Kitchen Love an affair to enjoy!

I love gadgets of any type.  If they make cooking easier I want it!  For many years I only use a hand held electric beater. 

I desired a stand mixer.  I left little hints.  Well okay HUGE hints I wanted a stand mixer.  My eyes desired a Kitchen Aide Stand Mixer.  They looked like they could handle anything I desired to mix up.

I heard they are work horses of the mixers.  I grew jealous of those who own a stand mixer.

It seemed my guy's ears where full of wax when my hints became a daily adventure into the virtues of stand mixers.

My birthday came and went.  Christmas came and went.  Still no Kitchen Aide Mixer. 

Then one day out of the blue my mother called.  Now Mom retired at 65...but did not like being a home body so went back to work in the retail field for the last 15 years.  She loves working - what can I say.  

Anyhow the retail store that is a national chain was closing the store that she had worked part time at for the last 15 years.  All stock had to go.  The prices where unbelievable on many items.

My mother  bless her heart got me my dream machine!  Thank you so very much MOM!!  It arrived in June.  Carried by hand from St. Louis to Alaska by my younger sister on her first visit to Alaska.

OMG I now understand why they are the best!

My little beauty:

I have been enjoying my baking all the more!  Whip cream is a breeze!  My cake batters are amazing.  And I have joy in my heart!

Spiders, Ghosts, Frankenstein and plain Cookies and Cupcakes

Fall is here.  October happens to be a favorite month for many.

It ends in one of the most scariest days ~
Halloween!

I admit I am a huge fan of Halloween.  Dressing up as someone/thing else, getting a bag full of candy from going door to door, going to parties and just being wild and crazy.  But the best part is all the wonderful creations one can bake up and I don't just mean food!


My sister who lives in Chesterfield, Missouri goes all out decorating her home for Halloween.  She has 3 grandchildren under age 11 ~ Kath is a hit throughout the neighborhood.  Spiders, eerie music, elaborate craved pumpkins (both from grandkids and 'Chef Michael' - my #1nephew), witches hung from the garage overhang, scarecrows lining the front yard, plus a ton more I don't have time to list ~ Well your getting the picture!  It's scary!  And kids love it!


I happen to live in an older neighborhood here in Anchorage, Alaska - we also usually have SNOW for Halloween so it's even more exciting to see how the costumes go over the parka's and snow boots!

Thus living in an older section of town most of the kids are now in the final years of high school or most have gone on to college where I'm sure the Halloween parties have more than just pumpkins glowing on the tables.  We seldom get Trick or Treaters.  But I always have a bowl of mixed candy bars for the handful that decide to visit.

My mind goes more to what I could bake for Halloween and other holidays that soon will be following.

I have been thinking about purchasing a certain cookbook with all sorts of recipes for little cupcakes that are decorated into spiders, pumpkins, Frankenstein and so forth. I still may go back and get that book...right now I did up some simple favorites of mine.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies 

filled 

with 

orange cream frosting.