Bummer.

Captain's Log, Day 2: Tonight I tried a spaghetti and meatball cupcake with a cheesy tomato topping. It didn't turn out as well as the meatloaf cupcake... I mean, it wasn't terrible; just not as good. I was pretty sure they wouldn't hold their shape after I baked them, so I made half of them using paper muffin cups and for the other half I just sprayed some Pam into the cups. They definitely didn't hold their shape without the paper cups, but then again, the pasta stuck to the paper and tore them a bit. The flavor wasn't bad! It's pretty hard to mess up spaghetti... But I made up the cheesy tomato topping on the spot and it worked well. And I cheated a little by using some of last night's meatloaf as the meatball center. :)

Overall, not the best attempt, but I wasn't too sure about it in the first place. I'll try something else and maybe come back to this one because it seems like an obvious one that I should figure out. Blah. I was really hoping to have a few successes in a row before hitting a lame one.

The topping was rather thick and so I had to use the wide tip for the pastry bag so it wouldn't clog. And that's why Trevor thought it looked like poop. Yeeaaaah...

On a positive note, I've had some good feedback so far and a lot of good ideas from everyone! Keep them coming! I have to figure out what I have the ingredients for to make next... I'll be out tomorrow night, but hopefully Thursday I can try a peanut butter and jelly sandwich cupcake or something.

Picture 1: The finished product.
Picture 2: My attempt at cutting it down the middle to show the meatball center. Wah-wah...

Prototype...

First off, let me say that this is the first time I've posted a blog via my phone, so I'm not sure what to expect as far as layout goes. But yay for apps for every occasion!!

Second, I think I might be crazy. But in a fantastically delicious sort of way. I mean, if you're considering befriending a crazy person, you should probably pick me. Because I will feed you some good things...

A few days ago, I mentioned some of my weirdo ideas for my future careers, and one that has stuck with me for over a year now is my cupcake plan. I don't have a name for it yet, but I do have a list of amazing cupcake-shaped foods, a few of which I mentioned in my last post. Like I said, think of your favorite food and make it a cupcake. Tacos? Sure! Thanksgiving dinner? Ok! It sounds nuts, but once you try one, you won't have a choice but to give in and have another one.

This week, I'm holding a test kitchen. I'm going to try a few of my ideas and I'll post them here for all to see. I'm going to warn you: it's gotten off to a great start. I tried my easiest and longest-standing plan of meatloaf cupcakes with a ketchup center and mashed potato "frosting". This was the first cupcake that I came up with, and is probably rather...uninspired, to be honest. I'm sure many people have done something similar, but it's the idea that started the ball rolling and has helped me think of all of the others that I will be trying this week. And actually, they turned out perfectly (minus the bit of smoke from spilled grease in the oven)! And they're HEALTHY, believe it or not! I'm afraid to tell you what's in them because they may not sound as great as they look, but I'll tell you what: even after telling Trevor the secret healthy ingredients, he still loves them. And that should be your proof.

Here's the thing: I would love to have some help adding to my test menu. What are some of your favorite meals (breakfast, lunch or dinner)? My list so far includes things like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, spaghetti and meatballs, Thanksgiving dinner, corn dogs, etc. Challenge me!! And if you want to try some, tell me! I'd love to have some feedback.

Crossing my fingers for a bit of success in this weirdo, wacky idea of mine. No matter how silly it may seem.

I'm Still Here...

Ok. Wow. I'm terrible. I love the IDEA of a blog, but I sure am bad at keeping up with one. Most of my blog entries start with some variation of that sentence right there. I guess my thing is that I really have a hard time coming up with exciting things to blog about... Trevor and I don't have kids. We haven't been on any sort of a vacation since we went up to Seattle for our anniversary back in September. We just work, eat, and sleep.

Which I guess is why I'm here! I'm tired of the same old, same old. I'm ready to get motivated and start doing things to get us where we need to be. And most importantly, where we WANT to be. My focus right now is on figuring out what I really want as a career, for which I have the highest standards. I am SOOO not willing to settle, which is causing me some trouble. If I am going to spend more than half of my waking hours working, it had better be something that I am really excited about, and am more than happy to spend that much time doing. Lately, I am realizing how important it is for me to have time at home. I don't like feeling like my house is getting out of control. I don't like feeling like I don't have the energy to make decent meals. Let me be clear: I have no intention of being a stay-at-home mom. I want a job. I just think that if it was something that I could do from home, or that at lease allowed me more time at home, I would be so much happier.  I also am realizing that I would prefer to be my own boss, because I get stressed out trying to please other people, and it's important that I do things my own way.

I come up with all of these ridiculous ideas that sound so fantastic and so unattainable. I get embarrassed to even share them with just anyone because most of them will never happen. But maybe, if I put enough into it, I can make one of them real. So, here goes:

• Flipping Houses- a) I don't know anything about remodeling or construction.  b) I don't have any money to even buy a crappy house to flip.  But how amazing to take something lacking, and make it incredible?  And then have someone buy it from you?  This is something that my Dad and Trevor would help me with.
• Every-Food Cupcakes- I've always dreamed of owning a small cafe, but this could also work as a food cart downtown, or even catering.  Think of any one of your favorite foods and make it a cupcake!  Not necessarily a sweet dessert, but say...spaghetti baked into a muffin cup with a meatball center and a tomato parmesan "frosting".  Or a blueberry pancake cupcake with a maple syrup frosting. I've got a whole menu planned.
• Home-School Field Trip Program- I just made this one up the other day.  I have no idea where it came from; I'm pretty sure the words just came tumbling out of my mouth while I was being silly and listing all sorts of crazy occupations to Trevor.  I have my degree in education, and I love working with kids, but the classroom is seriously a war zone.  From the politics of the school district and government, to individualized instruction and everything else that takes the "magic" out of teaching, I just don't know how I feel about it.  But what if I could create a program for home-schooled students where I could incorporate curriculum and act as a guide on field trips? Sweet, huh?! Who wouldn't want to go to the zoo, the beach, the farm, the water resource center, or OMSI?
• My Farm- This one sounds the craziest.  Trevor rolls his eyes and sighs every time I bring it up.  But here's how it would work: I would separate a large piece of property into quadrants and designate one to each season.  Fall would be pumpkins, corn maze, etc. Winter: Christmas trees (duh). Spring would be tulips, and summer would be berries and outdoor movies.  There would be year-round vegetables, as well as eggs from chickens and maybe some dairy products if we have cows.  We could have home-delivery produce baskets, too.  And of course our home would be on the property.

So those are the biggest ideas that I have.  There are smaller ones, like possibly writing children's books if I were creative enough to come up with engaging stories and illustrations, or refurbishing furniture.  The farm and the cupcakes are definitely my top two, although they seem like they would be way MORE work than I want, unless they became such a huge success that I could just hire people to do all of the work for me.  Now THAT's a dream.

Well, I've bared my occupational soul.  Please don't steal any of my ideas without including me.  I'll be real bummed out.

-BW