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, […]
baking
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 […]
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 […]
27
Aug
Aug
Irene has made a crazy person of me. Three straight days of hurricane-doom-and-gloom has turned me into a potential contestant for “Survivor”. My list? Buy gallons of drinking water. Check. Canned foods, peanut butter and loads of non-perishables. Check Oil lamps, candles and matches. Check. Gas up my car. Check. Haunt my kids in an […]
23
Aug
Aug
Includes recipes for Bethy’s Pink Cookies, Pignoli Cookies, Chocolate Macaroons, Rainbow Cookies, Spritz Cookies, Chocolate Espresso Balls, Double Coconut Biscotti, Mexican Tea Cakes, Raspberry White Chocolate Bars, No-Fail Sugar Cookie Hearts, Neapolitan Sugar Cookies, Almond Diamonds
21
Aug
Aug
I can’t help myself. Whenever there is a celebration and some baking to be done, I’m raising my hand, shouting “I’ll do it! I’ll do it!!”. And Jill’s bridal shower gave me the perfect opportunity to use my Wilton’s Giant Cupcake pan to create a pretty centerpiece for the dessert table. The table had a […]
21
Jul
Jul
Rainbow cookies are deliciously moist and rich tri-color cookies that are usually found at Italian bakeries. They have an intense almond flavor and are held together with thin layers of either raspberry or apricot jam (or orange marmalade) and a layer of melted chocolate tops them off. They are a fussy and time-consuming cookie to […]
16
Jul
Jul
I LOVE these cookies. REALLY love ’em. They are a soft version of the ever-popular Italian iced cookies and, once you start, you can’t stop eating them. They are exclusive to my friend Bethy and, quite honestly, nobody makes them like she does. We spent a day together baking cookies for an upcoming wedding shower, […]
10
Jul
Jul
I’m going to a picnic today, and I’ve heard there will be LOTS of kids there. Since I volunteered to bring a dessert, I thought “brownie pops” would be a great choice…easy to transport, not too messy, and easy to eat! I really do have a treasured brownie recipe that I make from scratch, but […]
04
Jul
Jul
I’m going to keep working on these. Eventually, (HOPEfully), I’ll master the consistency of the royal icing, and all will be “right” in my cookie-making world 😉 Wishing you all a sparkler-filled, happy July 4th!! “A”
30
Jun
Jun
Tonight is our “Bayberry Babes” birthday girls night out but, as you can see, I did not bake the cake. Instead, I made these high heel sugar cookies as a take-home favor for each of the gals. I’m really getting into this cut-out-and-decorate sugar cookie thing…although, I’m not sure exactly WHY. The baking and the […]