Fall seems to be so very very busy!

I think I promised a few recipe updates, and some new recipes, but I haven't been able to post them yet. My goodness, fall has been busy so far! You see, I started working. And then I got a second job, which I haven't even started yet. And I'm still running. You knew that right? I'm a runner. I LOVE to run. In fact, I've got lofty goals in the year of becoming an ultra marathoner. I know, it sounds crazy doesn't it? Well, some part of me loves crazy. My friends know I'm crazy, and they seem to just accept it and roll with it.

So, being busy has it's challenges! Food challenges are at the top of my list! Oh man, I'm so hungry all the time, but I'm also so tired and I find I don't have the energy to cook, bake and clean up after myself like I did when I didn't have a job. So I'm working hard to try and organize my life and my schedule so that I can get everything done. Thankfully, I've got these great recipes posted online and my daughter, who lives with us, loves baking for me. She's a full time student with a part time job, so her schedule is limiting too, but between the two of us, we can always manage to get a loaf of bread made for sandwiches, or a quick batch of muffins for snacks.

I've also had great family time this past month. It was my sweetie's birthday in mid-September, and my mother's birthday at the end of the month. Also my sweet niece had a birthday too, so those two we celebrated together. It was awesome to be able to volunteer to make the cake and cupcakes so that I could safely eat them (you know I would hate to not be able to eat cake, right?) and to know that everyone would love them, regardless of whether they needed gluten free or not. The chocolate cake was amazing. I made it with three layers for my husband's birthday, and made a cherry sauce as the filling, along with So Delicious Coco Whip. It was my dairy free Black Forest cake. And let me tell you, it was OUTSTANDING! I can't wait for my birthday to see what I can come up with! The party with my mom and my niece also included my sister and my cousin (once removed). Both are vegan AND gluten free. So I had to experiment with new things. I found a great recipe on Pinterest that was actually AMAZING. My husband always cringes when I say I'm making a Pinterest recipe, because there are some that truly are nasty, but not this one. I think having a strong baking and cooking background helps to identify recipes that will or won't work, based on the ingredient list. I'll try to share that link... if I can find it again. I'm not even sure I pinned it? But either way, let me tell you about the cupcakes: I filled them with the cherry sauce, same as Sweetie's cake, and topped them with a scoop of cocowhip! Black Forest cupcakes! My sweet niece is 7 now. And well, she's not much of a cake person but she loves frosting and sprinkles, so I made a dozen vanilla (her favourite) cupcakes with vanilla buttercream and sprinkles. She was over the moon with the frosting and sprinkles, or maybe it was the sugar, or the super speed she was able to achieve with her new running shoes I bought her as a gift? Either way, she was a happy happy girl. And that's what's been taking away my time. Hopefully this week I can get some pictures loaded and some recipes up!

I had wished I could share some Thanksgiving recipes BEFORE Thanksgiving here in Canada, but alas, here we are Sunday evening and I've posted nothing. I've made an extra loaf of bread today for stuffing tomorrow, and I baked three pies. Tomorrow will be a busy day, as I've invited friends over to share our meal, and I'm going running in the morning. I've got housework, laundry, and a turkey with all the fixings to prepare. I can't wait for homemade cranberry sauce... seriously, that and stuffing I could live off for the rest of my life I think.

I want to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read the recipes and my stories, for trying the recipes out and for sharing them with your friends and family. I'm grateful for so many things on this Thanksgiving day, and this blog is definitely one of them. Please don't ever hesitate to send me a message, or comment on a recipe. If you have any questions, or need some advice, drop me a line. Sometimes, if you don't get a response soon on the blog, click the link for the Facebook page and post it there. Wix doesn't notify me when you post, but Facebook does!

Happy Baking my friends! And HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Therese K.