things have not been going so well in the kitchen over the past few days. loaf number 11 was not pretty.

the first sign of trouble came during the rising when i noticed this: the dough is pressing its face up against the window, trying to see what lies beyond the small world of the bread machine.

When i investigated further by opening the lid, the bread dough sprang up to reveal its true self: free at last!

Note to self: when using a combination of rapid rise yeast AND wheat gluten, only make the 1 lb version. or else, let it rise on the counter and bake it in the oven.

Loaf number 12 was also problematic, in that i oiled it and let it rise in a bowl and then stupidly rekneaded it, which resulted in a small misshapen loaf with very odd creases in it, causing it to fall off in chunks.

i was too ashamed to record it for posterity.

My troubles continued with a birthday cake.

on the occasion of my daughter’s 5th birthday, she was very specific that everything must be pink.

having left the party preparations to the last minute (per usual), i fell into the old habits – white sugar, white flour, red food colouring, etc.

it started with the sugar cookies -pink elephants decorated with candy concoctions – and ended in this monstrosity of a cake, layered with e.d. smith cherry pie filling and topped with valentine’s day smarties. served with a side of raspberry sherbet.

manufactured, processed crap out the wazoo.

my guilt over this is compounded by what i’ve been reading in michael pollan’s latest – In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto.

the little girls loved it.

the sugar buzz was wicked.

i am a bad bad mother.