Hi! My name is Brianne, and I am a Chemical Engineer-turned-stay-at-home-mom/wannabe-pastry-chef-and-wedding-planner with a meticulous, perfectionist nature and a huge fear of failure. Somehow this all kinda makes sense to me. But, alas, I also have a toddler, a mortgage, a wheat allergy, high cholesterol (clearly I am blessed by the genetic gods), and not enough willpower to to spend my days surrounded by flour, sugar, butter and chocolate. Oh, and David Tutera does not yet have me on speed dial to give him input on floral design and custom table linens.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t still LOVE LOVE LOVE food and parties and such. So here in my own corner of the interwebs I am creating a little virtual home for my recipes, thoughts, party ideas, mommy moments, and all that fun stuff. And, just like in my real home, I hope you’ll all gather in the kitchen with me.
And why the name Cupcakes and Kale Chips? It’s all about balance, yin and yang. This popped into my head since I’ve been reading a bit about macrobiotics lately – the difference is that those that follow a macrobiotic diet balance tofu and bok choy with miso and millet, whereas I prefer to balance oatmeal and salad with chocolate chips and sundaes. But the concept is a good one. My favorite foods are butternut squash, blue cheese, ice cream, peanut butter, and asparagus – full disclosure: not necessarily in that order, and definitely not together. So I am hoping to share with you some good-for-you stuff and some just-plain-good stuff, and in the process, maybe even help improve my own sense of balance, which needs a little work. And my photography skills. And my writing skills. Geez, I have a lot of self-improvement to do, so just bear with me till I figure this whole blogging thing out.
This is The Bug. Ever since I got him this awesome stepstool (similar to this, but the exact one doesn’t seem to be available on Amazon anymore), his favorite phrase is, “Help Mommy!” So he helps. Sort of.
And then he licks the spoons. Not a bad gig when you are almost two. Especially when Mommy is making something with chocolate.
I also have my wonderful, supportive Hubby, who is the reluctant victim delighted beneficiary of my culinary endeavors. This cake was a hit. Monday night’s quinoa casserole, not so much.
Enjoy!!
Cupcakes & Kale Chips 