Move over York. I’ve found me a new peppermint patty, and it is DE-licious! Easy to make, too. My inspiration was from sweetapolita, who was inspired by Joy of Baking, who was inspired by who knows. And who cares. These are fun and easy, and make a great new addition to my holiday baking (although, […]
Author Archives: Ann
02
Dec
Dec
My dear friend, Holly, celebrated a milestone birthday this month and we surprised her with a small dinner party. I baked her this cake and (if I must say so myself) it was really good!! Really good. I’m not into the cakes-from-scratch thing. Call me lazy or uninspired, but I enjoy baking and eating cakes […]
01
Dec
Dec
I know what you’re thinking. “She’s got too much time on her hands.” Not true. HowEVER, there was a day not too long ago when (maybe I did have a wee bit too much time on my hands) I glanced over at my not-used-enough Cricut Expression, and I thought hmmmm. Three days and 150 gift […]
After our tummies are stuffed with turkey and trimmings, we all gather ’round for our annual Thanksgiving craft, which I’m responsible for planning and executing. This year, I decided to challenge the gang with a little hand-sewing. Nothing fancy, just a little up-and-down running stitch. Okay, okay. As a back up, I had the hot […]
20
Nov
Nov
As a young girl, I was always fascinated when my dear, Italian grandma would fumble through her huge pocketbook and pull out her little leather change purse. It had to weigh 2 lbs. and was stuffed with quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies. As we walked along the city streets, we’d always stop at the “candy […]
11
Nov
Nov
After the Halloween weather fiasco, I thought I’d look ahead to some Thanksgiving baking. As I check the calendar, I realize that I don’t have to look too far. First up, a little pumpkin bread. I found this recipe on Allrecipes and it’s a keeper. I know I sound like my mother when I say, […]
Have you met my “friend” Albert? Perhaps he lingered in your neighborhood last weekend, or maybe he paid you just a brief, but memorable, visit. One thing’s for sure, you would have recognized him immediately. Pretty funny guy, that Albert. He decided to blow through our town last Saturday and dump 12 inches of […]
21
Oct
Oct
Ohhhhh………….I had way too much fun making these cookies. I have become somewhat totally obsessed with creating and perfecting cut-out sugar cookies. My cookie cutter collection is growing and I actually look forward to sitting at the kitchen table for hours, playing with my decorating tips and doo-dads, and making a humongous mess. I made […]
20
Oct
Oct
Forget about any diet you may (or may not) be on. Just boil water for tea or perk up a steaming pot of hot coffee because you are in for a real treat…that is if you decide to give this labor-of-love a try. These homemade cinnamon buns (Cinnabon-style) are time-consuming to make, but they are […]
16
Oct
Oct
This sweater was supposed to be a birthday gift for little a, and I intended to present it to her back in March. But, here it is, October, and I just stitched on the last little button. It’s not that the sweater actually took me 7 months to knit. It’s just that I have […]
06
Oct
Oct
No guilt because it’s a hat!!…. knitted for a beautiful little girl who will celebrate her first birthday in October. The pattern is from the book, Itty Bity Nursery by Susan B. Anderson. I did find a similar pattern online for free, and Ravelry has about 40 free knitted and crocheted cupcake hats to […]
02
Oct
Oct
According to Wikipedia, pizzelles “are traditional Italian waffle cookies made from flour, eggs, sugar, butter or vegetable oil, and flavoring (often vanilla, anise, or lemon zest)”. According to me, pizzelles are deliciously light and crispy cookies that are addictive and should only be eaten by the dozen. In order to form the cookie, you’ll need […]
20
Sep
Sep
I am so sick of staring at ripe bananas. Sometimes I peel and freeze them, and sometimes I just (yes, I admit it) throw them away. I totally feel guilty when I toss ’em, so today I opted to make banana bread and try out my new Wilton Petite Loaf Pan. My favorite recipe is […]
We spent last weekend at the Ashworth By the Sea in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, during their annual Hampton Beach Seafood Festival. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay there, and the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. Here’s a view from our room: Pretty, huh? We were so fortunate to have picture-perfect weather. The school bus […]
07
Sep
Sep
Ahhhhhhhh, cream puffs. So cool, creamy and delicious. My mom made them for years, without the chocolate glaze, but I think the glaze turns them into a Boston Cream Pie/donut-sort-of delight. It’s a 3-step process, but they are not terribly difficult to make. Here’s the basic puff pastry recipe: 1 cup water 1/2 cup (one […]