Sophia's Bakery

Sophia 1 Day Old

  I have one daughter.  5 children and only one beautiful little girl that is not so little any more.  I don't know if it is a blessing or a curse to her that she is the eldest, but I think it is just perfect!! Bright, innovative, smart, funny and driven my daughter is the sort that dreams are made of.  I know, I know, I should knock on wood and hope everything doesn't spiral out of control because I am praising her, but honestly I couldn't be more proud of her.  She is 15 and she has a dream to be a Baker.  Which warms my heart and excites me because I love food so much!!!

2 Months Old

   Sophia has always been full of fire and adventure.  When she was little, even now, she was always curious about food and willing to eat anything we put on her plate.  On one occasion she got a little feisty about not getting enough "bites" from her father's plate, took it upon herself to grab some and stuff it in her mouth before we could warn her that she was currently ingesting a roasted chili pepper!! Well as luck would have it, she chewed it up, had a little beaded sweat on her brow, and said yum!! I knew then that the food world would be good to her.  To this day she loves spicy food and doesn't shy away even when it seems a bit to much for others.
   Throughout her life I have attempted to bake and cook with my daughter (all of my kids really).  In some way I hope to instill the love of food that my mother set deep into my soul.  There is just something heartwarming and beautiful about creating something with your hands and your heart to share with other people.  Food always seems to be a winner.  Even though the actual edible treat doesn't last forever, the loving memory of it will always stick with you.  And when you only make certain things, like delicious Grandma's Snickerdoodles, at Christmas time, it makes the season seem that much more exciting knowing they are on their way.

2 Years Old

4 Years Old

  I guess a little something has stuck with Sophia.  Even if she doesn't think it comes from me, I like to think there's a little bit more of me inside of her than her scary identical looks.  At the beginning of High School, just 3 short years ago, she headed in full force with the intention of becoming an engineer like her father.  A profitable and noble job as any I suppose but in my opinion seems boring as hell!! Someone has to do it though.  Sophia has the brains and the sense to do such a job.  All Honors classes, all good grades, quickly on her way to a stellar graduation. And then she started baking.  I suppose it was helping her step mom keep up with dinners, or maybe just creating little snacks here and there for herself, but I like to think in a small way it was her inner desire to create something amazing that came from me.  But she has since changed her outlook on her future and decided that she would like to bake!!
I am crazy excited for this!! She has stepped forward in a direction I think that most kids her age are afraid to go.  She has created a Tumblr account, a Facebook account and a new Blog all to promote herself and her baking.  She self promotes through all of these venues and word seems to be spreading fast.  This last year in school she was creating tasty little treats for her schoolmates and selling them at reasonable prices, always selling out quickly!!! I think this really helped spurr her desire to do it on a larger scale.  This summer she even made a bunch of treats for a friends Bat mitzvah, employed by the mother, and she was a total hit!  I believe this really was a great boost to her confidence that she can in fact do anything she sets her mind to.

Letting her brothers help her Christmas 2012

  Like so many of us who love to bake, Sophia finds a lot of inspiration from Pinterest and she always executes and shows her treats off in a gorgeous manner.  At only 15, with fire and determination in her beautiful heart I truly believe that my little girl is growing up fast and headed forward in a direction that is only going to bring her joy in her life to come.  This really is a moment I can say the sky is not the limit, because I think she is well on her way past there already!!! Please check her out, support her efforts and watch this awesome girl make something amazing of her life.  Maybe one day you'll be eating in her bakery and remembering the 1st time you saw her embarrassing pictures all over a blog and smile to yourself.

The Constant Pinner

My name is April, and I am addicted to Pinterest.  I understand that it is not exactly the most productive spending of my daily down time, but the ease of use and the amount of new plus exciting things I find intrigues me.  I am constantly reading about ways to improve my home , be a little more healthy, or get a good laugh.  I know there are thousands of other things floating around out there on my various boards too that I am constantly updating, going back to and trying out but I must admit, I cannot stop.

I feel that I am not your average pinner.  Many pins that I read come with the caption "pin now, read later".  I prefer the read now, pin if interesting option though.  I suppose in a way this is good for my brain.  I read that constant reading helps improve memory. On a pin of course!  So maybe I am on the right track there.  But I also find in the "read now, then pin" concept, I pin proper links.

I recently read a post about "cleaning up Pinterest" that had some very valid information.  In this post they suggest you revamp your community. Figure out what type of account you want to have and clean out the pins that are no longer relevant, or that have dead links. Also update your profile, insuring that you are representing yourself accurately based on the type of account you have (business or personal).  Today, I plan to do all of these things.

Do you see the addiction yet?  I suppose that there are far worse things in life to be addicted to though.  Pinterest has really cultivated my artistic side. 

Mod Podge I made 

I have found many a decorating ideas that I have utilized in my own home.  Simple, easy things that make my home a little more cozy and were not really huge changes costing a lot of money (I'm always looking for a deal). And I've found a lot of ideas that I probably would have never found elsewhere because I am not a regular online surfer.  

I suppose you could say that I am constantly surfing the net via Pinterest, but I rarely open up my Google or Bing app and type in something I am looking for.  I'm not a big fan of online shopping.  I prefer hands on shopping.  I enjoy collecting ideas from Pinterest and then going out into my community and finding like products to use in my own home.  (on a side note I love shopping at Junkie's here in Reno.  They have some awesome finds at great prices!!)  I think this gives my home a little more character because I often find one of a kind items (which can be frustrating when I was looking for curtains and they only had one panel rather than the 2 I needed) and often these items have that "washed vintage" theme already.  

Along with you, I too am wondering where this post is headed, and really, it is just trying to explain how much I value Pinterest and the good I see that it offers.  If you follow me, you will see hours worth of pins flood your timeline in large blocks.  I'm at home in the day time with my boys and rarely have much more to do outside of cleaning.  I prefer to blow off steam if you will, looking at various ideas for my home and family.  I have found many a dinner idea, party foods, and DIY art projects that I have tried out on my family.  They are my personal guinea pigs!  I wouldn't say that my addiction is really a waste of my time, but I often start sentences with "I was reading on Pinterest".  I guess this could be a bit unnerving to some, but I have also found that most people are excited, head over to Pinterest in their spare time, and check it out themselves.  

I have to say that I have found a ton of wonderful blogs via Pinterest that I would have never found on my own.  And most of those blogs happily source their information back to the places they first read the information as well.  Ahhhh the love of the responsible and caring blogger.  Who really knows exactly where all the information first came about, but I do think it is awesome that we can all share what we read and source it back to where we first saw it.  

Thank you Pinterest for helping me find wonderful, amazing, and loads of information relevant to me. 

The River Wild

I am not the wealthiest mom on the planet so I am constantly looking for ways to entertain my children outside of TV and video games without breaking the bank.  Of course, my tech savvy kids think video games are a way of life, I think it is important to branch out, get them connected with nature and enjoy the outdoors (hopefully more than I actually do).  This is not always an easy feat.

During the winter time I hope for snow so that we can enjoy building snow men and possibly, if bodies are willing, make snow angels.  The summer though opens a world of possibilities.  Although I am not a fan of the city I live in I do have to give credit to the abundance of outdoor activities that the warm weather offers.  We live in Reno, Nevada.  At the base of Lake Tahoe, near the Truckee River and just a hop skip and a jump away from Donner Lake, we have quite a few options as long as we are willing to drive and enjoy them.

 I am a kid from the mountains though so sharing my river front view with a million people, locals and tourists, is not exactly my idea of a good time.  With the Truckee River flowing right through the middle of downtown, this would be an easily accessible point to go to but I like to make things difficult.  I asked around my work for ideas of where I could enjoy the river NOT surrounded by screaming kids, dog poop, and trash and came up with a couple of gems.

In town, just down a couple little roads, there are two places that you can hike, relax and swim in the Truckee River without all the commotion of life.  Really enjoy the beauty and peace of the river life the way it was meant to be.  The first place is Mayberry Park.  In a million years I would have never expected there to be a hiking trail and nice river beach tucked back behind a beer distribution center but there it is.  A small little parking area leads to a nice paved path for mothers looking for a peaceful place to push strollers or for joggers to safely and quietly get outdoors.  There are quite a few dirt paths that veer off in every direction, all leading down to the water.  It takes a bit of hiking around to find the perfect spot for you, but it is well worth the time, and you get to enjoy a bit of nature in it's entirety while you're at it.

Since it is the river, made mostly up of snow runoff I wouldn't say the Truckee River is warm, but it is cool to dip into on a hot summer day.  My kids discovered an area that was very safe and enjoyable for them to play in as well.  The river is fast, but some other parents or children, collected all the rocks from the riverbed and built up a little retaining wall, creating a nice pool for swimming with a soft sandy bottom.  They really love this little river area.  And of course there is a little area for mom to relax in the sun and enjoy the peaceful sounds of nature as well.

The second "secret" in Reno is called Oxbow Nature Study Area.  We have yet to make it here while it was open to the public, but it is supposed to boast trails and river access that are not high traffic area.  They are open, according to the locked gate and sign, from 8am to sunset.  Which in a way makes it a bit difficult to visit in the evening since "sunset" seems to vary depending on the weather and the day.  But it is our next stop on the hiking agenda.  I am excited to see beyond the gate.  It is tucked way back at the end of a rather dismal road, that I honestly thought went no where.  The drive in boasts warehouse art businesses and a trailer park.  So I would have to say this is a pretty well hidden little gem if there ever was one.  Most people will not travel into such dire conditions to find anything, but I was ensured by coworkers that this was a real find.
Later this month, before the summer escapes us I am traveling my little monsters to their first visit of Lake Tahoe. Since they are not the most outdoorsy of kids, I wanted to wait until the weather was warmer, and maybe the lake as well.  If you don't already know, Tahoe is NOT the warmest water, ever.  No matter the conditions outside, but it sure is a beautiful and amazing sight to see.  I think it is the blown base of a volcano, but then I thought lakes like that would have been warm from the flowing lava underneath.  Maybe that's just still active volcanos......Either way, Lake Tahoe is a place I think everyone who visits the West Coast should visit.  It is truely a beautiful place and they offer year round activities if you are so inclined.
So cheers to you and yours on an exciting summer adventure that is maybe a little less plugged in, and a lot more peaceful.  We hope to make the most of what nature has to offer this summer ourselves.

Baked with Love

Fresh Fruit Crumble

In a recent attempt to make my family healthier, I have been purchasing more fresh fruit and trying inventive ways to get it into their bodies.  Apples and cuties are a staple in our diets, but I have been attempting to branch out.  A while back I purchased a large container of Blueberries from Raleys on a special $5 Monday deal.  My kids were NOT excited to eat those fresh blueberries as a tasty little snack as I had hoped.  One twin even commented that they were a "weird little fruit" and so I stuffed them into the freezer before they went bad and decided I would eventually find a use for them.
Like an internet supermom I searched the web over for various uses.  I am sure there are plenty of moms out there with the same problem.  Wanting our families to be healthy but happy at the same time can sometimes be a challenge in this fast food world.  Last time I checked Chicken Nuggets from the Golden arches didn't exactly rank up there in the health department as much as they're a kid friendly favorite.
Often times, when I am scouring the internet, I am kicked back to the wonderful site AllRecipes. I think a lot of people find little gems here, but I really hit the jackpot when looking for blueberry goodies.  Who doesn't LOVE the idea of anything that begins with the word Overnight???

  I am not really a breakfast eater (I know it is "the most important meal of the day"). I do not care for eggs, I don't eat syrup really, and I just find cooking in the morning to be an overwhelming task when I have so many other things to do in the day.  But when I found this recipe, Overnight Blueberry French Toast, my family did not let up until I agreed to make it.  It was an appealing idea to me because of the "overnight" but little did I know, it was more work than I thought.
I must admit that this recipe wasn't diffucult, as much as time consuming.  I read all of the reviews on the bottom, I suggest you do as well there's some great tips, and I surged forth in creating this meal.  Now as I stated before, this meal was an Overnight journey, meaning all the preparation is done the night before you are actually going to eat it (I find these kinds of recipes are best for Christmas when you have less time the day of) and the cooking is left up to your oven in the morning while you relax enjoying your Starbucks.

I simply cream cheesed my french bread, tossed in those fresh blueberries (even though they were still frozen), mixed up the eggs, got it all situated into a baking dish and threw it in the fridge.  When morning came, I popped that bad boy in the fridge, made the suggested fresh blueberry syrup while it baked and listened to my family buzz about the glorious smells that were coming from the kitchen.  Those "weird little fruits" weren't so strange anymore!!!
The finished product, well lets just say it turned out better than I could have ever imagined and I actually ate breakfast, and enjoyed it, eggs and all.

Cookie Monster

I imagine there are a lot of people out there in the world in similar situations as myself.   I have a large family, two hard working adults and 5 rambunctious children.  We do not have a lot of luxuries, and we attempt to live a simple life that affords us the little things we have.  As I have stated before (I think) we love food.  Baking, cooking and eating are things that we enjoy together as a family.  I know that over eating can lead to obesity, but I do not mean to say that we are out of control in our eating habits. Rather we cook dinner together and warm our home on blustery days with baked goods that warm the soul.  I must admit though, when November hits, our home becomes a baking frenzy.  I think a very large portion of our Christmas fund is poured into the kitchen.

Cookies, banana bread, brittle, pretty much any concotion that sounds delicious are things that come out of our cozy kitchen.  Because I bake so much at Christmas time, we generally give more than half of it away as gifts.  Everybody loves snickerdoodles, devil bites and chocolate espresso cookies!!! 

Rarely though, in the spring or summer, do I fire up the oven because it is so hot (we do not use AC) and we are more in the mood for ice cream and iced tea.  Today is a rare occasion.  The weather has decided that it is more like winter outside (even dumping snow in the mountains now in May) and I wanted a little something to warm our home.  Of course because it is 5 months after the winter, Christmas season, my baking supplies are diminished to some bakers chocolate, half a bag of chocolate chips, a cup of flour and a lonely little cup of brown sugar.  What on earth can you possibly make with any of that??

Like many other days, I take to the internet and search eggless, dairy free, and quick recipes.  And much like other wonderful moments of discovery I come across this wonderful blog Authentic Simplicity.  Anne Simpson  (also on Pinterest) gave me the key to quick, easy, scrumptious chocolate chip cookies that just happen to be vegan.

No eggs, no dairy and veagn.  I imagine this may not sound like the most enjoyable recipe for a lot of people, but I am telling you, in a pinch, in a time when you don't have money but you're craving something sweet, or your baking cabinet is depleated, these Chocolate Chip Cookies are going to rock your world. The most simple cookies I think I have ever made really.  I made a few adjustments (I am not vegan) but they still seemed to come out just as tasty as any TollHouse cookie I have ever baked (maybe it was the chocolates).  And I must interject, they came out fluffy, soft and moist, all things that I struggle with in other recipes.  I have been advised by my wise Aunts and Mother that it is due to the elevation but I don't buy it.  I don't think TollHouse was ever the way for me to go.  I was meant for something more exciting, more daring and maybe a little more healthy.

Raley's Top-It Pizza made with Love

Recently I signed up for the Raley's Try-It program on the Raley's website. The basic idea of the site is to gain information from regular people like us and help get the word out about new products they are offering.  Right now I don't think I could be happier. My first program that I opted into was for the Top-It Pizzas!!! Anyone that knows my family, knows we LOVE pizza more than most food.  Pizza is always a winner in our house.

Because we enjoy cooking in our house, we seldom purchase pre-made pizza.  We prefer to cook in our own home which makes the Top-It Pizzas an all time winner in our house!  Not only does Raley's offer a Large pizza for $10 (larger than a Pizza Hut large) with red sauce and an herb cheese mix, they offer two Medium pizzas for $8 each (this is the same size as a Pizza Hut large).  The two Medium pizzas offered come in two varieties.  One pizza is a classic thin crust with a herb cheese mix and garlic white sauce.  My favorite is the second Medium selection, it is a whole wheat thin crust with herb cheese mix and pesto sauce. YUMMY!!!

Each of the Top-It pizzas come with your selection of toppings.  That's right, free with each pizza you get to choose your toppings! I have tried them all and have found that classic staples like Pepperoni with cheddar cheese and the Deluxe Veggie mix are our favorites.  They offer others though too like a Fiesta Chicken and the ever popular Margarita topping. I think there are optons for everyone. 

These easy to bake, make it yourself pizzas are so awesome that my kids get excited about making their own food.  This of course makes mom happy that the entire meal consists of preheating the oven to 375*, putting it in the oven, taking it out after 12 minutes and then cutting it.  Perhaps a bit of cleanup after my monsters make their creations, but it is a lot easier than a full blown meal.   

I would highly reccomend everyone trying these tasty pizzas.  This past Monday Raley's even offered the 12" Top-It pizza for $5.  Anyone that doesn't love pizza for $5 is just plain crazy in my book.  Of course as a partipant of the Try-It  program I got a pizza FOR FREE!!!! One free pizza and one $5 pizza on Monday made it a better start to the week than the regular humdrum of any other week.

Clean Eating is Hard Work

You know the drill; Energy drinks and cereal for breakfast. Maybe a pop tart or two. Tasty, bubbly soda with a bag of chips for lunch. Maybe a treat of Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino accompanied by the ever tempting Lemon Iced Pound Cake. 

 

Round up the evening with tacos and some homemade cookies.......oh the unhealthy lifestyle of America. We are all guilty. We have all been there in some way or another. But we need to stop. This sort of lifestyle is contributing to the ever growing obesity in our nation. One family at a time, in your home, is the best place to start. 

We recently decided as a family to eat better. Feel better. Be happier and healthier and set a better example for our children. 

Hubby and I decided together we would Go Big or stay fat. We opted for a Clean  Eating diet with a few variations to help us shed the excess weight. A huge culprit in both our diets was sugar. In coffee, tea, lattes, energy drinks, soda, and juice. Pretty much everything we were drinking was slowly adding to our weight gain. Simply, we cut it out. No sugar. Water, black coffee and green tea have become our daily liquids. Easy, no. Worth it, yes. 

We also cut unnatural or foods with added sugar and switched to natural sugar only. Eating fruit for breakfast has really upped my energy level in way that doesn't lead to a crash later on. Eliminating added sugar, led to taking away processed food in general. We eat a small amount of whole grains a day, with a low amount of added sugar. The higher the fiber, less sugar and calories the better. 

Our version of Eating Clean has brought both of us through some rough patches (detoxing off of sugar isn't pretty) but 2 weeks in, we feel better. I never thought a diet high in fresh fruits and veggies would actually work for me. Don't get me wrong, we eat meat, but lean meat. We avoid dairy products as well. A little cream in the coffee every now and then and that's about it. 

I know this sounds like mania, but honestly when my food is fresh and delicious, it's hard to want to go back to anything in a package. 

Not only have the two of us lost a combined total of 25lbs in 2 weeks, our children have started to ask for sliced apples as a snack, and have adjusted to water only in our fridge. The kids haven't quite adapted the entire idea of eating clean, but little by little they're watching us and making better choices as well. 

Fresh is Better and we are Happier. 

 

 

 

 

My Survey Addiction

So every housewife and mother out there can identify with the overpowering need to do something for herself. For a very long time I struggled with what to do in my precious moments caught alone (you know there are few when you have small children), but I found my outlet in online surveys. Who wouldn't want to do something fun and gain in return? I have tried every site out there I think. Few have kept my attention past the first survey. 

Often times surveys involve the disclaimer "sign up for these promotions to collect your points". I have no time or energy for the junk mail that ensues beyond that point. Many a survey site I have tossed aside. The two programs that I have found, that have really paid off are e-rewards and the new Raley's Something Extra Try-It program.

 e-Rewards has provided 100s of dollars worth of Game Stop gift cards to me over the years. I'm not sure exactly how or where on the Internet I found this awesome survey site, but I have been a happy member for over 8 years. Every survey you opt into and qualify for "pays" you money. The money collects in your "bank" and when you've earned enough you can redeem your "cash" for which ever program they offer. 

 

Excellent for a gaming family like ours!! Every little penny helps me save money I didn't otherwise have. 

Now the Raley's Something Extra program is a program I recently joined (I think in late fall of last year). The program is simple enough, it is a money saving shoppers program with a twist. You buy your regular groceries, your card tracks you, gives you a penny to the dollar in points (extra points on selected items throughout the store) and tailors in store coupons to YOU! At the end of each Fiscal Quarter (every 3 months) Raley's gives me BACK my points in dollar form to spend, any way I choose within their store. 

Now I understand 1 penny to every dollar doesn't sound like much in the form of return, but it adds up. In the month of December I received $40 and a few coupons for free items (that I needed). Who doesn't need $40 extra in their life? And for doing nothing more than shopping the way you normally would. Count me in!!! 

Just recently while inside my Something Extra application I noticed a new tab, the Try-It program. Upon further investigation, I found out Raley's is asking regular customers to join in and better their company through surveys. Oh my gosh my heart leapt, I hit the button and joined right in! This program, much like the Something Extra program, cost me no more than I'm already spending. This particular area of the site asks people like you and me what we think of their products. Talk about their program and products, share your experiences, and reap the rewards of discounted or free products. 

In my eyes, it really doesn't get any better than that. 

I love the idea of being rewarded for the things I'm already doing, or interested in. Free is free and getting money back after I have already saved money, even better. If you have any noteworthy survey sites please share! I'm always looking for something that helps me enjoy my few quiet moments but still benefits my entire family. 

Our Little Family

Conventionally I wouldn't say we have a small family, in total there are 7 of us, but I think we are a happy one. Although two of our five children are rather picky in their eating habits, each of them enjoys cooking with mom. 

For each season I attempt to bring my monsters together and encourage them to join in the making of something fun. Of course Christmas calls for the most goodies, but we try to do something all the time. Chex Party mix and Snickerdoodles (from Grandma's recipe of course) are family staples. 

This past year we have tried a lot of new foods, desserts and crafts. My beautiful daughter even started her own little bakery for school. You can find her on Facebook at Sophia's Bakery I encourage you to check out the power of a driven teenager. She loves to bake. That makes my heart happy because I love it too. There's something powerful in creating delicious moments you can enjoy. My little Boots loves too cook as well.

He is a bit of a ham and really doesn't like to eat many foods, but he LOVES making food and sharing it. Even went to school dressed as a chef during reading week to show what he wanted to be when he grows up. ( I'm not sure at the age 7 this will stick, but one can hope).

I suppose the idea here was to introduce a bit about us and our cooking adventures that are yet to be logged.  I'm still trying to get a handle on what I am doing so I can properly convey our adventures. I will try my hardest to source and link everything I ever share (with better looking links I might add). I am a firm believer in giving credit where credit is due. And that being said, I love the power of the Internet. I know a lot of it is the same information, but of course the presentation differs. I love pretty things. (Oh Pinterest *swoon*) I love to share. I hope you find something exciting on my page eventually. Please feel free to comment or share. I love meeting new people and am always open to suggestions of new sites to see and things to try!!




  

Revamping Blog time

Oh my gosh it has been YEARS, literally, since I was able to access this blog.  After a quick look over, it is quite apparent it needs a serious overhaul.  Where to begin? What do people blog about? What in the world are you interested in? You tell me what you want to hear and I will be more the willing to attempt to fill you in.  I suppose for the time being I will share my adventures in cooking (I kind of love food a lot) cool stuff I have seen on the internet and what not.  That's what people do right?  My ultimate goal is to use a new blogger app ( https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bloggo-for-blogger/id605860879?mt=8 ) on my sexy little iTouch my hubby got me for Valentine's day.  Must make best use of that bad boy any way I can.  I think hubby is starting to worry that I am only playing BeJewlled Blitz and Line Play on it........maybe I am......