Can’t believe it’s been a full year since I’ve updated my blog; and I’m gonna be honest with ya, I haven’t got one good reason why.

Was it laziness? Most certainly.

I’ll-get-to-it-next-week-ness? Absolutely!

Power-viewing Seasons 2 and 3 of Damages? You better believe it!

In lieu of an apology, I give you these No Fail Corn Muffins.

Corn bread, or any version thereof, is easily one of my Top 10 Favorite Foods. Every year come Christmastime,  I break out my favorite cast iron skillet and make cornbread for the fam. This year it went amazingly well with my my mom’s slap-you-in-the-face-it’s-so-good ribs.

On most other occasions I make just enough for me and my bestie, which calls for my favorite product from Calphalon-the Texas Muffin Pan!

I would be lost without it. Among many other things it makes 6 perfect jumbo-sized corn muffins. I like mine with butter or a smear of raspberry preserves.

How about you?

while perusing one of my favorite blogs late last year, I found a great post by Yvonne over at Cream Puffs in Venice; and I agree with her. There are way too many things in my life that I just don’t need.  unfortunately, this list only calls for 11.  I’m sure I could think of more, but this is a great place to start.

11. jeans my go-to daily wear.  I love them, but I need to branch out.  although, lately…I’ve been wearing sweats like they are going outta style.  um, I think I’ve digressed.  help!

10. paper it seems to be the one thing I collect obsessively: magazines, grocery store circulars, movie tickets.  sometimes it is really hard for me to throw things away.  damn my sentimental nature!

9. t-shirts usually, I reach for Old Navy when I need a top.  sad, but true.  I think I make dressing like a grownup harder than it actually is.

8. tv my favorite enabler.  hours go by unnoticed.  I’m not sure what happened to me; I used to be an avid reader.  this one hurts more than most.

7. piles I stock things on tables, desks, counters, you name it.  I see a flat surface, I put something on it.  It’s a really bad habit that needs to be broken, but I’m not sure how.

6. store bought vanilla extract it’s ridiculously expensive at the store and ridiculously easy to make, as well.  vanilla beans + vodka + 2months = enough extract for one year. why haven’t I done this before?

5. white socks my brother and I always receive socks for Christmas.  it’s tradition and I’ve always loved that about our family. as a result I have a gazillion pairs of white athletic socks. I’m not complaining, mind you, I just need a little variety.  therefor, this year I intend to fill my drawers with crazy pairs of multi-colored tubes.  join me!

4. procrastination I’m failing already(look at the lateness of this post!)

3. excuses I can come up with a million reasons why something won’t work or why I shouldn’t do it.  usually,  I call them reasons, but 9 times out of 10 they are simply excuses.  enough!

2. waste I buy food then go out to eat.  buy more food then I don’t feel like cooking.  you get the picture.  it needs to stop.

1. bosses I know I have the skill and talent to run my business successfully, but hesitate to make that final leap.  I need to push fear aside and believe in myself.  thank you and good night.

Pumpkin butter is tricky.

It’s like a newborn…don’t take your eye off it or the results could be perilous.

Trust.

I’ve learned the hard way, my friends.

Please understand that if you’re diligent and careful, said pumpkin butter will sing to you.  Mix it in your favorite pumpkin pancake recipe and be amazed.  I mixed it into my Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk cookie dough and fell in love.  Don’t tell Timothy Olyphant, though…I wouldn’t want him to get jealous.

As you might’ve guessed, pumpkin butter takes a long time; and it’s a bit on the labor intensive side.  So if you’re going to make some, make a double batch.  You’ll thank me later.

Pumpkin Butter (Double Batch)

1. Purchase a big can of Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin (29.5oz).
2. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin with 2 cups of lightly packed brown sugar,  until it’s thoroughly mixed.
3. Place mixture in a pot and simmer on a medium-low heat.
4. Grab your favorite magazine and pull up a chair, ’cause you’ll be stirring that pumpkin butter for about an hour. It should reduce by almost 1/2, by that time.
5. Let pumpkin butter cool.  Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

The D-man wrote that to me in a birthday card long ago.

It made me laugh and I thought it fitting to return the gesture.

In addition to my happy wishes, I baked him a classic yellow cake.

It’s the the first birthday cake I’ve baked from scratch; and I’m quite proud.  I got to use my cute-as-a-button 6 inch cake pans too…hooray!

Of course, I made him take a bunch of photos before I let him eat it.

Hey…don’t question my priorities.  I know what’s important!

All in all it was worth it, ’cause I got to see this happy face.

Happy Birthday, buddy!  Even on the fly, you  still take great pictures.

Meet my neighbor, Emily.

She loves animals.

She’s a vegetarian, but loves vegan foods, as well.

She’s crazy, but in a fun, full-of-life and laughter kinda way.

You know me.

I bake cookies…

…and I love butter.

Butter is the foundation of almost everything I create. If someone told me I couldn’t eat it anymore? Well, let’s just say the words ‘death and destruction’ come to mind, but that’s just me. Obviously, not everyone feels this way.

I give you the Vegan Peanut Butter au Natural. It has no animal products whatsoever! That’s right, it’s butter-free, egg-free and it just so happens to be gluten-free, which means it contains no flour.

All kidding aside, this cookie is sensational!

Created for you, Emily, and all people out there who love their four-legged friends and choose animal-free goodies.

But…I still love butter, y’all.

Wanna hear the truth?

I’m a sensitive person.  Please, no negative comments about my singing, baking or weight.  Outside of that, I’m pretty easy-going.  Or, at least I think so…in my head.

Recently, I’ve been working on some new cookies.  The first one came out really well.  It’s called the Hawaiian.  It’s an amazing combination of pineapple, coconut, macadamia nuts and white chocolate.  I love it!  Everyone who has tasted it, loves it.  Proud, that’s what I am…proud to have created it.

The second one didn’t fare so well; I won’t bother with its name.  All of the people who tried it, including myself, had mediocre reactions, at best.  I knew it wasn’t finished, yet I sent it to a friend anyway.  Why did I do that?  Am I some sort of masochist or something?  But that’s not what’s truly bothering me.

It’s the third cookie that’s bringing me down.  You see,  specialty cookies have been my latest obsession.  The newest  one is called the Pick Me Up.  It’s a dark chocolate cookie with dark chocolate chunks and chocolate covered espresso beans.  That’s right…whole espresso beans!  Now, I know not everyone is going to love this cookie.  That’s why it’s in the ‘specialty’ category.  Duh…it’s special!  But it still hurts when people say they don’t care for it.

Now, it’s a well known fact that I seek approval through my cookies, but more importantly, I crave honesty.  My friends are the first to test my cookies because I depend on their truthfulness.   Snuda gave me her honest opinion about the Pick Me Up and I respect her for that.  She doesn’t enjoy the crunch of an espresso bean.  She isn’t a big fan of the brownie texture.  She’s my friend.  She pulls no punches.  That’s the way friends ought to be.

Still, I’m wondering again…why did I send her that cookie?

Was I excited?  Definitely.

Am I masochist?  Maybe…but let’s stick with my exuberance. The Pick Me Up is my 15th cookie.  It’s dark, sweet, and intense…kinda like me.

You want some?

Shy isn’t a word anyone has ever used to describe me.  Loud, emotional, funny, gregarious…those are the adjectives that usually come to mind; but when I’m about to have my picture taken?

Camera-shy.

That’s crazy-talk when your best friend is a photographer, but there it is.  Every time the shutter clicks I cringe and pray it turns out remotely appealing.  Inevitably, it looks like a big smile surrounded by darkness.  I know you don’t believe me, but it’s totally true.

“I thought Mondo was in this picture.”

“She is.  That’s no  shadow…that’s her face.”

Ugh.

Is it too much to ask to look like Naomi Campbell circa…well, any year, really?  Hey, I said look like her, not act like her.  Yes, she’s a nut-job, but that face, y’all…good lord!

Nevertheless, I digress.

Dave took me to the studio last week and shot 200 frames.  Complete with a jacket and hat I felt totally at ease.  I had no idea I’d feel so at home in chef’s attire.  It seemed to protect me, somehow, from sluggish eyes and double chins.

See?  This is me.  Happiest.  Baking.  Baker.

My newfound photo-confidence drew an audience as I hammed it up for the camera.  It was like an office party where everyone’s actually having fun.  The only thing missing was ice cold beer.  Now, I’m not saying I’m over my photo-issues; I’m saying  there’s no mystery to taking good pictures.  It’s simple…you have to be comfortable in your own skin.

Profound, huh?

Although, I’m not sure of my comfort level when this one was taken.

Bare with me folks.  I need to get  something off my chest.  Are you sitting down? Ok, here goes….I’m a knitter.  There…I wrote it.  The world knows my shame. Wait, wait, wait!  I’m still cool, though.  I just like to sit quietly, tea by my side, needles in hand and make frilly scarves.  What?

Alright, all kidding aside…my girl Patty had a knitting party last weekend and it was a blast!  Six ladies gathered,  some underneath blankets they made, drank tea from real china, gnoshed sweet treats and discussed lady-things.  You know what I’m talking about.

Aside from the kisses I brought,  one treat in particular blew me away, tea cakes from Martino’s Bakery.  I had never heard of this place before, but I’ll never forget it.  It disappeared after two bites.  I’m serious.  I almost choked on it because I ate it so fast!  That’s how good it was!

Please, if you’re anywhere near Burbank, check this place out!  Currently, I’m without a car and I’m thinking about taking the bus there.  Hey, I live in L.A.-so that’s saying a lot.

It’s a sad, sad day, folks.  Wait…where is that box of tissues?  Found it…now, I’m ready.

Last night I realized one of my cookies isn’t stellar.  I didn’t think it was possible, but I was so wrong.

The invitation read: Party!  Fun, Food and Drink!  Well, there’s just one thing missing from that scenario-Mondo’s Morsels!  I started cracking eggs.  When I was finished I’d baked 7 different types of cookies, including the Coffee Toffee.  It’s an unpopular cookie, but I thought it was due to the fact that not that many people had tried it.  Wrong again.

I got to the party and like that-the cookies started disappearing!  I expected nothing less.  Like I said before, “It’s what I do.”

Um…but here’s the disturbing twist.  At the end of the night, there was a bunch of them still on the dessert table.  What?  You’ve got to be kidding me?  Nope, there was nothing left, except for the Coffee Toffee and my tears.

Farewell, old friend.  Apparently, you won’t be missed.

Last weekend I found myself surrounded by pinks, purples and sparkly tissue paper.  No, I don’t have a daughter obsessed with the latest Disney movie, but I do have a friend who’s the Maid of Honor.

Yep, that’s right folks, here we go again with the Super Cute debacle.  Except this time it’s not a baby shower, it’s a bridal shower.   Lord, give me strength.

Ramona, the MOH, needed party favors for eleven people.  “Look no further,” I exclaimed with a false sense of security.  I wasn’t as intimidated as the last time, but I wasn’t looking forward to the arts-and-crafts portion of the assignment.  As luck would have it, I was provided with the bags, stickers and tissue paper.  Whew, what a load off my mind!

Since the Super Cute was covered I was left to concentrate on what I do best…cookies.  I made three different kinds, Peanut Butter Au Natural, Double Chocolate and The Holy Grail.

The cookies were placed in a cellophane bag for freshness and to keep the bags from getting greasy.  All in all, I was simply delighted with the end result.  I hope the bride was too, but how could she not be?  Super Cute plus Mondo’s Morsels equals a happy tummy and a big ole’ smile.