Once upon a time...

Once upon a time, in 2007, when my children were just little bitty things, I took a cake to the fair.  I had never baked this cake before or many cakes at all in my life, I had never tried this recipe, I had no idea if it even tasted good, it looked good...but who could know??  This cake (which was riding in style as you can see from the photo) ....won a First place, and a Best of Show ribbon.  That brush with success started it all, it began my love of baking, the satisfaction of finding great recipes and doing them well, the desire to do my best...and to win a few ribbons along the way.

This is the cake... The cake that started it all.
When I brought my German Chocolate cake to the fair in 2007... 
I gave it a ride into the fairgrounds, seat belted into 
the double-stroller where my toddlers would normally sit... 
We carefully pushed the cake and stroller through 
the grassy pasture-turned parking lot.  
The kids and I ...and the cake...we all made it 
safely to the art hall inside the fair... (It's such a fun memory)

In the last 4 years, I have won 32 First place blue ribbons, 5 Best of Show ribbons, and 1 Best of Show State Fair ribbon.  I was encouraged by a friend to try blogging...and I plan to share with you great recipes and tips that have served me well over the last several years.  I think EVERYONE deserves to eat great food.... and sharing what I have learned and what I love will hopefully inspire you to do the same.

Fast Forward to 2009, 
and here we are at the Ohio State Fair, 
winning a first place blue ribbon and
 the best-of show ribbon for a peach pie.

After all the winning... and the judges sampling, 
we found a picnic table and our family and had a slice of  the
prize-winning peach pie...
...the best pie in the whole state...  ;)

If you have never baked from scratch, don't worry!!  I hadn't either, and if I can do it, 

you certainly can too.