New Beginings

        Welcome to my new and first ever blog. So bear with me as I learn how to navigate this blog. Thinking about where to start..well the beginning is the best place right?? 
          Its new beginnings for me as of May 1, 2013 when I officially became a business. I named by business La Loba's Home Bakery. A lot of people ask me why La Loba?? Well if you really know me then you already know the answer to this, but for those that don't. I named it that due to my love of wolves. Yes I love wolves. they are my favorite animal. If I could afford to decorate my home that way I would do so. trust me it would be really nice and homey. Im Puerto rican as well so incorporating both would be really nice. 
         

As I said you can see I love wolves. :-) When I started baking I did it as just a hobby. Then I started getting orders from people wanting my cheesecakes as that's how I started. My delicious New York Cheesecakes. As more people started to order I started to realize I had something that I can do to help with taking care of my family. But I jump ahead of myself. Before I moved back to Texas in Feb 2009 I had experienced for the first time in my life what it meant to be homeless. My daughter and I thankfully were able to stay in a shelter for about a month till I could find a home that I could afford. See I know what its like to be without and lose a job and not sure what to do. Or live out of town and then realize I cant afford the gas to keep driving so far to work. that's what helped cause me to lose my home and end up in the shelter. I found us a place and eventually due to money issues lost my car too. thankfully in South Dakota they have this program where they give you a free car that people donate so that I can get to work and take my daughter to school. I was mortified that this had happened to me. I swore that it would never happen again and I have kept that promise. It hasn't always been easy and it still isn't, but I am managing and taking each day as it come. I was going through a rough time and it took me awhile to come out of the "darkness" I like to call it. A lot happened back then which was painful and I'm stronger today for all that I went through. I look at my daughter and I know that she has been scared through it all but she has come along way and I am very proud of the woman she has become. 

       Anyway, needless to say we moved back to Texas and through all the starting over I started to bake. truthfully it was more than a hobby it was my own form of therapy. self healing as some would call it. Hence the baking and the cheesecakes that I ended up making and selling. that is what I am most known for. I told recently that my cheesecakes taste better than the cheesecake factories and I cant help but smile at that. It makes me happy that people love what I make. I make everything with love. I take each client and try to put what they like into the cheesecake and you can tell when you take that first bite. From that point on that is what I was doing to make extra money to help me and my daughter and my grandson. Its not easy baking 5 cheesecakes at any given time along with other baked goods that was being asked for, especially in an apartment. as some may know apartments aren't known for big kitchens. I managed and I made several flavors. With each one I learned new ways to make my cheesecake better over the years. It wasn't until a few months ago that I realized I wasn't supposed to be doing that according to the cottage food law. Cheesecakes have been my money maker. So now I have had to adjust to making other baked goods and it has been a rough go but I'm hanging in there.  The picture below is a strawberry/banana cheesecake.

So I'm also starting to cater for people. I have been asked in the past to cook for a client as he didn't want to cook at home. So I ended up cooking for him and he paid me very well. He would ask for homemade lasagna to artichoke dip. He kept me busy. The holidays bring on a whole new adventure for me as that is the time I get the most orders for pies. With the passage of the new cottage food law HB970 with any luck Gov. Perry will sign it and as of Sept 1st I will be able to sell my candies and nuts. I can make some kiss ass divinity and fudge. lol.  Peanut butter fudge in the pic below. It was so good.

I also have ventured into making my own butter and again once Gov. Perry signs HB970 into law I can also sell my homemade butters. I also make homemade ricotta cheese for the lemon ricotta cookies that I make. they are so yummy and you would never know that there was cheese in the cookie. Its a recipe that I got from world renowned chef Giada De larentiis (sp) of GDL foods in California. I also have made my own jams and jelly. there is nothing more satisfying that eating food that is made from scratch. You know what is going into your body. In the picture below is my peach jam.

I am just like anyone else that wants to make a living doing something that I love to do and at the same time financially take care of my family. having my own business is a wonderful thing and it makes me happy and accomplished. Its a dream that I'm struggling to bring to light but with time and patience I have faith that it will happen. I just have to remember have patience and not be in such a rush. Because anything worth having takes patience and time. One of the many things I am doing to get word out about my business is going out on weekends when I'm able too and selling BBQ. Its something that I will be doing on June 1st and 2nd from 11-4. Its to celebrate Memorial Day all be it late. Good thing I didn't try to go out today as it rained most of the day. Not good when you want to BBQ. Check out my "upcoming events" page to see where and what I will be serving. My journey sort of summarized here brings me to today where I sit here writing this and praying that my business is successful and I can at some point say I don't have to work for someone else..I can do it on my own. That's the plan at any rate. From time to time I will post letting you all know what's up. You can also find me on facebook at www.facebook.com/lalobahomebakery or www.facebook.com/eve.loftus feel free to look through my site and see what I have to offer. Not all the pictures are uploaded but I will get to that soon. I will be posting a catering menu soon. I just have to finish putting the menu together. for now my baking menu/pricing is already up.

So if you have a party or some special event or just because coming up let me know. I will do whatever I can to make your special moment memorable. Until then have a safe and happy Memorial Day Weekend.