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The Happy Baker: A Girl's Guide To Emotional Baking
20+ 30+ years of dating fiascos
60+ down-home, comforting recipes
1 pink baking hammer, with apron and lip gloss to match
Many (many) bottles of wine
Too many tears
A whole lotta laughter
1 very happy baker
We've all been there.
The blind date from hell. The Big Hurt.
The guy who details his various surgeries over Caesar salad on the first date.
Who needs a pint of rocky road when you can head to the kitchen and work out your heartache with a whisk and a bottle of wine? Erin Bolger has been there, dated that and baked through it all. Turns out the more bitter the heartbreak, the sweeter the batter. So don't cry over bad dates, bad boyfriends or bad breakups—whip up a batch of My-Mom-Didn't-Like-You-Anyway Cupcakes and bake yourself happy.
60+ down-home, comforting recipes
1 pink baking hammer, with apron and lip gloss to match
Many (many) bottles of wine
Too many tears
A whole lotta laughter
1 very happy baker
We've all been there.
The blind date from hell. The Big Hurt.
The guy who details his various surgeries over Caesar salad on the first date.
Who needs a pint of rocky road when you can head to the kitchen and work out your heartache with a whisk and a bottle of wine? Erin Bolger has been there, dated that and baked through it all. Turns out the more bitter the heartbreak, the sweeter the batter. So don't cry over bad dates, bad boyfriends or bad breakups—whip up a batch of My-Mom-Didn't-Like-You-Anyway Cupcakes and bake yourself happy.
160 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2010
About the author
Erin Bolger
2 books2 followersGrowing up in a small town in Ontario, Erin Bolger realized her love for baking early on. From her first solo batch of shortbread at the tender age of nine followed a few years later by her first cookbook for the County Fall School Fair, unbeknownst to her, Erin was writing the recipe for her future. She may have been a late bloomer when it came to dating, and she may not have always followed her Mom's dating advice even though, of course, Mom was right. But she did follow her Mom's baking instructions, which always had a happy ending. Though the pickin's may have been slim back home, that all changed when Erin moved to the big city (Toronto) during her college years. Her adventures in baking and dating developed. Not only were the ingredients more available, so were the men.
After graduating from a Fashion & Cosmetics program Erin became a make-up artist working in Toronto. She has celebrated her career as a Makeup Artist in Toronto for nearly 17 years. Her one of a kind personality, exceptional talent and professionalism has secured her with enviable opportunities within the industry and has been a draw to celebrity clientele and industry professionals, who've sought and relied upon Erin's expertise (and baked goods) throughout the years. She has always baked away her stress (usually caused by men) and for years would share these recipes with friends and co-workers. Any emotional baker knows that the sharing part is just as important as the baking part. Erin became known in the industry for her recipes just as much as her make-up skills.
Erin's work can be seen splashed across Television Networks, through Print and Commercial work. Among her vast portfolio, some of Erin's more recent accomplishments can be viewed on The Next Star (Season 1), So You Think You Can Dance Canada & Inside the Box with Ty Pennington and she's pretty darn sure her recipes helped the success of the shows. Erin never thought she would have a change of professions or that her passion for baking would turn into a successful career. But as her dating experiences became more complicated, her need for simple comfort baking increased (the harder the break-up the better the biscotti). Her stories and baking became such apart of people in her every day life it was an easy transition to become The Happy Baker. When asked by her colleagues why she was always baking she replied "I'm happiest when I'm baking". They prompted her to share her stories & recipes with everyone. Erin had a moment of inspiration that hit her like a ton of bricks. She put paper to pen and wrote every waking moment releasing years of dating & baking memories. She brought her vision for a fun, relatable book to life and from that The Happy Baker cookbook was born…
Erin can now be seen on her own Food Network.ca web series The Happy Baker
After graduating from a Fashion & Cosmetics program Erin became a make-up artist working in Toronto. She has celebrated her career as a Makeup Artist in Toronto for nearly 17 years. Her one of a kind personality, exceptional talent and professionalism has secured her with enviable opportunities within the industry and has been a draw to celebrity clientele and industry professionals, who've sought and relied upon Erin's expertise (and baked goods) throughout the years. She has always baked away her stress (usually caused by men) and for years would share these recipes with friends and co-workers. Any emotional baker knows that the sharing part is just as important as the baking part. Erin became known in the industry for her recipes just as much as her make-up skills.
Erin's work can be seen splashed across Television Networks, through Print and Commercial work. Among her vast portfolio, some of Erin's more recent accomplishments can be viewed on The Next Star (Season 1), So You Think You Can Dance Canada & Inside the Box with Ty Pennington and she's pretty darn sure her recipes helped the success of the shows. Erin never thought she would have a change of professions or that her passion for baking would turn into a successful career. But as her dating experiences became more complicated, her need for simple comfort baking increased (the harder the break-up the better the biscotti). Her stories and baking became such apart of people in her every day life it was an easy transition to become The Happy Baker. When asked by her colleagues why she was always baking she replied "I'm happiest when I'm baking". They prompted her to share her stories & recipes with everyone. Erin had a moment of inspiration that hit her like a ton of bricks. She put paper to pen and wrote every waking moment releasing years of dating & baking memories. She brought her vision for a fun, relatable book to life and from that The Happy Baker cookbook was born…
Erin can now be seen on her own Food Network.ca web series The Happy Baker
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
January 12, 2015
My thoughts:
I LOVE recipes and when I can read the recipe book like a story (like I did in one sitting today), I am in heaven. I was laughing at the funny (terrible) dating experiences and licking my lips over the beautiful photos. The recipes are easy to follow and both a newbie and the experienced cook will find fun in the pages. I can see that a few of these recipes will become favorites.
You can visit Erin at thehappybakerchick.com
I LOVE recipes and when I can read the recipe book like a story (like I did in one sitting today), I am in heaven. I was laughing at the funny (terrible) dating experiences and licking my lips over the beautiful photos. The recipes are easy to follow and both a newbie and the experienced cook will find fun in the pages. I can see that a few of these recipes will become favorites.
You can visit Erin at thehappybakerchick.com
October 29, 2010
Dating rule #2: Do not show me the engine of your car, no matter how cool you think it is. Unless you are storing a box of chocolates under the hood, I just don't care.
If you have ever dated, you've had a broken heart or two. If you haven't then you'll still laugh at what is quite possibly the most unique cookbook I've ever read. The dating life is never easy & just about everyone's had that one horrible breakup that caused them to blow that diet or buy so many cookies that they could own stock in Nabisco.
One part diary & one part cookbook, Bolger isn't afraid to air all of the skeletons in her dating closet, regaling us with dating flubs such as "Green Eyes" & near misses such as "The Big One". Each chapter is filled to the brim not only with dating stories that just about all of us can relate to, but hand-drawn pictures as well as an endless display of mouth wateringly delicious looking recipes.
Each recipe is accompanied with a cute title such as 'My Mother Didn't Like You Anyway' cupcakes as well as a beautifully shot photography. Also included in the book are several wonderful pictures that while not displaying a yummy treat listed in the book, are absolutely gorgeous to behold. (My personal favorite was a elaborately laid out cracked chocolate heart surrounded with various colored sugars.)
And for those of us who aren't so talented in the kitchen, no worries. This cookbook is incredibly friendly to us kitchen klutzes, most having very simplistic instructions & easy to find ingredients. No blankly staring at the cookbook wondering where the chef expects us to find ingredients for this reviewer!
The cookbook ends on a hopeful note with Bolger wrapping up with an upbeat vacation romance story & several equally upbeat & delicious recipes. Girls, guys, whomever... this cookbook is a "must have" for anyone who loves baking delicious treats for happy or not so happy occasions! I know that I'm probably going to end up buying this from work- I love the pictures & the recipes are just too tempting! (I'll have to experiment with replacing some of the items to make them more friendly to my new diet, though.)
(ARC provided by NetGalley)
If you have ever dated, you've had a broken heart or two. If you haven't then you'll still laugh at what is quite possibly the most unique cookbook I've ever read. The dating life is never easy & just about everyone's had that one horrible breakup that caused them to blow that diet or buy so many cookies that they could own stock in Nabisco.
One part diary & one part cookbook, Bolger isn't afraid to air all of the skeletons in her dating closet, regaling us with dating flubs such as "Green Eyes" & near misses such as "The Big One". Each chapter is filled to the brim not only with dating stories that just about all of us can relate to, but hand-drawn pictures as well as an endless display of mouth wateringly delicious looking recipes.
Each recipe is accompanied with a cute title such as 'My Mother Didn't Like You Anyway' cupcakes as well as a beautifully shot photography. Also included in the book are several wonderful pictures that while not displaying a yummy treat listed in the book, are absolutely gorgeous to behold. (My personal favorite was a elaborately laid out cracked chocolate heart surrounded with various colored sugars.)
And for those of us who aren't so talented in the kitchen, no worries. This cookbook is incredibly friendly to us kitchen klutzes, most having very simplistic instructions & easy to find ingredients. No blankly staring at the cookbook wondering where the chef expects us to find ingredients for this reviewer!
The cookbook ends on a hopeful note with Bolger wrapping up with an upbeat vacation romance story & several equally upbeat & delicious recipes. Girls, guys, whomever... this cookbook is a "must have" for anyone who loves baking delicious treats for happy or not so happy occasions! I know that I'm probably going to end up buying this from work- I love the pictures & the recipes are just too tempting! (I'll have to experiment with replacing some of the items to make them more friendly to my new diet, though.)
(ARC provided by NetGalley)
December 1, 2012
Erin Bolger's "The Happy Baker: A Girl's Guide to Emotional Baking" is one part humorous dating fiascoes to two parts comfort food desserts. The tell-it-like-it-is dessert titles include Bite My Peanut Brittle, Bi-Atch, My Mom Is Always Right Choca-Mocha Squares, My Eggs Aren't Getting Any Younger Crème Brulée, and the I'm So Done With You and the Horse You Rode In On Haystack Cookies.
Erin begins her tale of dating woes starting with grade school (the chapter photo includes an homage to all things `80s: a New Kids On the Block pin and T-shirt, a Cinderella tape, skating trophies) through the awkward high school years and into the Internet dating age and beyond. Crayon and ink line drawings illustrating key moments are interspersed with beautifully staged food photos (each recipe has an accompanying photo). The closing note really struck a chord: "It's taken me a long time and a baker's dozen worth of experiences to know one thing for sure: I would rather be alone and happy than with someone just for the sake of not being alone."
The recipes themselves are tasty yet simple comfort foods, with everyday ingredients that you should be able to locate in your pantry and spice rack. You won't find delicate spun sugar decorations, puff pastry, or coulis, but you will find no-bake cookies, pumpkin pie, homemade chocolate caramels with sea salt, and numerous cake and cookie recipes. The first recipe that I tried was the I'm Not Dutch Apple Crisp, and it was fantastic yet simple. The filling consists of diced apples, frozen cranberries, sugar and cinnamon topped with oats, brown sugar, butter and salt. It came together quickly and the house smelled heavenly. The second recipe I tried was the It's Not Me, It's You Sea-Salted Caramels. Again, simple yet delicious, and these would make pretty gifts packaged in small baking cups.
Overall, "The Happy Baker" soothes body and soul with its combination of Erin's funny, take-no-prisoners look at dating mixed with simple comfort food desserts that come together quickly and would be perfect for girls' night in.
Erin begins her tale of dating woes starting with grade school (the chapter photo includes an homage to all things `80s: a New Kids On the Block pin and T-shirt, a Cinderella tape, skating trophies) through the awkward high school years and into the Internet dating age and beyond. Crayon and ink line drawings illustrating key moments are interspersed with beautifully staged food photos (each recipe has an accompanying photo). The closing note really struck a chord: "It's taken me a long time and a baker's dozen worth of experiences to know one thing for sure: I would rather be alone and happy than with someone just for the sake of not being alone."
The recipes themselves are tasty yet simple comfort foods, with everyday ingredients that you should be able to locate in your pantry and spice rack. You won't find delicate spun sugar decorations, puff pastry, or coulis, but you will find no-bake cookies, pumpkin pie, homemade chocolate caramels with sea salt, and numerous cake and cookie recipes. The first recipe that I tried was the I'm Not Dutch Apple Crisp, and it was fantastic yet simple. The filling consists of diced apples, frozen cranberries, sugar and cinnamon topped with oats, brown sugar, butter and salt. It came together quickly and the house smelled heavenly. The second recipe I tried was the It's Not Me, It's You Sea-Salted Caramels. Again, simple yet delicious, and these would make pretty gifts packaged in small baking cups.
Overall, "The Happy Baker" soothes body and soul with its combination of Erin's funny, take-no-prisoners look at dating mixed with simple comfort food desserts that come together quickly and would be perfect for girls' night in.
April 2, 2011
Although this book isnt really a book it still counts as a book. I ment like it includes the histories, backgrounds and everything you can possiblily learn on a specific type of book.On the side of the facts and informations it gives you the instructions and recipe o how you make it.
This book is highly recommented for bakes for emotionaly really want to make something especially for valinetines day! There is one perticular page that made it stand out, my coach makes his specail cheese cake for us one day, it taste sooo good, and that day was so fun and sunny. probably one of my best memories i ever have so when i see page 106 and 107 it just remined me of that very special day.
This book has only stuff that use from baking! At the end of this book it says is to be continue so now im going to borrow the secound eddition to this book from my very good friend crystal!
This book is highly recommented for bakes for emotionaly really want to make something especially for valinetines day! There is one perticular page that made it stand out, my coach makes his specail cheese cake for us one day, it taste sooo good, and that day was so fun and sunny. probably one of my best memories i ever have so when i see page 106 and 107 it just remined me of that very special day.
This book has only stuff that use from baking! At the end of this book it says is to be continue so now im going to borrow the secound eddition to this book from my very good friend crystal!
October 7, 2012
Although I did think a lot of the cookie recipes repeated themselves, overall, I thought this book was great! Erin Bolger is not a professional dater or baker, but shares her dating history from the beginning (with permed red hair, giant eighties glasses and black pleather pants as a nine year old) to the her present single-ness which she is finally comfortable with, and shares recipes for the cookies, cupcakes, candy and bread that have gotten her through her worst breakups. I especially liked her little drawings at the bottom of the page. I would like to try to make the Toffee Cracker Goodness, Erin's Go-To Cookie minus the coconut, Gingerbread Biscotti, Sea-Salted Caramels, and Spicy Dark Chocolate Island Bark. 4 stars.
July 4, 2010
This is a deceptive book ! The recipes are not exact 2 times out of 3.
I made the Goodbye Men, Hello Dolly Squares. It was the third recipe I have made from the book, second one that wasn’t complete. This recipe is the same one from the Eagle Brand web site. BUT with different quantities in the ingredients which meant that when I pulled it from the oven, it DID NOT look like it should. It looked mostly like a pan of Eagle Brand with bits poking from under it. Very disappointing.
I am not a happy baker when I test recipes from this book.
I made the Goodbye Men, Hello Dolly Squares. It was the third recipe I have made from the book, second one that wasn’t complete. This recipe is the same one from the Eagle Brand web site. BUT with different quantities in the ingredients which meant that when I pulled it from the oven, it DID NOT look like it should. It looked mostly like a pan of Eagle Brand with bits poking from under it. Very disappointing.
I am not a happy baker when I test recipes from this book.
December 17, 2010
The Happy Baker is the perfect companion for an emotional person, especially those who love to bake. I'm addicted to baked goods and I've found myself in the kitchen when something upsets me. Baking is a great outlet for stress because you get to focus your energy on something and in the end, you get to scarf down a delicious treat! I love Erin's book because she puts her heart and soul into her book and the recipes are amazing! This would make a great gift.
January 16, 2011
I read this book more for the novelty of it than anything else. The author's dating and relationship experiences are combined with themed baking recipes to match a particular phase of a person's love life(break-ups, in-love, and so on). Most of the recipes are fairly common ones that you've probably sampled already and can find very easily. The scrumptious photos that accompany each and every recipe are the book's main strength, and may come in handy for times of baking inspiration.
December 28, 2012
This is such an enjoyable read! The recipe titles are hysterical and this book would be a great "girlfriends" gift. There aren't a huge number of recipes, but it's a nice, small collection. This book doesn't have the most inventive or creative recipes, but it really excels at covering more basic treats (which makes sense since the book focuses on "comfort" baking.) The instructions are easy to follow and I don't think a beginner would have any trouble using this cookbook.
February 21, 2013
Just not up my alley. I wasn't interested in trying any of the recipes - I could tell by perusing them that they're kind of inferior - and I didn't find the titling of the recipes particularly relevant or the storytelling particularly interesting. I appreciate that she's still single at the end and down with it, but the stories of her relationships neither taught me anything nor made me laugh. I ended up skimming this one.
April 3, 2011
Part cookbook part diary, this is a hoot. A tasty, indulgent recipe for all of life's ups and downs (mostly downs) when we need dessert the most. She is funny and I'll be trying several of her recipes.
(Full disclosure: I picked it up at the library along with The Biggest Loser Cardio Max. I'm enjoying this much more.)
(Full disclosure: I picked it up at the library along with The Biggest Loser Cardio Max. I'm enjoying this much more.)
June 13, 2014
This book is fantastic! I had so much fun reading the stories that I can TOTALLY relate to! The recipes are pretty damn amazing as well..they are always in high demand when I bake them up for friends. I work at a bookstore and it's currently my handsell because I think every (single) girl needs this on her shelf <3
April 4, 2011
This cookbook has the best cookies ever!!! And I do like her technique of pounding nuts with a hammer......it's definitely a feel good technique!! (Gets more out of your system than just romance recovery...helps all kinds of angst!)
June 14, 2018
Love the recipes in this book. Been baking the recipes in this book since it was first released.
Have made quite a few cakes and cookies in this book for those special occasions.
Most frequently used recipes are the Carrot Cake and Match Made in Heaven cookies.
Have made quite a few cakes and cookies in this book for those special occasions.
Most frequently used recipes are the Carrot Cake and Match Made in Heaven cookies.
November 26, 2010
I enjoyed the stories of the author's dating dilemmas mixed in with some very good recipes. Worth your time!
December 16, 2010
Good, fun recipes sliced with wit, served with humor. Fun twist on baking!
February 21, 2011
Please see Amazon.com to view this review as part of the Vine program.
May 14, 2011
I rather enjoyed the recipes and the stories.
Read my full review at my blog M&Y the Baking Book Bunny:
http://mandynlaw.blogspot.com/2011/05...
Read my full review at my blog M&Y the Baking Book Bunny:
http://mandynlaw.blogspot.com/2011/05...
May 27, 2011
Why didn't I think about this first?!?
August 18, 2012
This book is fun and sinful! I love the recipes and I can appreciate the spirit it was written in. I really hope the writer takes us on more delicious advenrures soon!
March 1, 2013
It's half cookbook, half stories about her love life. Published by Harlequin. I enjoyed it. Funny names for the recipes like, My Mom didn't like you anyways Cupcakes :)
April 15, 2022
This book is part cookbook, part memoir. I thought the stories were funny and the recipes look good.
March 6, 2014
Her stories were more interesting than the recipes which weren't that impressive, Imo.
August 30, 2014
This is such a good dessert cookbook.I can't wait to try a lot of the recipes. This is a book that you want to own.
February 1, 2016
funny w/lots of easy recipes but none that I had to bake immediately
May 13, 2011
Lousy & inane.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews