Baked With Love

As you all know, school is in session. DJ is in second grade and Harlow is in first grade. The school they go to is very strict about their no peanut policy. No peanut products are allowed in their school at all. Now let me just say, I have no problem with this policy. It is scary enough to send your child to school knowing that they are healthy, I can't imagine how terrifying it would be sending you child to school not knowing if somebody else's lunch could cause a major allergy attack. BUT, Harlow is kind of a pain in the ass, the only sandwich she will eat is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. DJ? He will eat whatever I send him, no big deal. 

#True

So at the beginning of the school year I started making baked goods to put in the girl's lunch box. Pumpkin bread, strawberry bread, zucchini bread, blueberry muffins, the list goes on and on. This way she has a decent lunch even without a crappy sandwich and I feel like a kinda awesome mom. I mean, I deserve extra mom points for homemade goodies in the lunch box. Right?

According to my kids? Wrong. 

Why are kids such assholes? Seriously. I let Harlow pick out what I make. We go on pinterest, I look up muffins or bread, she picks what she wants, and then I make it for her. I pack her lunch and send her on her way in her adorable, matching, personalized (overpriced) Pottery Barn backpack and lunchbox. Then she comes home from school with half or all of her treat still in it. My muffins were too moist (for all of you who hate that word, moist moist MOIST!!!!!!). Seriously???? How is that a complaint?

Matching backpack/lunchbox filled with goodies.

Ellis is just getting over a bug. She had a fever for 3 days and would not be put down. She was adorably cuddly, but made it very difficult to get anything done. When her fever broke at 9pm the other night, she was up until almost midnight feeling happy and ready to party. Why am I telling you this? Because we were out of baked goods and I needed to make Princess Harlow her requested chocolate chip pumpkin bread. I was up until 1:30 making it for her. 

 Drinking box wine out of a plastic cup waiting for the bread to bake. Note my awesome nursing bra... 

2 loaves of chocolate chip pumpkin bread fresh out of the oven at 1am.

Gratitude?

Nope. When I picked her up from school yesterday she informed me that "There weren't enough chocolate chips and it wasn't how I liked it." 

One day they will appreciate me, right? Like when they are grown ups and tired and hungry and spending $5 on dry baked goods. They will think, "Damn, I wish I was still 6 and my mom made me those awesome, moist baked goods that were infused with love." That's going to happen. Somebody PLEASE tell me that will happen.

If you, too, would like to test the gratitude levels of your child, here are some of my favorite recipes that I have made so far.

Strawberry cream cheese bread. This was awesome. I accidentally put in 8 ounces of cream cheese instead of 4 and had to double the recipe. 

Pumpkin chocolate chip bread. This is quick, easy, and makes 2 loafs. I feel like there is something missing and there is probably a better recipe, but it isn't bad at all. It's great in the morning with coffee and isn't too sweet. Harlow would add more chocolate. 

Blueberry Lemonade Muffins. Derrick and DJ do not like blueberries and they were too moist for Harlow, I however, love blueberries and non-dry muffins. These were amazing and I want to make them again just looking at them. But since I am the only one who eats them, I cannot make them again because then I will eat a dozen muffins by myself and that is an entirely different issue.