Happy Birthday Brooke

Brooke wanted a Kahlua Bundt cheesecake for her birthday this year.  A few years back when we made this with my sister it was way too much food. So, Brooke and I decided to cut the recipe in half. I spent my day off baking this Bundt masterpiece.

While the cake was baking I started my first ever cased sausage. I've made crumbled Italian sausage a couple times, but never made them into true wieners. We got a sausage stuffer with our wedding bounty and our wonderful Realtor got us a sausage making cookbook for our nuptials. 

For my first sausage I made Spanish-style fresh chorizo. It's basically Italian sausage (i.e. fennel, red pepper flakes and garlic) with wine, booze and vinegar; nothing like the Mexican equivalent. 

I also wrapped Brooke's present during the day. Once she got home she had to open her present.

I always write little notes on her presents. This time I just mentioned that I'm her husband.

I had no idea what it was. I knew he picked something off my list, but I was so confused.

She's been wanting this windmill cookie press for a long time. I made her dream come true.

It's a Dutch tradition to make speculaa cookies for St. Nick. They were usually found in wooden shoes on St. Nick's. I want to start this tradition in my own household.

Then my mama's came over for some cake.

Emma gave me homemade wool dryer balls and sugar scrub. Cevonne and Jose gave me a sprayer that hooks up to our bath faucet. Since our only shower is in the basement they wanted us to be able to shower upstairs.

I helped Emma light the cake candles that read "Hapy Birtday." The cheesecake was baked into a Oreo-hazzlenut crust.

I've used these same candles for my last 2 birthdays. 

The birthday girl is really excited.

While the ladies talked about women stuff, Olive and Tyler watched JT and I stuff the sausage.

Scott and Jose held up their sausage.

Once I stuffed the sausage we twisted them into links. I probably should have pricked it like the directions told me. Some of the link popped out of their casing.

I said "Say cheese!" and she signed "please".

Brooke and I went out to Victory 44 for dinner after our guests went home. The pork belly and Korean pork bbq that we ordered were delicious, though I probably won't be ordering kidneys ever again.

After dinner we had a drink at Donny Dirk's. 

Brooke's besty, Amanda, wondedred what a zombie-themed bar looks like, so Brooke sent her this horrible cell phone shot. 

After we each got a very strong drink we headed home and that's how Brooke's birthday ended.