Month of Chocolate by Awkward Baker

I am the awkward baker.

Work has become very intense and for the month of March (excluding Sat. & Sun. because I don't have super powers) I am making a new chocolate creation and documenting my stumbling attempts at cooking/baking.

To follow my rocky, chocolatey journey go and Like this page: Just For Women Magazine.
You can be a guy and still like it. There are plenty of male members and you can always hide it from your profile if you're that scared.

Here is the first blog post from that page:

A friend showed me the Chocolate Issue of Food Network Magazine and I simply fell in love.  Chocolalte, to me, is the best thing you could ever taste (a close second being sweet tea, of course) and there were so many wonderful recipes in the issue that I thought "there needs to be a month to hold all of these." Thus, the idea of Month of Chocolate sprung. 

Women, in my mind, are the only truly smart people when it comes to chocolate. Not only do they usually like it, they appreciate it. Now, I realize that I'm on the very extreme side of loving chocolate but I thought it would be wonderful to make each dish with a running commentary attached.

Why? So you all could make your own versions and learn new very yummy recipes. Also, to be quite honest, I'm a very awkward baker. I grew up with a single father who did all the cooking and didn't always have the time to show me the ropes. I've baked exactly three things ever: two ugly, but yummy simple cakes and an intense amount of 10-minute muffins. This Month of Chocolate exersion has been approached with equal amounts of excitement and trepidation! 

But oh how I would love for all of the treats to turn out wonderfully and for people to also try out these yummy recipes!

So please follow an awkward baker on Just for Women Magazine's Page for this Month of Chocolate. Feedback and encouragement are greatly appreciated and encouraged

Social Media isn't my only guilty pleasure

I am a bit fanatical when it comes to social networking sites. Twitter to be specific, Facebook to be more specific. I creep through the sites taking in my family and friends' lives, while immersing myself in new tools that pop up here and there. It's my guilty pleasure (aside from chocolate) and I love to participate as much as I can.

However, my third (again, let's not forget chocolate) guilty pleasure is something less attainable but almost as enjoyable--HGTV. #hgtvmakesmylife

I never really watched the channel until recently but that was enough to get me hooked. House Hunters? Property Brothers? Design Star? Yes, yes and yes. Average, normal human beings remodeling, selling, decorating and buying new or vacation living spaces that have wonderful before and after transformations is something I can get on board with any day.

The one absolute drawback of the HGTV addiction is the fact that I think I'm a design critic. A professional one at that.
"The crown molding is beautiful," "This lot has wonderful curb appeal," "I'm not loving the white countertops but we can gut the kitchen and get some granite ones and stainless steel appliances on top of that." 

My father was a victim to my recent HGTV "knowledge." I took him through his house and showed him what buyers would most likely say when scoping out each room. My father was very proud of his handiwork and became defensive easily, but I just threw my hands in the air and said "HGTV!"

So, as I was watching House Hunters International last night I decided to be creative and starting painting. Take a look at this horrible BEFORE and I'll update later the, hopefully, wonderful AFTER!