Foodie Ode to J

It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I'm sure Mr. Emerson didn't quite mean this quote in the same context I am referring to, however I bet he wouldn't mind much as it is for a good cause. As luck would have it (and I thank my lucky stars each day for such luck), I've had the delightful pleasure of being close friends with my pal, J, for over a decade now. As the years have passed, life has thrown us together in so many unusual and comical situations that I consider her my sister. You know, the kind that you actually want to have around during the holidays. From hiking out of a desert with one shared flip-flop between us to blindly moving to the NW with each other to spending every birthday together for more years than I can count, our adventures never cease to amaze me. She is one of the greatest people I have ever encountered in all of my days.

Now I'm sure you are asking why I'm blathering on about my friend-crush. As life would have it, J is heading out on a walkabout of sorts. To contemplate her navel and find new discoveries. Three cheers for anyone who has the guts to do that! Needless to say I cannot join her on this sort of journey and for the first time in 11 or so years, we will no longer reside in the same great state together. I feel like I am losing my left arm while happily encouraging it to travel away, strange as that sounds. I'll sure miss J while she is wandering around the other side!

In my efforts to send her off with a bang, this post is an ode to some the foods J has either helped me create or fell in love with over the years! I wouldn't be the fantastic foodie I am today if it weren't for her taste tests, subjective criticism, and patience with me as I over-fed her throughout our friendship. If you happen to have the luck to have J in your life, give her a giant squeeze next time you see her! The smile on her face is worth it alone.

First up, cupcakes & muffins! J has sampled quite a few of my creations in her day, however these have been a few of her favs:

Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

White Russian Cupcakes 

Chocolate Banana Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

And she always loved my bread...

Bananas Foster Bread

Strawberry Lavender Bread 

And of course a few more of her favorite dishes...

Homemade Yumm Bowls

Amanda's Baked Ziti 

Orange Marmalade Cookies with Orange Zest Icing

If my luck holds out, I'll be cooking again for her soon enough and our crazy adventures will continue onto the next chapter. Sending much love, happy thoughts and good vibes with J on her upcoming journey!