snickerdoodles x2

No baking happened this weekend. 


Ok, that's a lie.  I pulled some PB and Snickerdoodle dough out of the freezer for my crew on Saturday night to accompany movie night.  But no NEW baking happened.  My buddy, Joe, commented on my obsession, "There could be an orgy going on in the other room and you'd STILL be baking!" he stated.  Well put.


I AM, however, getting ever closer to re-launching my Etsy.com page to make some DG cookies available for purchase online.  I really wanted to have my own online storefront ready under the donutgirlbakery.com domain, but it's just not gonna happen in time for my ebiz class....so Etsy will have to do for now.


In addition to all the photos you have seen of the cookies I have been baking, I am also creating "diagrams" of each cookie to go along with the design emphasis of DG.  Here are examples of the first 2 I have completed:  The Snicker-Angel (vegan snickerdoodles) and The Snicker-Devil (vegan, spicy chocolate snickerdoodles).   

MORE TO COME....


I also paid a visit to Wayside Waifs on Saturday to hang with my kitty friends.  Here's my favorite dude right now:  

BRICE

Brice has a reputation around the shelter for being "temperamental", but I find him to be sweet as pie.  He loves curl up in my lap or give me head butts in his kennel.  I did have one incident with him when I was leaning down for a head butt, and he gave me a good whack on the head instead.   But he didn't use his claws, and I actually found it very funny.  I guess he just wants to be left alone sometimes, and he's not afraid to tell you.  I can relate to that....as long as the claws stay in the paw.  He also apparently "sits" on command, but I haven't witnessed that either.


xoxo

it's raining donuts!

So funny.  It seems like ever since I posted about the origin of the Donut Girl name yesterday, donuts are everywhere!  Check out this hilarious gif I found...the look on Marge's face is priceless.

In addition, two of my favorite donut companies were featured in this article.  One is the Doughnut Plant in NYC.  Hands down the best donuts I've ever had in life.  Their "Tres Leches" cake donut is to die for.  I think I still have one in my freezer from my last trip to NY....it's probably past its prime.  *sigh* such a waste :(

The Doughnut Plant

The other I have actually never tried, but their business model cracks me up!  It's called Psycho Donuts from San Jose, CA.  Everything, including the donuts are mental-health themed.  Example:  a "mood swing" donut with peanuts on one half and shredded coconut on the other!  My absolute fav is the "Confortably Numb" which looks like a dude in a little straight jacket.  I think the company has taken some heat from not being politically correct, but I have experience with mental illness first hand, and I find it hilarious.  Relax!  Here, have a Xanax. 

If I wasn't so dead set on having creative control, I'd franchise one of these in KC in a heartbeat!

he looks so happy!  how you ganna hate on that?

How I Got My Name....

Last night I received an awesome email request asking if I can produce 300 pink donut holes for an order next weekend.  There's only 1 small problem:  I've never made a donut in my life!  So, why did I name my company "Donut Girl"???  Here's the deal:

You see, I didn't name myself "Donut Girl" becaue I MAKE donuts, I did it because I LOVE donuts.  So much so, that I combined my love of donuts with my love of the Simpsons into the tattoos on my wrists:



For further reference, please consult this Simpsons clip in which Homer sells his soul for a donut:

Basically the equation for Donut Girl would look something like this:

So, despite the fact I've never made donuts, I'm actually really hoping that the company who requested I make 300 donut holes for them will allow me the opportunity to use their order as test run.  I would test a batch this weekend, and if all goes well I could have their 300 for next week.  I have actually been planning all the while to learn how to make small batch, foofy flavored donuts so I can live up to my moniker.  I recently purchased this book to get me started:

I'll let you know what happens....

Adventures in MS Office

Tonight marked my first foray into the wild world of (dunh dunh duuunnnhhhh!)  POWERPOINT!  Arrrrgggh!!!!

Not to sound like a snob, but as a former graphic design student, I have always considered myself more of an Apple/Photoshop kind of gal. But being that I'm in business school now, it was only a matter of time before I had to create a *gulp* ...Powerpoint Presentation.    Once again, I consider myself lucky that it was in realtion to a subject I can get into (Donut Girl) and not something super exciting like, ohhhh, macroeconomics.

So, sorry for the lack of fun material....here's some screen grabs....and some kitties.  xoxo

Charlotte & Gus

weekend photos

 A good morning to all!  Here's what I was working on this weekend.....besides homework.   Can I go back to sleep now?  Yes?  Cool.    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Vegan SnickerAngels -- the counter part to SnickerDevils (spicy chocolate-cinnamon)

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate --also vegan.

weekly wrap-up

Well, I survived another week of school...barely.  I am still buried in the business model stage which wouldn't be so bad except I have a nasty habit of getting thrown off track by unnecessary elements.  For example:  the plan requests that I draw a simple diagram of how my business operations will flow. Easy enough. I then get over-excited about how I could incorporate a schematic of how the cookies are made and packaged and turn it into a cool way of advertising the cookies.  So instead of getting actual WORK done, I spend precious time doodling the following:

Soooo, basically i need to find a way to not get distracted by non-class business tactics/shiny things, for now, and focus on the boring, but necessary, elements of a business model. 

Wish me luck.  Here are your cute kitty pics.  xoxo

my boys, Gary & Ashataka

the cookies that stated it all - recordBar 45s - and Linus, working on quality control

Cinnamon Rolls!

If you are familiar with the Donut Girl Facebook page, then you probably remember that I posted about how both sides of my family have influenced my baking style  (click here to revisit).


Continuing with this theme, I present to you another gem from my Dad's recipe vault.....Aunt Sarah's Cinnamon Rolls.  My large extended family used to converge on our family "cabin" every Thanksgiving when I was a kid, and I still remember the smell of waking up to Aunt Sarah and Grandma Irene making these cinnamon rolls in the morning.  I'm pretty sure they woke up at like 5 am to start making them.  Below is a jpg of the recipe and a couple present day shots of me and my crew re-visiting the cabin.  Enjoy!

Memorial Day - 2010 

the kitchen counter - home of the famous cinnamon rolls

the acknowledgment of the recipe's vagueness cracks me up - click on photo to see in full size

Daydreaming:

So, I am still knee-deep in working on my business model, which I really didn't think would be so bad because it requires me to write about something that actually interests me:  my business!   UGH!  How wrong I was.  I'm swamped with redundant questions about things that all sound the same to me.  Do you know the difference between the "key resources" and "key activities" required for a "value proposition"??  Me neither.

So, today's post is dedicated to the cute and creative side of my business I'd rather be focusing on:  ideas for cookies and cool decor ideas for a bakery.  Please join me in ignoring my problems for a minute......xoxo

 I love these jumbo size versions of frosted animal crackers from Bake at 350.  I get lots of great decorating tips from her blog.

This is something I've been dying to try for awhile.  It's a chiffon cake, but the purple color comes from purple sweet potato flour, not food color. 
I found it on la ciliegina sulla torta, but the site is Italian and the Google translation leaves something to be desired.

Nutella Squirrels!  from my KC fav Dolce Baking Co.



Obviously, this is a little extravagant for a bakery, but I LOVE the striped wall in DG colors, pink and green.  I found this on Design*Sponge, but I cannot find the direct source. 
Please don't sue me.



mmmmmm, donut fabric.



R&D

ahhh, recipe testing.  it's a difficult and tireless job, but someone's gotta do it.

 Lemon Sparklers (vegan)

more lemons, Peanut Butter (vegan), and Brownie Crisps

Peanut Butter

Brownie Drops

Last night...

see you Monday!

thank you!

Thanks for all the survey responses, folks.  Looks like Peanut Butter is the winner!  I will make sure to have an awesome PB cookie available for purchase when the online store opens (April?). 

Right now I am super busy with trying to keep up with school AND get the online store together.  There is so much to be done.....decide on a website design, get help with creating it, do my business model and plan for the e-commerce class.  ACCCKK!  On top of these things, I've got so many ideas buzzing in my head for package design, web design, etc.  Oh, yeah!  And I still have to finish up all the hard "research" of figuring out which recipes will make the cut. 

Once I decide on the final flavors for the store, I am going to be distributing sampler packs to local businesses that might be interested in carrying DG cookies...with easy, online ordering capability.  Please send any interesed parties my way, and I will be sure to get them samples.

Also, I think there is still time to hop (huh huh huh) on over to the Leaping Bunny page on Facebook and "LIKE" little Homer pictured below in their "cutest photo" contest.  Homer was one of my foster kitties last summer,& I still miss him!  You have to actually "like" Leaping Bunny in order to "like" the photo of Homer...just an FYI.  xoxo

Tonight:  making Brownie Drops!

VOTE!

I know, I know. NO ONE who took the last survey thought that having MORE surverys would be a good idea, BUT I think you will like this one. I need y'alls help in picking what kind of cookies I am going to offer as part of my online ordering option that will soon be available via Etsy.com.

Naturally, cookies and cupcakes don't really ship very well, but I am creating an e-commerce venture as part of my degree program, and didn't want to devote time to anything besides Donut Girl.

I have spent a good amout of time "researching" various recipes to determine which will hold up best under mail-order conditions. I have whittled the field down to the following that will be avilable for online ordering and shipment anywhere in the US:

• Spicy Chocolate Snickerdoodles (vegan)
• Rocky Roads (vegan)
• Rosemary Shortbread
• Vanilla Bean Shortbread
• ???

...annnnd that's where I'm stuck.  Of course, I would LOVE to ship my sugar cookies, but they are just too delicate.  They would be dust by the time you received them.  Delicious, delicious dust.  Here is where I need your help.  Vote for what cookies you would like to see added to the list. (You can vote for ALL if you want) They are all recipes from the best dang cookie book I have ever stumbled upon (vegan or traditional....beat it, Martha!):

Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar!

 

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

the weekend in photos

in progress....

the Groundhog Brunch

on the go...

Emily Frost & Co. @ Birdies

Super Bowl @ my house

   



tired of making groundhogs?  make footballs instead!



cupcake overload!

I have LOTS going on this weekend.  I'm so busy I have cupcakes cooling next to me in a cardboard box at work because I didn't want to leave them out to get dry at home. *sigh*










In addition to (belated) Groundhog Cupcakes for Sunday brunch AND Superbowl cupcakes (which, let's be honest, will the be the leftovers from the other 2 events), I have the pleasure of delivering an order to Birdies- Kansas City's best intimate apparel boutique.   I can only hope that my Raspberry and Boulevard Stout Chocolate cakes are sexy enough for such an event.  Shamefully, I have NEVER been to Birdies, and if you haven't either, tomorrow would be a good time to show some love.  7pm - 116 W. 18 Street, KCMO -in the Crossroads District.  Local songstress Emily Frost will also be preforming.

Oh, and here's your gratuitous cute kitty photo to hold you over for the weekend.  See you all Monday!

*slurp*  I love you.

I heart cookbooks

I know that it is probably not a huge surprise that a girl with a blog devoted to baking has a cookbook addiction, but I HAVE A PROBLEM!!  I am quickly accumulating more cookbooks with fantastic recipes than I have time to test out....

I received this one in the mail from my half sister as a Xmas present this year.  At first glance, the title was a little off-putting since I am a vegetarian non-drinker, but I found some awesomely creative recipes in here that will be tested out asap:  


Ginger Molasses Sandwich Cookies!  Angel Food French Toast!?! Are you kidding me?!  om nom nom nom

Visually, the book is also really cool:  great photos and a red,satin ribbon bookmark...which Gus has already gnawed on.  I simply cannot have nice things, apparently.
















Visit Chef Lisa Dupar's blog for more info:  http://friedchickenandchampagne.blogspot.com/

snow day #2

aka:  Groundhog Day!  A very special day in my family, as it was my grandmother's birthday.  Here's a shot of the half-done pack of groundhogs that will top the cupcakes for the party in her honor on Sunday.

the snow blower fairy paid us a visit!

how Gus rolls...