fireworks!

Have a dynamite (and safe) 4th of July, everyone!

My go-to last-minute dessert? Cupcakes. Always cupcakes.

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sláinte!

Happy St Patrick's Day!

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the day which must not be named

You might think that I'd get more excited about Valentine's Day since I now actually have a downright delightful dude with whom to celebrate it, but that doesn't seem to be the case. I still think it's pretty silly.

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have a krusteaz kristmas!

It should be fairly obvious at this point that I'm a fan of Krusteaz, even if you didn't know I was an ambassador for them and a member of their Baker's Dozen.

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hungry for the holidays

I love the holidays. I appreciate them so much more than I used to for two reasons.

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christmas time is here

Do you like our homemade decorations? We're keeping it classy this year.

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gobble gobble!

The number of potential Thanksgiving desserts is astronomical, but I wanted to show you some of my best recommendations. A few of these have definitely graced our holiday table in the past, but this year, it'll be something new: Pecan Pie Cheesecake. You'll want to stay tuned for that one.

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not red, white, and blue...

...so much as cherry tomato, French vanilla, and concord grape.*

*And yes, it's an absolute coincidence that all those hues happen to have culinary names.

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good for the heart*

Mother's Day foods are usually of the sinful and decadent variety, and I've taken that route twice before. We're trying something a little different this year.

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ring out the old...

...ring in the new.

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light as a feather, stiff as a board

I've put off making meringue cookies for far too long.

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happy easter to all...

...and happy birthday to me (and anyone else who happened to be born on this day...)!

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i love the irish...

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...accent.

I'm sure I'd love the Irish people, too, if I knew any personally, but alas, I do not. Happy St. Patrick's Day, folks (and happy birthday to my sweet cousin Mallorie!). If you're desiring some Irish coffee but want a cupcake too, I have the solution.

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happy candy day!

Happy Halloween, folks! If you think gingerbread is tasty, check out my skeletons over on Key Ingredient!

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the rest is just gravy

I could eat the dish you see before you thrice weekly for the rest of my days. In my eyes, the good luck it's supposed to bring is just a gratifying bonus.


Black-eyed peas. In their unseasoned and unflavored state, there's certainly nothing spectacular or special about them (other than their tell-tale periorbital hematomas)(yeah, I said it). However, there are a few key components that were added to this particular batch that make them utterly irresistible (I've eaten them for four days straight). What could these magical ingredients be, you ask? Cilantro and ham hock.

Cilantro is hands-down my favorite herb, so I'm sorry for those of you who find it revolting. It contributed a wonderfully fresh and vibrant flavor to the peas. Further, the inherent yumminess of the ham hock managed to seep into every single pea as they simmered on the stove and resulted in a slightly salty, oh-so-tender and rich mess o' legumes. I ate mine over some toasted sourdough drowned in pepper jack cheese (and felt warmer than I had for days).


Cumin and dry mustard were also involved, but to a lesser extent--their notes were subtle but definitely appreciated. All in all, this was just a masterful dish that hit all the right spots. Comfort food, defined.

Southern-Style Peas with Shiners
(makes a whole heck of a lot, which is great because they're even better reheated)
(trust me, after four repeats, this much I know)

2 cups dried black-eyed peas
5 cups water, broth, or some combination thereof
1 ham hock
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons dry mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups cilantro, coarsely chopped

Place black-eyed peas in a large pot. Cover with enough water to be about 2-inches deep over peas (anywhere from 6-8 cups). Bring to a boil, boil for 3 minutes, and remove from heat. Cover and allow to sit for 1 hour. Drain water off of black-eyed peas.
Add the liquid, ham hock, cumin, mustard, salt, and pepper to the black-eyed peas and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook, covered, for about 1 hour, or until the peas are tender, stirring occasionally. To finish, stir in the chopped cilantro and serve over some nice, hearty bread.

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boo, i say. boo.

Not "Boooooo!" like the noise an unhappy crowd makes, but "BOO! Boogity-oogity!" in the scare-some-hapless-kids-into-wetting-themselves sense. That's what I meant.


Not that I would intentionally do such a thing, of course.

We all know that I'm not the most creative person, so my offering for Halloween this year relies heavily on the random colors associated with the holiday. I made fudge, and I made it to be black and orange. Isn't that clever? I'm actually quite proud of myself.

I know this recipe by the name Easy Bars, and I have a story to share:

In elementary school, we had to occasionally give presentations to our classmates, teacher, and some judges from around the community. One year, I decided I would present the preparation of a tasty and aptly-named treat called Easy Bars.

It's important to note that one hard and fast rule for any food presentations was to never lick your fingers or utensils. I knew this. However, I became so flustered at one point that I stuck pretty much my entire chocolate-covered fist into my mouth. Can we say humiliation? I think so. I painfully groped my way to the end of my spiel and promptly bolted to the bathroom in tears.

After I had pulled myself together a few hours later, I came back and offered the judges some of the finished product, giving the excuse that I had waited to serve the goodies because I didn't want to spoil their lunches (even as a child I was pretty shrewd). I got a blue ribbon.

Thus marked the beginning of the end of my career as a public speaker.


These are good. These are simple. Make them, but don't lick your fingers. And have a thrilling Halloween.

Easy Bars, Halloween-Style
Black:
1/2 cup peanut (or almond) butter
1/4 cup margarine
1 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 bag mini marshmallows

Orange:
1/2 cup peanut (or almond) butter
1/4 cup margarine
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 bag mini marshmallows

For each layer, do the following:
Melt the peanut butter, margarine, and chips in the microwave and mix until smooth. Do not lick your spatula. Stir in the vanilla. Do not lick your spatula. Fold in the marshmallows and mix well. Do not lick your spatula. Dump into a buttered or lined 9x9 pan. The order of the layers is completely up to you. Place in the fridge until set and slice into squares. Now you may lick your spatula.

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happy mint-dependence day!

Sometimes you just need to step back and stop thinking. Turn off the ol' idea-machine. Let the engine cool down.


Leave your brain alone for a minute and it might surprise ya.

I spent way too long looking for and thinking about something festive to make for my coworkers in celebration of Independence Day. Ideas were few and far between, and none of them were good. I got frustrated and finally gave up, deciding not to make anything. Shortly thereafter, I had a miniature epiphany, and the Mint-dependence Day flag was born.


(I left the red part a bit swirly intentionally. Swirls are pretty.)

These are your typical cream cheese mints, which I've done before. A little food coloring, a little artistic positioning, and the result is a patriotic display of sweetness. It's not an outstanding production, but it satisfied me (and my co-workers, who I'm convinced will devour just about anything).

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

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worse than caffeine...

...and by worse, I mean far, far better.


Seriously--this is addictive stuff for any peppermint fan, and it just so happens that I am a lover of all things peppermint. No, lover doesn't really cut the mustard. I'm a peppermint-infatuate. A peppermint-fiend. President of the Peppermint Fan Club. You get the picture.


These things being said, it's no surprise that I only allow myself to make this treat once a year. Self-control seems to fly right out the window when my tongue hits that first creamy, sweet, minty bite. It's imperative that the candy be bagged immediately, securely tied with a double-knotted string, and into the hands of my friends and neighbors as soon as possible.


Did I mention that this fudge is kinda tasty?

I-Can't-Stop-Putting-This-In-My-Mouth Mint Fudge
(based on this recipe)

12 ounce package vanilla chips
16 ounce can vanilla frosting
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
8 drops red food coloring
crushed peppermint candies or candy canes or a smattering of peppermint sprinkles

Line an 8-inch square pan with wax paper. Melt the vanilla chips in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Mix in the frosting and peppermint extract. Spread the creamy goodness into the prepared pan. Drip the food coloring over the fudge and swirl decoratively with a knife. Sprinkle with crushed candies and chill until set.

Good luck trying to pace yourself.

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had enough?

Apparently, I haven't. I can peruse Thanksgiving post after Thanksgiving post after after-Thanksgiving post and not get tired of seeing your turkeys, cranberry sauces, and pies. What's more, I can eat our own leftovers for meal after meal after meal and still crave 'em the next day.


So, without further ado, here's (part of) our spread:


turkey--still good four days later


dressing--we don't call it stuffing unless it was actually inside the bird at some point


sauce of the cranberries


eggs of the devil


sweet potater casserole


cole slaw--the version that I've yet to match


the 4-pound box o' chocolates that we worked on all weekend...

Thank you, Thanksgiving!

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tag team thanksgiving

A few weeks ago, I was asked if I'd like to join some of my favorite lovely lady bloggers in a Thanksgiving blogging event.


We decided to have each person contribute a different course for Thanksgiving, making something of a complete menu for you readers. MOST unfortunately, I got stuck with dessert. (I sure hope your sarcasm detector went off; if not, get that sucker checked!)


Prah-leen, pray-leeen, peee-can, pa-cahn--regardless of how you pronounce the words, the combination of brown sugar, butter, and nuts is pretty much irresistible, especially slathered on top of a delightful sweet potater cake.

I've had this particular recipe bookmarked since the second I came across it. Sweet potatoes, bananas, and cinnamon united in cake form and topped with a thick, sweet praline frosting--you'd better believe I'd give it a shot! It was everything I hoped it would be.

I experienced multiple "OOOH ME" moments during the process. First, I chose to bake the cake in a tube pan. I would've gone with a bundt pan, but alas, I don't have one (and the Christmas list grows...). It took a lot longer than the 50-60 minutes indicated in the recipe, but I should've expected that, as that was the time for two loaf pans. Secondly, the cake itself grew into a grotesque and hideous monster rather than a nice, smooth cake. Witness Exhibit A:


Yikes. The third heart trauma occurred in the making of the praline frosting. I desperately wanted to cover the crags and crevices in the cake, so I really needed the frosting to be a good one. I let it cool and let it cool and let it cool, and it was still so runny that I was afraid to top the cake lest I end up with a praline-topped kitchen floor. I finally bit the bullet and spooned it on, and except for a few rather attractive dribbles...


...it hardened right on top. Phew.

Did I mention that it was tasty? Although the cake was good (very bread-like, with both the sweet potato and banana flavors detectable), the frosting was simply stellar. Stellar, I say. And that's coming from a person whose least favorite nut is the pecan.

So, now that your appetites are sufficiently stoked, go check out the rest of the spread:

*A masterfully-prepared turkey from Sue of Feel Good Eats.
*Fennel, Apple & Cranberry Stuffing and Brussels Sprouts with Virginia Ham a la Tiffany of The Garden Apartment.
*Two stunning dishes from Amy of Eggs on Sunday--Squash and Apple Bake and Celery Root, Parsnip and Apple Puree.
*Finally, from Kristin of The Kitchen Sink comes an Apple and Pecan Tart.


Sweet Spud Cake with Pray-leeen Pa-cahns
(based on this recipe)

1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 ripe bananas
2 cups sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease up a bundt pan, 2 loaf pans, or whatever dish you desire.
Blend oil, eggs, bananas, and sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Add salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and flours; blend well. Beat in the milk and sugar. Pour into pan(s) and bake for 50-75 minutes depending on pan of choice, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Praline Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup pecans, chopped
2 cups powered sugar
1/4 c. water

Cook butter and brown sugar over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until caramelized. Add pecans and remove to a bowl and cool slightly. Measure powdered sugar into a bowl and stir in water. Whisk until smooth. Using a fork, mix glaze into pecans, breaking up praline pieces while stirring. Spoon over cake and allow to harden and cool.


And hey--Happy Thanksgiving!

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