he throws it up into the air he puts a spin on it. It is really a lot of fun to watch him throw it up and watch it spin around and as he catches it up in the air it goes again.

There is no phone orders taken because there is no way Corey can answer a phone and toss dough at the same time. Just drop by, tell him what you want and bing bang boom your on your way home with a really good fresh homemade "take and bake" pizza. Enjoy!

We couldn't be anymore proud of our son Corey, he has decided to do something he has a real passion for and is willing to work hard to build his business.

So here at the facts; Dayton has a new pizza shop called Cascadia Pizza, its a take and bake, located at 309 E. Main, he is open Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday he is open til 8:00 p.m. Please no phone orders, just walk in and order your pizza and Corey will have you out the door in no time and on your way home with a great "take and bake" pizza.

Until next time
Carolyn

Guess who came for breakfast

2010-12-21T20:56:00.000-08:00

Hey There,

You just won't be able to guess so I think I shall just tell you who came for breakfast but first a little of the story leading up to the special morning.

I was sitting in my recliner relaxing on a Saturday evening with coffee cup in hand, when the phone rang about eight thirty.

" Hello," I said, "Carolyn this is Shelly from the Weinhard Hotel, guess who is in town?" "Who?" I ask, Shelly with excitement in her voice tells me "Mathew Fox is in town and he wants to have breakfast at your place." I ask as I am relaxing and enjoying my first yummy cup of coffee of the evening. "Who is Mathew Fox?" She then tells me that he was the star on the T.V. program "Lost" and in fact played Jack on the series.

I have to admit here that I had never seen the program so I really didn't know who he was or what he looked like.

I asked her to ask what time they wanted to come in because Sunday is my day off and I would like to sleep in at least an hour or so. She came back and told me that they wanted to come in about seven and I said OK.

Well now yes I did get a little excited and my husband tells me, "big deal that guy puts his pants on just like everyone else, one leg at a time". OK so he was right so what was the big deal.

So I go into work about five a.m. and get ready for my morning guest. OK now one gentleman walks in and I pour him a cup of coffee and I pour myself a cup and I sit and visit with him. I ask him what brings them to Dayton? He told me that they have been bird hunting over the weekend, and then the other five gentlemen come in and I bring them their menus and pour them their morning coffee.

I give them a few minutes to decide what they would like to have for breakfast, "Gentlemen are you ready to order?" So I take their orders and I go into the kitchen and place six plates in the hot oven and proceed to fix their breakfast. I refill their cups and now I know that isn't any big deal but I have to tell you I couldn't believe how comfortable I felt. I mean I was not nervous at all and the only reason for me not being nervous that I can think of is the fact that I must have been asleep mentally wise. Come on, a TV star comes in for breakfast along with five of his family members and I can pour coffee and visit with them just as if I see them everyday and it is just another guest that I am fixing a meal for.

I bring their meals and then I ask if they would mind if I take a few candied pictures. I leave them alone and let them visit and enjoy their breakfast. I asked them to please sign my guest book and tell them that I have had people from all over the world sign my book and that I would like them to be part of the group. They signed it "The Fox Family"

OK now that I have had a few weeks to think about it, I wish I had done things differently. I should have had my brains about me and asked if they would pose for a family picture so I would have a nice picture to put on my wall. OH NO, I was brain dead and took candied pictures, some have their mouths open, some have their eyes closed or not looking at the camera. Mathew never did look at the camera, not his fault at all but my stupidity. Now I am just kicking myself,
WHY didn't I think this through, why did I want candied shots, how stupid was that.

Mr. Fox if by chance you ever get on my website and take the time to read my blog or if any one member of your family reads this by chance will you please send me a picture of you and your family. I really would like to have a nice picture of all of you to hang on my wall.

I hope I get another chance to fix all of them breakfast or lunch or just a chance to pour them another cup of coffee. No pictures, just good home style cooking and a nice visit.

If you get a chance this week to come in and have lunch or just a cup of coffee and want to enjoy a piece of dessert I am planning to make a chocolate banana cream pie and I think I will make a cheesecake as well.

This week I am also starting to do something a little different. I am going to be making bread to sell. I am starting the week out with olive bread and a cinnamon swirl bread. I am hoping to be offering a few other kinds of bread as time goes on but for now lets see how these breads go over.

Until next time
Carolyn

THE RED GLASS

2010-11-19T18:55:00.000-08:00

Hey There,

I was so excited last Saturday because right after work we were planning a trip to the Tri-Cities to pick up a new Hobart dishwasher. Oh Happy Day!!! No more doing dishes by hand or in a dishwasher that takes three and a half hours per load.

It all started on Friday evening, I made motel reservations at a Motel #, it was cheap only $50.00 per night for a queen bed. We had actually stayed there a couple times before and it wasn't bad.

So we get to the motel and into our room, it felt like it was 95 degrees when we opened the door.
Ok so the husband goes over to turn the heat off and the whole front of the heater/air conditioner falls onto the floor. While he is working to get that back on I thought I would take off my work shoes and put fresh socks on and some sandals. I walked to the bathroom and eeeeekkkkk, I couldn't tell you if the carpet was wet or just sticky. So I washed my feet, put on clean socks and my sandals. Out the door we went, I was so eager to do some shopping I just was like floating down the stairs.

So we went shopping, what a night, the craft store was having a huge sell with special numbers on the floor. Everyone was there, it was so crowded I just couldn't get into the whole shopping thing. So we left that store and oh my gosh, what do we spy, HOBBY LOBBY! What a great store, I could have spent the whole weekend just shopping in that store, I can't hardly wait to go back, psssst without the husband.

From there we went to Michael's, yes I was looking for something and no we never did find it. So I guess I will just have to get out and do a little more shopping someplace else, oh darn :)

My husband says, "hey how about having dinner at Granny's Buffet?" " Well I was hoping since we were staying in such a cheap motel we could go out for a nice dinner." "Granny's is nice" OK DEAR.

We walked in together and as we got closer to the counter I told my husband that I was going to the restroom and would catch up in a minute. So I come out and walk to the tables and I spy him, he has a red glass. I asked, "What's up with the RED GLASS?" He informs me that they have now separated the beverages from the meal and he bought only one beverage, so she gave us one glass.

We go up and get our salads and we are enjoying them, I tell my husband that I think I want something cold to drink and asked him if he would like something. He said no that I should use the glass and go get something.

So there I am enjoying my dinner and my cold root beer, when the bus girl comes up to our table and says, "OH NO YOU HAVE POP IN THE RED GLASS" yes I am enjoying a root beer with my dinner. She then told us that she was going to have to charge us for the pop. WHAT THE HECK!!! I showed her on our ticket where it said one beverage, I told her we bought a beverage and I am enjoying a beverage with my dinner. I proceeded to drink my nice cold root beer. She then said, "It is against our policy for you to drink pop out of the RED GLASS"

Well I have to say I was getting pretty upset at this point and it was all down hill from there. I think the best way to really get the story across is to put it in server said I said kinda thing so here it goes.

Me: YES, we paid for a beverage, I am drinking a beverage (me taking a drink)

Server: Well I am going to have to charge you for that pop

Me: LOOK, I am picking up the ticket and pointing out to her that we bought a beverage and I am enjoying that beverage.

Server: It is against policy for you to drink anything out of the RED GLASS except water.

Me: We paid for a beverage I am having a beverage, (pointing to ticket) one beverage, lifting glass and telling her see one beverage, we bought one beverage and I am having one beverage.

Server: well I am going to have to go get the manager

Me: YES, GO GET YOUR MANAGER!!!!!!!!!!

Manager: OH NO your drinking pop out of the RED GLASS

Me: YES, we paid for a beverage, I am having a beverage (I am standing up at this point)

Manager: I am going to have to charge you for your pop.

Me: LOOK!!! we paid for a beverage, I am having a beverage (me pointing to ticket) one beverage, I am holding up one beverage.

Manager: It is against policy for you to drink pop out of the RED GLASS. You can only drink water out of the red glass.

ME: I AM REALLY MAD AT THIS POINT. I lift my DANG RED GLASS and I tell him,
LOOK, we bought a beverage, I have only one beverage it doesn't matter if the glass is blue, pink, purple red, polka dot or clear. We paid for a beverage and I am enjoying one beverage with my meal.

Manager: I am going to have to either charge you for the pop or I will take it and put it in a clear beverage glass for you.

ME: I am looking him right into the face and I say, "I will do it myself" I turn and walk to the pop machine. I grab a clear glass and it has lettuce either in it or on it and so I throw it on the floor. I pick up another one and pour my pop into it and fill it up. I then turn to walk to my table and as I turn he says;

Manager: I am going to have to take that red glass.

ME: I paid for this red glass and I might want to have water. I walk to the table

Manager: brings a clean red glass

Husband and I are done eating, this whole thing has just ruined our night out. we couldn't eat another bite if we wanted to but there is always room for ice cream. So I fix us both an ice cream cone. I ate half of mine and then I dumped the rest into that dang RED GLASS.

Now I have to tell you I had to really control myself that evening, you see I don't usually get mad. I mean it takes a lot for me to get that mad but I couldn't believe it.

All the time we are sitting there the server girl was smiling like, 'I GOT YOU IN TROUBLE"
OH I came so close to getting out of my chair and going up to her with my cat claws out. Every time she walked by our table it was that same stupid smile, ha ha I got you in trouble. That girl just doesn't know how close she came to have that pop thrown into her face. In fact someone just said to me that I should have thrown it on her.

Oh I have pop in my glass, oops well there isn't now. Then she could go and get that whiny manager.

OH NO YOU HAVE POP IN THE RED GLASS, idiots!!!!!!!!!!!!

The next morning I get up and start to get dressed, husband asked where are you going? I am going out for a cup of coffee. Don't worry about me I will be just fine, I can't sleep anymore and I need to get up and start moving. I actually slept in because it was like five a.m. So I get into the car and start driving, you know there really is no place to just sit and have coffee that early. I went to Richland, just a little drive, to find a great bakery called, "Spud Nut" Oh I finally found it, you know they open at 4:00 a.m. just like an old fashion bakery use to. I was so excited to have a fresh donut and a hot cup of coffee. WHAT they are not open on Sundays, oh bother.

I am driving and driving and finally decide I need to stop and ask "how in the world do I get back on George Washington Way"? I am lost, I tell the clerk in the gas station, she gives me good directions and I am on my way again. I get back to the motel and we pack up and head to the Restaurant Supply business where we are buying the great dishwasher. Then we went out to breakfast at a nice cafe' called Chefs, it was very nice like an old fashion diner. The food was great and the waitress was very pleasant and after what we had gone through the night before having a good breakfast experience was very important to us.

On the way home I said to my husband, "You know this is all your fault, I think you set me up again" He said, " now I know where the kids get their tempers".

A couple came in today for lunch that I had told the red glass story to and when they had left I was cleaning off their table and what do you think was on the table, a red glass.

Our Vacation

2010-08-15T19:16:00.000-07:00

Hey There,
You know that special song that if you hear it you just can't get it out of your head? I heard a 70's song the other day called, "Leaving on a Jet Plane". I can't stop singing that song, I even mentioned it to someone today in church who is going by plane back home. I asked if she was leaving on a jet plane, remember that old song? "Leaving on a Jet Plane". NOPE!! I felt kinda stupid, OK moving right along now.

There was no "Jet Plane" but there was a VACATION.

We never go far enough to take a jet or a plane. Last year we vacationed in Tri-Cities, that would be Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland WA. That trip put a total of 150 miles on our car and took one hour and fifteen minutes each way.

This year we went to Spokane, oh its about a two and a half hour trip. We left on Friday, well wait a minute let me back up so you can enjoy every minute of my vacation with me.

Wednesday, (normally my day off) I decided to work at my little cafe' all day doing deep cleaning as well as a little cleaning in the basement since for some reason I had no deliveries.
Oh my gosh cleaning and organizing the basement took all day long. I went in about ten and didn't leave until like six that evening. I would have never thought that I could possibly have so many lock and locks. How many containers does a one woman run cafe need? Why are there three of everything in three different colors?

So now all the plastic containers are in one very large five foot long container and it is about to overflow. Oh this over active behavior of mine has got to stop. If I buy one more lock and lock no matter what the color or size or how cute the little flowers are on the sides I think I should have my head checked because I know there has got to be some nuts rolling around between my ears.

I must have packed twenty or more empty boxes out of the basement to flatten. The husband came over around five or so and asked, "where in the world did all these boxes come from"?. The basement dear, we loaded up the pick-up and off he went.

I even found four pictures of very cute roosters that have been missing since last December.
It is so nice to have everything in its place, and organized! Oooohhh what a feeling. Now when I need something I just have to go down and pick it up. There has only been one time when I went down and said, "Now I know those toilet seat covers are here somewhere, where would I have filed them? I found them in the box of toilet paper, pretty cool don't you think.

In the middle of cleaning I got a phone call from a Catholic Sister by the name of Barbara, she and her friend are from Michigan. She said that they had been praying that I was still in business and that I would be open to serve them breakfast on Thursday. I told her I was on vacation, "OH DEAR" I heard the voice of disappointment on the other end. I said, "Sister Barbara, let me make you and your friends breakfast" So Thursday morning I went to work about six so I could get things ready. It was really fun to visit with the four of them since we hadn't seen each other in a year, I hope I see them again next August.

Oh boy Friday morning, we are actually leaving in the car on our vacation, I am so excited. It takes us a little while to pack all that stuff that goes with going on a trip. Jump in, put the belt across the chest, water bottle in the cup holder......where is the water bottle?.......in the back....a lot of good that's going to do when we need a drink. Now we have every thing we need....start the car pop and he puts it in drive. Oh boy oh boy we are on the highway.....as the car comes to a stop I wake up and look around. We are in Colfax already....I have a mouth full of cotton, I reach for the water and ......its empty....what the heck. We are parked at the grocery store in Colfax, husband says, "Are you coming in to get a snack and maybe something to drink? hummmmm yea my mouth is so dry, was I snoring?........no honey....you don't snore. We go in and get a snack and another bottle of water. As we are walking to the car the husband ask, "By the way are you ready to drive? WHAT? I guess so.

So we walk into Taco Time (it is my favorite place on the road to Spokane). We get dinner and a drink and now we are on the road again. I drive about thirty miles and my eyeballs are like chasing a spinning plate. Ha husband, I am like seeing four cars in a row, I think you better drive. So he says well if I have a choice between death and driving I guess I better get behind the wheel.

Now you may be asking why don't we go away to places like New York, Florida, Washington DC.?
Some day I hope to travel across the states but for right now I just need a vacation. To me a real vacation is one that you do nothing. Oh we do fun stuff like watch the Food Network and go window shopping and we even eat out once a day. After all the point of this vacation is to relax, sleep and complete rest for these bodies of ours. One day, when we are finished working and don't have to be back by Monday, we will explore special places. Then we will do longer trips and make special friends along the way that will come and visit us here in Dayton and perhaps fall in love with our beautiful community and buy a house and live here. So then we could see our special friends anytime.

We had a great and very relaxing time, I only bought one thing on this trip and it wasn't made of plastic, I actually bought us a great steam iron. A Rowenta, it has over a hundred steam holes in the plate and let me tell you, I should have had this iron when the kids were growing up. I could have cut my ironing time in half because there is so much steam I only have to iron the fronts of my shirts. WOW! What an iron.....

check-up

2010-07-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

You won't believe this, "It is Tuesday night again already" Would someone please throw me a ladder so I can get out of this big hole I seem to be in. Every time I turn around it is Tuesday, for petty sakes isn't there any other day in the week besides Tuesday? What ever happened to Friday night? I remember going out with the girls on Friday nights but there are no more Fridays, it is like Ground Hog Day, it's always Tuesday..........I am always going to start a project on Thursday morning, but before I can get started that dang Tuesday rears its head up and there you go, another week down a big dark hole.

Well tomorrow I do get to do something a little different, I get to go to the doctor for a yearly check-up. Oh it isn't going to be a pleasant experience, you see I have to go to a new doctor since my doctor decided to leave the country. There is a story, but I don't want to share it because it is to sad and to personal for her. So out of respect for my favorite doctor in all the world I won't be sharing anything about all that.

Anyway I have to go in and have the whole check-up thing done, that means there will be no sleeping in, no sitting around enjoying a cup of coffee with the husband. When my feet hit the floor they will be running.

I was thinking about this thing called a mammogram today, you know how they put you in this torture machine and then proceed to flatten you out like a pancake and tell you not to breathe?
Who the heck can take a breath when your being tortured like that? Last time they did that to me they had me standing on my toes, they had the machine so high. I think the last woman that was flattened had to have been six feet tall and then in I walk at only five feet. I couldn't think, not only was I standing on my big toes and was worried about them breaking under all the pressure but I was being squeezed so hard the blood stopped running to my brain.

By the way, as they are telling you to stop breathing they are walking behind this glass wall that protects them. I had a little to much time on my hands today and my imagination kinda ran away with me and this is what I was thinking. I think the real reason for that glass wall is so when we explode they won't get hit with fly body parts. I just want to know how in the world do they get something so big to go so flat.

UPDATE:

I went to this new doctor today, he was pretty nice and well kinda cute. His name doesn't matter but what does matter is that he is young and won't be retiring before I am ready to retire from being stuck, pressed, poked and whatever else they can think of to do to us poor women. I don't know why we, the women, have to go through all of it, I mean all you men have to do is bend over.

So the mammogram happened today, my poor sisters didn't think they would ever be round again. Those girls just hung around flat most of the day until they got their shape back.

So Thursday is just a few hours away and I think I am ready for it, you see I am already excited about baking what will be desserts for the day. A coconut and a chocolate cream pie are in the plans and so is a carrot cake. I make cinnamon rolls every morning so they are always coming out of the oven anytime after nine. I am going to be baking up some butterhorns as well, only six of those so when they are gone they won't be available until next time. It takes a long time to make the dough for those, a lot of rolling and folding until there are about 75 layers. OH BABY!!

I need to make some Blueberry Scones and some Cornbread tomorrow as well, my kitchen will be a very busy place. I hope one day you can come and enjoy either breakfast or lunch at my little cafe'. I would love to cook for you and bake up something special that you would just love to have.

Oh my gosh, I am forgetting to tell you the great news. I found this cookbook called "Gluten-Free Baking Classics" The recipes sound really good and there is even a recipe for Cinnamon Rolls that I want to try. It will be a few weeks before I can take on that adventure because I have to find and order the special flours that the recipes call for. Flours like "Brown Rice", when I do I will put a sign on the menu wall outside my door to let you know what I have baked that is Gluten-Free.

Until next time
Carolyn

What an evening

2010-07-13T20:27:00.000-07:00

Hey There,
It is Tuesday night again already, I swear the weeks are flying by like a jet engine, faster then a speeding bullet. For the love of life slow down already!

Tuesday evenings are usually my favorite night, I get to relax and watch Chef Ramsey kick and scream at want to be chefs. I think it would be so much fun and scary to be on that show, just to be able to cook with all those people would be worth the yelling. Well I don't like the gas stoves, now that would be scary. I probably would burn the place down when the flames come rolling out of the skillets OOOHHHHH not a good thing. So guess what is on in its place, baseball! I"ll tell you those people that schedule shows sure know how to mess up a girls evening.

So what do I get to do now, I get to sit in the living room and listen to the mother in-law sniff and wipe her nose. I couldn't take it anymore so I decided I would come in the computer room and visit with you. So lets get to visiting because this is the night the husbands mother spends the night and after she goes to bed I can't be on the computer. WHY? You ask, well her bed in is the computer room. Every Tuesday she spends the night........ My whole evening is all screwed up!!!!

So what did everyone do this weekend? Hopefully you had a chance to just relax and have some fun. Summer is almost over, well it is over around here because it is only 65 outside. What in the world is happening to our summers? I can remember when summer began in May and now we don't even have summer until like the middle of July. Oh sure we have some days that are in the high nineties but this is suppose to be summer. The days are suppose to be hot, long and full of life.

Husband says that as long as he doesn't have to turn on the furnace or the air conditioner he is a happy man. We have no air conditioning in our home, unless husband decides it is to hot and then we get one put in the window like right now......here is how it all went down.

One(and the only) day we had some pretty high temps, I think it was 103 degrees. We came home from work and the house which had been closed up all day was like in the nineties and it didn't cool off at all. Now remember I get up at four in the morning to be to work by four-thirty. I usually am in bed between eight and eight-thirty. Who can sleep in a sauna, our room gets the morning, afternoon and evening sun and so it was like blazing hot in there. Finally around nine-thirty husband says OK I can't take it anymore, I am going down for an air conditioner.
So he gets the conditioner in the window and it takes about a half hour to get the room cooled down. Finally I can go to bed, oh he can join me if he wants but he better not touch me, I am hot enough.

You see we sleep in a double bed, and have every since we were married thirty-eight years ago. Only problem and it really isn't a problem is we just aren't as petite as we use to be. In fact there I am laying in bed and sweating and his arm is touching mine, do you know how hot flesh feels against hot flesh? It isn't pretty, it makes me a big ball of nerves. I am thinking to myself, why is he on my side? Why can't he stay on his own side? Oh my gosh he is really hogging the bed tonight. I can't stand it anymore I have to say something to him. Husband, can you please move over to your own side of the bed? I am laying on the edge and I can't more over anymore, your touching me and I am to hot to be touched.

I don't believe it, husband says he is on his side and in fact he is on the edge. No your not I tell him your on my side. So what does he do, he puts something right by my arm and tells me to get up so I can see where I am laying. Dang, I don't believe it, I am taking up my half of the bed and he is right he is on his side. OK already I will turn over onto my side but don't touch me.

Well I think I better put the husbands mother to bed so I can relax and have a cup of hot chocolate and watch a little television before I have to go to bed and get up and start another day.

Visit with you next time
Carolyn

Cherry Pie

2010-07-03T18:46:00.000-07:00

Hey There,

Well I have to tell you about a cherry pie that I made today. First a little background on the cherries, yes my cherries have a background and it involves two men.

I have two gentlemen that come in for French Toast at least two if not three times a week.

What does this have to do with cherries........its coming

So these two guys come in one day with a bag of Bing cherries and tell me that I can have them. OK I give them to my husband to eat because well........sometimes I think about where peoples hands have been and what is inside of something so much it kinda takes all the fun out of eating something.

I must wash my hands like a hundred times during the day....I know I run a little cafe' and I should be washing my hands but that doesn't mean that I know everyone else wash their hands...I don't know I am just crazy about some things.

OK cherries....its coming

So these two men ask me if I liked the cherries and of course I said yes they were very good. I was honest and told them I had only eaten one or two and that the husband had the rest. You see the husband really likes cherries, his mother use to can like a million quarts of these Bing cherries. You know what husbands favorite pie is?.....that's right, "Cherry"

OK now getting back to the story.....these two men come in with an idea of me making them a cherry pie out of Bing cherries. They asked if I had a pitter, I said no and I told them if they wanted me to make them a cherry pie then they will have to pit the cherries.

Well here they come on Friday afternoon with two bags of these pitted Bing cherries and I tell them that I will have a pie made by morning when they come in for breakfast.

I have always used sour pie cherries and so I knew what to do with them. So flying by the seat of my pants again, flying is not an unusual thing with me, I fly by the seat of my pants a lot.

So I put the cherries in two separate pans because I am making one with regular sugar and one with Splenda for them. I put in some of this and some of that and then I get the bright idea of.....now listen closely because I think this is what really gave the pie its flavor. I used vitamin water.....its a coke product.....I used acai, blueberry and pomg.....flavor. See flying by the seat of my pants. So I thicken the cherries and yes I did use a thickener and no I am not telling you which one.

I roll out my crust and bing a bang a boom the pie goes into the oven....OH MY GOSH!!!
I have to tell you that it was very good, I couldn't believe how good it was. I will tell you a little secret....psssst come closer.....I used only 1/2 cup of sugar in the regular pie and 1/4 cup of splenda in the other.

They both said I had done good and of course, they both were very happy when I came out of the kitchen with two containers and told them they could enjoy more of it tonight or tomorrow, just don't eat it all in one setting.

Busy Girl

2010-06-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

Hey There,
Well Sunday has come and is quickly slipping by, it is already nine o'clock, way past my bedtime. I think I was on a true vacation today, two naps, three cups of coffee, WOW! I even had time to put my feet up and read the morning paper. I did warm up some soup for the husband for dinner, so you see it was a vacation day...no cooking, cleaning, gardening just good ole do nothing kinda day. I think this ole gal is going to take a vacation day like this one at least once a month. I think I will even put it on the calendar so I will remember to do nothing. "You what? Need a shirt ironed?" Oh no I am on a vacation day, sorry husband, you not only have to wash your clothes but mine as well and on top of all that you have to iron your own shirt and maybe if you are lucky I will warm a bowl of left over soup for you. Now can you please bring me the rest of the paper?
What you don't believe that is how it is? Well watch this, I slip my hand onto the handle of the recliner and as my feet go up so does the cup of coffee. There we are, now that is how it is suppose to be.

Now tomorrow, that is a completely different story, this ole gal is going to be busier then a one legged man in a butt kicking contest. I will have to hit the floor running at about three-thirty because I am baking cinnamon rolls of course, then a carrot cake, and chocolate pudding using a special secret ingredient pisssst Bailey's. MMMMM it is so yummy with a scoop of fresh made whipped cream.
I am going to try to get a lemon cheesecake made with fresh lemon curd, it is kinda like a glass of ice cold lemonade on a hot summer day.
Saturday I made up two coconut pecan pies that are served up frozen so they are kept in the freezer. I serve a slice of that with toasted coconut and pecans topped with chocolate and caramel sauce. It is cool and taste like an ice cream sundae even through there is no ice cream in it.

Saturday when we got off work we drove over to the Tri-Cities to deliver Cinnamon Rolls to a customer. Yes I not only ship my Cinnamon Rolls across the USA but I deliver into the Walla Walla area every Wednesday and once a month I deliver into the Tri-Cities. In Walla Walla I will deliver right to your door, all you have to do is email me or call me up and order whatever dessert you want. Whether it be Cinnamon Rolls, pie, cake, cookies or cheesecake. I have even had customers order full brunch meals like quiche, fruit, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and a dessert.

The fourth of July is coming, at our house that not only is a day to celebrate our nation but one of our sons was born on the big day.
One year I thought I would make his birthday cake very special so I made a big cake and put sparklers on it. I really wanted it to be something cool for our son, it was cool alright. By the time the extra special sparklers went out the cake was so full of buck shot no one could even eat it, so much for extra special effects. I kinda had to cut the top of the cake off and we just enjoyed the bottom half, keeping an eye out for pieces of metal.

Catch you next time
Carolyn

Brownies

2010-05-15T19:37:00.000-07:00

Hey There,

By now you all know that one of my favorite things to do is bake from scratch. Well I am here to tell you about a gift someone just recently gave to me.

Some times on television you see things advertised that make a lot of sense and you send after them. I have sent after so many things that are suppose to make my life so simple and cut my work load in half. Then there are the gadgets that look good but don't work at all as they said it would. Where does that thing end up? Well in the basement or yard sale. You may have paid $19.95 and $5.95 shipping. But wait, if you order right now we will ship you a second one free, you just have to pay shipping.

Any more when I hear those words I run, not walk, to the next room and I go online and check out this wonderful newest and greatest gadget. OH MY GOSH IT DOES ALL THAT!? HOLY COW! I have to have one, but wait, I get one free. So I order two and I get two free, that makes sense doesn't it. I didn't just get one free I got two free, it just cost me $23.80 in shipping plus the cost of the first two items. I can't even think about what it actually is costing me, I am so excited about the two free ones that life is good and after all I did get something free, it just cost me $63.70 WOW!!

OK, I have this over active compulsive behavior, I can't just buy one. Now not one is in the basement waiting for a yard sale but four are now waiting for someone to say, Hey how much do you want for those. Oh those wonderful things? Oh my gosh you will just love them, I know you will enjoy them, how about fifteen dollars each? So now I have made $28.15 profit, not bad.

Now let me tell you about the gift that a customer brought into me.

A customer of mine brought me in something called, "The Brownie Pan". Let me tell you I thought when I saw it on T.V. it was another one of those gadgets that you toss into the basement. I really thought it was a joke, who can't cut brownies?

Me, I can't cut a nice looking brownie to save my life. When people come into my shop and they see brownies, I can tell by the look on their faces they are thinking "what three year old cut those"?

So I made brownies, in fact I doubled my recipe so I could put half in the special brownie pan and half in a 9 X 13 pan. All the time thinking, oh brother this thing is just worthless. None the less I did try it.

Results; OK the brownie pan directions said to bake for thirty minutes as my recipe also said for the larger pan. When I put a knife in the brownie pan it came out clear just like the directions said it would. The 9 X 13 pan took about twenty minutes longer, and the edges where beginning to over bake. I am here to tell you that the special Brownie pan is worth every penny. I am buying four more of them so, I will have five all together. ha ha Well a girl never knows when she will need a hundred brownies......

Visit with you later
Carolyn

Not his fault

2010-05-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

Hey There,

Well now I just wanted to say on my husbands behalf that he is a handy man to have around. The hinges as it turned out were all bent. So it wasn't his fault.

The carpenter came down to my cafe' and told me that all the hinges were bent and that is why the doors wouldn't shut. So I asked him to take them all back and please buy good ones.
So he took a little trip into Walla Walla and several hours later we finally have hinges on and cabinet doors that actually shut, thank you Arthur.
Just another cheap product from China that they expect us to buy and deal with. I want to know, "Why can't hinges be made here in the good ole US of A?"

Well anyway, the kitchen is done, the curtains are up and even the chicken and rooster pictures are on the wall. We are now looking for a cute country kitchen table for two. I repeat FOR TWO, not three, just two, husband and me.
The husband isn't sure if he wants a table in the kitchen. I ask, "What are we going to eat on? This is his thought on a table, "He wants to sit and relax and watch NCIS". Which is something we have been doing for so long that I can't remember the last time the two of us sat in the kitchen and enjoyed a meal together.

Problems with sitting and watching television while you eat are many. Just to list a couple, 1. You are not looking at what you are eating, I could put anything on his plate and as long as it doesn't move he'll eat it. I will be the first to admit that I don't put a lot of time into preparing dinner but any effort is still effort. So maybe what is on his plate isn't a thing of beauty but it is edible.
2. There is no visiting while you have dinner except during commercials.
Well who wants to visit with someone that has their mouth full of food anyway, come to think of it. NO husband does not talk with his mouth full.
Have you ever sat across from someone that likes to talk while they eat? OH MY WORD, it is kinda like seeing what your food will look like if you get sick in the next hour or so after finishing your meal. Who in their right mind wants to look at that. YUK!

You know I just love to be in my kitchen and be baking up a storm, so when I woke up this morning around 3:00 and started thinking of all the baking I wanted to do I just got myself up and headed down to the shop. By the time I opened at six I had a turtle cheesecake made, baked a dozen blueberry scones and whipped up a coconut cream pie.

Nothing like working with a little music flowing through the room, the aroma of coffee brewing and the sweet smell of dough rising and goodies baking. When that first customer comes in and says, "Man it smells so good in here" It makes getting up and getting busy so worth it.

Visit with you next time
Carolyn

How did that happen

2010-04-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

Hey There,

Well you all know that we have been working on our house and sometimes things go well and yet other times we just want to throw our hands up and blow air real fast out our mouths.

My husband started on his honey do list in the kitchen, yes we are still trying to get that room finished. It is almost done, you know how the little jobs are. They take forever and there are just so many. I am not the neatest of painters so he has had to go behind me and clean up all the paint that got on the hinges and fill in where paint didn't go and so on, I think you get the picture. No I am not messy just not a professional, just a do it myself kinda gal.

My dear husband takes on the project of replacing all the hinges on all the cabinet doors, there are twenty-seven sets that have to be taken off, the doors cleaned and the new hinges put on. Well nothing is never easy for these DIY home owners. None of the holes are matching up. He is having to fill every screw hole with a small wood piece and then remark and screw new holes. He has two doors done, but they don't shut, he is on his knees and sweating trying to figure out way. He gets up and walks into the living room where I am relaxing and reading the Sunday paper. He now has sweat on his forehead and says to me, "I am ready to hire it done" So I get right on the computer and email the carpenter in our world asking him to please come and take a look and put us on his list.

Now I somewhat finish the paper, or maybe I am just feeling a little guilty about sitting and doing nothing because husband is now outside mowing the lawn. I get myself up and start one of my little DIY jobs in the bathroom.

Several years ago, oh maybe ten or twelve I was in the bathroom sitting and I look up to see my neighbor on his roof. We have a large window in our bathroom that is almost even with the neighbors roof. So when he is on his roof he can look right into our bathroom and see who ever is sitting. He can also look through the window into the mirror and see you taking a shower. So the one day that I am sitting I look up and there he is, no he isn't looking at me. Not right then anyway, I get up as soon as I can. A girl is kinda like stuck there for a while, you know you can't just get up, all the paper work as to be done.

I march myself down to the lumber yard and buy some of that stick on window privacy stuff. Now we can relax with no fear of being spied on.

The problem with that stick on frosted stuff is when you want to remove it, it becomes a major job, anyway for me it did.

So I am in the bathroom scraping this stuff off that has been baking on the window for these past twelve or so years. I cut my finger, don't ask me how because I don't have a clue. I just look down and see red stuff on the sink and thought, "where did that come from" I look at my hand and the finger tip is all bloody. So I had to stop and bandage myself and clean up the new sink. Working on now, I keep hitting my right hand on the thing that you grab to open the window. Dang that hurts, so I figure out how to remove that window so I am only dealing with one window pane. Now I can really get into the job of removal of the stuck on crap and wishing that I had never put that stuff on.

OH NO!!! The window is now cracked and it is getting bigger and longer. How am I going to tell the husband that I broke the window and now we have to replace it. Here goes the story...

Me talking to husband,
Remember this morning when you informed me that I am human and make mistakes like everyone else because I left the water on in the bathroom sink? Well I wish you hadn't told me that because now I am making all kinds of mistakes.

Him talking to me,
What do you mean when you say mistake?

Me talking to husband,
Well I was scraping the bathroom window......Him running to the bathroom to see before I even get a chance to explain what happened. How did you do that? I don't know, maybe the window was just so old that it just broke.

More fast air coming out of the mouth....Better email the carpenter and ask him to check out the broken window while he is here doing the hinges.

The carpenter came today, he didn't think there would be a problem with the hinges. Now that's a guy that knows what he is doing. I then told him about the broken window and he said again, no problem. Well since you are replacing that window how about looking at more windows. So now I guess we are replacing one of the two huge windows in the living room.

We aren't done yet, there is still four more rooms upstairs to do and a full basement that needs our attention. I think with the weather getting so nice we are stopping here and putting our labor into the yard. Of course I can only work outside on Sundays and Wednesdays because after working at my shop for twelve hours or more a day I have no energy to be pushing a shovel. I would like to plant some daisies not be pushing them up.

Visit with you next time
Carolyn

First Shower

2010-04-23T19:09:00.000-07:00

Hey There
Today was a great day at Home Baked Goodness, I met several new people from as far away as North Carolina. The gentleman that was from North Carolina had such a wonderful accent, I could have listened to him talk for at least a couple of hours, his accent just made me want to pack my bags and fly off to the south.

One of my goals is to go to the southern states and just spend time looking at all the beautiful buildings and tasting all the great food, and just sitting back and listen to the people talk. It would be so cool to be sitting in a white wicker chair on a huge front porch in front of one of those big houses. Oh my gosh, can't you just see it in your minds eye, a group of ladies just visiting with glasses of Blackberry Tea in one hand and one of those fancy fans in the other.

One day I want to visit Paula Deen's restaurant while on this great trip. I'll tell you a little secret, I want Paula to be my grandma or sister or some sort of relative. I do use a lot of her recipes in my little cafe' and they always turn out. Yes I go through a lot of butter, that is what makes things taste so yummy, that and a little dessert spirits.

Tomorrow morning I am making a couple of Flourless Chocolate Cakes, one will be for a customer and the other will be for the shop. Then on Tuesday I am planning to make up a carrot cake and an Italian Cream Cake.

I finally had a few extra minutes to myself this evening and so I decided to use the new shower. It really wasn't to bad. I just hung on to the side of the tub and threw one leg at a time over the edge. Getting out was a little more difficult, a husband should never be in the bathroom when his wife is trying to remove herself from the tub. It is pretty hard to look good when your bent over and swinging one leg over the tub and then the other. One foot goes into the garbage can and the other gets wrapped up in the shower curtain. But I managed to keep my composure, and after all if that is the worst he has seen in 38 years then he has had it pretty good around here.

Until next time
Carolyn

2010-04-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

Hey There,

Its finally looking like Spring around here, everything is turning green and the wheat is growing and looking so healthy. I love this time of year, when the trees are leafing out and the heat of the sun is coming through the windows. It feels like a fresh start on life with sunny days and longer daylight hours for more gardening, playing or sports whatever you happen to be into.

Dayton, that would be Washington not Ohio, kicks off the summer with,
Church Street Sale
May 1st
Almost all the churches in Dayton take over 3rd Street for a once a year giant yard sale. So if you need something or just want to come and have a fun time looking through every ones stuff, jump in your car and head over for the day. Spend some time looking around our beautiful community, we have several historical buildings that you should take time to visit. Dayton is full of history and beauty, you just need to take the time to discover all of her treasures.

While your here stop in and say hello and enjoy a wonderful homemade Cinnamon Roll. You might want to take time to have lunch, you know there are over a dozen places to eat here in Dayton but only one place where you can find a Cinnamon Roll so good that they are shipped across the nation.

Visit with you next time
Carolyn

Tape Worm

2010-04-11T21:37:00.000-07:00

Hey there,
Well I think and I am sure hoping that my part of the bathroom is complete. What a job! Anyone that has done remodeling has all my respect.

Well to start off with I just wanted to change out the facets on the two sinks and bathtub. I was told by the plumber that it would be cheaper or just as cheap to replace the sinks with four inch center facets rather then just replace the eight inch center facets. He came over with a price of white sinks, my husband said no white sinks. OK so now we have two white sinks.

My husband and I took a little trip to Home Depot to check out facets with four inch centers. I wanted to be sure to get the facets he likes to make up for the white sinks. We found just what we wanted and noted the brand and model number. I was ready with information in hand for when the plumber came over with his books so I could pick out facets.

There is a knock at the door, its the plumber, him and I walk into the kitchen where he places two books and a box on the counter. He opens the box and hands me what is now my new facet. It is chrome, single handle, I walk the facet into the living room and hand my husband our new facet, "Here honey what do you think of our new facet". What? We look at each other and roll our eyes.

OK now we have two white sinks that Al(husband) did not want and two facets that we didn't get to pick out, mmmm. I asked the plumber what the shower handles will look like and he said, "I am not going to tell you, it will be a surprise."

So let me back up a little here, because we now have white sinks what color do you think the tub has to be? That's right white and of course the toilet has to be white. Tape Worm!!!

The plumber told me that the new tub would be about an inch higher, ok an inch isn't nothing right? WRONG! I came home one afternoon and he has taken the old tub out and replaced it with a new white tub. I look into the bathroom and my reaction scared him to death. I placed my hands on my head and said, " My gosh that is deep" It looks to me like it is a foot deeper then the old one but he assures me that it is only an inch. I didn't think an inch was very much but when someone is measuring something by the inch you better look twice.

The mudding and painting is now done and the floor and new white toilet are going in tomorrow.

I have had to climb into that new deep tub several times to paint around it and let me tell you there will be no stepping into the shower as a normal person would no sir, I am buying a special ladder so I can get into and out of.

I have to tell you that the plumber was right, the white fixtures really do brighten up the room. We had sandstone before. Yes it does look very nice, the plumber did a very good job of picking out everything for us. No we got to pick the wall paint color and I did pick out the flooring, so we did get what we want on part of it. All and all it was another success remodeling job.

Now onto the dining room and living room, but first I will take a week or so off and just relax and enjoy what we have done so far.

I am looking forward to tomorrow because I am making Blueberry Scones and Ham and Cheese Scones for my cafe. I will be making several pies as well so it will be a very busy day. Oh I have this little cafe that seats twelve where I am your waitress, your cook, and dishwasher all rolled up into one very busy person. I love doing it, some days it is just so crazy but we get through it.

Visit with you next time
Carolyn

2010-04-07T18:06:00.000-07:00

It is Wednesday evening again already, I can't believe how fast hump day comes. I was suppose to start a weight lose program last Wednesday and well you know it is just like Monday, it never gets here. So I am hopeful that next Wednesday will be the day, well let me back peddle there, that is the day I go to lunch so it will actually be Thursday. But now we didn't come together to talk about all that.

It was such a beautiful day here in the Northwest, I think it must have gotten upwards of sixty-eight. I actually had to run the cars air conditioner on the way home.
I stopped off at this great fruit and vegetable stand called, "Klickers" that is located in Walla Walla and picked up forty pounds of pie cherries and of course they have very good ice cream so I had to have a scoop in a bowl for the trip home.

I will use those cherries to make fresh cherry pies for my shop and they will also be used to top some gorgeous cheese crepes topped with a little fresh whipped cream and a little dusting of confectioners sugar. They are filled with cream cheese, a little sour cream and yummy cottage cheese. I serve them for breakfast and as a dessert.

I am planning to paint my bathroom this evening if I get my act together, at least the ceiling so the electrician can install the ceiling fan. I have been redoing my kitchen and bathroom (in my spare time)but those are stories for another day.

For now I am going to get some dinner and put my feet up for a spell.

Visit with you later
Carolyn

Change of Name

2010-03-16T16:07:00.000-07:00

updating my blog site... changing name to match my business "Home Baked Goodness"
Also rennovating my website, www.homebakedgoodness.net, will post again when complete