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It's the post all of you in the Bay Area have been waiting for. Well at least all of you who are cherry crazy like myself and have been dreaming about this day all Winter. If you were waiting on the post on how-to make ninja cookies; sit tight that one may be coming your way sooner than you think.I took a drive this afternoon to scope out the fruit situation. I had been hearing r
Well I didn't really pop a baby shower cake out of my hoo-ha, but it certainly did feel like it. Anyone that has ever made a large, over the top cake knows how the hours spent in discomfort can feel strangely similar to giving birth.It always starts off innocently enough. You start by entertaining absurd thoughts like, "Oh wouldn't it be wonderful if I had one of those amazing (low-mai
Have you ever been stone cold busted with peanut butter buttercream on your face? The other evening I posted a picture on my Facebook of the banana macarons I was working on and Amzina instantly busted me out by commenting, "Heh, I think it's awesome that your last post said you were going to focus on easy food and then you happened to whip these up." (Whoops, my bad!)You see Azmina&nb
Do you ever just want something easy to make for dinner to compensate for lack of easy in your life? I have my hand raised over here. My weeks have been passing at warp speed, yet I still like to fix something for dinner I know we can sit down and enjoy together. That is always a challenging task I might add considering my families diet seems to change on a daily basis. &nbs
Do you ever find yourself categorizing things in your life into the categories "worth it" or "not worth it"? I'm constantly re-examining and eliminating non-essentials or re-working things so they work better for me.For example stretchy pants; I've been debating this very issue for the last 20 years. They are totally "worth it" when it comes to being able to stuff yourself silly
I hiked, I climbed, I beheld the glory that is Yosemite and I can't even begin to tell you how spectacular it was. Nature was hurling itself at me at every turn, each sight more breathtaking than the last. I pushed my body to its limit (which isn't much) and I was sore from the task, but richly rewarded.I rested my weary body each evening in the quaint Wawona Hotel. I was so seduced by
Do bread and romance go together or is it akin to that sick twisted combo pickles and ice cream? I've been a bread baking fool lately. Playing with different flours and adding in different nuts and seeds to find the right combo. So many of you tell me bread is scary and that you get a little weak in the knees when it comes to trying your hand at it.For the record, I have my issue
Have you ever been stuck in the negative head space of "Does it really make a difference?" I've been stuck there for a few weeks. I think it boils down to the fact I'm the type of person who cares immensely about whatever it is I do. Sometimes I don't even get it, is it a hill climbing thing? Or is it something along the lines of I've already learned that, now let
Spring is here! All it took was a drive through the winding hills that surround where I live to solidify it.When the school bell rang on Friday I felt the switch go off and I knew it was official. Spring Break is on, even if it's only for two short weeks. I'm ready to tune out and head out into different directions and see where I find myself. As much as I've enjoyed writing this
I promised you doughnuts the other day and being a woman of my word; I present to you Mint Sour Cream Doughnuts with Chocolate Dipping Sauce. Can I get a drum roll please! Okay that might be a bit much. I was in an over the top green kind of mood this weekend. Even though I'm not Irish I love any excuse to join in the celebrating. At the market I picked up all kinds of gre
Let's just say I was doing a little research into the diet of the cobra. Do you think cobras prefer their unicorn rainbow flavored, plain vanilla or some other flavor? I mean if I was a cobra I would probably go for a dark chocolate flavored unicorn myself, but rainbow unicorns are sparkly, enticing and delicious. After quite a bit of digging into the diet of cobras, I came up wit
With St. Patrick's Day only 6 days away I figured maybe I could help you out with a few recipe ideas. I had to go grocery shopping yesterday even though I don't like to do it on the weekend. Hot Dog Dude was home and wanted to join me. Look I like him and everything, but not when it comes to grocery shopping. It never fails that I come home with way more than I went in the
I knew I really wanted Stuffed Pasta Shells the other evening. That was probably the only thing I've been sure of in the last few weeks. I've been feeling twisted and torn in many directions as of late. My daughter has decided she is going to try out for cheerleading for next year. Translation: If she makes the team, it's an 11 month stretch of hers and my time. All the gir
In a sad but true twist of my week, it is yet Thursday again. The fact that it is Thursday means I have to face up to the fact that tonight I have night school and I have yet again failed to do my homework. (Wait a second...does that make me a teacher's worst nightmare?) I do have plenty of great excuses though. No seriously. Its tax season and I have been doing tons
My brother texted me a photo late the other evening of S'mores Cupcakes. He asked me if I could make him some. "Tonight I'm assuming?", was my response. I probably would went have went out that night to get the ingredients I needed except I was already in my I'm not going anywhere gear. I hope my brother is happy though because I think I lost a little sleep thinking about t
I’ve been carrying around a heavy burden for the last week. What I did was truly awful. Let me back up for a second. I’ve always had this curse of saying the candid things that pop into my head. Believe me I’ve worked hard over the years to put a lid on the lip leakage. Every once in a while though I slip up and in a big way I might add.Last weekend I was in the mall looking for a pair of shoe
I know it's hard to believe, but we were out of baked goods around here yesterday. After dealing with the shame of being baked-good-less; I scoured the pantry looking for a little inspiration. Staring back at me was a jar of coconut oil I bought before the holidays just languishing away.I've been wanting to make something with it for months, but had other recipe priorities. I did
One thing I've learned over the years is that I don't need complicated or grand gestures to feel loved. I turned a long week around, simplified it and the love felt all the same. My husband has been home late every night and while he isn't the most romantic guy (Unless camo somehow translates to romance?) he usually stops and gets me flowers. I was out anyways yesterday morning s
Let me just start this post off with a disclaimer: This post contains humor, maybe even at your expense, questionable language (and grammar), is the sole opinion of the Queen and well if it’s yours too I will keep it to myself (unless I know your secrets and am hoping to make a dime off you, then all bets are off). Besides disclaimers make the internet a warmer and fuzzier place.The interne
My daughter has a favorite saying, "That's doing too much!" It never fails, I will be watching her do something and offer up a suggestion such as, "You know if you just..." First of all I really should know better by now. You see my daughter is a teenager and of course she knows how to do everything and even if she doesn't she isn't open to suggestions (although that never deters
My friend Jean the lovely mastermind behind the scrumptious Lemons and Anchovies kept teasing me on Instagram with her Lemon Cookies she was cranking out. Not fair I tell you when you are sitting down with your cup of tea and not a lemon in sight to make such glorious treats.Lucky for me I had a couple of blood oranges sitting on the counter waiting for something good to happe
Would you be my Valentine? Please don't make me beg. I've been busy getting ready to have some of my favorite little guests over. We will immerse ourselves in sprinkles, glitter, gems and Valentine magic.Since the majority of my guests are in the under 6 bracket I like to make sure that I have everything in an easy to assemble fashion when they arrive. Especially the ironin
Sunflower and Parsley Pesto Bread Twists the name sounded like a tongue twister to me. After whipping up these mucho delectable bread twists I was left to ponder what exactly to call them. I tossed around a few ideas: Seven Seagulls Sunbathing on the Seashore Swigging Sangria? (Nah, but it is catchy.) Seven Serpents Slithering Sideways Sun tanning with Santa Claus? (Hmm, no, but that's a visu
I was poised in front of the kitchen window this morning drinking in the sunlight spilling in. I've been a bit blue this week. It's been cold, dark and rainy as of late, not really a combination I enjoy one bit. Maybe it's all the work I did over the holidays catching up to me or finally having a few quite moments of reflection.I'll heard good news and it brings my smile back quickly.
2012 seems to have come and went. I don't do the whole resolution thing on New Years. I really don't think about New Years as a holiday; to me it's always been my brother Michael's birthday. I've heard friends lament that they are robbed of their birthdays when their big day collides with the holidays. I wanted to be sure Michael's birthday didn't get lost in the holiday sh
I was recently asked the question, "When and how did you start baking?" I had my hands full of cookie sheets I was shuffling in and out of the oven, a mixer buzzing in the background and sticky hands that could hardly hold the phone. I remember rattling something off the top of my head, but afterwards I couldn't help but think there was a bit more to the story.I wasn't always a cookie
I was feeling a bit nostalgic the other evening and reminiscing about apple cookies my mom used to make for us when we were little. I did a little research and I found an old recipe in a Sunset Cookie book that sounded similar, but I felt it needed a little something-something to make it worthy of adding it to the cookie line-up this year.Brown butter, oh yeah that ups the deliciousness
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas over here! The tree is up and decorated, stockings are hung and even my Christmas cards are here and awaiting signing. I've decided to get an earlier start this year because if you can believe this, sometimes I procrastinate (I know shocking) and I'm baking all day and shopping at night the week before Christmas. Not this year. I'
Something that always makes me and the ones who receive them happy is the Christmas cookies that flow freely out of my house come December. It usually takes me a couple of weeks to hunt down containers and supplies. Once I start baking I won't shut the oven off until I can't inhale the cookie fumes any longer. Making the cookies is a tradition, a ritual you might say. S
When my oldest daughter was little she went through what I like to call a "white food phase". I wish I was exaggerating about just how particular she was. If there was a speck of parsley on her pristine plate of white pasta with white cheese; she would sit there with the saddest pouty face ever and not touch it. I would either have to send it back and try and not insult the
I was milling around the kitchen the other evening, having barely put away the last of the dinner dishes I started having intense cravings for something sweet (unfortunately this happens far too regularly). The play-off game for the World Series was on and something about curling up on the couch for a few hours without a snack just didn't seem right. Plus I think its bad luck for the t
I saw a recipe for Billionaire Bars some time ago on Brown Eyed Baker and was eagerly awaiting a reason to whip up a batch. My daughter who is away at college called at the last minute this week and told me she was coming home on Friday for a visit. Bingo, I had a reason.After reading the recipe something caught my eye immediately, the recipe called for packaged caramels. &nb
Perhaps I'm a little long winded at times and make you wait much too long to get to the good stuff. Well today is your lucky day and we are going straight to dessert. Especially when that dessert involves pumpkin pie, crumble cake and a chance encounter in the oven. Pumpkin Pie 15 ounces pumpkin puree6 ounces evaporated milk3/4 cup milk (low-fat works fine)2/3 cup g
I'm sitting here trying to write the story of the photos of an Apple Pie Tart I baked, yet my tired wrung out brain is fighting me tooth and nail. I've been wandering as of late, my mind that as. My mind has been wandering too far away places, reading more and thinking about the future. A future that includes a nephew due to arrive shortly and news today that twins are on the way
I was on a mission this morning to clean the house, catch up the laundry, and clean out the fridge. I was on a roll until I got half way into cleaning out the fridge. Before you go thinking it's because I'm a slacker let me assure you there is a perfectly good reason why I didn't ever finish cleaning out the fridge. I was busy pulling out all the items in the way back of the fridge tha
The Good:These zucchini, chocolate chip and roasted salted sunflower seed muffins I made were a nice surprise. I was going to buy raw seeds like I usually do and at the last minute I threw in the roasted salted version. Good choice it gave the muffins a little salt kick finish.Zucchini, Chocolate Chip, Sunflower Seed Muffins1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon sa
Doctor Franken-Recipe was as it again, the Doctor kind of has this bad habit of experimenting with recipes until some ghoulish (or delicious - your call) creation awakens. There were all these twisted thoughts of Halloween goodies lurking around in the dungeon called my brain. I pulled out the high-kilowatt capacitor and added some extra juice (Earl Grey Juice). I sewed on di
Just the mere fact that it is Friday is cause for celebration. In honor of this fantabulous Friday, I'm declaring it Hot Fudge Friday! Why not, Friday is fun, Friday is filled with fantasies of weekend food frenzies, Friday is just plain flipping fantastical.Forget that it is just another Friday, instead step into a flaming, fudge filled fantasy of chocolate-cherry nirvana, from once y
I've fought it for a long time, but I'm slowly starting to accept the fact that my real life is a touch on the ridiculous side.I was in Costco the other day when my friend spotted me and gave me the "dazed and confused" look. What are you doing in here, I thought you moved, she commented. I did move and then 113 days later I moved again and then I started droning on in great detail about the eve
As the summer draws to a close the smell of the ripe heirloom tomatoes at the farm stand grows heavy. On late summer evenings I like to make what I call the "easiest pizza ever". Growing up when my mom was hurried and pressed to make dinner she would whip us up these cute little pizzas on an english muffin.I tried them a couple of times when the girls were little, but as my desire acce
Even though I was pretty sure I knew how to make Salted Caramel, I mean after all isn't it just caramel with salt. I searched the internet for a recipe, stumbling upon what I might say is a pretty kick-ass website by Michael Ruhlman. He was throwing around names like Ming Tsai and some French guy I can't pronounce. I can only image what's it's like to have friends like that. The only cele
Every good story has a twist and a turn when you aren't quite expecting it. I think this dining room set turned out the same way for me. I had the best intentions of turning it into a cream and red masterpiece. I put a coat of cream on everything and well it wasn't calling my name.Just when I had resigned myself to a blah table, Ms. Sugar Overlord dared me to paint it blue. &
Remind me that the next time I decide the inhale a Mocha Cupcake topped with Espresso Buttercream a Salted Caramel Drizzle and topped with a Macaron before climbing into bed that it's a bad idea. Please remind me that next time I leave the house and change my purse in a frenzy that not putting my keys in it before locking the door behind me is a bad idea.Pretty please remind me that I'm not gettin
Just when I thought I had it all figured out, this beachy blue color came into the picture.I was for sure it was going to be cream that made it onto the chairs and into my kitchen.But I'm thinking the cream feel too blah as opposed to the beachy blue.The glaring white walls don't help anything and I may break down and paint them, but I'm trying not to get ahead of myself here.You guys were right a
I feel so fortunate, not only did I get to spend my birthday here in California enjoying family and friends, but I get to spend it on the only side of the globe with Nancy - Spicie Foodie enjoying it with her.Even though I can't hop on a plane today and bring her over a piece of the Spiced Peach & Ginger Tiramisu I whipped up for my birthday. I can easily send her a huge chunk
I can't get enough nectarines during the summer. I was so sad when I went by my friends' orchard the other day and he said they were done. What do you mean done!!! I just moved back here and I planned on stuffing myself with them until I started to glow orange, "I bellowed."I scurried home with the last few I could find and they were so ripe, I knew I would have to consume them f
I haven't had enough things to do to keep me out of trouble these days, so I decided I needed to make some muffins to occupy some idle time while I'm canning enough marinara sauce to get me through the year. Nectarine, Basil, Cream Cheese Muffins2 cups all-purpose flour2/3 cup granulated sugar2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking sodaPinch salt6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted2/3 c
This last month was a complete blur, beginning with packing up our house and moving. On moving day I slipped out to attend a Jam Party hosted by the lovely Azmina, attended by Lisa, Stephanie, Jean, and Liren. We had such a great time and made so many tasty jams, and it was probably a great thing I was there and not at my house with the movers because they brought too small of a t
Has a word ever popped into your head and your first inclination is to go around repeating it until you wear it out. Then it hits you that your fun new word might not even be a word. Somewhere between my English and Italian, words just have a way of appearing out of thin air and I'm never quite sure if they are genius or town clownish.Farcical was one of those words, it sounded real, bu
Are the kids being out on summer break driving you stark raving mad yet? It only took 4 hours to hear those dreaded words "I'm Bored" around here. I got really behind with work and some other projects and figured summer would be the perfect time to catch up. Why am I always so delusional, why?I did get started on a painting I promised my niece and I survived a work
