MandiCrocker

MANDI J. SMITH:

MINI CUPCAKE MAKER

&

KITCHEN DESTROYER

I have a confession to make. When I make large quantities of baked goods, I am not a neat person. I become a tornado & my kitchen becomes the aftermath.

"But... but... I'll need that flour for the next batch! Why put it away?"

So I thought I'd humor you all with my reality:

This is also the reason why at 3 in the morning, I'm tearing my hair out screaming, "WHERE IS THE CAP FOR THE FREAKIN' VANILLA!!!???"

Then a few moments later, usually after a good cry & I've updated my Facebook status to "I HATE EVERYTHING," I make a deal with God.

"Okay, God?...*deep sigh*... I'm tired. *Another deep sigh.* I haven't slept and I have to work tomorrow. EARLY tomorrow. You know this. Please help me find the cap for the vanilla. I promise next time I'll clean as I go."

Then ten minutes later I find the cap and know in my heart that I've lied to God. I also wonder why in the world He keeps on falling for this!?

AND IT'S ALWAYS RIGHT WHERE I LEFT IT.

Which is typically on the floor & now I'm thanking God for helping me to find the vanilla cap but am brutally angry I had to step on it ("OW!!!! #$%&!!!") to find it.

"Thank you for the cap but seriously!? SERIOUSLY!?"

Then God quietly says to me, "Holmes? It's your own dang fault. Get to sleep at a reasonable hour and clean your stinkin' kitchen already!"

"And for the love of all that is good and holy, throw the oven mitts in the wash!!!"



And then I cry. Then I'm done. Then I go to bed.
And that's the story of how I bake! YAY!!!! :) :) :)





The next day is always the best, though. After a few hours of sleep I get to take another look at the results, bring them into work & make people happy!



I mean look at these beauties!

From left to right:

Banana Caramel
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Candied Pecawwwwns --
(you have to say pecawwwns like an old rich English woman)
Chocolate PB Cup Cupcakes






I was really happy with the way they turned out!

I was slightly disappointed with the banana caramel. I mixed the homemade caramel into the buttercream too much so it didn't have bright swirls. Very disappointing. They were also a little too sweet. :(


But I'm being hard on myself...



WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT A JOHNSTOWN FIELD HOCKEY CHAMPION DOES, MARTHA FOCKERS!!! AWWWW, YEAH!!!! JHSFH Champions believe in excellence, people!!! Pride! Dedication! Tradition! *cue Lunatic Fringe*

(Suddenly I feel the need to punish myself through sprints).



((Oftentimes I wonder if anyone understands anything I'm talking about or if it all just makes sense to me. I'm too scared to know the answer to this.))


I thought these ladies turned out just lovely, though. :)



Ever since I read 'To Kill A Mockingbird' in Mr. Maderic's 9th grade English class, I've always thought of cupcakes as ladies... or vice versa.

"Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o'clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum."



I love mini cupcakes.
They're just so freakin' cute. :)




Num. :)
The end.