The Year of The Blog

Today is the one year anniversary of my Blog.

Since I didn't bake anything this weekend, I thought it would be appropriate to mark the occasion by posting on the same subject matter that I began with one year ago. I hope this doesn't bore you. If it does, go get a piece of chocolate to eat while you're reading it. What have I always taught you? That's right.......chocolate always helps.

You've been introduced to Emily several times over the past year. She's good girl and thankfully, she's still with me. But like everyone else (including me) she's another year older. Her bones hurt a little more, and some days, she only has one speed. S-L-O-W.

But she's still here.

And she's still fiesty. Did you know that when Boxers are mad or upset, they will sit and turn their back on you. See this?? This is what she does when I'm on the phone.

I wouldn't say that she completely rules the roost though, would you?

(Please note the print hanging over the bed..would you call this life imitating art or art imitating life? )

Although she'll be twelve years old in May, she's still pretty sharp.

Except on those days when she misplaces her glasses.

Boxers are "people" dogs. They like nothing more than to follow you around and gaze at you with THESE pathetic little eyes.

Her favorite thing to do (besides eat) is lay on the carpet in the sun.

Doesn't matter where that patch of sun is, so long as she can stretch out and bask in it.

And sometimes that sun feels so good, she flips herself over, gyrates back and forth and scratches her back for about 5 minutes.

"Oh I'm such a happy dog!"

In 1988 I brought my first Boxer home. Her name was Bridget. I remember people commenting on my particular choice of breed because in 1988, there weren't too many Boxers around.

I've learned that they can be extremely needy, they love people, they love children, they love to stomp on bugs then eat them, they love the sun, they love popsicles in the summertime, they are unbelievably stubborn, fiercely protective and once you get past the farting, they are undeniably sweet.

Although the breed has short hair..............they shed. Seriously, they do. They shed a lot. And when their "winter coat" begins to shed, look out. Don't let anyone tell you differently on this subject. I can't begin to tell you how many people have commented to me how Boxers "don't shed". To those people I say this.........

Trust me,

They do.

Sh-h-h! I have the Secret Starbucks Chocolate Cinnamon Bread Recipe...

I love to browse through recipes on the internet.

Sometimes, I find these rogue sites claiming they have the secret recipes of well-known restaurants. Secret recipes? You're kidding.

It was on one of these websites that I came across one particular recipe that caught my eye. Starbucks Chocolate Cinnamon Bread. C'mon, don't play coy with me.....you know the one I'm talking about. It's the bread that you see in the display case while you're in line waiting to order your coffee. I don't know about you, but it calls to me. I can almost smell the chocolate through the glass. The bread is dark, dense and moist-looking......but until right now, I have never waivered. One reason is that it's about $3.00 a slice, and the other is that I also discovered that it packs about 425 calories a serving. But you didn't hear that from me. Just for today, let's pretend it's low calorie, okay?? Makes the guilt AND the bread a little easier to swallow.

So when I saw this recipe, I had to try it......and just to shake things up a bit, I decided to bake it at my sister's house. That's right. Fasten your seatbelts, we're going to Kathy's.

My sister has a great kitchen and I know she will roll her eyes when I say that I am envious. Compared to my kitchen, she has tons of storage space in miles of beautiful cabinetry, stainless appliances, hardwood floors and shiny black granite countertops. (Sorry, she wouldn't let me photograph the kitchen because there were dishes in the sink) It also has an abundance of natural light which is ideal for my food photography.Kathy also has a lot of pretty bowls. In fact, one of the bowls was a gift from her to me......about 14 years ago. She "baby-sits' it, or should I say she "bowl-sits" because I don't have any extra storage space to keep it in my kitchen.

Okay, I'm ready to bake! The ingredients are assembled so let the madness begin.

See Kathy's countertops? So shiny.

Sift together the cocoa, sugar, flour and salt and set aside.

(Oh good, Cam's home from school........he can join in the madness...)

In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, water and vanilla and mix together.

In a third bowl, combine softened butter with the sugar and mix with an electric mixer (hand mixer is fine) until soft and creamy.

Then add the eggs, one at a time....................

...and beat it up like crazy!

Alternate the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients into the butter,sugar and egg mixture and beat until fully combined.

See? This is my bowl.

It lives with my sister.

I visit when I can.

Next, use a spatula to scrape every last stinkin' drop of chocolate batter out of that bowl and divide it evenly between two loaf pans. While I was making this, I was thinking how fun it would be to add some additional ingredients to the batter..........peanuts, peanut butter, bananas, marshmallow, raisins, etc. Sky's the limit!!! Hmmmmm, next time.

After I pour the batter, I always give the pans a couple of good hard slams on the countertop to release my tension any air bubbles in the batter.

Next, mix up the Cocoa Sugar Topping and sprinkle generously on top of each loaf before popping them into the oven to bake.

On the sidelines.....my girl Emily just lounged around watching us bake.

All day.

Wait! What the heck is that??? A little stealth Helicopter? Maybe it's flying around trying to steal my super-secret-it's-all-over-the-internet recipe for Starbucks Chocolate Cinnamon Bread!

No, whew!.......It's just my nephew Cam, trying to decapitate me with his little Brookstone helicopter.

It's the size of a sparrow...........and is just as fast! It's hard for me to get a clear shot with my camera.

Uh-oh...Emily's up. Her ears are back and she clearly looks annoyed....

It looks like a giant bug and .............oh good grief Gerty, it's headed for my hair!!

Hey....if you want to spend any time at my sister's house, you have to be prepared to lose an eye or two....................(screams!).......

Cue the "Jaws" music......and.....

Got it!

And the moral to this story is........Boxers do not like helicopters. Especially the little noisy ones.


Now, back to our regularly scheduled broadcast..........

Ding!.....The bread's done!

Yowsah!!

Yep...., it's what I thought. Rich, dark and moist.

I had lots of helpers today.

You could smell the cinnamon and chocolate baking all over the neighborhood...and as usual when I bake.....birds sang, dogs barked, children cried and angels wept.

*Sigh*

Yeah, it's that good.

Try it and see....here's the secret recipe.

STARBUCKS CHOCOLATE CINNAMON BREAD

(this recipe will make two loaves)

3 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

3 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs at room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 and 1/4 cups Dutch-process Cocoa Powder

1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon

1 Tsp Salt

1 Cup of Buttermilk

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1 cup 1/4 cup water

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Cocoa-Sugar Topping

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp Dutch-process Cocoa Powder

Pinch Ground Ginger

Pinch Ground Cloves

1/4 cup decorating or sparkle (coarse) sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9 x 5x 3 loaf pans. You can also line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper (optional)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar with medium speed. When the mixture is creamed together, add the eggs one at a time. Beat until blended. In a second bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder and cinnamon. In a third bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, water and vanilla.

With the mixer on medium speed, alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients to the creamed butter,sugar and egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Do not overbeat! Mix until just blended. Divide mixture evenly between the two loaf pans. Shake pans gently (I told you I just slam them) to even out the batter and break any air bubbles.

Cocoa Spice Sugar Topping

Mix cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, sparkle sugar, ginger and cloves. Generously sprinkle over both loaf pans and place into the oven. Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean.......about 45- 50 minutes. Let cool completely before running a knife around the edges to release them from the pans.

Sh-h-h-h-h-h! Remember it's a secret.

.....And the password is YUM.

My Girl Emily

Hi and welcome to my Baking Blog, SimplySweeter.

Today was going to be my very first baking post however, my dog has been very ill and I have been very worried. So instead of showing you how I frost cupcakes, my very first post is all about her. Hope you don't mind.....

I love my dog.

My spirits are always lifted at the end of a long day by the exuberant greeting of my 10-year old Boxer, Emily. For those unfamiliar with the breed, Boxers are known to wiggle violently when they are happy.....and Emily wiggles 98% of the time. She is 70 pounds of muscle, loves to play with her toys, loves to go for walks and go for a ride anywhere in the car. She is very energetic, always happy, loves people (especially children) and can be fiercely protective.

I am writing about her today because I am worried. Very worried, in fact. Emily was diagnosed with Lyme Disease about two months ago. She just finished her medication and we are off to the Vet for a follow-up this coming Monday. I am hoping that her recent lethargy and digestive issues are only an indication that she needs another round of antibiotics. Since my last Boxer succumbed to cancer at age 8, I am always on the lookout for any telltale signs.....specifically, any digestive trouble but I'm going to try to remain cautiously optimistic, although I can already feel my heart getting heavy. Most Boxers only have a lifespan of 8-9 years. Emily will be 11 years old in May. She has survived a vicious pit bull attack in 2002 and required over 100 stitches in her neck and throat, major surgery to remove a huge mast tumor in her chest in 2004, and in 2006, a case of Bloat (twisted stomach) which required emergency surgery at 3 in the morning... she's a tough girl so I think it's safe to say that she has beaten the odds.

I know it seems trivial. Who cares, right? The economy is the worst it's been since the Great Depression. Thousands of people will lose their jobs this year, many have already lost their homes. Human beings are sick and living with cancer everyday. So I am aware that my concern about the well-being of my 10-year old dog is a mere blip in the world. Except in my world, where I know for a time I will be lost without her. She has been a trusted companion and a rapt listener to my joys and sorrows for the last decade. I know that dogs don't live forever, but at the same time I am ashamed to admit that I am just not ready to let her go yet.

So keep your fingers crossed for us, okay? For just a while longer.