Sharing my social skills

Hello welcome back to The Nook.
  Today's quote is "Sometimes if I am going somewhere and I wait, somewhere comes to me.-Winnie The Pooh. I changed my blog again because I didn't like that shade of yellow, I would love to know what you think of this change.
 Today I want to talk about something different. I want to talk about something that I struggle with, which is my social skills.

 I was always a shy kid from what I can remember until now. Sometimes I wish that I could change this, but I guess it's a part of who I am. I have been asked by some people why I am so shy, I honestly say that I just am. I definitely have noticed that I have improved from where I was.

I have recently been noticing times where I have done somethings that I would have never thought that I would ever have the guts to before, things like working at camp by myself, or something as small as talking with co-workers or even extended family. To some people this sounds silly, just small things. To me it feels silly even saying this but its true.
 Big groups/taking in groups, and public speaking or just one on one speaking with some people scare me the most.   Having certain people around in a group setting that make the conversations with other people a little easier for me.

In the fall I start school at Red River for Professional Baking. I have been trying to make an extra effort to be more comfortable with being more social, especially because I will be living in dorm with a roommate that I don't know.  I want to have a good year and make friends. It doesn't come natural to me, I will have to work at it but I think that I can do it.

The words were in my head but I just had a hard time getting them out on paper, I left this for a while to collect my thoughts. This was different for me to share this for people to read it.

Here's where you can find me on social media.

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/maddy.enns
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/madeline_enns/
Baking Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/madelineennsbakes/

Thanks for reading.
Until next time, Bye.

 

Cakes I have made recently Series - Part 2

Hello, welcome back to the Nook, Today's quote is "Hello, there. Are you on an expotition too?" -Winnie the pooh. Since the seasons are changing, I thought I would change my blog with it. I wanted something brighter, I played around with the colours and ended up with yellow. This is one of my favourite colours, and it fits with summer. I would love to know what you think about the new look.

Today I want to share with you a part two to my Cakes that I made recently series. In the past few months I have baked and decorated 3 cakes.

The first cake I want share with you is a cake that I made was for the loft. The loft is something that happens once a month at my aunties church, where they have coffee and dessert. I was asked if I would bake for it last August. For the loft I could make anything that I wanted, so I would make different desserts depending on what I felt like doing. Lately I have been matching my desserts with themes relating to that month. The cake that I made for the loft was spring themed.

My cousin-in-law Kim and I decorated a cake together a few moths ago. She always comes to family gathering with amazing cakes and cupcakes. I was always so amazed. we had decorated a cake together, and she showed me how to pipe roses.  On this cake I wanted to practice more roses, and since it was a spring cake it seemed fitting. 

These cupcakes were also made for the loft.  This loft was in the month of march, I looked up events that happened in march, I found that Dr. Seuss's birthday was in march. One of my favourite Dr. Seuss's books when I was younger was One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. I didn't have any blue fish, but there were green fish. The cupcakes were chocolate, you can never go wrong with chocolate!  

This cake was for or Easter gathering. Since I wanted to make a cake for Easter, and Kim always brings cakes to family gatherings as I said before, this year I had the idea since that we should make an Easter cake together. 

This cake I actually did not make, I did make the icing though.  Just to speed up the process of cake decorating, I asked Kim if she could make the chocolate marble cake and do the crumb coat ahead of time.  

  She got to my house and we got straight to decorating, we put the cake in the fridge so it would stay firm. The first component we started on was the flowers. The colours we decided on were Purple, Blue, and Yellow and Green for the leaf's.  The flowers we did were roses. After we put the roses on, there was still some room on the cake, so I got out my drop flower tips and we covered the cake with the flowers and leaf's.  I was scrolling on Instagram and saw something that I liked, and wanted to do on this Easter cake. The idea was white and yellow stripes around the side of the whole cake. We didn't have enough yellow to finish the yellow strips so we finished it with the whit icing. This is not quite how I imagined it, but it turned out good. The ears were made from melted chocolate that we froze on wooden skewers, the tail was made from fondant, the feet were also made from fondant with chocolate hearts, and fondant for the tail. 

 This was a really fun cake to decorate and it always makes it more fun to decorate with someone else.

This last cake I made was for Mother's day. Last year for Mother's day I decorated the cake with flowers, This year I wanted to do flowers again but different than last year. I have seen cakes like these on Instagram and Pinterest. I piped out all the roses on the entire cake, after I piped the roses there was still room on the cake. I put some drop flowers to cover the whole cake. The flavour of the cake was a Peanut butter and chocolate marble cake.  The cake was suppose to be put into 3 9-inch pans, I didn't realise so I put it into 2 pans. The cakes rose quite a bit, I used the tops that I cut off of the cake and the left over icing I had for cake pops.    

I hope you enjoyed reading about cakes and cupcakes that I have made recently

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Have a lovely day,

Until next time.

Here is where you can find me:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maddy.enns

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeline_enns/

Baking Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madelineennsbakes/

5 year Blog anniversary + New job - The Nook

Hello,  Welcome to the nook. I want to start every post by referring to it as a nook. One day it had come to me that The nook would be a great name for my blog. I had already started my blog and had a name for it, and it couldn't be changed. I thought I would start every post by welcoming everyone to the nook.  I think it sounds cozy and I like it.  Today's quote comes from Winnie The Pooh himself. "If it's not here, that means it's out there."

Today I have been blogging for 5 years! (Hurray)  I started in March of 2015. I begun with everyday post to travel blog, blogmas and baking posts. It has been fun sharing these stories with everyone, and I am excited to share more.  This started with the idea of me wanting to start a YouTube channel.  If you know me, then you would know that I am a shy person. It didn't work out for me, so I started writing a blog.

 One day I was scrolling through Facebook and I came across this dishwasher/kitchen help job at Amanda Lynn's. At first I just went past it. This post had been stuck in the back of my mind so later in the week, I went back to find it.
  When I found out I got the job I was excited to get back into working.  One the first day I was a little nervous. I started off with doing dishes for he first couple of days, and then I started to pack the perogies. I will leave a link down below to her website.
This place had just opened up this past year. This place use to be a pizza place, it closed down awhile ago and has been empty for a few years. Amanda Lynn's speciality food and grocery store sells gluten-free and vegan and regular perogies, (sweet and savoury) gluten-free pizza, chili and also desserts like rice Krispy squares, peanut butter marshmallow squares, and lemon squares.
 So far I have only worked three shifts, and I like it there, Everyone is really nice and friendly. I can't wait to see what I get to do next.

I hope you enjoyed reading this.
Like my blog post? Want to keep reading them? Subscribe to me so you wont miss a post.
and leave a comment, I would love to hear from you.
Here's where you can find me
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/maddy.enns
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/madeline_enns/
Baking Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/madelineennsbakes/
Amanda Lynn's website:https://www.algf.biz/orderglutenfreeperogies

Chocolate Valentines Kiss Cookies

Hello, Welcome back to my blog.
During my Blogmas I started off every post by giving you a Christmas quote, or a joke. My mom had found this book of quotes from the Christopher robin movie, I thought I would share one with you at the begging of every post.
  "Come on pooh says Christopher Robin. Where are you going Christopher Robin? says Winnie The Pooh, Nowhere. says Christopher Robin, One of my favourite place says Winnie The Pooh."

   Today I thought I would share with you a recipe that I made for a bake sale. Chocolate Valentines Kiss Cookies.  I started of by taking out all the ingredients and setting them on the counter.
I like to take all my ingredients out and then as I use them I put them away, That's how I know I have used it.

First I worked on my wet ingredients. Using a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment I combined the butter, sugar, eggs (one at a time) and vanilla, and beat it on medium-high speed, Next I moved on to the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Then I combined the dry ingredients to the stand mixer a little at a time, making sure it is all combined. Then I got out some plastic wrap, and put the dough in the fridge for 1 hour. 

After the dough was chilled, I took it out to roll out the dough and into the sprinkles.

                                              

Before putting them in the oven, I made an imprint with my thumb in the middle of the cookies.

While the cookies were in the oven, I unwrapped Hershey kisses. When the cookies came out of the oven I put one kiss on each cookie, and let them cool. I then tasted one to see how it tasted.

Chocolate valentines kiss cookies

Makes 25 cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour                                                                                                                     

1/3 cup cocoa powder                    

1/4 tsp salt                                         

1 stick ( 8 TBSP) unsalted butter 

2/3 cup sugar 

1 egg yolk

2 TBSP Milk

1 tsp vanilla

25 Hershey kisses or Hugs

Valentines heart sprinkles

Method

1. With a stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat together butter and sugar on medium-high speed. Add egg yolk, vanilla and put aside. 2. In a medium sized bowl combine Flour, salt, and cocoa powder. 3. Combine the flour mixture to the butter, and mix until combined. 4.Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for 1 hour. Using a TBSP roll out the dough, and into the heart sprinkle. Put on pan 2 inches apart, and push down the centre with your thumb.  Put in oven at 350 F for 12 minutes. While the cookies are in the oven, unwrap the Hershey kisses. Once the cookies come out of the oven, place one Hersey kiss on each. Let to cool, and enjoy.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed reading this.

If you make these cookies yourself, you could tag me in them @madelineennsbakes with the hashtag #ChocolateValentineskissCookies

Leave a comment, or Subscribe if you would like.

 Here's where you can find me:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maddy.enns

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeline_enns/  

Baking Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madelineennsbakes/

I hope you have a magical day,

Until next time. bye.

Blogmas day 17 - Last minute christmas shopping

"I just like to smile, smiling's my favourite." Another great quote from Elf.
Hello, welcome to day 17! There is 7 days left until Christmas day.
Today I went Christmas shopping with my sister to get a few things. I don't want to give anything away, so I have decided to share some baking plans that I have for my Christmas family gatherings (If I decided to bake something,)
   On Pinterest I was looking at Christmas baking, and I came across a Stain glass (jolly rancher) sugar cookie recipe. I had recently bought some food writer pens. I was watching one of the baking shows, the challenge was to make ornaments. I had the idea to make sugar cookie ornament shaped cookies and decorate them with the edible pens. I then had another idea, making the ornament shape and putting the stain glass inside. I have quite a few ideas in my head. I might do one or I might do two ideas, or I might think of something new. If I do make something you will see it in an up coming post.

Thank you for reading
I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it
I hope you continue to read along
Subscribe so you don't miss out on a post and come leave a comment and say hi.
Here's where you can find me
Twitter: @Madeline_Enns
Facebook: Madeline Enns
Instagram: Madelineenns
Baking Instagram: Madelineennsbakes
Google+: Madeline Enns
I hope you have a magical day,
Until next time, bye    

Blogmas day 15&16 - Gingerbread cookie decorating & Baking delivery

Hello, Today's quote comes from The Polar Express. "The bell still rings for all who truly believe."

 December 15th
Today is decorating day. After I ate I made my icing. This time I wanted to try something different. Usually when decorating gingerbread or sugar cookies, you use a royal icing. I thought it might be easier to use buttercream icing, Because I am more familiar with it.

For supper we Raclette, which according to the online dictionary is just suppose to be with a boiled potato. I like mine on bread. We had rented a movie, so after supper was finished we went to go watch I, Tonya. By the time the movie was finished it was late, so I went to sleep.


  December 16th
Today I had to deliver gingerbread cookies to the junior youth group's Christmas party. They were supposed to be brought to church to give to the youth leader, to take to the party. They were forgotten at home. Since I was going into Winnipeg to bring the cookies, I baked the last item for a for the same person I baked shortbread and gingersnaps for.  When the crust was in the oven I went to go take a bath. I made the lemon curd after. I have never made lemon squares before, so I didn't know what it was suppose to look like. I think they turned out ok.
 I got all my baking together, and then we left to go drop them off. First we went to go drop off the gingerbread cookies. The youth leader gave me these birthday day cake Oreos, with Mickey Mouse on the package. She knows that I love Mickey Mouse and Disney, Next I dropped of the lemon squares and then headed home.
 We had recorded saving Mr. banks on our PVR, so when I got home I wanted to watch it. I only watched a little bit of it, because my sister had to go and study. I am going to end this here.

Thank you for reading
I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it
I hope you continue to read along
Subscribe so you don't miss out on a post and come leave a comment and say hi.
Here's where you can find me
Twitter: @Madeline_Enns
Facebook: Madeline Enns
Instagram: Madelineenns
Baking Instagram: Madelineennsbakes
Google+: Madeline Enns
I hope you have a magical day,
Until next time, bye    

Blogmas day 14 - Gingerbread house making & Gingerbread house deocrating

Hello, we are getting closer to Christmas. Only 10 days until Christmas. "Just remember the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart." - The polar Express.
 You might have noticed from the title, that I have jumped to day 14 for day 11. that is because I don't have much to write about my day. the only interesting thing I did yesterday was making gingerbread dough to decorate houses with my cousin and friend.

 December 14th
Today I got up early to make sure I had enough time to eat breakfast before my guests came. For breakfast I we had homemade quiche and bacon, For my moms birthday. After breakfast I set up everything for decorating our houses.   Our candy options were Sour patch kids, M&ms, Licorice, Mike & Ikes, Candy canes, Hershey's milk chocolate and peppermint hugs, jolly ranchers, and life saver mints.   Mine wasn't staying up properly. it collapsed 3 times before it stayed up.

After we finished decorating all our gingerbread houses, we had lunch. We had cottage cheese perogies, and vegan potato and cheese. After we cleaned up and  took some pictures of our gingerbread houses.
 I went to go relax on the couch to rest after all that baking and decorating. For supper I made myself a pita pizza with some salt and vinegar chips on the side. I watched some t.v. until I went to bed.

Thank you for reading
I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it
I hope you continue to read along
Subscribe so you don't miss out on a post and come leave a comment and say hi.
Here's where you can find me
Twitter: @Madeline_Enns
Facebook: Madeline Enns
Instagram: Madelineenns
Baking Instagram: Madelineennsbakes
Google+: Madeline Enns
I hope you have a magical day,
Until next time, bye