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Sunday, July 1, 2012

Project Recap - by Summer


Wow – here we are, 2 and ½ years later, finally done with our project!  When I first proposed this idea to Lisa, I had no idea where it would take us. I always loved to bake, but often times I would dismiss recipes as being too difficult or complicated. 

I knew this project (I referred to this as my baking project) would take us awhile to complete.  Whenever people asked how long, I would just laugh and say that we are still baking.  In fact many people said to me “you’re still doing that?”  It’s sort of amazing to me that when we first started I had no children and now I have two little ones running around!  My baking in the last few months has been a little frenzied with two little kids who not only want to help, but want to taste as well! 

It’s been a really fun journey and there are a few people that I want to thank.  First of all, Abby, who inspired me to even think of doing something like this.  Even though we do actually know each other in real life - I would consider her more of an "internet" friend.  We follow each other's blogs and she also has two children 15 months apart.  She started out baking her way through a bread cookbook and I thought it was the neatest idea!  I haven't ventured to that side of baking (yet!), but the recipes she tackles and the time she devotes to baking is incredible and she also works full time as a teacher.  I don't really understand how she sleeps!  She also made it possible for me to realize that I will have time to bake, even with two children so close together in age.

Next, of course I have to thank my baking partner in crime - Lisa!  I love that this project/blog has brought us closer together even though we live so far apart (although now we are closer mile-wise, than when we started).  I love the tips/ideas/opinions that we have been able to share and to see how much we have both grown in the kitchen since we started.

I also want to thank Beth Lipton who wrote the book we baked our way through.  She found our blog when we first started - maybe the second month in.  I had planned at some point to email her and tell her about it, but she found us first.  She has followed our journey and offered so much encouragement.  We hope that one day we can meet her in person!  Her blog features more recipes and I personally love all the breakfast ones that she has, so check it out!

Thank you to my wonderful husband who was a willing taste-tester even though sweets aren't his thing.  He was supportive, did his best to help wrangle kids when I was in the kitchen, at times ran out to buy ingredients last minute and listened to me go on and on about desserts!  

And thank you to everyone who followed us and help taste-test our different desserts.  I hope you'll continue to read as we try out new things and share our old favorites too! 

Final Musings - by Lisa

I can't believe this project is finally at an end. Through the duration of this project, I have lived in four different houses (and learned four new ovens), moved halfway across the country from WA back to my home state of IL, and gave birth to another son. (Luckily, we are at long last in our final house!)

I am so happy Summer and I did this project together for many reasons. For one, while I really wish we lived closer to each other, I feel this endeavor has honestly made the distance seem just a little bit shorter. I also learned SO MUCH throughout these last couple of years. Focusing so intently on baking has helped me understand just how passionate I am about it, and showed me what areas I can continue to grow in. There were so many recipes I never would have tried in this cookbook mostly because I wasn't familiar with what they were, or I was afraid I wouldn't like how it would taste. Baking our way thru this book has seriously broadened my dessert palette, and I am so grateful for that. So many recipes caught me by surprise when I discovered either how simple they were to make or how delicious they were (or oftentimes, both!).

I am really excited for the next chapter of our blog! I look forward to continuing to challenge myself and try out new recipes. I also love that Summer and I will have a place to share tips & tricks with each other as we continue to grow as bakers.

Thank you for joining us on our baking journey. I hope you'll stay with us on our new adventure!