In honor of the 6″ of snow that fell yesterday, I baked a batch of snowflake-stamped shortbread cookies. How thrilling it was to see this much snow in the first week of November…and oh SO soon after Hurricane Sandy. Joy. I purchased this Rycraft cookie stamp quite a while ago and became totally discouraged […]
Author Archives: Ann
31
Oct
Oct
One of my lovely nieces is expecting a baby in December, and her mom asked me to bake a special cookie that we could present to the shower guests as a little thank you. After looking at (and buying) too many adorable cookie cutters, the bib was the winner. I liked the size, shape and […]
20
Oct
Oct
I needed a quick and easy treat to bring to a birthday party tonight, so…ta-dah! Bite size mini pretzels dipped in chocolate and colorful sprinkles are the perfect take-along, and taste great too. You start with: dark chocolate and Wilton Candy Melts. The dark chocolate here is from Trader Joe’s. It is their brand name […]
15
Oct
Oct
I hate to preface, but let me start this post by saying that, when it comes to things for baby (and most other things), I’m pretty traditional. I love pink for a baby girl, blue for a baby boy, and soft whites and creams are always classic. As for motifs? Well, I like roses and […]
09
Oct
Oct
Hard to believe…but holiday gift-giving is not too far off, and I was looking for a useful, quick-knit with a big “ooooh, aaaah” factor. Enter…my friend, Teresa, and her suggestion for the “Debaser” shawl that is found on Ravelry. It uses worsted weight yarn and comes together in a jiffy. I actually made two in […]
30
Sep
Sep
As I was thumbing through some old recipes recently, I came across this recipe that a friend had shared many years ago. I sort of gasped when I looked at the ingredients (one package cream cheese, 1/2 lb. butter, 4 eggs…), but that certainly didn’t stop me from making it! My father-in-law’s all-time favorite ice […]
I am thrilled and delighted to have received this new award from my fellow bloggers! It originated from Katherine, at Pillows a-la-mode, when she asked for nominations for bloggers that you might want to live next door to…to share a cup of tea with…someone who inspires you…. Well, I was totally shocked and surprised when […]
17
Sep
Sep
I saw this blanket at the Crochet Again blog, and there was never any doubt that I would make one. I just loved her take on the traditional granny square and, as luck would have it, the yarn colors in my bottomless stash allowed me to recreate her stunning combination. I crocheted 16 blocks, sewed […]
16
Sep
Sep
An early nip of fall in the air got me thinking “pumpkin squares” and, next thing you know, I was cranking up the oven and zipping open a can of Libby’s 100% pure pumpkin. And, honest and truly, these are 100% scrumptious. They are incredibly moist and flavorful, but the spices are not at all […]
10
Sep
Sep
This recipe has been around forever, but I haven’t whipped up a batch in quite a long time. I made them by “special request” for my son’s birthday, and they disappeared quicker than a bowl of peanut m & m’s. There is something about that soft, cream-cheesy, chocolate-chippy center that makes these cupcakes positively addictive […]
03
Sep
Sep
I ate WAY too many of these this past weekend, and I haven’t a single regret! These scones are moist and delicious, and the lemon glaze is so perfectly tangy that I plan on using it atop a lemon pound cake…very soon. This Tyler Florence recipe, Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze, was on the food network […]
24
Aug
Aug
I recently purchased a sweet little book called Fa la la la Felt which has the most adorable patterns for handmade holiday decorations…45 to be exact. A sewing machine is optional, and the majority of the projects require just snippets of felt. I found these Matryoshka ornaments to be totally irresistible, and I couldn’t wait […]
17
Aug
Aug
These little fleece blankets have become one of my all-time favorite new-baby gifts. They are so soft and the fleece fabric comes in a bajillion different color and print combos, for endless possibilities. I made this white one with a neutral khaki edge for a baby whose sex will be a surprise. There are several […]
10
Aug
Aug
The strawberry-pickin’ season has well passed, but ripe, red strawberries are plentiful at the grocery store and, at $1.99 per pound, I just couldn’t resist! After having so much fun making blueberry jam, I knew these berries were destined to be cooked and sealed tightly. Making homemade jam is a bit time consuming, but deliciously […]
07
Aug
Aug
As I walked past the Entenmann’s display at the grocery store yesterday, I fought the urge to pick up the Ultimate Crumb Cake, and reminded myself that I’m supposed to be counting Weight Watchers points. But the taste of soft, buttery crumb cake, alongside a hot cup of coffee, flooded my thoughts and set me […]