Weekend Baking

I've instituted a new rule in our house called Naps and 'Zerts.  The name is based on this:

However, the idea has nothing to do with Pawnee.

I made a strawberry cake last week while Nick was napping after a busy Saturday morning of errands.  I realized that being alone in my little kitchen, listening to music and measuring out ingredients, really centered me.  (I know how dumb that sounds.  I'm ashamed.)  I rely on sewing usually to calm me and satisfy that need to create, and I also cook every night, so I'm no stranger to my kitchen.  But there was just something about doing this alone that really helped me chill out.  I'm not normally on my own schedule at home--either I'm making dinner in the hour between my getting home and Nick's arrival, or I'm waiting on him to finish making pizza so I can clean up (on the weekends)(side note, how can one man make such a mess with flour?).  Either way, there are outside pressures, none of which were present while I was alone with my cake batter.

So I figured I'd start enforcing naptime.  Sorry, Nicholas, but it had to be done.  Honestly, he doesn't mind, because I'm not bugging him to go with me, and then he wakes up and there's food!  It's like magic!

This weekend I made a cake while he was awake (I know, I'm already breaking my rules) but I made muffins the next morning before he woke up--so I guess it counts.

Coconut-lime mixed berry cake

Ingredients all laid out--yes, I do that.

Chocolate espresso banana muffins

The coconut-lime mixed berry cake was Nick's choice, and he likes it, though his one gripe was that he can feel the berry's seeds while he eats.  Everyone feel sorry for the boy with the cake.  I chose the muffins, which are a recipe from Baked bakery (found here) and they did not disappoint.  We originally had 17; we are now down to eight.  I made them yesterday morning.

Anyway, I really like having goals and projects, if you couldn't tell.  I have earmarked my cookbooks (Flour bakery, Mad Hungry, Back in the Day bakery, A New Turn in the South...) and I hope to keep cooking for the foreseeable future.  Stop by my cubicle--maybe you'll get something!  Also to make sure I don't weigh 400 pounds.

Whatcha baking?  Care to share a favorite recipe?