#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Press
  • Writing
  • Contact

Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Missing: My Mojo

August 29, 2006 · Narrative

I have temporarily lost my mojo. If you’ve seen it, let me know. You ever have one of those periods where you’re just crashing and burning, no matter what you do? On Saturday, when I was trying to finish off one of the dessert trays I was making for a client, I made a batch of Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies, and promptly managed to ruin the batch. At the time, I blamed it on a malfunctioning oven, since I ruined a batch of Cranberry Cinnamon Nut Bars right before the cookies.

Tonight my parents came over for dinner, and I kept it simple with Melt in Your Mouth Sausages over Spaghetti with buttered bread. I decided to take a chance on the oven, and made Chocolate Decadence for dessert. They come out as beautifully sinful as ever, so I chalked up Saturday’s mishaps to an overworked oven, especially since I had been keeping it busy all week.

After my parents left, I needed to make some treats for another dessert tray, and pulled together another batch of Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies, which promptly went into the trash. They looked nothing like the batch I first made last Sunday. I’ve got to dig up the original recipe … now I’ve decided that there must be a typo in the version I retyped, as opposed to something wrong with the oven. That would be good, since it means my mojo would be completely intact.

Until tomorrow…

A year ago today … delicious breakfast memories.

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPRINT

Posted In: Narrative

Comments

  1. Claire says

    August 29, 2006 at 2:18 am

    The sweedish pancakes you made last year make me think of “blini” that we had in Kyrgyzstan. We had them with jam in the middle of them! Yum! I may have to try to make these for my family this coming weekend…I’m going to visit my parents who have just recently moved! :-)

    Reply
  2. Cate says

    August 29, 2006 at 2:21 am

    Claire – I’ve made them many times since then and love them more each time. You’ve GOT to make them!

    Reply
  3. Madeline says

    August 29, 2006 at 2:50 am

    I think that undertaking both dinner and dessert in spite of losing your mojo is a sign of bravery!

    Reply
  4. Cyndi says

    August 29, 2006 at 2:59 am

    Rah Rah Rah (that’s the cheerleader in me, hoping you’ll get your mojo back!) Did those cookies really go in the trash? My DH would insist on eating them if they were even slightly edible.

    Reply
  5. stacey says

    August 29, 2006 at 5:14 am

    uh no! cooking for others and not yourself! it will return soon, no worries! or maybe your mixer and oven are just tired of those choco chip cookies! new recipe, quick!

    Reply
  6. Julia says

    August 29, 2006 at 7:51 am

    I’m sorry, haven’t come across your mojo…! =)
    Have you already tested your oven with an oven thermometer? Than you know at once if there is something wrong with it!
    (or that you’ll seriously have to go look for your missing mojo…) =)

    Reply
  7. wheresmymind says

    August 29, 2006 at 12:39 pm

    Put all the cooking gear away and make yourself a ‘rita and relax…that always gets my mojo goin’ ;)

    Reply
  8. Cate says

    August 29, 2006 at 9:03 pm

    Madeline – LOL, thanks. Extra points for a 4-year-old, a dog and 3 cats underfoot, right? ;)

    Cyndi – yup, inedible, I promise.

    Stacey – trying again tonight – fingers crossed. ;)

    Julia – it’s definitely on my list to buy, though I think, now, it’s working fine since the Chocolate Decadence came out properly. Probably just overworked – the oven and me!

    Wheresmymind – I like the way you think!

    Reply
  9. Annie says

    August 29, 2006 at 11:33 pm

    Poor Cate, I’ve been there. So many times. It will come back, you’re probably just having a bad week. Cheer up and take a break-that may be all you really need.

    Reply
  10. Lydia says

    August 30, 2006 at 9:52 am

    Cooking mojo is a fickle thing, but it always comes back. Don’t stress, don’t go looking for it; it will find you!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

Storytelling…
Through photos.
Words. And recipes.

Archives

Categories

Instagram

#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

Pinterest

#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

Copyright © 2026 Sweetnicks · Theme by Vicki Harrison Design