Geeking Out & Singing Showtunes

Hey, I'm Ryan! I'm a huge dork - bibliophile, theatre-geek, design/art-nerd, movie junkie...I'm an east coast transplant to the Twin Cities just making my way in the world. These are ramblings, rants, and things I just think are really cool, really weird, or something I completely geek out over.

[thatsthat24]

Give Me the Proper Motivation 👔

[ithelpstodream]

[zoloftsexdeath]

[scooterryan79]

Happy Gotcha Day, Amelia! Five years ago today you became part of the family right when I needed you. When I saw you at @animalhumanemn I knew you were meant to come home. #amelia #rescuecats #rescuecatsofinstagram #catsofinstagram #siamesecat #lynxpointsiamese https://www.instagram.com/p/B7nCGtShLBg/?igshid=1dulrmh7e11ih

[scooterryan79]

Murphy decided since the fire wasn’t on that he needed to lay by the heat vent...in the cat bed. #murphyjamesonpetersnak #boxersofinstagram #dogsofinstagram #boxer https://www.instagram.com/p/B7j3cDBBcu7/?igshid=1nv02s9awozar

[scooterryan79]

My #bestnine2019 some beautiful bakes, my girls Amelia and Dorothy, and a shocking 3 selfies (I don’t post those very often). I also like that some of my baking from last holiday season (which extended into January) made it into the Top 9 for this year. #best9of2019 #nerdybaker #gaybaker #catdad #dogdad #selfie #rescuedogsofinstagram #rescuecatsofinstagram #lifeofladydorothy #amelia https://www.instagram.com/p/B6q_X3LBTW4/?igshid=z6dwrz8kd1p2

[scooterryan79]

Saturday’s bake: thinking of my grandmother, Charlotte (who passed away 6 years ago earlier this month) and making her chocolate chip pudding cake recipe in the pan she used every holiday season (@nordicwareusa Pine Forest Bundt). I love this cake and make it a few times a year - I’ve posted about this cake before. This time I added some dried cherries for a simple (and literal) version of a Black Forest cake and it was super tasty. I love the look of cakes from this pan as well - a simple dusting of confectioner’s sugar and it makes these trees come to life. #nerdybaker #chocolatechippuddingcake #bundstagram #nordicware #bundtcake #gaybaker #gayswhobake #homebaker https://www.instagram.com/p/B6cK4xph84u/?igshid=6srmjd0yoibz

[scooterryan79]

So I got a little crafty for one Christmas gift this year. I brushed off some old skills and stitched and framed this for a friend (a reference to his favorite movie). Also, if you haven’t seen “What We Do in the Shadows”, I highly recommend. #nerdybakergetscrafty #nerdybakercrafts #gayswhostitch #gayswhocraft #whatwedointheshadows #crossstitch pattern by @sappymoosetree https://www.instagram.com/p/B6cIeKGBU5F/?igshid=p0xdga04uhj1

[scooterryan79]

Category is: @diane_keaton Christmas realness! Dorothy channeling Annie Hall after her grooming appointment! She’s just needs a hat and vest! Thanks to #thepawspagroomery for the tie! #lifeofladydorothy #sheepdog #sheepdogsofinstagram #dianekeaton #anniehall #rescuedogsofinstagram #christmas (at Minneapolis, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6Em5vDBeWc/?igshid=1i4b7uqwnn9sg

[scooterryan79]

Special delivery from Ann Arbor! Andy and Keith sent a @zingermansbakehouse Gingerbread Coffee Cake!! If you don’t know what Zingerman’s is, you 👏 are 👏 missing 👏 out 👏. I haven’t tried this one yet and I’m super excited! Andy and Keith are THE BEST and can’t wait to see them in the new year! I think a Michigan trip is in order. #zingermans #annarbor #michigan #christmasgifts #coffeecake #ediblegifts https://www.instagram.com/p/B6Elgrehggp/?igshid=14636vwulxq9r

[scooterryan79]

As you might know, I love a good upside down cake, and my quest continued with this recipe from a colleague. Last night’s bake for a Christmas dinner with the neighbors: Cranberry Orange Cardamom Torte. This is a @bettyrosbottom recipe that I got as a scan of a cut out from a magazine or newspaper from I don’t know when/where. This torte is everything I love in a cake. The cake is a fantastic combo of cardamom and orange (I actually think I’m going to increase the cardamom a little next time), and the topping is a perfect sweet tart punch of cranberry and orange. I added some Grand Marnier to the topping syrup for a little extra flavor kick as well. I’ll definitely be making this at least a few more times this holiday season! #nerdybaker #cardamom #holidaybaking #torte #gaybaker #homebaker #ibakethings #bettyrosbottom #upsidedowncake #thebakefeed https://www.instagram.com/p/B5_7ZkxhYiI/?igshid=1aza64o35rgfy

[scooterryan79]

Christmas came early last night! Our neighbors made us this amazing bar cart from an old radio flyer! It is so amazing! I can’t wait to set it up! And the hot dog fabric on the inside is the best. We finally have an original @whiskeywilliecreates! Can’t wait to have a party! Thank you Will and @melisjean (@melissamound.realtor). You are the best neighbors! #christmas #christmasgifts #whiskeywilliecreates #melissamoundrealty #radioflyer https://www.instagram.com/p/B5_4C8RBeyB/?igshid=1fbqr558lksu4

[scooterryan79]

This picture may not look like much, but this is THE BEST DAMN SANDWICH I HAVE EVER MADE. Thanksgiving dinner is probably my absolute favorite meal. But do you wanna know the best thing about Thanksgiving? Leftovers! A turkey sandwich with leftover roast turkey one of my favorite things. I was inspired by @thefeedfeed and made amazing turkey melts: leftover turkey and cranberries, Granny Smith apple, and Brie, on @breadsmith_twin_cities cranberry flaxseed bread. This right here is a little bit of heaven. I’m full from dinner yet craving another one already. #nerdybaker #nerdybakercookstoo #leftovers #thefeedfeed #breadsmith #turkeysandwich https://www.instagram.com/p/B5jjmkfBgiW/?igshid=1dq26epxsvpbz

[scooterryan79]

My Thanksgiving bakes a few days late. I was struggling a little going into Thanksgiving. Between work and house projects and general stress I didn’t really feel like baking a whole lot. But when Wednesday rolled around and we had a snow day from work, I was feeling a bit better and had a pretty fantastic day in the kitchen. First up is a Cranberry Orange and Pecan streusel Bundt cake inspired by @sallysbakeblog Cranberry orange streusel bread recipe. It has a ribbon of pecan streusel running through it with an orange glaze and decorated eith homemade candied cranberry’s and pecans. This was a really delicious cake and with a few tweaks will be perfect. Next is my second (and then I made a third for a weekend dinner party) Pumpkin Mascarpone Bundt with mascarpone glaze from @thebakefeed. Also made my crowd pleasing date bars and a chocolate chip cookie pie for the kids. #nerdybaker #gaybaker #bundtstagram #nordicware #sallysbakingaddiction #thebakefeed #familyrecipe #thanksgivingbaking (at Minneapolis, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5jiS5MBFtM/?igshid=oqv2wj5842wo

[scooterryan79]

So I don’t normally post selfies of myself on here. For the most part it’s all about the food...and frequently the dogs and the cats. But today i was feeling myself - which is something I haven’t really been feeling lately - and I snapchatted and instastoried this selfie. Then I got a ton of compliments on it and was feeling myself even more. I spent the whole day in the kitchen baking for Thanksgiving and it felt good, particularly after a period where I have had little motivation to bake. I snapped this picture because I was feeling a bit myself again and it was a good day. And a bunch of you helped make it even better. So thank you. #nerdybaker #gaybaker #selfie #feelingmyself #beardsofinstagram #gayswhobake #gayswithbeards #gayswithglasses #gaygeek (at Minneapolis, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5ZgCndhd59/?igshid=zqo3picr27le

[hall--o--ween]

[scooterryan79]

Tonight and this past weekend I made a bunch of baked cake donuts for the first time and sing my new Nordic Ware donut pans. Tonight’s were regular size and the weekend ones were mini donuts (and brought to two Halloween parties). Tonight I reverse trick or treated to my neighbors delivering donuts (and got some candy in return). I made three flavors: the ones just coated in cinnamon sugar (and a couple with a vanilla glaze and sprinkles) are a classic spiced buttermilk donut (@nordicwareusa recipe). The dark ones are an Apple Cider cake donut (@sallysbakeblog recipe) that I then added a apple pie spice glaze to. And the ones glazed and dipped in non pareils are pumpkin cake donuts (@kingarthurflour recipe). I did overfill some of the molds - the apple cider ones particularly rise a ton and I wasn’t careful enough. #nerdybaker #fallbaking #gaybaker #donuts #halloweenbaking #homebaker #nordicware #sallysbakingaddiction #kingarthurflour https://www.instagram.com/p/B4Tq4lJBlGS/?igshid=jbn16lnrha3y

[scooterryan79]

Baked the @thebakefeed Bundt of the Month for a potluck at work today: Pumpkin Mascarpone Bundt with a mascarpone glaze. Baked in my new @nordicwareusa Brilliance Bundt pan. This cake really is the perfect autumn cake - warm pumpkin pie spices, almost creamy cheesecake middle, and a glaze that costs the whole thing with mascarpone goodness. Topped with a dusting of freshly grated nutmeg and pepitas. As someone who doesn’t particularly like pumpkin, this cake was delicious! Think this will definitely be making an appearance on the Thanksgiving dessert table. #nerdybaker #gaybaker #bundtstagram #nordicware #thebakefeed #pumpkincake #fallbaking #homebaker https://www.instagram.com/p/B4S2pWth4P_/?igshid=xzkywgf9367b