On Hiatus

With a heavy heart, I must tell you all that "Bake Me Blush" is now on hiatus. 

Yes, Risotto Can Be Easy to Make

        I've been doing a tremendous amount of reading lately. It's tremendous to me, anyway, because I haven't read this many books in a row in a long, long while. To name a few... "Before I Go to Sleep", a debut novel by S. J. Watson about a woman with an unusual type of amnesia, was (in my humble opinion) incredible. Definitely makes my All-Time Favorites list -- I couldn't put the darned thing down. Then, after a recommendation from my Zia Nadia, I finally finished reading "Sarah's Key" by Tatiana de Rosnay, a work of historical fiction about the Holocaust. It was very good but incredibly sad, which is to be expected. I was almost in tears toward the ending of the book. Why did you tell me to read this, Zia, WHY?! Why couldn't I read a book about sunshine and rainbows?!  

        I have some great news. I bought a new camera -- the Canon Rebel T2i. I've had my eyes on this baby for a while, and I'm so happy to call it my own. From now on, all the photographs on my blog will be taken with my new camera, including the photos of the delicious and easy-to-make risotto I have to share with you today. 

Easy Buttery Risotto

It's Good to be Back

        So, I fell off the face of the earth for a while there. I definitely missed my happy days of baking and posting, the care-free days when everything's fine and dandy and I can totally handle all the curveballs life throws at me, when I can tackle all the work and the stress and the pressure and come out of all of it okay. Things can build up over time if you don't deal with them when you should. At least, that's how it is for me. When things get really tough, not even chocolate can put a smile on my face. Not even chocolate. That's saying a lot. 

     I have wonderful news. This " :( " is now this " :) ". That's a frowney face becoming a smiley face, in case you've been living under a rock (or in case you're my mom). My passion for food, life, and everything in between has returned... with improvements. After giving it a lot of thought, I have decided to make a few changes around here. You see, I love food, you love food, we all love food -- but I want to add more of a personal element to this blog, as well. You know, more of the "...life, and everything in between".

     Of course, there will still be plenty of food, sweets, and deliciousness. You can count on that.

Don't Forget the Chicken

        I've never been the best person to remember things. Lately, my memory has been especially terrible. Either that or someone's pulling a practical joke on me, in which case he or she is probably laughing it up somewhere. 
        See, I'll walk around with something important in my hand (i.e. my cell phone, which I lose on an almost daily basis) and then it just disappears. Vanishes. Out of thin air. I'll go to use my phone and realize my hands are empty, yet I can never remember having put the darned thing down. I would call it and listen for the ringtone, except it's always turned off somehow. A few days or even weeks later my phone will turn up in some bizarre place, like in my sock drawer, or in the little bag where I keep my toothbrush. How does this happen? I have no idea.

Oven-Fried Chicken

Calling All Chocoholics...

Chocolate Lava Cakes

        I can barely contain my excitement. Thoughts are rushing through my head, all jumbled together and confusing… things like "oh my goodness - HOW can this BE?!"  and "chocolate heaven does exist"! Seriously. The following recipe is a real keeper, and I say this with complete conviction.