Ladies Fall Kick Off!

Saturday's Fall event went great! Lots of people gave the Purple Door Bakery compliments and it was encouraging to feed so many people successfully. I feel as if I can actually DO this...
It was an uphill battle and I'm thankful it's over, but I'm super glad I was able to do it.

Because it was a volunteer shindig it was great to work with other people who also love baking and cooking. My mom and sister did a great job grating cheese, prepping salad, baking frittatas...Laura even helped me do all the hundreds of tarts we put out (in addition to all the wonderful photos she took.). We were so sick of mushrooms by the end of it! Also, a good friend of mine, Shannon, came early on Saturday to help as well. She was a life saver too! I couldn't have pulled off such a succesful catering endeavor without the help of everyone and I am very thankful.

The Menu:

Salmon Asparagus Frittata

Mushroom Onion Tarts

Mediterranean Salad

Autumn Gingerbread Cookies

Purple Himalayan Cupcakes

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

We were even able to decorate the table to make it look festive and autumn themed. I'm so glad presentation is part of this. Making things look pretty is my favorite part of this job...

My favorite thing from this brunch: Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with white chocolate cream cheese frosting with chocolate chips and homemade candy pumpkin toppers.... :)

All in all, it was a very tasty and fun event!

Mushroom Tarts

I have another ladies event to cater this month!
*confetti* Yay!
The last Solace Event that I baked things for was so much fun! It was hosted in a garden with music and flowers. All the women wore nice clothes and ate dainty food. So I'm really excited about this next one. At first I was a little nervous because I was going to be the only person providing food. Last time there was another local bakery that brought muffins so I knew they could be my safety net if I dropped a whole platter of cookies or something. But by now the nervousness has faded away and I'm just happy to be baking for people. Today was a blessed day off of work so I spent it planning and testing the menu. I originally planned to do large platters of fritatta, but although I like making egg dishes for a dinner, the thought of 80 plus servings is a little daunting. And it didn't sound FUN.  I love cooking, but baking is what I really do best. So the menu had a face lift. Scratch the eggs. New addition=Mushroom tarts.

A big family sized tart for dinner. I couldn't just make a bunch of little ones, oh no. We whipped out the MAN sized baking sheet.

I experimented with two kinds. The first (which was my personal favorite) was Mushroom Asparagus. I used puff pastry to make it light and fluffy, fresh herbs and garlic to give it flavor, and swiss cheese. It was so tasty! And they look pretty cute if I do say so myself. 

 I'm getting pretty good at this food photography thing, aren't I? Eh. Maybe I'll let Laura do the other ones. Hehe. 

The second tart was Mushroom Bacon Onion Herb Deliciousness Tart. We ate a big one for dinner and everybody liked it. Even John Mark ate it, although he complained about the vegetables.

The baby one before he popped in the oven.

 Toasty warm and fresh!

Featured!

The Purple Door Bakery's Purple Himalayan cupcakes has been featured on one of the cutest blogs ever...
Only Cupcakes.
http://onlycupcakes.net/

Go check them out! There are tons of beautiful cupcakes to drool over.

Rainy Day Soft Pretzels

Today was a rainy grey-ish sort of day.
Granted. It was a beautifully lovely day since I didn't have to go into work. I woke up and frosted pumpkin cupcakes my mom had made last night. They were the perfect breakfast.
Then I dillydallied here and there. Took a shower, checked emails, read a script that my sister wrote for her TSA group, packaged up some jam to send to college students deprived of home food. Then I found my kitten staying warm in the dryer, kidnapped her and took a nap.

 The Penny Kitten aka Nap Companion

Upon awakening I tweaked the Purple Door Bakery website, braided my hair, and went to the grocery store and bought more flour.
I'm always needing either sugar, flour, or vanilla extract. All the time. It's a baker's plight.

My day was almost complete.
My family happily attacked the kitchen. John Mark cooked the onions for a beautiful rue. My mom shredded carrots, Laura taste tested, my dad stuck his head in and sniffed...Ginger the dog tripped EVERYone.
Dinner was a broccoli cheese soup success. It always is. ...a success, I mean. It isn't always broccoli cheese soup.

 Fresh out of the oven...

After dinner John Mark and I couldn't wait to start rolling out dough. After reading one of my favorite blogs Have the Cake, I coaxed him into joining me in recreating Shopping Mall Soft Pretzels. You know the kind? The buttery-salty-fluffy-I-could-eat-these-forever kind? We kneaded, stirred, rolled, shaped, dunked, and baked those babies til they were perfect. They really do taste like the kind you pay an arm and a leg for in front of JC Pennys.

 Plate of Deliciousness...

Half of them we left just plain butter and salt, and the other half we sprinkled onion salt and italian herbs on. They made them taste fancier. Or so John Mark says...he also says when he starts working in the future store front he wants a weekly pay of $10. And a name tag that says "J-Man". Of course I complied.

Papa Garlic, Baby, and Salty Mama Pretzel Family

Rainbow Blast

Me and my mom made pumpkin cupcakes yesterday.
They are uh-mazing! I am definitely making them for the fall ladies event for The Duvall Church this month.
My little brother wanted to decorate one. So I piped on frosting and gave him all the nuts, coconut, sprinkles, and sugars I had for him to customize his very own.
He called it rainbow blast.

Unfortunately he only took a bite, and then remembered he had chores to do and forgot completely about it.
It's ok, I ate the rest.

I think, when I ever open a bakery shop, I'll let little kids decorate their own cupcakes if they want to. Look at how great they turn out!

Today is Farmer's Market Thursday!! Yay! And I'm off of work so I can actually go and wander about the stands and buy things!
I'm excited....

Coming up:
-A new purple door bakery website! Includes flavors, menus, contact info, and lots of pictures!
-Testing out a Rootbeer float cupcake. A little nervous about that one.
-Birthdays are coming up! A double whammy party is scheduled for September... :D