After Hours: Wrapped up Episode 3, and MOOOOOVING on....

Hello, Munchie Mafia, BFF's and The Dog Pound;

We just finished Cook Along: Episode 3 Key Lime Pie on YouTube with @butlerfamilyfarm2005, @devildog and special guest Jean, who has two channels:  @meritageshadesoflight and @healthykitchenwizard.  Jean's shorts are located on her Healthy Kitchen Wizard channel, where she has videos about cooking, and health benefits of eating clean with wholesome ingredients.  Her other channel is about practicing mindfulness for sound mental health, especially helpful in this uncertain world that we live in.

Thank you to Jerry, Eddie, and guest Jean for joining in on this episode, that was a great deal of fun.  Thank you also to Timmy, Susan and Jami for all the behind the scenes support.   I also want to extend a huge thank you to our Managing Admin and Moderators for all of their hard work in keeping the chat flowing, keeping the trolls out, and posting links.  

And of course, thank you to all of our subscribers, old and new, for taking the time to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon (or whatever time zone you are) to watch the shenanigans.

Susan, I hope that your mother had a fantastic 96th birthday.  I am thoroughly enjoying these Cook Along episodes.  The excitement and pride that Jerry and Eddie show in their "After Hours" videos (the shorts that they post after their desserts have been cooled, and decorated) kind of makes me a little teary-eyed.  I am proud of their achievements.  While I am not in any way, shape or form comparing them to Remi from the movie Ratatouille, I am reminded of a phrase (By Chef Gusteau) from that movie - "Anyone Can Cook".  There are so many people that say, "I can cook, but I can't bake to save my life."  I beg to differ.  Anybody can bake if given the right direction, and I believe that cooking along in real-time, following the steps together, builds that confidence and erases the inner thoughts of "I can't bake".  So.... while watching their successes unfold, it makes me proud of them.  These Cook Along's also open up new doors for them to experience desserts that they may have had to give up due to diabetes and pre-diabetes.  And seeing the delight on their faces when they take that first bite and they are surprised that it doesn't taste like it's sugar-free brings an incredible smile to my face.  Plus, spending time with them virtually really brightens my day.  Afterward, I kind of sit here and rewatch the livestreams to see how I can improve on delivery of information and instruction for the next time, I kind of feel a little down because that moment is over and I can't wait for the next one. 

We will be moving on to the next episode, coming very soon - maybe sooner than monthly, Jerry and I casually talked about potentially making this simulcast series twice monthly -- I made a rhetorical comment about the cookbook and said that we probably need to do this twice monthly or so just to get all the recipes together. Some of the recipes in my binder are sugar-free, reduced sugar, gluten free, vegan, or a combination.  We need to sit down and discuss this with Eddie, and our spouses to make sure that everybody is on-board.  

Susan and Jerry are working on compiling these recipes with alternates into a cookbook.  As we progress toward the compilation, I will be going behind the scenes to get photographs.  I want to make it abundantly clear that even though these are recipes from my own recipe binder, that because the 3 main channels have contributed to the making of this series, that the recipes and cookbook isn't "mine" - it's "ours" and it is only fair that all 3 parties benefit from any future sale of this book that we plan to self-publish in the future - whether it will be in print form, or digital "E-book form".  We don't anticipate making this a lucrative cookbook; none of us are pros at publishing, and we're doing this for our friends and fans - apparently, there's been a lot of positive feedback on the BFF side to publish this in print in some way or another.  So, Susan is working hard at notating the livestreams, cleaning up the recipes with any "after-thoughts" (ie., we should have chopped the pecans, which I wholeheartedly agree), and adding the "alternates" that the three different channels may have done.  As you know, there are endless possibilities for cheesecake, with add-ins and add-ons. 

My after-thought for Episode 3 is that I should have omitted the chopped lime and opted to sticking to the dust that I got from the box grater -- I should have ordered myself that new Microplane.  It was still good and as I am typing this, I am craving another slice.

There had been some issues getting Jean loaded into the virtual studio, but she popped on toward the end at around the 2 hour mark.  I walked her through it as best as I could, sorry that we had to cut it short, Timmy needed to redress his foot and my shoulder was starting to get aggravated and neither of us could go on any further.  

I watched Eddie's short this morning and I squealed with excitement that his pie did in fact set up overnight.  Waiting on his taste reveal, and waiting on Jerry's taste reveal as well.  Susan is coming home this evening, so I am hoping that they both will be doing their taste reveal together on their livestream that's scheduled in just under a half hour from the time of this post.

So, Munchie Mafia, BFF and The Dog Pound, much love to you all and don't forget to Cook with Love and Eat with Passion.  Thank you all for your support. 

(Don't read past this point unless you want a 25 word or less update on my shoulder).

Made phone calls, MRI has been approved.  Waiting on scheduling to call.  Rough Night.  Shoulder is trash.  I'll survive. Thank you for all your support. 

(Haha!  25 words exactly, no Gary, not 29).