What I miss about NY...

... honestly, not much but the food.
I miss GOOD bagels.
I miss the ability to get lox spread and it taste amazing and not cost an arm & a leg!
I miss the best pizza.
I miss the real Nathan's in Coney Island (yes, I'd go there just for the hot dogs - ok, and the cheese fries).
I miss White Castle (Krystal's or anyone else is NOT the same).
I miss Ben's.
I miss most Jewish food like Matzo Ball Soup.
I miss Peconic Bay scallops and fresh LOCAL seafood.
I miss the vegetarian Beef & Broccoli & the Vegetarian Wontons from Empire Szechuan.

I miss Dortonis.
I miss the Grandma's Pizza from Carmela's.
I miss Zeppole.
I miss Candy Kitchen Bacon, Egg, & Cheese on a roll.
I miss Butternut Squash Soup from Wild By Nature.
I miss Dr. B Well's.
I miss the Steamroom in Port Jefferson and their to-die-for Seafood Bisque that I could eat until I pop.

So why the nostalgia? Well, I went to Kroger Supermarket today and passed teh Kosher section which is impressive for down here in NC. I ended up with a 5-pack of Streit's Matzo. I made my 2 youngest Matzo Brei for the first time and they MORE than loved it. Here's a quick pic from my iPhone.

What I love....

These 3 guys...

This little man...

having my son write me something like this just because...

Beauty in baking

Since this is my first food post here, I will explain.

I am a foodie.

There is not doubt about it.

I have succumb to the fact that I can never be skinny or thin.

I can only make wise choices because I refuse to give up food. I love food!

I have always loved food.

I wanted to culinary school but short story is my parents though t it was a bad choice so I couldn't.

I went to a top business school, graduated with a high GPA, but never worked a day after college in the field I was trained.

Everything I have since then has been self-taught.

That includes my baking!

I love to bake. It is an art. It is a thing of beauty!

Now for this post in particular. I got easily talked into baking for 2 local radio personalities for today.

I then I had to come up with something good and I didn't want to do a kind of cupcake I have done before.

I rattled my brain and decided on the 2 below.

Caramel Apple.

Yummy buy lacking. the cake is wonderful, as is the topping and filling but I think I'd add caramel to the cream cheese mix next time. As for the cake, add less spice and some caramel to carry the flavor completely through.

The 3 Deadly C's

Totally Yummy!

I am not a chocolate fan, so I think I could use half the chocolate but it's probably fine for most people.

So only change might be less chocolate and I think I'd spike the center caramel with coconut as well.

I hope Alli Morgan & Robin Fox like the cupcakes!

Update: Tom called me to tell me I should put on the radio. I loaded it up online. 30 seconds later, there was Alli Morgan saying how she just had Tom bring her some yummy looking cupcakes and how she was thankful to me! :) She totally made my day and  made all my failed attempts last night (don't even ask) totally worthwhile! Seriously, a little bit of praise goes a long way for me!

Caramel Apple Cupcake

Caramel Apple Cupcake with Nuts

Caramel Apple Cupcake Cross-Section

(That's Apple-Chunk Spice Cake with a Cream Cheese Butterceam filling, topped with Caramel and in this one chopped pecans)

The 3 Deadly Cs Cupcake

The 3 Deadly Cs Cupcake Cross-Section

(That's a Brown Butter cake filled with a gooey caramel topped with a layer of bittersweet chocolate ganache, a coconut cream chew layer, dipped in more toasted coconut, and lined with more ganache)

Beauty in baking

Since this is my first food post here, I will explain.

I am a foodie.

There is not doubt about it.

I have succumb to the fact that I can never be skinny or thin.

I can only make wise choices because I refuse to give up food. I love food!

I have always loved food.

I wanted to culinary school but short story is my parents though t it was a bad choice so I couldn't.

I went to a top business school, graduated with a high GPA, but never worked a day after college in the field I was trained.

Everything I have since then has been self-taught.

That includes my baking!

I love to bake. It is an art. It is a thing of beauty!

Now for this post in particular. I got easily talked into baking for 2 local radio personalities for today.

I then I had to come up with something good and I didn't want to do a kind of cupcake I have done before.

I rattled my brain and decided on the 2 below.

Caramel Apple.

Yummy buy lacking. the cake is wonderful, as is the topping and filling but I think I'd add caramel to the cream cheese mix next time. As for the cake, add less spice and some caramel to carry the flavor completely through.

The 3 Deadly C's

Totally Yummy!

I am not a chocolate fan, so I think I could use half the chocolate but it's probably fine for most people.

So only change might be less chocolate and I think I'd spike the center caramel with coconut as well.

I hope Alli Morgan & Robin Fox like the cupcakes!

Update: Tom called me to tell me I should put on the radio. I loaded it up online. 30 seconds later, there was Alli Morgan saying how she just had Tom bring her some yummy looking cupcakes and how she was thankful to me! :) She totally made my day and  made all my failed attempts last night (don't even ask) totally worthwhile! Seriously, a little bit of praise goes a long way for me!

Caramel Apple Cupcake

Caramel Apple Cupcake with Nuts

Caramel Apple Cupcake Cross-Section

(That's Apple-Chunk Spice Cake with a Cream Cheese Butterceam filling, topped with Caramel and in this one chopped pecans)

The 3 Deadly Cs Cupcake

The 3 Deadly Cs Cupcake Cross-Section

(That's a Brown Butter cake filled with a gooey caramel topped with a layer of bittersweet chocolate ganache, a coconut cream chew layer, dipped in more toasted coconut, and lined with more ganache)

Spring Part 2

Took a walk around the block and snapped these shots.

Weeds can be beautiful too. Wanna see?

What is this?

This should have been my 1st post but if ya know me, ya know my brain is all over the place at any given second, so this fits in just perfect.

Welcome to my newest brainchild, Blabby Sunshine. So under the B Sunshine umbrella we have Baby Sunshine (invitations, announcements, & favors), Business Sunshine (professional graphic design for logos, web sites, and print), and Baking Sunshine (self-explanatory I think). Blabby Sunshine is where I can vent a bit and be creative.

To protect my kidlets, they are CT, HT, and the OC. Those who know me personally, know who is who.

So welcome, go to the bottom and follow me as we take this blogging journey together!

The Simple Things

Most likely there will be tons of posts with titles much like that one. Just  plain good, clean, simple shots. FWIW, That's CT in the shot.

NCMLS Beauty

Friday, We went to the NCMLS (North Carolina Museum of Life & Science). It's honestly one of my favorite places to be! That is another whole post in itself. I snapped these 2 in the butterfly room. Not my best butterfly work, but I love them just the same. Maybe partly because my gorgeous niece, Elisabeth, was standing right beside me at at the time and I don't get to see her often so the whole day was more magical with her presence.

Spring has Sprung (from my car window)

Sitting at the traffic light at the corner of Wakefield Pines & Falls of Neuse yesterday morning, I saw this as was inspired....

So, after dropping Hunter offat preschool, I drove to the TPC and saw this flowering Pear Tree


I adore the shot below!!!

Then on New Falls between Cheshire & Parkside was this....

And this is the corner of New Falls of Neuse & Spruce Tree Way... ahh.. Cherry Blossoms but they are on the tail-end so I was a little upset I missed a better shot.


Spring has such beauty!