The latest of many firsts: Baking for family Thanksgiving dinner

Oh. I guess I forgot the part where I’m an adult now and I’m supposed to contribute to the food supply at the family Thanksgiving get-together. No, honestly, it never crossed my mind that I am 23 years old and have always arrived at my grandmother’s house with my mother and all of the food she made. So when my grandmother asked me, “Hey, I have everyone’s food items they’re bringing next week, what are you planning to bring?” I literally had no answer off the top of my head. I wish I had some quick reply similar to, “You know, that awesome dish that everyone loves that I always bring, of course.” HA.

I told her I would have to get back with her. I literally had no idea. All the basic things were already being provided along with a few specialty casseroles and other foods. What the heck was I going to bring? Paper plates? I have too much pride.

I went home that night and dug through a folder/stack of recipes (half of which I have yet to attempt) and found a recipe for Caramel Glaze Pumpkin Pound Cake. The recipe is completely homemade. Let me make a list of the amount of homemade cakes I have baked in the last 23 years:

*cue crickets beginning to chirp*

Exactly. It’s not that I cannot cook or that I am a bad cook. (I don’t understand how you can be a horrible cook if you just cook whatever YOU like.) I’ve made homemade blueberry muffins with amazing blueberries from our local farmer’s market! My pink-dyed pancakes have resulted in squeals and giggles throughout breakfast. I can run a grill and fry up some pretty darn good homemade fried chicken fingers. But, baking. Let us just all agree that baking is not in my list of natural instincts, talents, or abilities. If it comes with a box, directions, and requires 2 eggs and cooking oil, then you can call me Master Chef. Hey, it was made at my home and not bought at the grocery store bakery. That’s homemade. (;

Tomorrow night I will jump head first into my first ever truly home made cake. Cross your fingers.

My baking pride is at stake.

If this turns out successful, I need someone to buy me a really cute apron for Christmas.