Hi, welcome to Baked by Lauren! I’m Lauren and I am so happy you stopped by! Let me tell you a little bit about myself.
I am a 20-something year old girl who loves food. Sometimes I think it’s a problem how much I love to eat and think about food. I think about dinner while I’m eating breakfast. As soon as my breakfast fork hits the table, I am wondering what a suitable wait period to have lunch is. I really enjoy the whole process of eating. From the planning to the shopping, to the cooking and eating, I even don’t mind the cleanup. I just love to be in the kitchen, I can’t help it!
If I’m not in the kitchen, I’m either napping with Lifetime on in the background or on Pinterest planning my next dinner party (also with Lifetime on in the background). Cooking and baking really are my true hobbies, but I love nothing more than planning and organizing a party- for any occasion. Nothing puts a smile on my face more than seeing other people full and happy. As my mama always says, the best way to someone’s heart, is through their belly!
Most of the recipes I create come from Pinterest. I love trying all kinds of recipes, even ones with funny names and weird ingredients. Some don’t work out so well (or at all) but most of them do! My special recipes come from my mama, passed down from her mama, probably passed down from her mama in Sicily. I remember as a little girl being amazed at how my mom cooked. I never once saw her follow a recipe; it’s like she just knew what to do, and did it perfectly, every time. Even though I handle most of the cooking now a days, there are many times I still need her guidance and let’s face it…mom’s know best (still hard to swallow that sentence!).
I’ve been told that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life- and that is what I am trying to work towards- kind of like an early retirement! This is my first time in the blogging world, and it would be mean if I didn’t warn you ahead of time, I am TERRIBLE at photography. Who woulda thought taking pictures would be so difficult! Anyways, I am asking that you bear with me as I embark on this new journey of documenting what I love to do! If you stay with me, I promise you’ll see improvements- eventually!
Baked by Lauren started a few years ago when my friend asked if I would bake for her company’s customer appreciation event. Not knowing what I was getting myself into, I said yes and immediately started planning and coordinating desserts to match the Mexican theme of the party! I may have gotten a little ahead of myself. I had never baked for more than 20 people never mind close to 125 people! It was 2 AM, morning of the party (supposed to be at my real job at 6 am) and I had nearly given up. Covered in flour from head to toe, sitting at my kitchen table ready to cry, I thought I was never going to bake again. I went to bed feeling like a failure, but woke up (still covered in flour) feeling like I was ready to go again! Thankfully, I got everything done, dusted off the flour and brought enough desserts to feed the entire party. At the end of the day, it was a huge success and I haven’t looked back since!
I couldn’t do anything in this world without the love and support from my family and friends! My family really is the best support system anyone could ask for. They taste test anything I want, sit with me while I freak out over small imperfections, help clean up the explosions in the kitchen and just give me the moral support I so desperately need sometimes. My two interns ( aka my parents) are the two biggest helpers and I could not do anything without them by my side. And a big thanks to all my friends who have given up Friday nights to drink wine with me while dipping an endless supply of cake pops in chocolate, or those who attend every one of my dinner parties so I can try new recipes! I really am so lucky to have so many great people by my side!
I hope you have liked what you have seen so far on this website. Its a work in progress, but really, aren’t we all 🙂 Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions or ideas! I would love to hear from you!
Have a happy day!
Lauren