TheSweetArt

Blueberry Cheesecakes, Two Ways

2012-02-07T16:22:00.002-06:00

It's been a crazy past few weeks. After slowly getting over my wisdom teeth removal (my mouth is still not totally back to normal), I went to Atlanta for a few days. I had a huge cupcake order for someone's 60th birthday. I was a bit stressed out but in a good way! It was my first time making this many cupcakes, transporting them and setting it up. But I'd love to do it again, anytime.

Lemon Blackberry Pudding Cakes

2012-01-30T15:34:00.000-06:00

It's such a beautiful day in St. Louis! 65 degrees outside and very sunny, breezy... I took my doggy for a long, long walk to Forest Park and it was pretty wonderful. Which really makes me wonder, is this the kind of winter we're gonna get this year?! When I moved to St Louis in January of 2010, it was the start of a crazy blizzard, followed by lots of snowy/icy days. I have horrible memories of chiseling ice off my car for 30-60 minutes of my day... But this year we only had about 1-2 snow days and it's been clear and 50s ever since. Of course, I'm not complaining... just curious. Either way, it's still sweater season and I love wearing sweaters and sipping on hot tea indoors.

Strawberry Chiffon Cake

2012-01-26T11:51:00.000-06:00

This is the cake I made for Joe's 25th birthday this year. Not as fabulous or as exciting as his 24th birthday cake (which people still talk about) but still pretty darn delicious. He had requested a light cake with whipped cream, similar to Korean bakery-style cakes, and I think this hit the spot.

Jack Daniels Marshmallows

2012-01-22T12:01:00.000-06:00

Oh, marshmallows. I have had such a trying time with them. I am that weird person who hates plain marshmallows but loves making (and devouring) rice krispy treats from scratch. I had my first taste of fresh marshmallows at a little bakery in Atlanta a long time back and had been obsessed with making homemade ones ever since.

I made two different recipes over 2011 that both fell flat. I whipped and whipped and whipped with a hand mixer and they never came together anything more than a liquid mess. I decided to give up entirely for about five months, until my friend Lucy, of The Sweet Touch, invited me over to make some marshmallows at her place. I was apprehensive, but I figured it'd be fun to meet up and try again. She had a recipe printed out and we followed the instructions exactly and I realized where I had gone wrong.

Brownie Cookies, Many Ways

2012-01-16T22:13:00.002-06:00

~~In cold weather like this, I often turn to warm, delicious "comfort" foods.~~ This was my first sentence this morning until I stepped outside. After 3 days of snow and then the subsequent, slow melting of the snow, it just happened to be 65 degrees outside today. So instead of finishing my blog post, I ran over to Forest Park with Mila and Joe and played in the sun, trying not to think too hard about the crazy (and scary) climate change. As for the cookies, although they are a new addition in my life, this recipe is quickly making its way into my comfort category.

Peanut Butter Brownie Truffles

2012-01-12T22:21:00.002-06:00

It's snowing in St Louis! Just the day before, I went running around with my dog, Mila, in 50 degree weather at Forest Park... So I was pretty surprised to wake up this morning to a snowy parking lot and I think Mila was too. It took her about 5 seconds to process before she spazzed out and jumped all over the snow, burying her face into it (she's been randomly coughing ever since). What a hilarious dog.

I'm also still waiting for the photos of my dessert table at New Year's Eve from one HLi, who has yet to send them to me.To be fair, we were both sick all week, but then he did leave his camera at his girl's place 40 minutes away. So until then, this will have to suffice.
Edit: Here is a photo from NYE!

Black & White Cookies

2012-01-06T19:09:00.003-06:00

My last week in Atlanta is shaping up to be quite a downer. I started off 2012 with a minor cold that turned into a
cough, that turned into terrible dizziness/drowsiness and now, an ear infection! And I've had multiple people tell me that adults rarely get ear infections... either I'm one of the rare ones or I'm not an adult yet, I suppose.

I've been floating in and out of sleep, feeling weak and tired, and barely eating. I'm glad an ear infection isn't contagious but since I still have a cold and cough, I have to stay far away from my dear mum, who has just finished her second round of chemo. In addition to all this, I don't have any energy to bake! But I guess it's nice to be home with my grandmother at times like these, with lots of delicious home-cooked meals around, and not have to worry about any orders at the moment.

I'll be up and running soon, I hope, but in the meantime, enjoy these black and white cookies I recently posted on Sauce Magazine. And I hope you guys are enjoying the new year more than I am :)

A Look Back & Red Wine Chocolate Cake

2012-01-02T08:43:00.001-06:00

2011 has really been the most bittersweet year for me, in so many ways. I started the year by moving to St Louis, and that was very sweet (despite the bitter winter). I rented my very own apartment (sans roommates) for the very first time and it was wonderful to be an adult and handle everything on my own. I also took the time to explore and really fall in love with the city. Food Truck Fridays, Taste, Brasserie, all the farmer's markets, Soulard, and of course, Forest Park, which never ceases to amaze me every time I venture upon it.

Raspberry Creme Fraiche Tart

2011-12-28T15:43:00.000-06:00

Happy Holidays everyone!

So sorry for the loooong hiatus from the blog. I've been busy spending time with family and friends back in Atlanta (and I hope you've been busy with yours too!). I'm so happy to be home and near everyone and everything I've missed. I can't believe it's been almost a whole year since I moved away from my hometown.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-12-13T17:01:00.000-06:00

This is a bit of a strange story, in which I learned an important lesson. I made this peanut butter dough a couple of weeks ago and was storing it in my freezer. Recently, I received a cookie order and thought they would be perfect in an assorted box. So I removed the dough and made the cookies. The dough didn't smell like peanut butter, but I thought maybe that was because it was very chilled? The cookies were also a bit darker than I thought they should be. I waited till Joe got home and made him taste one. He told me they were delicious with absolutely no hint of peanut butter. So basically, I have a mystery brown cookie dough in my freezer and I have no idea where it came from or when I made it. Apparently, it's still good though...

Peppermint Mocha Macs for Xmas

2011-12-07T17:12:00.001-06:00

My life has become all about macarons lately. I feel like I'm spamming my blog with macaron posts! I promise, this is a blog on all things sweet, not just macarons. But I couldn't resist posting these right before Christmas. I've been hearing so much about a flavor at Starbucks--peppermint mocha--that seem to get people all riled up (in a good way). For someone who doesn't drink coffee, I don't get the hype. I've been making mocha macarons for a long time now but I wondered what would happen if I swapped out the filling for a creamy peppermint cream.

Salted Caramel Macarons & 2 Years of Blogging

2011-12-04T10:29:00.001-06:00

Two years ago, very randomly and almost impulsively, I decided to start a blog. I had no idea where it was going to go or if I'd still stick to it a year from that point. I had always assumed I would do a simple workplace job for the rest of my life but after working for a few months, I was already looking for a way out. Joe was the one who encouraged me to pursue food photography and I'm so glad I listened to him.

Buttermilk Ricotta Pancakes

2011-11-29T11:58:00.001-06:00

I often purchase buttermilk for red velvet cupcakes and then have to find ways to use it up before it expires. I absolutely hate wasting food, and especially throwing away dairy products just because of an expiration date.

I also tried cooking with ricotta for the first time this week. I often see ricotta pancakes in restaurants but had never ordered it. All I knew is that it's a type of cheese, but more specifically, it's an Italian dairy product from sheep. Interesting!

Chocolate Yogurt Cakes

2011-11-22T19:45:00.001-06:00

I'm in Atlanta, currently sitting on my bed with my baby nephew sleeping next to me and my 4-year old niece digging through my jewelry box and untangling all its items for me.

It's been a great relaxing week at home, spending time with my grandma and my mom. I didn't realize it before but this is the longest break I have taken from being in Atlanta, ever. So strange! There are so many new places popping up everywhere. I wonder when ATL will have its fill of cupcake bakeries because we now have four within walking distance of us (we do live near downtown, to be fair).

Green Tea Sablés

2011-11-17T07:10:00.001-06:00

With the advent of the internet and all the thousands of recipes at our fingertips, it's easy to neglect actual cookbooks sitting on our shelves. I actually spend quite a bit of time perusing new cookbooks and their reviews on Amazon (I have a rather long wish list) but I've let the ones I already own collect dust for a while now. They're still my prized possessions though, especially after all the research I put in just to choose the special few.
Feeling a bit guilty about neglecting the cookbooks I had been so excited about on their arrival, I decided to turn to one for these cookies. I wanted to make something with matcha, also known as green tea powder, to take home for the family. I love my Okashi cookbook since it contains many popular desserts but with an Asian flair.

Sablés are simply French sugar cookies or icebox cookies. Sablé means "sandy" which perfectly describes its texture. It's crunchy and crumbly, and in this case, there's a little more than just a hint of green tea flavor.
The green tea is strong with this one.

Banana Nutella Macarons

2011-11-11T13:57:00.000-06:00

As it starts to get cold here in St Louis, I can’t help but think about my past winter travels to the motherland of cheese, wine, baguettes and, of course, macarons. One of my favorite memories of snowy Paris is standing by a street stall, warming my chilled fingers on a soft yet crispy banana-Nutella crepe. Not surprisingly, I soon found myself reaching for a small bag of freeze-dried bananas I’d purchased from a fancy out-of-state grocery store.

Treacle Tart

2011-11-06T08:37:00.004-06:00

Although I read all of the Harry Potter series when they first came out, I totally missed the part about Harry's favorite dessert being treacle tarts. I read the first few when I was very young and then ripped through the new ones because I was dying to know what happens.
I enjoyed reading the series... It was a fun ride but I never got caught up in the craze; it just wasn't my favorite.

My favorite? All the Enid Blyton books I read as a child. American readers likely haven't heard of her but most people outside of the States know her very well. She was a children's writer in the 30-50's. She wrote an estimated 800 books over 40 years! Her most popular character is Noddy but I relished her other books and characters much more. (Noddy was pretty boring in comparison.)

Pink Peppercorn & Pink Grapefruit Macarons

2011-10-30T20:34:00.003-05:00

This month's MacTweets is all about a pink October in honor of Breast Cancer awareness month. My mother has often participated in the Breast Cancer walk and this year she was diagnosed with the terrible disease. It's been found that one in eight women have it now; disheartening, but the technology to heal just keeps getting better so that's one uplifting fact to keep in mind.

Sweet Shortcuts: Thai Tea Creme Brulee

2011-10-26T16:40:00.002-05:00

I'm trying out a new weekly post on random recipes I try using shortcuts. It's not really enough to to qualify as a proper post since it's something I've made using store-bought items. But I still think it's useful to know and could come in handy when you want to make something quick and easy using short cuts.

That time I ate my way through DC and Baltimore

2011-10-23T22:51:00.004-05:00

I've had the travel bug for a while now so I was especially looking forward to my long-awaited trip to Washington DC and Baltimore last weekend. It was wonderful to see some of my good friends from college (except for J who I've known since 5th grade!). Many laughs were had and many foods were eaten. I spent an entire Friday with fellow foodie and phenomenal chef HLi, and we wandered the national monuments and had two lunches... while ducking into four bakeries (!). We even did a blind taste test on me with red velvet cake, along with a taste test on my homemade macarons and some store-bought ones. Mine won but I think the tester may have been slightly biased...

Here's a food diary of some of my favorites eats in DC and Baltimore... You can see my reviews on the food I had, here!

Peaches n Crème Cupcakes

2011-10-18T10:16:00.000-05:00

This cupcake was inspired by wedding colors I’ve been forced to look at recently for a friend who’s planning her wedding. The colors of peach and white caught my eye, and my mind immediately went to desserts. I’m not a huge fan of peaches, but something about peaches and cream sounded so dreamy, comforting and delicious. Sure, summer is long gone, but I wanted to capture the end of it in one final, perfect cupcake. I rushed to the store and managed to nab the last of the peaches in stock.

The Mojito Cuparon!

2011-10-14T11:00:00.000-05:00

Dear readers, please come together to witness and bless the joining of this macaron and this cupcake in glorious harmony...until they're both devoured and relished...!

When I taught a macaron tutorial a couple weeks back, I chatted with Stef of Cupcake Project and discussed combining our forces... her cupcakes and my macarons in an adorable delectable mélange of flavor and presentation. We decided to make our own separate versions and post them at the same time; you can check hers out at her blog, Cupcake Project!

Sweet N Salty Chocolate Tart

2011-10-08T21:44:00.000-05:00

My thoughts are scattered very often and even more so whenit comes to food. I’m so easily stimulated by what I see on television, read inbooks, what’s on display at grocery stores, and what I have on hand in thekitchen. I’ll start off concentrating on what dessert to make for a dinnerparty or a friend with a flavor in mind. Then I’ll go to the grocery store and noticesomething else on sale or some item next to the one I’m looking for, which willtrigger a new dessert idea. It’s a long endless chain and the proof lies in mypantry and this blog.

Lemon Poppy seed Cake

2011-10-03T14:05:00.001-05:00

For my friend's birthday this year, I asked her what kind of cake she wanted, and she asked for lemon poppy seed with a simple, barely-there glaze. My first thought was, really?! I had never even seen poppy seeds let alone tasted anything with them and... well, seeds in a cake...? Although I love a lemon cake, I didn't really understand why poppy seeds had to be included, especially such controversial ones! But I had to deliver on my friends' request and boy, am I glad I did...

Plum Kuchen

2011-09-29T17:22:00.002-05:00

I've been slacking on my blogging duties which almost never happens to me... Following my hospital scare there was just one event after another completely throwing off my schedule. I did get a very welcome visit from my mommy though :)

And last night I taught my first macaron class! So exciting! I have to admit, I was very very reluctant to accept the offer to teach... I was never one to talk in front of bunch of people, let alone do a demo on the most finicky baked good of all time. But I did it, the ladies were great, and the macarons were a success! And getting to chat with other StL food bloggers made it completely worth it. I made new friends!

On to the plum kuchen...
I miss all the cheap summer fruits already! I often buy whatever fruits happen to be on sale that week... Berries, cherries, golden kiwis, and more recently, plums.

Rainbow Jello

2011-09-20T09:09:00.004-05:00

I recently had a hospital scare. I was up around midnight, readying for bed when I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen, and it did not go away. Joe insisted I go to the ER and I resisted until I literally couldn't walk anymore.

I've always been a little afraid of hospitals and of doctors. The funny part is that nearly all my good friends are doctors-in-training, and Joe is spending this entire year doing hospital shifts. But yes, outside of what I've seen on Grey's Anatomy (which really is more about the drama between the surgeons, not so much on the patients) I had never been a patient or visited anyone there.

The Summer of '11 (A Recap)

2011-09-12T23:25:00.001-05:00

Warning: many photos in this post!

I'd hardly spent a summer outside of Atlanta or India until this year when I spent nearly my entire time in Saint Louis.
Although I missed the ATL, I have to say I really fell in love with the StL and the love just hasn't stopped, despite the terrible heat. I forgot "Hot-lanta" pretty quickly... the StL heat was unbearable enough. I tried to remember the days of chiseling ice off my car with a tin cover (that's all I had) and moving in during a snowstorm, but it didn't really help.

Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies with Kahlua

2011-09-05T10:20:00.001-05:00

I really don't drink very much alcohol and when I do, I prefer it insanely sweet. I pretty much stick to moscatos and liquor filled chocolate.Therefore I've only been to a liquor store maybe twice, and that was for baking related alcohol (Grand Marnier and Chambord!)...

Growing up in ATL, I was used to liquor stores and grocery stores as separate entities. And not purchasing alcohol on Sundays. That's just the way it is in the Bible Belt! But not in St Louis, apparently...

When I first moved here, I wanted to get some Bailey's and Kahlua to bake with, and at the local grocery store, I called Joe to ask him where the nearest liquor store was... He said the liquor was in the same store I was standing in! And it was!
In general I have blinders on to alcohol since I usually completely bypass those aisles and I had never noticed they had a huge hard liquor section...

Tiramisu, Anyone?

2011-08-28T09:49:00.000-05:00

I have loved tiramisu since the day our long time family friend introduced it to me. She's an excellent cook who went to culinary school and even had a catering business for a while. She made the best tiramisu that I had ever tasted. It was creamy with wonderfully moist bits of cake in it. I had no idea what I was actually eating but it was delicious. It's a bit amusing that I'm not the biggest fan of coffee or alcohol but both are in this dessert...

Pistachio Raspberry Muffins

2011-08-22T15:02:00.001-05:00

I remember when I was a kid, I thought blueberry muffins were the best muffins of all time... And then I started baking and discovered a whole new world!

These are my absolute favorite muffins... pistachios? and raspberries?! in one cake?! They are light, fluffy, moist, and the bite of pistachio with the tart raspberries is simply fantastic. You must make this!

Plum Ginger Yogurt Muffins

2011-08-16T16:35:00.002-05:00

AKA the easiest, fluffiest, most butter-less and versatile muffins you'll ever make.

Peach Shortbread Bars

2011-08-12T17:50:00.000-05:00

Peaches and I have had a rocky relationship. For years, I was never a fan... so many people around me raved about them, yet I still felt repulsed. Before this recipe, the last time I'd eaten a peach was two years ago in Chengdu, China, in Joe's grandma's kitchen. It was a white peach, my first, and it was so delicious. But when I returned home, I completely forgot about peaches altogether and never ate them again. It was only recently on a visit to Eckerts Farm in StL did I see cases of peaches everywhere and decide to give them another shot. And now my love has been renewed.

Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches

2011-08-08T20:03:00.003-05:00

This post was originally on Honest Cooking, a new International cooking website, where I am a proud contributor! This is my post on my favorite special occasion cake, but be sure to check out the other great recipes and articles on food at HonestCooking!

I adore mint chocolate chip ice cream although I’m very picky on the way it’s made. I always crave a cool mint, not too overpowering, with dark chunks of smooth chocolate. I must have chocolate chips with every bite, and there are some brands that do not have a good chocolate to cream ratio (you know who you are!). What’s better than mint chocolate chip ice cream? Mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwiched between two fabulous chocolate-y cake layers, of course.

Pistachio-Cardamom Bread Pudding

2011-08-04T14:04:00.012-05:00

*I wrote this post for Sauce Magazine's online blog a short while back.*
Sauce Magazine is a free Saint Louis based magazine that focuses on the culinary/restaurant scene in the area!
It's a great way to discover the city... there's always something new to read each day and the online blog posts many new recipes so check it out!

I’ve never understood the fascination with bread pudding. Why would I want to eat sweet, soggy bread? Yet, with its cult classic status on most dessert menus, I was ultimately persuaded to see what all the fuss was about.

Hummingbird Cupcakes

2011-08-01T13:48:00.001-05:00

When Joe bought me the Martha Stewart cupcake cookbook, I was so excited! She really is so good at everything, it's ridiculous. Every time I've attempted her recipes, they've always turned out delicious. Of course, she's very liberal with her butter (although she's still no Paula Deen).

Nectarine Pie

2011-07-28T09:14:00.003-05:00

So I attempted my first pie of all time, from scratch!
I was really nervous just because of everything I'd heard about how annoying/difficult it is to make pie dough (and it really was pretty frustrating)... I've also never been a huge fan of cooked fruits and no one had ever requested a pie from me so I just didn't bother. But after the potluck, discussing pie with so many people, I figured this was the best time to give it a shot, and I'm glad I did.

Cherry Ice cream and Chocolate Macarons

2011-07-24T09:20:00.002-05:00

This month's Mactweet challenge was to make ice cream and combine it with macarons. Since I didn't want to use store-bought ice cream and I don't have an ice cream maker, I thought of only one other option. Making mini macs as a topping!

A Canvas of Raspberries

2011-07-21T11:38:00.003-05:00

I'd been thinking about getting a few canvas prints of my photographs for a while now, especially when I just moved in to my apartment, but I was unsure how they'd look... I didn't want it to look too pixelated or strange. My mom kept telling me to try it anyway but I held off. I'm kind of glad I did because a few weeks ago the nice people over at Easy Canvas Prints contacted me to see if I would be interested in having one of the photographs on my blog made into an 8x10-inch canvas print!

It took me forever to choose a photo but eventually I settled on one of my favorite photos of one of my favorite fruits, raspberries! I think the canvas came out great. The online process was a little frustrating and I did have to refresh a few times but other than that, the canvas was made and delivered promptly.

I'm going to put it up in my future bakery someday, and possibly order a few more other photos for family members. It would make a really great gift, and there are a lot of non-food photos that I really want on canvas.

So thanks, Easy Canvas Prints! I'm finally over my fear of canvas photos and looking forward to making more!

Macarons, Macarons, Macarons and a Potluck

2011-07-19T11:24:00.004-05:00

For the last week, I did nothing but bake macarons. I had three I was determined to make: lemon, raspberry, and chocolate. The raspberry macs were probably my best... I have the measurements memorized at this point and I effortlessly produced two sheets of pretty pink macarons. Then I went for the chocolate in the exact same manner, I swear, and half of them came out crumbly.

When I went for the lemon, nearly all of them were cracked in the oven. I couldn't possibly serve those! I debated just stopping right there, but I'm so glad I gave myself four days to work on them. The next day my resolve returned and I bravely attempted another batch of the lemon. I accidentally made them slightly bigger than the rest but at least they rose and didn't crack, success!

Banana Bread w/Caramel Glaze

2011-07-14T21:19:00.002-05:00

This banana bread is, as Joe would call it, cray-cray!

Read more »

Chocolate Chai Spice Cakes & Turning 24

2011-07-11T13:45:00.005-05:00

This past weekend, I had a pretty great time with Joe and friends in St Louis, although I missed my family dearly.

I wasn't planning on making any dessert for my birthday but since Joe was making me an amazing feast and we were having friends over, I figured I should have something sweet for everyone at the end.

Read more »

My Special Occasion Chocolate Mousse Cake

2011-07-07T13:40:00.000-05:00

This post was originally on Honest Cooking, a new International cooking website, where I am a proud contributor! This is my post on my favorite special occasion cake, but be sure to check out the other great recipes and articles on food at HonestCooking!

This cake is an exquisite and luscious multi-layered cake that is near and dear to my boyfriend’s heart, as well as mine.

It's a simple devil’s food cake soaked (or sprinkled) with Chambord raspberry liqueur. It is then alternately layered with white chocolate, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate mousse, and topped with a rich espresso Mascarpone frosting.

A Red Velvet Kind of Independence Day

2011-07-03T22:15:00.005-05:00

Happy American Independence Day, dear readers! Canada just had theirs so Happy Canada Day too! Apparently July 4th was the day the declaration was approved, not signed, as I originally had thought. Ya learn something new every day :)

We celebrated with an epic Asian themed dinner, followed by a showing of "Independence Day", one of my favorite classic movies about an alien invasion... This combined with reading "World War Z" (a novel about zombies taking over the world) it's given me some interesting nightmares...

Lemon Sabayon Tart

2011-06-28T08:43:00.001-05:00

I’ve been on a lemon kick of late, especially since I discovered the deliciousness that is lemon curd. I made it at home to see how it was done, and then tried the one from Trader Joe’s and it was equally delicious, although more expensive overall.

In the summer, I often crave something fruity and even slightly sour or tangy. Limes always hit the spot for me, more than lemons, but ever since this lemon curd, I’d been craving lemon tarts of some sort. Lemon meringue pies are the popular choice but I wanted to make it a little fancier and more interesting than that.

I chose a recipe from Thomas Keller’s famous Bouchon bakery for a lemon sabayon tart, and used the classic tart base from my favorite French cookbook, Laduree.

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

2011-06-24T12:34:00.002-05:00

This post was originally on Honest Cooking, a new International cooking website, where I am a proud contributor! This is my post on Gooey Butter Cake, but be sure to check out the other great recipes and articles on food at HonestCooking!

I’ve been living in St Louis for a while now, and when people find out I bake, they often ask me if I’ve made the classic St Louis butter cake yet, which can be found in every StL bakery and local grocery store. I had never heard of it before moving here. I planned to try it out someday but I really wasn’t in any hurry. I often skip recipes that require butter, or I cut the content in half… that would be difficult to do when butter is included in the name of this famous cake!

I worked through my fear of butter and made this cake even though I was convinced it was going to be too sweet, too buttery, just too much. I’m happy to report that I ended up rather enjoying it. Although sweet and buttery, it simply hits the spot. The recipe is meant to be a coffee cake and not a dessert cake; tea or coffee is the ideal complement to its sweetness.

I would say a little goes a long way, but I know a few people who may or may not have polished off half the pan within 12 hours of its existence…

Pistachio Cream Puffs

2011-06-20T19:17:00.001-05:00

I was never a huge fan of cream puffs, but my family and friends would buy a big box of frozen ones from Costco or Sam's and devour them. They were never sweet enough for me, and no one had the patience to let it thaw before eating so I always felt like it just tasted cold.

Let me make something clear, since I was confused about it before as well:
Cream puffs, creme puffs, profiteroles and choux a la creme are all the same thing.
They are choux pastry balls filled with pastry cream or whipped cream, and often dusted with sugar or chocolate.
And when they're piped out long? They're eclairs!

Raspberry White Chocolate Yogurt Muffins

2011-06-16T09:21:00.002-05:00

I've been obsessed with raspberries this summer. It all started with a trip to Sam's with my friend Hao... we came across the raspberries and they looked so amazing. She immediately stacked up four boxes to take home, while I grabbed one as usual. But she was so much more excited, and I did look weak in comparison, so I grabbed a second box (seriously wondering what I was going to do with all of them).

A French Toast-y Sunday w/ Buttermilk Syrup

2011-06-12T11:56:00.003-05:00

I have to give credit to my friend, HLi on this one. I had never really tasted french toast until he visited us in St Louis earlier this year. I had only ever eaten waffles (the Eggo ones) at that point, and pancakes. I've never seen people eat French toast in India... hm. Or maybe it was just my family?

I had made brioche when he visited and it had been sitting out a couple of days when HLi suggested French toast with it. Brioche is French bread that has a lot of eggs and is more pastry-like, ideal for French Toast (or rather, Brioche toast). I paid attention to the way HLi made it so I could replicate it someday. And today was that day. (Thanks, HLi!)

Rose-Lychee Macarons

2011-06-08T13:52:00.002-05:00

*I wrote this post for Sauce Magazine's online blog a short while back.*
Sauce Magazine is a Saint Louis based magazine that focuses on the culinary/restaurant scene in the area!
It's free at many restaurants and cafes and it's a great way to discover new places in the city.
I will be posting there every other week, along with other contributors... there's always something new to read each day and the online blog posts many new recipes so check it out!

Rose and lychee are two flavors that permeated throughout my childhood. Growing up in India, lychees were plentiful and juicy. They are small with a tough, inedible skin, hiding a white-ish pulp inside. There’s also a seed in there, so beware. They have the consistency of a grape but smell far more intoxicating and fresh. They’re available here in the States mostly in canned form. The perfume-y scent is lost through canning but the taste is still quite delicious.

Avocado Eggrolls

2011-05-31T18:07:00.000-05:00

Two words for you: So. Delicious!

A crispy egg roll wrapper, filled with tangy sundried tomatoes, smooth avocado bits and intense onion slices, dipped in a sauce containing thirteen flavorful ingredients that all contribute to a tangy scrumptious appetizer....

Lemon Curd Muffins

2011-05-28T16:03:00.000-05:00

I often make my desserts based on cravings. And I have a lot of random cravings. I run to the grocery store several times a week for just a few items. It drives the boyfriend crazy but hey, once I have a great idea for a dish there's no stopping me.
I try to get everything I need so I don't have to keep going to the store but it's hard to predict what I'll need. Sometimes though, I'll buy ingredients I never normally would just in the hopes that it will inspire something interesting.
And that's how I purchased a bag of lemons. I love limes in desserts, but I don't often make lemon flavored sweets,... I've always loved a good key lime pie, but I don't remember ever tasting a lemon meringue pie.

I bought the lemons with the intention of changing my opinion on them. And I didn't want to make a typical meringue pie either.

Mango Coconut Ice Cream

2011-05-24T14:25:00.002-05:00

Apologies for not writing sooner!

I was visiting Toronto with Joe and friends for the weekend. Another couple who we hadn't seen in over two years decided to join us while we were there for Joe's roommate's engagement party. We spent the weekend eating in Greektown, eating in Chinatown, eating in Farmer's market, buying random baguettes and forgetting to buy cheese and eating it at the harbor front...

Strawberry Cheesecake

2011-05-18T11:09:00.000-05:00

I've never been a fan of cheesecake, and wondered if it would ever make an appearance on my blog... I've often found it rather heavy and I suppose being lactose-intolerant has something to do with this as well...

But one day when I noticed I had mascarpone and an overabundance of cream cheese in my fridge, along with fresh blueberries, I came across a recipe for cheesecake that looked promising. It didn't even require a water bath and seemed simple enough.

Salted Caramel Popcorn Macarons

2011-05-15T11:10:00.004-05:00

When I heard about the latest MacTweets challenge, my brain immediately went to caramel popcorn. My friend had an idea for making hot dog length macaron shells, but I saw that it had already been done and stuck with the original plan.

I actually never ever eat popcorn. I don't like eating anything that gets stuck in my teeth, mainly because I'm so prone to teeth/cavity issues in general. And I've never cared for popcorn too much so in recent years I had stopped eating it entirely. But for MacTweets, I purchased some caramel popcorn! More specifically, the Crunch n' Munch caramel peanut popcorn flavor.

Chocolate Chestnut Madeleines

2011-05-11T21:08:00.000-05:00

This week I posted a new recipe on the St Louis, MO Sauce Magazine blog!

I baked up these tasty chocolate chestnut madeleines for my classmates, after discovering chestnut puree at a local Int'l foods store...

Check out my article here!

Chez Panisse Almond Tart

2011-05-09T00:08:00.001-05:00

I've had my eye on this tart ever since my bff J made it on her blog. Then I read about it at the source, David Lebovitz's blog. You can't go wrong with him, he simplified the macaron and I use a variation of his recipe to this day.

This tart was apparently the most popular dessert item at a California restaurant he worked at called Chez Panisse. But it was eventually take off the menu because it's near impossible to eat with a fork. I guess that doesn't work in a fancy restaurant... but it still works for me.

Gateau Moelleux au Chocolat (Soft Chocolate Cake)

2011-05-04T15:21:00.000-05:00

Another recipe from the Laduree Cookbook... I can't help it!
Why does everything in French (especially related to food) sound so fancy and exciting?
Gateau Moelleux au Chocolat.
Soft chocolate cake.
One definitely sounds better than the other...

Potato Rosemary Rolls

2011-04-30T21:15:00.001-05:00

I just spent some time fixing up a new design for my blog name and attached a pretty photo of sweet raspberries... and now I'm posting two savory dishes in a row. Sorry guys! I promise this is still a sweet-centric blog.

Tally ho onward to the potato rosemary rolls...

Asparagus & Herbs Tart

2011-04-27T00:06:00.004-05:00

I'm posting a bit out of order but I'm enamored with this recipe.

This asparagus tart came out of nowhere. I don't even really like asparagus. It's always tasted just okay and I hate how chewy it can become. But this was where I fell in love with asparagus. I'm not going to lie though, I'm sure the puff pastry had a little something to do with it...

Gaufres Maison (French Waffles)

2011-04-24T22:05:00.001-05:00

I was never a waffle person and always a pancake person. Or so I thought...

Apparently, waffles have been around since the Middle Ages... and they came from wafers. Waffles are just a leavened form of wafers... weird!

Inverted S'more Macarons

2011-04-20T13:42:00.001-05:00

HLi sent me a really interesting article by The New Yorker on desserts. It's worth a read but it's rather long, and a particular quote really stuck out to me, by a chef, Alex Stupak:

When you’re conceptualizing an entrée, a protein, you generally expect to get a piece of that thing intact. In pastry, it doesn’t occur. Pastry is the closest that a human being can get to creating a new food. A savory chef will look at puff pastry not as a combination of ingredients but as an ingredient in itself. Pastry is infinitely exciting, because it’s less about showing the greatness of nature, and more about transmitting taste and flavor. Desserts are naturally denatured food.

Vertical Swiss Roll Cake

2011-04-17T19:02:00.001-05:00

Ever since I got the Okashi cookbook, along with my Laduree cookbook, it's been completely neglected. I couldn't help it, I was drawn to the gold rimmed pages and velvet-y French book... it was lust at first sight!

But finally, I decided to give it a break since the recipes either asked for way too much butter than I had or wanted to have on hand, or the desserts were just too extravagant for a lazy Sunday afternoon...

So I turned to Okashi and chose a recipe I had had my eye on for quite a while...

Abricotines

2011-04-12T10:58:00.001-05:00

After using all the egg yolks for the pastry cream I made for the fruit tart, I had leftover egg whites. Instead of making macarons, I thought I'd try something different...
So I went for another recipe in my new Laduree cookbook!

Banana Chiffon Cake

2011-04-09T12:06:00.000-05:00

I have a fondness for chiffon cakes. They're just so light and fluffy, much lighter than their buttery counterparts. I even love the word... chiffon. They're moist, not too sweet, and include egg yolks (unlike Angel food cake) which keeps them sturdier and moister. It has a slight egg-y taste and if you don't know it by now, I have a major fondness for eggs.

Strawberry Muffins

2011-04-05T23:01:00.000-05:00

Strawberries are everywhere right now and they're cheap and mutant sized. I had to get some! I decided to make muffins because I was too lazy to bother with a frosting and wanted a simple healthy snack. Muffins forever make me think of Jenna's muffin top song on 30 Rock.

One Fresh Fruit Tart

2011-04-02T09:22:00.003-05:00

This week has been so exciting!! And not just because my friends are visiting, which I am of course very excited about... but...

*Note: There will be a lot of exclamation points in this post...

Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart (Queen of Tarts)

2011-03-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

Oh my. That was my first thought when I saw this tart online. Oh. My. I had to have it. I don't even like peanut butter as much as one of my friends does (she knows who she is) but it just looked far too delectable not to try.

Chocolate Buttermilk Bundt Cake

2011-03-27T13:54:00.001-05:00

In the event of having too much buttermilk, as noted in my previous entry, I decided to try a chocolate buttermilk cake. I also hadn't used my bundt pan in ages, and felt like it needed some attention. Also, I just really wanted a classic simple chocolate cake around the house.

Keep in mind I doubled this recipe and my bundt pan is huge. This can easily be stored in your fridge or freezer for up to a month and enjoyed whenever... especially for chocolate emergencies.

Pandan Coconut Macarons w/Ginger Filling

2011-03-22T22:40:00.004-05:00

The latest MacTweets challenge asked for a combination of fruit and spice in a macaron. I had been thinking of testing out a pandan (screwpine) mac for a while now. I love the smell and flavor of pandan, even though I've never actually seen or tried the leaves, and only purchased the bright green paste at Asian stores.

Buttermilk Pie

2011-03-20T17:15:00.001-05:00

I want to say, this past week I became part of a fabulous new website called Honest Cooking. It's got lots of tips and recipes to check out, and I'm a contributor! If you click on the badge on the right side of the page, you can see my articles... The site in general is very cute, interesting and well-written. I love how international it is and I'm so glad to be a part of it!
Now on to the pie...

This pie mainly came out of the fact that I just had too much buttermilk in my fridge. I had to use it up! I can't stand to actually drink buttermilk but I love it in baking.
My mom and most of my family though, enjoy drinking a different kind of buttermilk straight up.... My grandmother makes buttermilk at home in India and they often add salt and/or spices to it. It's common to be had after meals.

Chocolate Cake w/a Secret Ingredient

2011-03-17T11:38:00.001-05:00

I made this a while back for my housewarming party. When I made it, I was so intrigued by the "secret ingredient" that I didn't even notice that it was gluten free until later...
I tried to make everyone guess what the ingredient was but no one could until Joe kept saying things like "it's an alliteration!" "it starts with a b!", heh.
Some of the guests weren't too surprised since it can be made with brownies as well. But either way, the cake was finished so fast I never took a photo and had to make it again recently... just for photography purposes of course....

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes (Eggless & Butterless!)

2011-03-14T10:58:00.002-05:00

Wow. I never thought I'd bake a vegan cupcake. I didn't even realize it was vegan until much later...
I rarely bake for myself, mainly because if I made desserts that I would want to eat... well, I'd end up eating all of it. But this week I decided to cave and make something with my favorite flavor combination of all time... mint and chocolate.

I had also seen a chocolate cupcake recipe with coconut milk as its base instead of butter or eggs and I was intrigued. I really wanted to try it and decided to indulge myself with a mint mascarpone frosting.

Chai Creme Brulee

2011-03-10T10:29:00.000-06:00

I finally got to use my blowtorch, which was a lovely gift from one of my favorite aunts :)
I was kind of afraid to use it for a while, and then when I finally opened it, I found out I had to buy the fuel for it... I actually went to Home Depot on my own, which I don't think I've ever done... I felt like such an adult! And then when I brought home the fuel, turns out the HD guy gave me the wrong one.. It looked odd to me but the guy convinced me that for a chef's blowtorch that was all I needed.

Black Sesame Cupcakes w/Green Tea Frosting

2011-03-09T12:28:00.003-06:00

I held my first macaron tutorial last week! It was a success :) We made black sesame macarons and this time I tried a matcha green tea cream cheese frosting instead of my usual vanilla one. I'm a little afraid of too much green tea flavor, since it can turn bitter fairly quickly, so I added the powder with caution.

Gluten-Free Banana Almond Tart

2011-03-06T11:30:00.000-06:00

I want to try more gluten-free options. I made a gluten free cake a couple weeks ago and I never got to take a photo of it because it was inhaled by my friends... So I'll have to make it again (I'm sure no one will complain about this) but I've been trying other new recipes instead.

This is a banana almond tart, no flour, no butter, no oil... It was rather delicious! Perfect with tea or coffee. One side of the pan was slightly overdone so next time I need to remember to rotate the tart pan halfway through the baking time.
And it's a one bowl recipe which is always nice.

Lime Yogurt Cake with Raspberry Sauce

2011-03-03T12:49:00.000-06:00

I had some raspberries sitting in my fridge that I needed to use up and I noticed this recipe online that involved a fruit sauce. I also had some nonfat plain yogurt in my fridge that I keep to go with any Indian food I make, which hasn't happened lately...

Sweet & Salty Brownies

2011-02-28T15:30:00.002-06:00

Do you have a billion recipes bookmarked but then you suddenly come across one that makes you want to drop everything and make it that very moment? These brownies were bumped up the list the second I read the title..

Double/Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-02-23T22:34:00.000-06:00

So, I attended the University of Georgia for my undergrad. Their dining halls are known to make very delicious foods, they've won something like 54 awards over the years for their meals... I only ate there the first year because after that I lived off campus. But I did love that first year. They have such a variety! I went back a couple of times over the years, and it was still just as tasty. But the best ever dish they had were their chocolate cookies. It's odd because I love a classic chocolate chip cookie and generally the double chocolate ones are almost too chocolate-y for me. But this one was just right.

It was dark, deepened by cocoa and never stale or crunchy. It was perfectly chewy and the chocolate chips in it just put it over the top. I used to dream about these cookies after my first year. I even snuck some out for my friends at home, and they loved it too!
I tried to buy Pepperidge Farm cookies that looked like they might taste the same but those were so horrible. They had an odd aftertaste and were pretty much the worst I'd ever tried.
I tried my own hand at a couple double chocolate cookie recipes but I didn't like any of them.
Until. Now.

Discovering Mascarpone Frosting

2011-02-21T11:36:00.003-06:00

Joe invited two of his professors over for dinner the other night and it was such a great night. The food was plentiful, the company was wonderful, the drinks were flowing, and the dessert did not disappoint! I was so worried since I wasn't able to taste test it before I served it. I made a 2-layer cake instead of cupcakes, since I thought a cake would be more elegant for the night. This was my first successful looking cake! YES!
In fact, I wasn't going to post this because the lighting was horrible and the pictures turned out so-so, but I may not be able to recreate this...

Green tea and Black Sesame Milk Bread

2011-02-19T16:32:00.001-06:00

My friend Cici currently lives in China and on her last visit she brought me several packets of matcha powder along with black sesame seeds. For some reason, matcha is pretty expensive here. She gave it to me about 6 months ago and I never really used it. I did run through the black sesame seeds making macarons since everyone loves those, but I had been neglecting the green tea powder... until recently.

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins (with a touch of honey)

2011-02-17T16:05:00.000-06:00

I don't have much to say about these muffins, except that you should really make them as soon as possible. Get a couple bananas, peel them and wrap them in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge/freezer till it browns and is ready for baking!

Chocolate Raspberry Muffins

2011-02-14T23:49:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Even if you don't have a significant other, V-Day is a good time to appreciate all the people near and dear to your heart :)

I had a glorious weekend with family... and I got to spend much needed time with my favorite niece. For this reason though, I'm a little backlogged on blog posting, not to mention homework... but I'll be caught up soon, I hope.

I got back into Saint Louis today, and the boyfriend cooked me up an amazing three course meal, including lamb! I'd been thinking about lamb for a while.... it was so yummy, I'm still reeling from it.

On to the muffins...

Stylish Blogger Award!

2011-02-04T13:01:00.001-06:00

This has been a crazy last week! My internet router was supposed to arrive on Tuesday but the ice storm in Saint Louis (and lots of snowstorms elsewhere) delayed it. For that reason, I didn't have the internet all week at my place. It was a bit frustrating since all my baking products and food are at my place, but the internet was only available at Joe's! It doesn't help that I'm also the last person in the world without a smartphone (yes, I only use my phone to call or text anyone).
I did attempt some baking and cooking, but sadly, nothing so memorable to make it onto the blog. It's either been a series of baking duds or foods that just don't photograph well... but hopefully this weekend I'll get to remedy that.

Boozy Cakes w/ Honey Ginger Caramel Frosting

2011-02-01T12:31:00.000-06:00

I made these cakes last week and they're delicious, even though you can hardly taste the alcohol. I put Grand Marnier in the batter, but next time I would add some orange zest to really get an orange flavor. I went a little crazy with the frosting, since I had my homemade caramel in the fridge for so long, and then I decided honey and ginger would go well with it. It really did! This frosting was divine. Joe was in lurve. You can't taste the ginger so much, since I was a little afraid to put too much...

My Favorite Carrot Cake

2011-01-26T12:10:00.001-06:00

I don't know what got into me but I suddenly had a major craving for carrot cake. It surprised me since I usually crave chocolate cake, never a carrot cake, which I had previously thought was kind of boring... It's a good thing I'm a baker and I could whip up a recipe at home in no time...

I've made carrot cakes before, and I think it's made an appearance on the blog three times now. But this one is it! I love this one. It really hit the spot in my carrot cake emergency. I very slightly modified it from the last post. It's a great adaptable recipe for the classic carrot cake.

Italian Bread, two ways...

2011-01-25T00:13:00.003-06:00

Since I've gotten to STL, I've been so busy. Classes started, and I've been spending most of my free time either furniture shopping, job searching, or cooking meals. Yes, I've actually been cooking meals! I tried my hand at a truffle Alfredo pasta which turned out quite delectable, although truthfully, I think anything with truffle oil or salt tastes infinitely better.

Candy Cane Cookies dipped in Chocolate

2011-01-18T23:18:00.004-06:00

Here's a long overdue post on my favorite cookies. I know I'm late, but if you have leftover candy canes lying around, they're perfect!

Home-made Oreo Cookies!

2011-01-12T23:56:00.002-06:00

Between the move to St. Louis, friends visiting, and friends getting stranded, it's a wonder I found time to write this! My friend Patty Cakes just left for Atlanta (after her flight got canceled twice and she was stuck here with only one change of clothes). She's such a great friend! She came all the way here just to keep me company on the drive, and then hung out with me the last couple days. We had a great time wandering STL, although mostly just being couch potatoes watching TV and making delicious food...

Ultimate Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

2011-01-04T11:31:00.001-06:00

I'm not the biggest fan of peanut butter but I have grown to love anything with peanut butter and chocolate, especially in the past year.

I love the ultimate chocolate cupcakes that comes from Cook's Illustrated, and they're no doubt my most popular chocolate cakes! It asks for a dollop of chocolate ganache in the middle of the batter before baking, and I added a little peanut butter to that.

New Year's Eve 2011!

2011-01-01T22:35:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year!
I generally like to say a new year for me, personally, begins with my birthday, but it was great to celebrate the start of 2011 with good friends. It meant more to me this time since I'm moving out of Atlanta in a week!

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Peppermint Oreo Cupcakes

2010-12-25T19:03:00.003-06:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! Since Atlanta hardly ever gets snow, it's so wonderful and unexpected that we got to see a white Christmas this year. I hope everyone had a great day. I spent mine with family, stuffing my face and squeezing my favorite niece :)

This week I made peppermint oreo cupcakes! These are so damn good, they remind me of this quote I read from a grad student I worked with when I did research at Tech...

Black Sesame Macarons

2010-12-22T09:25:00.003-06:00

Black sesame is something I'd never heard of until I visited China and Joe picked up some black sesame seed buns for me on the street. I loved it! It had a slight crunch from the seeds and a sweet and nutty flavor. It smells delicious as well.
Sesame seeds come in black, brown and white. The white and brown have a more delicate flavor while the black is the strongest. It's very common in Asian cooking and is high in nutritional value. According to my research, it's high in calcium, iron, copper, magnesium, and phosphorus! And it promotes good digestion!

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Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

2010-12-16T21:03:00.001-06:00

I made these for my Friendsgiving party. I LOVE Christmastime and everything in the peppermint chocolate combo! I was getting a little ahead of myself but I didn't care.

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Cranberry Japanese Cheesecake

2010-12-12T16:45:00.000-06:00

This post is a little late but I made this for Thanksgiving dinner! Since most Thanksgiving dinners are often heavy (and delicious), I wanted to make something light for dessert. Someone was already making pumpkin pie and I've never been a huge fan of pumpkin. At first I was going to do a regular American cheesecake, which I still haven't attempted yet. But at the last minute I thought a Japanese style would be better.. a light, soft fluffy cake accented with some tart cranberry sauce!

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Blackberry Cupcakes

2010-12-09T09:06:00.002-06:00

When I saw a box of blackberries at Costco this week, I quickly grabbed one. I've never really eaten blackberries, other than tossing frozen ones into my smoothie (and even then, they're in a mixed berry bag). These just looked so juicy and perfect that I had to try something with them.

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Chocolate Bacon Macarons

2010-12-06T23:20:00.001-06:00

For this month's MacTweet Mac Attack challenge, they asked for a savory sweet macaron. I had been intrigued by the combination of bacon and chocolate for a while, and was originally going for a cupcake. But I took this as an opportunity to try it in a macaron... I've never been a huge fan of bacon (I prefer sausage with my breakfast) but I do like a salty sweet combo.

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Berry Buttermilk Cake (And Happy Birthday Blog!)

2010-12-03T23:13:00.001-06:00

Today is my 1 year Blogaversary! Happy Birthday to TheSweetArt! Looking back on my first post, it's obvious how terrible the picture is (photographing food at night?! with a flash?!) and how nervous I was to put the ingredients together. But since then, I've practiced so much and tried so many new recipes and flavors I never thought I'd like.

It's funny how this started out as an opportunity to practice food photography and turned into a major baking adventure. I'm so glad this blog happened to me :) And a HUGE thank you to everyone who reads this/comments/clicks on ads!

Chai Snickerdoodle Cookies

2010-11-29T07:52:00.003-06:00

I've made these Chai Snickerdoodle cookies twice already and both times they've turned out great! I tweaked the recipe a bit, here and there, and had to make do (twice) with lost ingredients, but they've still been wonderful. I also burnt a couple batches in the St. Louis oven so I was looking forward to trying them again in Atlanta.

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(Liz) Lemon Lavender Bundt Cake

2010-11-26T00:13:00.001-06:00

I love my Heritage bundt pan so much. It was a gift from two of my closest friends! I've only used it a couple times, and always for the Snickerdoodle cake, which seems to be everyone's favorite. I decided it was time to try out a different cake in it. I love going through recipes (I check food blogs and sites very often) and I have so many bookmarked away. I finally decided to try an oldie that I had heard a lot about... the lemon-lavender bundt cake from William-Sonoma. People seem to really enjoy it, and the butter content wasn't too bad... I cut it down by a quarter but I think next time I'll leave it in there, since the cake could have been softer.

Banana Cinnamon Pancakes with Homemade syrup

2010-11-21T19:30:00.002-06:00

On my recent trip to St. Louis, Joe has been enamored with a new video game called COD: Black Ops. Maybe some of you have heard of it. We like to call it "Blops"... and we have a system. When he starts playing, he likes me to hang out in the same room. But watching the game makes me nauseous. So instead, I end up baking. This way, we're both in the same general area and can chat in between. It's silly.

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