Flirting with Flour

Fried Goat Cheese! (over salad, of course)

2012-01-22T11:45:00.000-08:00

Not much to say .... this picture speaks for itself. :) Why should I have to wait to enjoy fried goat cheese at a restaurant? I have an abundance of the stuff sitting in my fridge...my next move is obvious.. let's try this at home. I couldn't have been more pleased. This is SO easy. Ingredients (1 serving) 3oz soft goat's milk cheese 1 egg 1/3 cup flour 1/3 cup panko bread

Buttermilk Biscuits

2011-08-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

These are just like Bojangles biscuits* (see fine print). Need I say more? Last week I made the rustic blueberry tart/gallette (featured twice already on this blog so no need for a repeat) and here I am again with buckets of buttermilk. If I haven't ranted about this already I find it ridiculous that they sell buttermilk in such large quantities. Almost every recipe I have ever seen

MacKenzie Creamery (goat cheese is sooo good)

2011-08-03T18:43:00.000-07:00

(photo courtesy of JohnnyJet.com) Sometimes the simplest things are so satisfying.... Rustic Italian bread (lightly toasted) + MacKenzie Creamery Cognac-Fig Goat Cheese (slightly melted on toast) + Topped with figs, apricots, and pears (sliced) + chopped walnuts and sliced prosciutto + and a drizzle of honey or balsamic vinegar reduction = DIVINE! Serve along side a light

What do the locals eat??

2011-03-29T16:09:00.000-07:00

Introducing a new wiki project called MyCityCuisine.org. Help out by submitting write-ups or photos about great food in your town... and see what you should order next time you travel. I haven't figured out what I am going to submit for Charlotte yet but I'll think of something :)

Yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake

2011-03-27T16:43:00.000-07:00

(do I even need to say it... pls excuse the poor photo quality) The March 2011 Daring Baker’s Challenge was hosted by Ria of Ria’s Collection and Jamie of Life’s a Feast. Ria and Jamie challenged The Daring Bakers to bake a yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake. At first I thought to myself.......Isn't this the same as the December challenge?? Nope!.... And a meringue in the middle; thats strange.

Joconde Imprime

2011-01-27T16:11:00.000-08:00

The January 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Astheroshe of the blog accro. She chose to challenge everyone to make a Biscuit Joconde Imprime to wrap around an Entremets dessert. Overall great challenge. There was no filling recipe provided so I did not end up making any filling but I got through the tough part... making the Jonconde Imprime. Originally I wanted to do a

Christmas Stollen - fruitcake or fruity bread?

2010-12-27T05:25:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! The 2010 December Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Penny of Sweet Sadie’s Baking. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make Stollen. She adapted a friend’s family recipe and combined it with information from friends, techniques from Peter Reinhart’s book.........and Martha Stewart’s demonstration. I loved this challenge! And, from what I could tell, so did everyone

Maple Sweet Potato Cheesecake ~ Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-12-25T12:31:00.000-08:00

Sweet Potato Maple Cheesecake with gingerbread crust and marshmallow sour cream topping. - YUM! I'm a little behind on blogging - today is Christmas day and this cake was made for Thanksgiving. I'm not entirely at fault - sister had the camera with all the pictures. If you're from the South its a safe bet that you've had sweet potato casserole - maybe with candied pecans but most likely with

Cottage Cheese Crostata

2010-11-27T10:25:00.000-08:00

The 2010 November Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Simona of briciole. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well. So what is a crostata??? Our host provided a brief description: "...crostata (tart), an Italian dessert.

Donuts or Doughnuts? Doesn't matter... they're delicious!

2010-10-27T12:38:00.000-07:00

The October 2010 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. Lori chose to challenge DBers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious. This month's challenge was so much fun!! Is it obvious I am not much of a Dunkin' Donuts fan? I've always favored Krispy Kreme... maybe because my uncle would

This is why they teach you time management :)

2010-10-08T03:49:00.000-07:00

I am baking cookies on a school night and don't feel a bit guilty about it.... (I may think otherwise come 8am tomorrow morning when I'm taking a test ;) But seriously, for the record, I'm pretty darn good at managing my time and Mr. Cliff T. Ragsdale, author of Spreadsheet Modeling and Decision Analysis, has been the gracious recipient of my undivided attention for the last week. It was high

Sugar Cookies

2010-09-27T13:46:00.000-07:00

The biggest challenge this month was figuring out what shapes to cut my cookies for the "September" theme. October would have been easy: "Halloween". March: "Birthday", November: "Thanksgiving", May: "Flowers", June: "Summer Time".... but September???? I guess it might depend on what part of the world you are in but I can't really think of any "themed" holidays around here... I guess there is

New Books & Hamburger Buns

2010-08-29T12:24:00.000-07:00

haha, I'm just now noticing that really obvious color "dot" on the photo...Thats the best I could do with a free photo editing software...the idea was good though, right? I love all kinds of books. Novels, coffee-table books, how-to's, magazines, news papers, the list goes on - I'm not so sure if I'd go as far as to say I love text books, but after a few years of school I've kind of developed a

Curry Chicken Burgers with Carrot Salad

2010-08-29T12:23:00.000-07:00

Curry Chicken Burgers with Carrot Salad Carrot Salad: 3 tbs olive oil (I just omitted this)1 1/2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice1 tsb Dijon mustard1/2 tsp sugarSalt & Freshly ground black pepper, to taste3 cups peeled and grated carrots1 tbs snipped fresh chives Combine all ingredients and toss to evenly coat carrots. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Burgers: 2 tbs olive oil1/2 cup

Fluff(y) Frosting

2010-08-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

Fluffy, sticky, sweet and super simple. Fluffy White FrostingKind of like Marshmallow Fluff(enough for an 8 inch double layer cake) Ingredients1 cup white sugar1/3 cup water1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar2 egg whites1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1. In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, water and cream of tartar. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is bubbly. 2

August DB Challenge

2010-08-27T05:08:00.000-07:00

The August 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Elissa of 17 and Baking. For the first time, The Daring Bakers partnered with Sugar High Fridays for a co-event and Elissa was the gracious hostess of both. Using the theme of beurre noisette, or browned butter, Elissa chose to challenge Daring Bakers to make a pound cake to be used in either a Baked Alaska or in Ice Cream Petit Fours. The

Blueberry Lattice Pie kicks off a new tradition - Friday Night Bakes and help for Hospitality House

2010-07-31T18:46:00.000-07:00

Over the summer I have gotten into the habit of baking on Friday nights. Yes, I know I’m a little boring – and I’m okay with that ;) But this new routine has left me in a bit of a jam… what to do with all these baked goods. So I started thinking…. I try to give back when I can; donating to Goodwill, running 5Ks for a cause etc...so why not kill two birds with one stone: break in my new

Ice Cream Bombe Cake - with hot chocolate fudge sauce and candied pecans

2010-07-31T10:18:00.000-07:00

The July 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Sunita of Sunita’s world – life and food. Sunita challenged everyone to make an ice-cream filled Swiss roll that’s then used to make a bombe with hot fudge. Her recipe is based on an ice cream cake recipe from Taste of Home. More to post later - but in brief, it was a vanilla Swiss roll with a strawberry whipped cream filling filled with coffee

Funfetti Birthday Cake!

2010-07-24T18:24:00.000-07:00

Upon request: a Funfetti birthday cake for my friend Richard. You know, the same one that ate my gingerbread house... >:-\ (I'm still a little bitter about that.) This is basically your best white cake recipe with a quarter cup -or more ;) of sprinkles. (Make sure they are the long kind. I have tried to make a confetti cake with the flat and non-glossy sprinkles before... doesn't work. They "

Triple Trouble Chocolate Cake

2010-07-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Dad!Most of the time I try to come up with a catchy post title. Something that is suggestive of what to expect from the recipe. This time "Triple Trouble Chocolate Cake" was the best I could come up with.... this is three ultra moist layers of decadent chocolate cake smothered with a rich, luscious butter cream that makes for a dangerously divine birthday dessert. Would make

Rosy Nectarine Tart

2010-07-13T18:32:00.000-07:00

"What is your favorite flower?", a question for which I never have an answer. But, I can tell you it would most certainly not be a Geranium. Growing up we had about ten of those potted plants on our glassed-in front porch. Every so often, my sister and I were each given a paper grocery bag and told to go pick the brown leaves and dead flowers off the Geraniums so they would "look nice". I

Star Spangled Galette

2010-07-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share what I made for Fourth of July this year. I used the same blueberry galette recipe from earlier and used a cookie cutter and red sprinkles to make the stars. Everyone at our neighborhood block party loved it =D And this was much easier than last year's flag cake... recall the dog incident.

"Use what you need. I'll drink the rest"

2010-06-27T04:36:00.000-07:00

The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers’ to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard. I love having a roommate who wholeheartedly supports my passion to bake. One Saturday afternoon I came home to two small

Biscotti with a hint of almond flavor, chopped, roasted hazelnuts and dried bing cherries

2010-06-20T11:21:00.000-07:00

Several months ago I bought the book Baking from My Home to Yours by Dorrie Greenspan. If you click around on food blogs you've probably noticed "Tuesday's with Dorrie". I thought about joining but aside from all my usual baking, the Daring Baker's keep my roommates well fed. Instead, I just bought the book and decided to try the recipes on my own time. Ps. I loved them! (and I'm not a huge

Brown's Buns (and a painting party!)

2010-06-14T18:06:00.000-07:00

After finally deciding to paint my new kitchen yellow I thought it would never get done. It took three trips to Lowe's and a couple to Home Depot until I eventually got the color I wanted. Its called "Caribbean Sunset". True I'd rather be on the beach of some island but for now, I am enjoying my own little oasis. Two of my good girl friends, Ashley and Brittany, came over to help and were

Blueberry Galette

2010-05-31T19:52:00.000-07:00

Hello Summer!! After one whole week I finally "broke in" my kitchen! I thought fresh blueberries from the Charlotte Farmer's Market would make a lovely rustic tart. Made the perfect dessert for burgers on the grill. Happy Memorial Day! Blueberry GaletteRecipe courtesy of Cooking Light (serves 10)PASTRY: 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 7 3/4 ounces) 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup

Cream Puffs & an attempt at a Piece Montee

2010-05-27T20:39:00.000-07:00

The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of Little Miss Cupcake. Cat challenged everyone to make a piece montée, or croquembouche, based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri. I'm in the middle of a move and just realized I haven't posted my Daring Bakers challenge for this month!! So I'll post a more detailed description and the recipe soon -

Strawberry Cheesecake

2010-05-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

Life is sweet... Exams are over!! Time to celebrate! : )) Fresh strawberries from Bernie's Berries, just up the street from Dad's house, made this absolutely divine! [and they don't have to know its low fat ] I used a cheesecake recipe from Eat Better America.com.... A fantastic website that that takes classics and "healthifies" them. Okay, all you skeptics.. dont' knock it 'till you try

Oh!ts

2010-04-24T20:22:00.000-07:00

Don't be fooled. This is not a real cookie mix but Quaker should consider! Class: Marketing 3100Assignment: Come up with a new product or product line extension and create a successful marketing plan. ---- Well, my next move was obvious. Let's do something related to food... preferably something that requires baking. :) This project required the works: real market research, surveys, budget

Chocolate Crepe Cake - A special breakfast for Brittany's 21st

2010-04-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

This is the labor of love!! Are you jealous of my roommates yet?? Does your roommate make this cake for your birthday breakfast? Didn't think so. I've been meaning to share this cake with you all for a few weeks now.. I've been a bad blogger! But a good baker.. and a good student : )) Answer: 33. I should have stopped at 21 - the number of years. That would have been appropriate (and a

A Fabulous Foodie Birthday

2010-03-28T17:14:00.000-07:00

I haven't had much time to blog lately (read: senior year is intense) but I just had to share with you what a fantastic birthday I had!! It was such a fun afternoon. The weather was mild and was perfect for my customized "geocaching" present hunt in the park! (I'm sure my sister and I looked ridiculous digging through the bushes. ) We ate this entire "cake"....guilt free!! Its a veggie

Vanilla extract

2010-03-25T18:58:00.000-07:00

You need vanilla extract for practically everything.... I'm sure McCormick is making a pretty profit charging $2.75 for 1oz of the stuff. ;) So why not make your own? I found a few different recipes for making vanilla extract but there are a couple of basic concepts worth noting: Use Grade B - extract grade vanilla beans and for every 1/3 cup of vodka you need 1 vanilla bean. Thats basically

Spring time sunshine & my first awards :)

2010-03-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung! Yesterday was the first official day of the season and I couldn't have wished for a more beautiful way to leave behind our unusually long winter. Carolina blue skies and 76 degree weather must be a sign of an especially warm spring season to come. Something about me: I love warm weather (not really a huge fan of humidity though). I guess that can be fact number one, of seven,

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

2010-03-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls - Made as a surprise morning treat for a close friend (and to celebrate of a (nearly) perfect exam grade 98 on supply chain - yay! :) A good friend of mine (and roommate) Brittany was having a bit of an off day - if you're a baker you already know what I'm thinking.. yep, she needs something sweet - that will make everything better! (and will give me a chance to dig

Whoopie Cookie Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Sandwiches

2010-03-02T19:20:00.000-08:00

My fingers were numb by the end of this process but in the name of St. Valentine I did this because I love my friends and knew they would enjoy them. Vanilla beans on Ebay = ultra good deal and delicious homemade vanilla bean ice creamI ordered vanilla beans on ebay - trust me this is the way to go - they're normally $3.50 for 1-2 beans. Ah! I got 10 beans for $5. So with my new high torque

Ter-rible-misu review & a story about Trader Joe roses

2010-02-28T05:56:00.000-08:00

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession. I searched high and low for plain, pasteurized cream and had no such luck but all was well my search ended

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars = Shorter Yield to Yum Time

2010-02-08T16:13:00.000-08:00

Since this chocolate chip cookie recipe is baked in a brownie pan you reduce your prep time by cutting out bars instead of rolling the dough into individual little balls to make cookies... which means shorter Yield to Yum time! :) ...and OH MY GOD did I just use a finance term to make a baking analogy?!?! Something is wrong with the finance to baking ratio here...Clearly stocks, bonds and

Mega Fortified Low Fat Granola

2010-02-03T12:37:00.000-08:00

Mmmm.. yogurt topped with granola-addicting stuff that is packed with sugar and calories; an average of around 200 for 1/3 cup to be exact, which heavily outweighs the health benefits, in my opinion. And if you plan on munching right out of the box you've long surpassed the 1/3 cup serving size and could have splurged those calories on something way more worthy - like chocolate cake ;) So, I

The last one left low fat brownie - they're that good

2010-01-30T04:45:00.000-08:00

I had to snag the last one left for a photo! Have you ever been to Mimi's Cafe? They have one of the best brownie a la modes - it is my weakness. It is HUGE though. Imagine an entire 8 x 8 inch brownie cut diagonally into two mega triangles stylishly placed onto a dinner plate, not dessert plate - thats how mega this brownie is - then drizzled with hot chocolate syrup and topped with vanilla ice

Mocha Hazelnut Nanaimo Bars

2010-01-27T03:40:00.000-08:00

The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca. Chocolate * Vanilla * Mocha * Hazelnut Tackling the first part of this month's two part challenge I began by making the graham crackers from which I

Plump Blueberry Puffins (the pancake muffin hybrid)

2010-01-18T06:39:00.000-08:00

Pancake + Muffin = PUFFIN! Good morning!!! It is my favorite time of day. The sun is rising, GMA is on, and I am a happy camper. : ) I am sipping on a cup of French roast coffee with vanilla creamer and dipping puffins filled with plump blueberries into a puddle of maple syrup. I found this recipe last night on Quinn's Baking Diary and I knew the faster I got to sleep the faster morning would

Simple Banana Muffins

2010-01-15T05:31:00.000-08:00

Again, someone let the bananas brown and that means I get to try a new banana quick bread recipe. This time I chose muffins. This was a simple, no frill recipe and honestly had the best texture and taste of any banana bread I have made yet. (I have made at least four different kinds, some of which I didn't even bother posting because I was not all that impressed.) These were moist, had a good

Baking: From My Home To Yours by Dorrie Greenspan

2010-01-14T18:44:00.000-08:00

I got it for $14 dollars, no joke!! (okay, it was 18 with shipping but this book retails at $40!) Perhaps you have seen people post completed recipes on foodgawker or have seen the logo on other blogs. Many active bloggers of the foodie community participate in Tuesday's with Dorrie (TWD). For those of you not familiar with this blog you can read more about how blogger Laurie started her

Chocolate Cup Line Up

2010-01-10T11:49:00.000-08:00

Move over Reece's, I've got a line up that will put your peanut butter cup to shame!! I am on winter vaykay and that means more time in my kitchen!! This is the g o o d life. I can see why going back to school for a masters degree is going to be harder than I thought. I have enjoyed the few short weeks of just interning and cooking.. and more cooking... and lots of baking!! (which

Dulce de Leche

2010-01-09T07:31:00.000-08:00

Homemade Dulce de Leche. The easiest thing I have ever made. I have been know to have a few minor mishaps in my kitchen. Remember the baking soda spill over from the pretzels? So, I was a little fearful of trying making Dulce de Leche but I figured I should learn from my mistakes and since my last life threatening encounter, namely exploding a glass dish in the oven, I have learned the

Gingerbread House

2009-12-27T11:39:00.000-08:00

The December 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to you by Anna of Very Small Anna and Y of Lemonpi. They chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ everywhere to bake and assemble a gingerbread house from scratch. They chose recipes from Good Housekeeping and from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book as the challenge recipes. The story of this little house begins with The Great Scandinavian

Broccoli Soup with a boost!

2009-12-24T11:37:00.000-08:00

There is spinach in this soup?? Sneaky.... ; ) Broccoli soup is a c l a s s i c - adding a little spinach makes this soup even better! Since broccoli is full of fiber and spinach is a good source of iron that means this bowl is bursting with nutrition! Its a good way to sneak in some veggies...I'm sure the spinach eating rebel in your life won't even notice ;) I was tempted to toss in some

Artisan Bread

2009-12-24T08:47:00.000-08:00

Crunchy. Crispy. Crusty. Light. & Airy. Everything you should expect from "...a bread that is crafted, not mass produced." - wisegeeks.com I used to love going to the grocery with my mom when I was younger. We would always buy french baguettes. Impossible to resist the aroma of freshly baked bread, it was unlikely that the whole loaf made it home. We would pinch off portions and nibble all

Deviled Eggs

2009-12-15T07:46:00.000-08:00

Deviled eggs are a classic appetizer and you should not have a gathering with out them. Or at least attempt to. In my house there is an invisible thief and somehow the filling miraculously disappears if you turn your back to the counter. Hmmmmm... Sister, why are you licking your lips?? There are oh so many devilish recipes but this is the one my family has always used. I am actually a huge

Layerd Lime Cheesecake

2009-12-13T11:28:00.000-08:00

A good friend of mine, Jesse, had just celebrated his birthday the day before our Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. Since we were already having a party what better than to make a birthday cake to celebrate with all our friends. Now what kind of cake to make?? Dilemma! He does not like cake... uhmm, okay. Approach: He loves mint, lime, cheesecake, and pies. Possible Remedies: Key Lime

Christmas Kisses Cookies

2009-12-13T07:59:00.000-08:00

I got the idea to decorate these from Betty Crocker. The peanut butter blossom cookie is already such an adorable cookie with a kiss smack in the middle... but I just couldn't resist! But lets make the cookies first... Hershey’s® Kisses® Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies (recipe courtesy Hershey’s) 48 Hershey’s® Kisses® Milk Chocolates, unwrapped 1/2 cup shortening 3/4 cup Reese’s Creamy

Party Peppers and Ranch Dip

2009-12-13T06:49:00.000-08:00

These cheese stuffed, bacon wrapped jalapeno peppers might be little but they have a lot of personality. If you've trying to compile a budget savvy party menu make sure to put these apps. on your go-to list. 12 Jalapeno peppers $1.34 8 oz. Cream cheese $0.98 (Thanks Walmart!) 1 bag of Shredded Cheddar Cheese $2.25 1 package of bacon $2.00 1 packet of Ranch Dressing Mix $1.50 For around

Delizioso Ricotta Gnocchi

2009-12-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

Delizioso Ricotta Gnocchi! (pronounced NY-ah-kee) Gnocchi is my savory comfort food - and in case you were wondering, plain oatmeal dressed up with cinnamon, apple pie spice, and maple syrup is my sweet comfort food :-) Its a texture thing. Gnocchi has a fluffy, chewy texture and is really filling. You can top this dish with virtually anything. I prefer marinara sauce but pesto, cheese,

Crumy Cannolis

2009-11-25T05:50:00.000-08:00

The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own

Introducing....

2009-11-24T21:09:00.000-08:00

So I've been a total couch potato today...and I've enjoyed every guilty guilt free moment of it. :) I'm usually a million miles a minute and on occasion I welcome a day to bum around - its especially best when you know you should be doing homework or something along those lines. But, I have too much of a good conscious to be a total loser and at least I productively procrastinated by throwing

S'o Much Mores Bars

2009-11-23T18:43:00.000-08:00

So much more than just a s'more! The gooey goodness of a fire roasted s'more straight from your oven. This cookie-bar is best on a night, shared with friends all gathered by the fire place with a hot chocolate in hand (the hot chocolate made with milk, of course, and served in a smiley snowman mug - from the dollar store - ;) Who doesn't like a s'more. C'mon, like you've never had the

Sweet Dinner Rolls - Memo: We wear parsley to parties

2009-11-23T17:32:00.000-08:00

Sweet Dinner Rolls (updated 12/1/09) These dinner rolls are sweet, chewy and fluffy and are a classic addition to any home style meal. They delivered great reviews, as promised. More on how to get the elegant parsley look below - These are my rolls! Okay, so I know there has been a stream of posts recently but all are well worth it...Imagine yourself back at the same Thanksgiving

Crackling Cranberry Chutney

2009-11-23T15:52:00.000-08:00

My little cell phone has done me well for two years but it really is time for a new one! I'm getting one over Thanksgiving weekend and high on the priority list is a good camera phone!!! - Sorry these pictures have been such poor quality... not that any picture can really capture the deliciousness I cook up in my kitchen ; ) Did you know that cranberries are only available during the holiday

Puffy Pumpkin Pie

2009-11-23T07:24:00.000-08:00

Puffy Pumpkin Pie This is the real deal No condensed milk or Cool Whip for this pie, just real cream. Everyone LOVED this pie! Made for a Thanksgiving dinner for about 20 people this pie, along with my Dad's maple apple pie, was gone in an instant! Will, a friend of mine who also loves to cook and was the master mind of this grand feast, grabbed seconds even though he was so full he could

I'm A Softy For Chewy Pretzels

2009-11-09T18:15:00.000-08:00

Soft, chewy, homemade pretzels. These begin with an Alton Brown recipe which are almost always a guaranteed success. I'm a huge fan of Good Eats. Alton Brown is so fantastic. Who knew cooking should be offered as an alternative science class - sure would beat chemistry! I can only say this having recently conducting a little experiment of my own while making these pretzels. Alton probably

Fun things for your kitchen

2009-11-05T21:07:00.000-08:00

Get started on your holiday shopping :) I've never posted something that doesn't involve a recipe - and I don't plan to do this often - but when I saw this I felt the need to share it with you all. I'm the most unlikely candidate for gag gifts but the notion someone is makes money off of them makes me a bit jealous :-p And, I can still laugh at most (and even consider some) .. I'll share

French Macaroons

2009-10-27T03:48:00.000-07:00

The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe. THE DARING COOKS OCTOBER 2009 CHALLENGE: MACAROONS I was so excited. The notable "feet" at the bottom are difficult to achieve and although mine are a bit flat...you can see them! = ) These were a bit too

Baked Tilapia & Pretty Parsley Potato Crisps

2009-10-12T20:19:00.000-07:00

These are absolutely beautiful! [almost too pretty to eat!] 2 (or more) baking potatoes Fresh herbs such as flat leaf parsley, sage, dill, chives Salt or seasoning Cooking spray I'm on fall break, and what better way to spend time with family (and Michael Buble) than in the kitchen. : )) My mom helped me assemble these pretty potato crisps and they were done in no time at all. To begin, we

Voila Vols-Au-Vent!

2009-09-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

Voila Vols-Au-Vent! The September 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Steph of A Whisk and a Spoon. She chose the French treat, Vols-au-Vent based on the Puff Pastry recipe by Michel Richard from the cookbook Baking With Julia by Dorie Greenspan.Second bakers challenge = success :) Its puff pastry - puffing up! : ) and voila... you have a Vols-Au-Vent (a bit lopsided but fits the

Sneaky Snickerydoodles!

2009-09-17T21:21:00.001-07:00

Oh. My. Gosh. Sticky, Gooey, Cakey, Chewy, not surprisingly my new favorite cookie! Generally I'm not much of a cookie person. I love a good chocolate chip cookie, and white chocolate macadamia nut but I'd usually rather have cake or pie. Since Snickers is my favorite type of candy bar and my last batch of snickerdoodles were surprisingly good, when I saw this recipe it was only a matter of

Peanut Butter Banana Babies

2009-09-10T19:29:00.001-07:00

Peanut Butter and Bananas go on a double date. Mini banana bread babies, what a happy ending :) I only had 2 over-ripened bananas, and as luck has it every banana bread recipe calls for 3 of them! But I tested my luck with these little loaves and set them up on a double date with two tablespoons of peanut butter, and what a pair! I got this recipe from creative loafing (you can see it below)

Sugar and Spice but Not-so-Nice Buttermilk Muffins

2009-09-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

High calorie-Low flavor-Muffin Mess! Mimi's Cafe, I can understand you don't want to share any top secret recipes but this was not nice! I LOVE Mimi's Cafe!! especially their outrageously delicious mega muffins! So, naturally when I stumbled upon the Buttermilk Spice Muffins recipe on their official website I bookmarked it immediately...It was my next go-to recipe when I had leftover buttermilk

Dobos Torta

2009-08-27T05:18:00.000-07:00

DOBOS TORTAThe August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.This was my very first Daring Bakers challenge...They don't call it a challenge for no reason;

Starry Night Mini Cupcakes

2009-08-14T18:49:00.000-07:00

* Starry Night *sweet, dreamy, cupcake minisIt was a long night, but a beautiful one spent in my new kitchen! I just moved into my new apartment...I was sold when I saw wood floors and stainless steel appliances. Sure, I'd love to sign a lease...on the granite counter tops :DI originally wanted to do rainbow cupcakes.. they look like so much fun! but I had already beaten the batter to death so I

Poor, Unfortunate Cookies

2009-07-30T11:57:00.001-07:00

The Chinese, they're too smart!! Even their cookies are tricky to make! ((well, they weren't hard to make but will be hard to perfect. I'm sure that after a few attempts the craft of folding fortune cookies will become easier))None the less, they tasted just like a fortune cookie you get at your favorite Asian restaurant. They would even be good made as a decorative crispy cookie served with ice

Curve Ball Krispies

2009-07-29T06:57:00.000-07:00

Look out, this baker makes a mean rice krispie . Crushed oreos and vanilla chocolate give these classic treats a curve!My sister's boyfriend plays baseball for his college team. I spotted this recipe and couldn't resist! So we made it another bake and bond afternoon. : ) I give credit where due so I have to say she did most of the work... She even learned how to double boil! I'm proud.The recipe

Peanut Butter + Something? = PB Coffee Cake

2009-07-27T21:47:00.000-07:00

Warning: If you eat peanut butter by the spoon full right out of a jar, this cake will be your weakness. At First: It was like eating a spoon full of peanut butter, except it was fluffy and it melted in your mouth instead of sticking to the top of it :P This was such a moist cake. I would not use anything but skim milk in this recipe. I can't imagine what results you would get with whole milk.

Flag Cake

2009-07-16T05:02:00.001-07:00

Where to begin? Two sisters, two trips to the grocery store, two batches of cake, two crazy dogs and two very long days later.....finally, a Flag Cake! I went home for the Fourth of July, and my sister and I wanted to bake something for the occasion. Strawberry stripe cakes with Blueberry stars: cute but expected. Cutting into this cake: a flag, unexpected. Perfect! And if the pattern isn't

Cheesecake Checkers

2009-07-14T17:46:00.001-07:00

Bite-sized cheesecakes... Mmmmmm! (minimum guilt, maximum satisfaction)I've actually never been a huge fan of cheesecake - maybe because I haven't ever liked dairy ::gasp!:: until about two years ago. This was the first time I have tried cheesecake since and perhaps its the perfect petite portion but these little squares were quite delectable! ((How certain am I? Lets just say they passed the

Glazed Streusel Banana Bread

2009-07-12T20:11:00.000-07:00

This is not your average banana bread. I always look for unique recipes and this one stood out. This loaf has a nutty streusel and a cinnamon glaze. Mmmm! I got this recipe from a blog called eating-in (thanks for the fabulous recipe!) The bread was very moist. I would suggest cutting it when it is completely cooled. Below is the original recipe with my comments in gray. Bread Batter ½ cup (one

Quick Whip Raspberry Mini Pies

2009-07-12T05:01:00.000-07:00

((I'm realizing I need a better camera. : / sorry about the fuzzy picture)) quick, easy, and refreshing! ....it was SUPER hot!! (obviously, the whip cream was wilting as I was trying to get a picture!) With the air condition broken a birthday cake for mom was not going to be on the menu, the alternative was a cold, fruity dessert ( A 350 degree oven to further contribute to the rising

Crispy Lemon Cloud Cookies

2009-06-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

What a cute crispy cookie. I prefer chewy cookies but my mom likes crispy cookies. I over-nighted these to her and she devoured ALL of them that same afternoon! This is my first "crispy" cookie. To those of you who are also newbies to making thin crisps here are a few of my experienced trial and errors:I used a whisk attachment to beat the eggs and sugar, this made the eggs pretty fluffy- and

Snickerdoodle

2009-06-27T21:16:00.000-07:00

Chewy SiNcKerdOodles I love cinnamon! And I was tired of doing the same chocolate cake for the third time in a row. So I had my heart set on making some chewy cookies with ingredients every kitchen has. This recipe was a delicious success. Traditionally the snickerdoodle (aka cinnamon sugar cookie) has a crispier edge and a cake-like texture but these cookies turned out exactly as promised.

Chocolate PB loco!

2009-06-21T20:38:00.000-07:00

Inside Out Reeses Cake This weekend's baking seemed to be inspired by candy... for this cake it was Reeses Peanut butter cups. (Per usual) It all started with the chocolate mayonnaise cake cut into three layers. (Here's a cool tip: If you do not have a long knife or special cutting tool to cut straight through the cake, use floss to create a clean cut. Here you can find the original recipe (

Cookies n' Cream - a Chocolate Oreo Cake

2009-06-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

Mmmmm! Oreos : )) what a delicious cookie + chocolate cake =Yummy!I made this cake for a friend who is moving away. One of his favorites is an Oreo cake we've purchased at Harris Teeter (local grocery). I was determined to create a close clone.I started with a chocolate mayonnaise cake (I'll likely never switch back to oil again. Mayo does the trick every time.) The Oreo frosting was a dangerous

A Fisherman's Birthday Cake

2009-06-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

Upon request, this is a simple chocolate cake with chocolate icing. ((Dad is a Chocolate fiend!)) He also loves fly fishing.. so, my sister and I came up with this crafty cake. The little man is actually a "grow me" boyfriend. You know, you throw him in the water and he magically expands. His fishing pole is a tooth pick and for the line I used floss. Baby Goldfish look much bigger in this river

Zebra or Bullseye

2009-06-05T16:43:00.000-07:00

Two cakes- in one :)I LOVE this cake! Its so much fun. It requires a lot of patience but is really quite simple and makes for an impressive dessert.ZebraBullseyeThe details on how to make the cake along with the recipe can be found at Baking Bites.Have FUN!

Princess and the Pea

2009-06-05T16:17:00.000-07:00

Princess and the PeaYou're never too old for a cute cake! I made this cake for my sister's 19th birthday. I was furious when I unwrapped the fruit roll up and noticed the Scooby-Do print! Nowhere on the box did it say there was a cool little pattern. >:|I started with a basic jelly roll cake. {note that throwing sprinkles into a jelly roll cake does not result in the ultimate confetti cake.

My Proudest!

2009-05-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

Triple Fudge Kahlua CakeThis was intense! Fully intense flavors and a very challenging recipe (especially for the beginer baker) This cake was made for my doctors assistant's hubby's 40th birthday. <--- that was a mouthful! :-P I was excited about my latest cake and just to make small talk I was showing the assistant a picture ((on my cell phone)) of the Princess and the Pea torte I made my