Update 7/28/2014

I've been pretty sick for a couple weeks, but I'm trying to get back [slowly] into the swing of things. Took 8 hits just to get my vein this month for my infusion, my arms look like meat grinders and my body looks like I got the crap beat out of me :-( I'm glad I always wear long clothes so no one questions all the bruises - lol. (Those that know about anemic and MS patients with lack of coordination know exactly what I'm talking about.)

This week I learned to make egg noodles from scratch - SUCCESSFULLY! I made the thick noodles for chicken and dumplings and the very thin black peppered tagliatelle noodles. I will brag on myself and say they were the best I've had since I was in Europe. :-)  I've yet to find where you find that fresh pasta to buy here in the southern area. I'll be making that on a regular basis!

I've perfected my chocolate chip cookie recipe. Thank you to the wonder people at Cooking For Engineers who finally solved my conundrum of the GRAMS of flour - oh the age old question of to sift or not to sift - that is the question - how settle is the flour??? Next I'm tackling roll out sugar cookies - wish me luck!

Also, I have been taking a Wilton cake class - teacher not really that impressive. She sure does like to think so, but she skips most of the stuff. Let me suggest the Wilton classes over at Craftsy - much more informative and you can watch them over and over. I have perfected an awesome butter cream recipe from scratch - it's really quite good, if I do brag on myself ;-)

My crowning glory of baking this last month? My sinfully delicious double fudge devil's cake - an orgasmic experience on a plate - yep, it's that darn good. You would have to try it to believe it. It's that moist, that soft, that oohy, gooy, yummy, delicious, beyond words... served with a glass of milk and you are in chocolate heaven - O.M.G!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Four layers of pure PMS rejoicing - and even guys forgetting that the women are PMS'ing... it's beyond rejoicing - can you even imagine that?

Still pounding away on my Soho quilt top - doesn't seem like I'm making much progress - it's slow going, but it's creeping along. My professional Olisio Iron broke - I'm more than sad - down right cranky - about that. The company promised that they would warranty exchange it so, as they say, "check is in the mail". And I am literally waiting with "bated breathe" for the new one to arrive.

Hubby is working a lot overtime at work so I'm trying really hard to do more housework, but it's really taking it's toll on me. I'm having to take 3 or 4 naps a day and can't really drive any more.

Added a new thing on the list though - my brother is coming down this fall to visit - I'm so freaking excited!!!! It will be the first time he has visited where I have lived in over 10 years (Texas). He will be bringing my husband's restored mustang. I'm trying to plan a visit to take him and his family to the Talladega Speedway Gecko 500 Race as a "dream vacation" type thing since our whole family is into cars and racing. I hope he is as excited as I am. It's better than Disney world for me :-) So I'm working really hard to plan this - I sure hope everything comes together great and everyone has a great time!

Got a suggestion for my list?  Send it along..... :-)

Slowing working through life,
Cass