Confused metaphors

We had 10 glorious days of holy matrimony before the barrage began. But hang on, let's back up a second.

Damon and I got married. Originally called here Trodimon, my crop-mobbing, taste testing, card-carrying-Greek, we tied the knot up on a mountain top surrounded by friends and family, just over 10 days ago. We didn't have a big fat Greek wedding. Instead it was a perfect mix of Swedish and Greek traditions, protestant and orthodox, blåbärssoppa and tiropitas.

After a short jaunt on the coast, we returned to Chicago to many boxes and cards filled with kind things said by loved ones, but especially among the bunch, this one stood out. "To the new Mr. & Mrs. K! The secret of love is to keep mixing things up before you get a bundt in the oven!" and enclosed were mixing bowls, measuring cups and a lovely bundt pan.

Now I know a lot of folks tell tales of not using their wedding gifts but let it be known that I am not that girl. I already have dates on the calendar to make hand-cranked pasta, grill pizzas on our new stone and am a raving infomercial for our grill basket for veggies. (Seriously! Amazing! Get one! Any kind! I'll never skewer again!)

Not unsurprisingly, I've managed to use this pan two times in as many days.

And today, day three wherein I did NOT bake a bundt cake, my mother has begun the barrage for a real bundt in the oven. It's like she knew I had been baking, confused the metaphor and thought, "well she's on day three, must be the real deal by now!"

Seriously. We have had a lot of really fabulous bundts come out of the oven in the past few months, and Mr. and Mrs. K don't need our own, just yet.

As an aside, Damon is demanding that I bring a bundt cake to Christmas. Things probably won't unfold quite like this, but one can always hope.


Chocolate Bundt- no it's not a baby- Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup semisweet cocoa
2 1/2 t baking powder
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1/2 cup softened butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 t vanilla
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup milk

Preheat over to 350. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, powder, soda, salt and cinnamon. Using an electric mixer in a large bowl, cream sugar and butter. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add remaining wet ingredients and slowly incorporate dry in with the wet. Pour batter into a well greased bundt pan and bake for 70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Glaze: whisk together 2 cups of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Drizzle aggressively over the cake once it's cooled.