Self Promotion

Right now, my stomach is making these crazy growling sounds. It's been going on all day and is very disconcerting for me. What is happening in there?!

Anyways, it's because of my stomach growling that I got the inspiration for this post. It made me wonder if I was hungry, I'm not. If I WAS hungry though, what would I want? So I started thinking about my dinner plans, which since tonight is my usual trivia night, but has morphed into my stay at home and be completely alone for a few blessed hours night, will probably just be sauteed squash and zucchini with corn on the cobb. Simple, easy, delicious. Then I started thinking about what I'd want for dessert if that were an option (it's not) and then I started thinking that I needed to plan my menu for next weeks Uptown Umbrella Market.

I know you guys aren't really in my area, but I'd sure like it if you'd take a minute to maybe "like" my Facebook page- Tasty Treats by Jess. I can't link to it, I'm at work and Facebook is blocked here. Too distracting they say, to which I say BAH. I crack out all day on the news sites and they're worried about social networking. Imbeciles. 

Anyways, here's an adorable picture of my nugget, Noelle at last weeks Umbrella Market. She was riding a high of pink lemonade and then she crashed:

I have a baking muse. It's Our Greene Acre. I get my farm fresh eggs from them and the most delicious jams ever. Their jams inspire me. Peach Habanero jam? Makes a delicious peach habanero pound-cupcake with peach habanero buttercream. Peach Vanilla jam? The greatest Peach Danish cookies you can imagine. Spiced Blueberry jam? That makes this:

An amazing lemon cupcake with spiced blueberry buttercream. Ah-mah-zing.

Strawberry Danish cookies with a chocolate ganache drizzle. Seriously though, the peach vanilla version of these that I made are my favorite thing I've ever made. It's absolutely perfect. Probably because the dough is half cream cheese. Can't go wrong with cream cheese. 

And completely unaffiliated with Our Greene Acre is my birthday cake krispy treats. My bff4eva sent me the recipe and kids go bananas over it. Also, I'm a big kid and enjoyed the hell out of it. 

I'm also obsessed with Mr. Butters peanut butter- it's all natural and home made. No added sugars or anything. It's perfect for baking. I keep hoping they make a Facebook page or website so I can promote them, because they are good people. 

So, if you're feeling frisky (and I know you are) like my page. If you're feeling friskier, check out my website Tasty Treats by Jess.

Happenings

I've been busy you guys. Sunday-Wednesday nights are filled with either baking delicious treats for the Uptown Umbrella Market or actually being at the Market. Then Thursday is trivia night. Friday is ladies night. Saturday I crash. Sunday it all begins again. Along with working a full time desk job. Lately, I've even been skipping trivia to have a few hours to myself and go to bed early. 

I love it though. I love trying out new recipes. I love going to the Umbrella Market. I love having awesome feedback from strangers that enjoy my treats. I love it all. I don't love the 12 year old that's the Market manager this year (ok she's maybe 19, but NO OLDER than 21). She's a bit (ok a lot) annoying. It's the fake bubbly that makes my palms itch to smack her. Anyways, in all, I'm having fun. 

I'm not exactly making any money though. Each Wednesday I have to spend $20 ($10 for the table and another $10 for the umbrella) and then I have to give the market 10% of what I make. So then, once I pay all that out, what I have left is pretty much just covering the cost of the ingredients that I put into it. That should start turning around now though. I'm going to be buying my own table this week and in a couple more weeks I'll get my own umbrella too. 

I'm not too worried about making money at this point. I figure in a month I should be bringing it in. Each week (I've gone twice now) is teaching me more and more. My baking is getting more streamlined, my costs are evening out. I'm still having a ton of fun. 

You know how I said I've been having fun trying new things? Here's some of my favorite things:

Lemon Basil cupcakes. I originally made these for my friend's birthday. I then fell in love with them. Everyone is a little apprehensive at first, but then they try them and realize it's nothing to be scared of. Light and fluffy basil cake with a smooth lemon frosting- delicious!

S'mores cupcakes!! Graham cracker cake with marshmallow fluff filling, chocolate ganache spread, and then marshmallow topping- pop it in the over to toast the tops and HOLYHELL DELICIOUS. It's also ridiculously messy. Worth it. 

This I just made last night- Mini Oreo cheesecakes! The crust is an Oreo cookie. I mean, yes.