Our son, who has decided to practice parenting on me, thinks that irregardless of the imminent arrival of the  Lacanche oven that I should cook and post recipes to the blog, NOW.   It’s just his hunger speaking so I’ve decided to compromise and post these photos and recipe from my cooking past.
   

I’m not much of a baker.  It’s not because I can’t, it’s just because I lack enthusiasm for baked goods.  This means that I don’t put my heart and soul into baking and consequently the results are half-baked.  Ha, ha, ha.  It is the art and joy of cooking that makes a cook a cook.  


My husband, who adores cakes, cookies, pies, sugar sprinkled paper and muffins, has always been disappointed in my attitude and so lives for the days when we’re hosting a party and I am forced to bake something. 



We hosted a Gospel Brunch for 40 earlier this year in Senegal.  The interesting part of the menu was:


Bloody Marys
Screw Drivers
Mimosas


Deviled Eggs
French Baked Ham
Rare Roast Beef
Vegetable Strata
Sausage and Cheese Strata
Oven Roasted Potatoes, 
Green Bean Casserole
Tropical Fruit Salad


I save all my menus.  


I baked 2 kinds of muffins (one was cranberry and the other was Lemon Poppy Seed), pound cake and cinnamon roll cupcakes.   The muffins and pound cake were boringly predictable but I liked the way the cinnamon roll cupcakes looked.


We were lucky to have a professional gospel singer  working at the Embassy as administrative assistant to the Deputy Chief of Mission.  In her spare time, she works with a Senegalese choir  from one of the local churches, teaching them everything from spirituals to urban gospel.  The joint was jumping!   The crowd was a mix of Americans, Senegalese and third-country nationals.   Everyone enjoyed the music which was inspirational, in a secular, gospel-like way.   Whatever I mean.  


The cupcakes.  Just for you, my son.


CINNAMON ROLL CUPCAKES (lafujimama.com)


2 1/4 tsp. or 1 packet (1/4 oz./7 g) dry active yeast