Baking in 2014...

This has been a big year for me when it comes to baking. Back in January I was thinking that I would be done with baking, but then February rolled around and after an order for 100 Valentine sugar cookies it has just taken off from there. We have also learned what happens to Penny when she eats a dozen sugar cookies. She is okay for the first 24 hours, but after that it's gas and discomfort for Crazy Penny.

There was a little re-branding, with my new name and logo. It was not easy coming up with my new name, Sugar Shenanigans, I really feel like I have grown into my new name. (Plus I LOVE the word shenanigans.)

We have slowly turned out breakfast nook into my baking area.

I now own two Kitchen aid mixers.

I am the proud owner of a bun rack. Really, it makes me laugh every time I say it. I wonder if that will wear off.

These are just a few the Shenanigans of 2014...

1. Olaf/Frozen cookies for Avery
2. Sock Monkey cookies, I am sad I didn't make these for Carson when she was younger.
3. Love and Dragon Flies for Dan & Judy's anniversary
4. Ice Cream and Cupcakes
5. Flowers, and the first cookies I sent in the mail.
6. Ladybugs, Cows and love.
7. Pokemon for my girls' birthday.
8. Dr. Seuss cookies, I can't wait to make more of these.
9. Peeps! Way better than actual Peeps, in my opinion.

1. Superhero cookies for a 3-year-old's birthday
2. More love cookies for an engagement party.
3. Christmas, Christmas, Christmas!
4. Angels and gold starts. I really love these angels.
5. Arkansas cookies, I love the hog cookies. I made OU, OSU and WVU cookies too.
6. Elf on a Shelf. My kids missed the whole elf on the shelf craze, and I was nervous about these cookies, but they turned out great.
7. Thanksgiving. Love the turkeys made with flower cookie cutters.
8. Music theme cookies.
9. Pigeon cookies, my kids are too old for this character, but I hear the books are very popular. These cookies were a big hit with the kindergarten class.

There have also been a few cakes and cupcakes sprinkled in here and there.

German chocolate cake for my father-in-law's birthday. Seriously, I think I used up every dish in my kitchen with this one.

Dark chocolate nutella cake for my mother-in-law's birthday. (I see a theme developing here.)

I have tried out some new things this year. I aspire to make macaroons. I did make one batch and I think they turned out good.

I think the theme is chocolate and not in-laws.

It's been a year full of baking, and I hope that 2015 brings even more.

WIAW #4...

So my WIAW post is going to be about What I Ate Last Thursday.  It's a good thing I am not a For Real food blogger because I always remember to take a picture of my food, after I've eaten it.  Trust me you don't want to see it then.

Funny story, I was at The Mont last night crashing a Mom's Night Out with my friend Rochelle, and it came up about kids talking about poo.  We discovered that poo stories never get less funny.  Even for grown ups they are funny.  And that's all I'm going to say about that.

I can't remember what I had for breakfast last Thursday, but I bet it was either a yogurt or an egg fritatta sandwich with a fake sausage patty.  I won't bore you with another picture of my boring rotation of breakfast foods.  Maybe I should try to make my own McGriddle, with some pancakes and my egg fritatta and a fake sausage patty.  Food for thought.

Anyway, for lunch we had a Chili Cook-Off to raise money for the UCO Endeavor Games, and it was a huge success.  My work is participating in the OU Medicine Corporate Challenge and there is a fundraising aspect to it now.  The company is matching what we raise so we had the cook-off and invited everyone to come have lunch with us and make a donation.

 Here's the pots of chili for the contest.  I made my Chipotle-Spiced Sweet Potato Chili, I didn't win, but I didn't think I would.  I did get some high praise for my meat-free chili and I had something to eat for my lunch.

Seriously, make this chili tonight.  It is AMAZ-ing! 

Of course there were desserts, I think it's insane to eat a meal that is not followed by dessert so I baked up a batch of my Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Would it be horrible to say that I might like these more than my original chocolate chip cookies that started my love for all things baking?  It might be, so I won't, but these babies are a close second in the cookie love-of-my-life contest.  This is something else you should make tonight. Really.


So after work I meet my sisters and sister-in-law for dinner at Musashi's.  It was a fun Mother's Day dinner, and the food was good.

I just love it when they set things on fire.  Our chef was awesome, since I am a horrible food blogger I missed the volcano the first time, but he did it a second time so I could get a picture.

I went with the shrimp, yes, I know I am a vegetarian, but I do eat shellfish on occasion.  Besides they didn't have an all vegetarian option on the menu and I didn't feel like ordering everything individually.  Those purple potatoes in the veggies were awesome.  I was stuffed when I left.

We did get some pics...

My SIL Chance, Jen and Karen

Chance, Jen, Karen and me.

I drank a bunch of water all day too.  And I put this in some of it...

I love my NUUN, and this is banana flavored!  How insane is that.  I was a little scared at first, but it is really good. 



So it was a good day, with some good eats.