photo via pinterest

Kitchenaid mixer: A golden piece of equipment helps you make all sorts of fabulously delicious treats.

Last week I was telling Zanner’s mom just how much I wish I had one of these mixers and she was like, “Oh, really? I have an extra one in the basement if you’d like to use it.” Like to? Like to? I’d love to! How lucky is that? Zan’s mom said she loves giving things to people who have a true appreciation for them and as far as the Kitchenaid goes, that girl is me.

Woohooo!!!!!

Now the question is, what should I bake?

Ina Garten’s recipes are a dream. Every single one I have ever tried has been truly delicious. Flavors are bursting and my taste buds are happy when I’m eating a meal from the Barefoot Contessa. Another great thing about recipes from Ina is that they are simple. Not too much work goes into cooking one of her dishes and that’s just the way I like it. Simple, sweet, and delightful.

Today when I was at Costco I saw all four of Barefoot Contessa’s books on sale. They were cheap too and I just about died of happiness. I (of course) wanted them all, but restrained myself, as I have recently put myself on a budget. After flipping through the books I decided on the two pictured above. It was a hard decision, but it really came down to the

coconut cake (and cupcakes):

photo from seven spoons

photo from Something Sweet by Karen

and the Baked Chocolate Pudding:

image from A Hungry Spoon

O.M.G. These look AMAZING. I’ve got an idea for making the coconut cake soon and I just cannot WAIT!

Zan made us this excellent meal of burgers and rosemary potatoes tonight. It was delicious! I had my burger stuffed with goat cheese. Meg, Lauren, and Zan went with the blue cheese variety. Everyone raved about tasty it all was! Thanks a million, Zanner… bravo!