In Kali's kitchen.

Yes, I did make soup yesterday.  No, I didn't take any pictures because I forgot.  Silly me. 

I only made two batches instead of three.  Good thing because I had made five quarts of cheesy wild rice soup goodness. My five quart pan was so full.

I found a new frosting recipe to try.  It's from Sprinkle Bakes.  The whole cake looks amazing.

Bakers delight

Did I mention I am entering some baked goods into the Minnesota State Fair?  If not -- I am entering baked goods for State Fair competition!  Currently, I have registered four entries, but I can submit up to 25 entries.  I can't imagine how people manage to transport all of their entries safely, but I'm sure some people do enter their maximum 25 entries. 

Right now, here's the list:

• Chocolate Cake
• Spice Cake
• Banana Bread
• Salted Nut Roll Bars

The cakes have to be layerd 8-inch round cakes.  I am going to begin to do a little testing of the cakes.  I have a pretty solid spice cake recipe that I've gotten rave reviews on at work.  The plan tonight is to bake a test cake tonight.  I will let you know how it goes.  The salted nut roll bars and banana bread are recipes handed down from my mother, so I know I can't go wrong there. 

I know the State Fair isn't until August, but I keep thinking I need to practice some recipes.  Also, I have a new frosting recipe I want to test out.  I will post pictures of the finished product!

Rainy days.

It's April in Minnesota, and you know what that means.  The weather is all over the place.  While walking to and from work today it was snowing.  (Snowing more in the morning, but flurries are enough to make me angry at the end of April.)  Along with the snow has been the rain.  Oh joy.  I can't remember what I despise more -- rain or snow.  I think I hate both of them equally.  Scratch that, I definitely dislike the rain more.  It like the snow the first few snowfalls, and then after that, it is just annoying.  But this flip-flopping weather is getting old real fast.  Apparently Friday it is supposed to be in the 60s and sunny.  Thank goodness, I was beginning to think the sky is permanently grey.

Lemon tree update.  All the leaves the tree came with have fallen off.  There were three of them, but slowly they have shriveled up and died.  On the bright side, there are new shoots coming out of the main stem.  There is one stem that is about to open up (I hope).

Well, I made some banana bread and I better go check on it.  Enjoy the last few days of April!  I hope it is sunnier for you than it is for me.