resolution numero uno: cook, bake, blog.

I'm not going to sit here and tell you (any of you that may still be there, occasionally checking this sedentary blog) how much I've been cooking/baking/in the kitchen.  I could, but I won't.  Why?  Mostly because I haven't been doing much of any of that lately. Two resolutions on my very short list of resolutions are going to get me back in the kitch:

1. Overcome my fear of baking with yeast, and master the art.

2. Cook.  And blog about what I cook.  It's not that hard!

  Proof is in the pudding, right?  So, here's some pudding.  In the form of a very, very tardy TWD rewind post.

These corniest corn muffins are great on their own, or on the side of a meal.  My personal favorite way to eat them is crumbled up on top of a salad.  They're actually the star of my favorite salad:  Corn Bread Salad.  Click here for that recipe, and see below for the muffin recipe.

Corniest Corn Muffins

From Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients

1 c. all purpose flour

1 c. yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground

6 Tbsp. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, optional

1 c. buttermilk

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 Tbsp. corn oil

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 c. corn kernels (add up to 1/3 cup more if you like) - fresh, frozen or canned (in which case, they should be drained and patted dry)

Directions

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.  Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular size muffin pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.  In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, oil, egg and other yolk together until well blended.  Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend.  Don't worry about being thorough - the batter will be lumpy, and that's just the way it should be.  Stir in the corn kernels.  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Transfer to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

What are your cooking resolutions for 2011?

{TWD} Rewind Recipe: Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

It's the time of year that we all count our many blessings, and I know that one on all of our lists (if you're not cuh-razy, that is) is chocolate!  This is a food blog, folks, you don't have to feel guilty or silly admitting that here.  As a matter of fact, it's something to be proud of here in the kitch!  Another thing I'm thankful for is the fact that we got to choose a rewind recipe for the baking group Tuesdays With Dorie, because that is the reason I was able to bake these delicious little ditties!  Chocolate for breakfast?  Don't mind if I do.

Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Muffins

From Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 c. all-purpose flour

2/3 c. sugar

1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2. tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 c. buttermilk

1 large egg

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and butter a regular-size muffin tin with 12 molds.

2. Melt the butter and half the chopped chocolate together in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water; or do this in a microwave.  Remove from heat.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. In another large bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract together until well combined.

5. Pour the liquid ingredients and the melted butter and chocolate over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend.  Don't worry about being thorough - a few lumps  are better than overmixing the batter.

6. Stir in the remaining chopped chocolate.

7. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

8. Bake ~20 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

TWD ~ Pumpkin Granola ~ Quarter of a Century!!!

This past week was crazy, but it was the good kind of crazy.  You know what I'm talking about, right?  Started my new job as Employee Wellness Coordinator at a University very near my home, which was enough crazy for a whole month if you ask me, and I also turned 25 years old - that's a quarter of a century, folks!!!  My fabulous bff, RJ, and phenomenal husband made it into a whole "birthweek" celebration - there was seriously some kind of shenanigan for me to look forward to every single day!  They sure do know how to make a girl feel special.  Also note, my grandma gave me a genuine food processor (so my blender won't have to work overtime anymore), and my parents gave me a SEXY KitchenAid Artisan Mixer that I've been drooling over since cooking/baking crept their way into my heart.  I'm a very happy foodie!!! Anyway, with all the work/birthday goings on, I just did not have time to do my share of baking, but it was CARAMEL PUMPKIN PIE week, and that was the recipe I would have wanted to make for Tuesdays With Dorie this month, so I still have to post...even though its almost a week tardy.  Janell, from Mortenson Family Memoirs has the full recipe posted, so click HERE to get the goods. 

Like I said, I didn't make it, but I'm sure as heck not going to leave you empty handed.  That's not my style.  In honor of the season, I'm sharing with you a tasty & festive recipe for Pumpkin Granola.  I got the recipe from a friend and former co worker's blog:  Two Peas and Their Pod.  It was a huge success - Dick had it as cereal, I had it in yogurt, and of course alone as a snack.  Delicious every way we could think to eat it.  Some people aren't big pumpkin fans, and I'm not gonna lie, I just don't understand that at all.  The pumpkin in this isn't overwhelming, and it definitely doesn't effect the texture, so I think that even the pumpkin-haters should give this one a try. 

Pumpkin Granola

From Maria at Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients

5 c. rolled oats

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. pumpkin puree

1/4 c. apple sauce

1/4 c. maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 c. dried cranberries

1/2 c. pepitas

Directions

1. preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet w/ parchment paper, and set aside.

2. in a large bowl, combine oats, spices, and salt.  mix well.

3. in a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract.  whisk until smooth.  pour wet ingredients into oat mixture and stir until oats are very evenly coated.  they will be moist.  evenly spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.

4. bake for 20 minutes.  remove pan from oven and stir.  bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the granola is golden and crisp.  remove from the oven and stir in dried cranberries and pepitas.  let cool completely.  store in airtight container.



Peek-A-Boo! {TWD} Double Apple Bundt Cake/Jan's Fresh Pear Cake

Hello friends!  Life has been crazy crazy crazy, like it often is.  But its back to reality, and back to blogging for me...finally!  Oh, how I've missed being an active part of the fanatic foodie world.  Don't worry, next time I will catch you up on all of my recent distractions, but today my post is dedicated to Tuesdays With Dorie.  Lynn of Honey Muffin chose for us to bake Dorie's Double Apple Bundt Cake this week.  Click HERE  for the complete recipe for this sweet autumn treat. 

I'm not gonna lie to you, I didn't make this cake.  I didn't make any cake.  But my mother made her very own Pear Cake that took our latest family party by storm, and I couldn't resist sharing it with you.  So moist.  So perfectly spiced.  So... So... well, you'll just have to try it for yourselves to know what I mean. This will be perfect for the next time you have friends over for dinner and games, or the next family gathering you attend.  Happy Fall, my foodie friends!



Fresh Pear Cake

From Janet Porter (my momma)

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1 tsp salt

3 eggs (well beaten)

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups cooking oil

2 tsp cinnamon

3 cups flour

3 cups pears (peeled & sliced very thin)

1 tsp baking soda

Directions

 

1. Blend sugar, eggs, and cooking oil together.

2. Sift flour, soda, salt together.

3. Gradually add one cup at a time to sugar mixture.

4. Then add the vanilla and cinnamon and pears. Mix well and pour into a well greased and floured tube

or bundt pan.

5. Bake at 350' for approximately one hour.

***The softer the pears the more moist the cake will be.

Glaze

Melt and mix together:

1/2 square butter or margarine

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Add:

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 tsp soda

Mix and boil for 2 minutes.

Let cool a bit then drizzle over cake.

Enjoy!



The best part of waking up is...Oatmeal Breakfast Bread! {TWD}

Its time again for my post with the cooking club Tuesdays With Dorie, but I'm kinda breaking the rules a bit, so I hope you can keep a secret.  I was out of town with my Momma last week and missed this recipe that I'd really been looking forward to, so I'm making it this week (and that's where the rule-breaking comes in).  I'm out of order, but you're gonna be thankful for my rebellious ways the instant you taste this bread!  The thing that really got me swooning and wanting to try the recipe is in the book when Dorie describes the bread as "pudding-soft."  How could I resist?  Clearly, I could not.  I changed things up as follows with scrumptious results:  skim milk instead of buttermilk; 1/2 c. wheat flour & 3/4 c. all purpose flour; Craisins for the dried fruit; and no cloves. 

I can't wait to go to sleep tonight so I can wake up and have it for breakfast!  Don't worry about the fact that I just got done having a slice for dessert.

Oatmeal Breakfast Bread

From Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

Click HERE to find the complete recipe at Oven Love

{TWD} Chewy, Chunky Blondies...better than you know what!

Mmmmmmmmm...

Oh, my.....

There are hardly any words to describe this...this...its more of an experience than a dessert.  No, there aren't any words to do it justice.  Just sounds.  It'll have you moaning and curling your toes before you've even swallowed your first bite.  Seriously.  So rich, and absolutely just too much to handle in the middle of the day.  You have to eat this at night, otherwise you'll feel guilty.  Don't ask why, its just one of those things.  Eat it while its still warm and gooey from the oven.  But its just as sinfully delicious the next day. 

p.s. only share this with the ones you truly love, or people will get the impression that you care more for them than you really do.  Its that good.

Chewy Chunky Blondies

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Click HERE to visit Nicole of Cookies on Friday for the complete recipe.

***I left out the walnuts, but put in both heath bits AND butterscotch chips.  Divine.***

TWD: Birrrrthday Brrrownies for Jan

I'm a little tardy with this post (it is called Tuesdays With Dorie, afterall), but I'll explain myself at the end of this post.  Prepare yourselves to be green with envy.

All of my life I've pretty much known two kinds of brownies:  1) the Betty Crocker red box mix, which I love, and 2) dry, cakey homemade brownies from other people's kitchens.  My mom was strictly a Betty Crocker gal, and so I grew up on her side.  I still take her side on pretty much everything (excluding her stance on Donny Osmond, Barry Manilow, and the fact that she thinks I stole all of her movies when I moved away from home - I only brought with me what I bought myself or was given as a gift.  so there.), but the fabulous Dorie Greenspan is luring me over to the dark side of brownies made from scratch at home.  The only two recipes I've tried have been Dorie's from her cookbook Baking: From My Home to Yours, and neither have disappointed in the slightest.  My baking club, Tuesdays With Dorie, that is centered around this very cookbook had the pleasure of whipping up Brrrownies this week, and the timing couldn't have been more perfect!  The recipe calls for a heavy dose of York Peppermint Patties.  My mom is a die-hard fan of Junior Mints.  I know they aren't the same, but they're pretty darn close, and that's good enough for a lady who deserves the best.  Especially on her birthday!  I surprised my momma with a plate of these delights as she came out of work today.  She loved them.  I'm sure you'll love them, too.  Click here for the complete recipe.  Its short and sweet, and the fruits of your minimal labors will be totally worth it!

Happy Birthday, Mom!  I love love love you!

I was living in a dream yesterday, so I had to postpone the brrrownies just one day.  I went with my family to see the Sir Paul McCartney LIVE in concert!  My parents are both huge Beatles fans, but my dad especially loves them, so you know I was raised right.  My parents' "song" is Let it be, and one of my favorite memories of my dad is singing along while he played Hey Jude on the guitar.  Dick's family had different musical taste (not that there's anything wrong with that...except that there kind of is), so the concert was kind of a music education/appreciation experience for him.  And that's kind of ironic because he's so musically talented!  Anyway, here is a glimpse at one of the greatest nights of my life.  Seriously.

TWD: unto the "yeast" of these...Raisin Swirl Bread

I'm not gonna lie to you, although I made the decision to bake this bread for Tuesdays With Dorie, I was NOT looking forward to it. I love cinnamon & raisins, so being picky had nothing to do with it. It was the fact that until today I'd never succeeded in making one single recipe that called for yeast. But did you catch that? Until today! This amazing bread is the one and only yeasty beast I've been able to conquer thus far in my culinary journey. So a big thanks to Dorie Greenspan, and her groupies of which I am proud to be a part.

Due to this little bout of luck, Dick and I will be having a fantastic French Toast breakfast very soon. Let's face it, it may actually end up being a French Toast dinner, but either way, your mouth is watering just thinking about it. Am I right, or am I right? If you'd like to join us, please visit my TWD buddy, Susan, at Food.Baby for the complete recipe.

Raisin Swirl Bread

Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

TWD: Banana-Coconut Ice Cream Pie

Not only is this pie delicious, but the smell that will fill your house while you are just getting started preparing the crust is worth a million bucks. Or at least a quarter of a million...like what Michael won on the Biggest Loser tonight. Yep. This is what I was eating while I watched the season finale. Nothing better than stuffing your face while you watch people work their little hearts out. Really, the crust was by far my favorite part of this pie. Could it have been all the butter? Maybe. If you like coconut & bananas, you're going to love this pie! Visit Spike at Spike Bakes for the complete recipe. I'm gonna have another piece.

Banana-Coconut Ice Cream Pie

Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

TWD: Chockablock Cookies

When I look at this picture I see 3 things that have one thing in common: they've saved my life. Ok, maybe they haven't literally saved my life, but pretty darn close.

1. New York City guide book - we'd have been lost, hungry, and vacation-poor w/out it.

2. Baking From My Home To Yours - a.k.a. the Tuesdays With Dorie club cookbook. I'm not bored, & I'm pushing my baking limits at least twice a month.

3. A plate of Chockablock Cookies - tasty enough to give as a "thank you" to my dear friend Joni for lending me the NYC guide book, and just what I needed to make me feel better after a good cry on Sunday. There is so much chunky goodness in these cookies that it was impossible for me not to feel like the world had been set right again.

My version of this cookie was "chock" full of dried cranberries, walnuts, coconut, chocolate chips, & oats. It was my first time ever using molasses as an ingredient...it had a weird taste as cookie dough (that's right, I eat just about as much dough as I do cookies!), but I'm pretty sure I'm now addicted. For the complete recipe, visit Popsicles & Sandy Feet. You'll find many wonderful variations here, as well.

TWD's Sweet Cream Biscuits = Dick's FINAL Breakfast

I don't know what you'll be doing this Friday at 8 o'clock in the morning, but I'll be watching Dick GRADUATE!!! That's right folks, he'll be coming to the end of the long road that has been his Bachelor's degree. I don't think its any mistake that it's a B.S....just teasing, sweetie! I couldn't be more thrilled - because we'll finally get to see each other and hang out again! Imagine that. Anyway, you know what graduation means (or the close of any college semester, for that matter)...finals!!! DUN DUN DUN He's been studying non-stop in preparation for these dang tests, so I thought I'd make him a nice big breakfast of champions for his first day of exams. Plus, it's time again for my Tuesdays With Dorie Baking club so I kinda had to. The planets aligned for me.

These biscuits were phenomenal! In fact, Dick requested that I make them for his whole fam-damily that will be here to give him his props this weekend. Now, that's a good sign. They are light and flaky and sweet and perfect. For the whole recipe visit Melissa at Love at First Bite.

I don't remember where I learned this trick, but it sure throws my clean-up nightmares right out the window! Roll out your dough between two sheets of parchment paper (dusted w/ flour, of course) and you can forget about scraping dough off of your workspace, or even needing to wash your rolling pin. Excellent.

I followed Dorie's advice and froze the biscuits the night before so that we could eat them right out of the oven in the morning. I wrapped half of them and left them in the freezer so we now have another scrumptious breakfast to look forward to. Please ignore the frozen pizza (I'm mortified!), they're Dick's fave fast-eat, and so far I haven't been able to think of anything to help him shake the addiction! Any suggestions?

One with honey. One with cherry preserves. One patiently waiting to be gobbled by an academic-crazed husband.

TWD Honey Wheat Cookies...Tasteful yet tacky.

Let's get one thing straight, ok. When I say tacky, it has nothing to do with the cookies or the recipe. Just the blogger/baker of the cookies herself. I loooooove being in the Tuesdays With Dorie club! I'm not gonna lie, being a TWD Baker makes me feel a little special, and I always look forward to trying something I've never made before. Sadly though, this club has done nothing to thwart my bad habits of procrastination and occasional laziness. I admit there have been a few recipes I have made a few days, or even a week in advance, and been totally prepared to post without feeling rushed or the least bit stressed. But there have also been weeks where I wake up at 5 o'clock in the morning to make a recipe before I go to work! This week I did pretty good on the timing, but that's where the laziness kicked it. I put these delicious cookies away in storage bags before I remembered to take pictures for my post...and that is why there are shiny, non-photogenic ziplock bags in these very professional-looking pics.

Honey Wheat Cookies

Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

click HERE for recipe

Please don't judge me. Try to look past the plastic to the soft, lemon-y, fabulous cookies! The dough was quick and easy to make, and I could fit 20 cookies on a sheet at a time so it didn't take long to cook them either. I ended up with 40 cookies, by the way. The wheat germ coating made them taste healthier than they probably are, but it sure makes ya feel a little better as you swallow the last bite of your 4th helping. They're not too rich, and not too gooey...they're just right! You can visit Flourchild for the complete recipe.

TWD: Brownies for Julia...SINFULLY gooey for Moulin Rouge!

I have to be honest, when I read the recipe - that you can find in full by clicking here at Chocolatechic - and it said that these brownies would be gooey, I didn't really believe it. But let me tell you, I will never call Dorie Greenspan a liar again! When that lady says "gooey" she means business. I've never been shy or ashamed of the fact that my favorite brownies come from a little red box with Betty Crocker's name on it - they are rich and fudgey, and I just love 'em! Plus, my love for them has grown leaps and bounds over the years as I've tasted dry & cakey homemade brownie after dry & cakey homemade brownie. If I wanted cake, I'd ask for cake...sorry...but not really. You know it's true. Anyway, I actually cooked these about 7 minutes longer than the recipe called for because I was worried they weren't really cooked. Also note, Ms. Greenspan isn't joking when she says these babies are delicate - you for sure have to wait for them to cool (some of my TWD pals even put them in the fridge and freezer to set them up a bit more!) before you cut them. If you're itching for some ooey gooey chocolatey goodness, this recipe will sweep you off your feet (it may even make you curl your toes!).

Rick Katz's Brownies For Julia

Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

You know what would be a perfect companion to these sinfully divine brownies? A romantic movie, of course! My #6 on the countdown to Valentine's Day is Moulin Rouge - which if you've seen the movie you know is "sinfully" good, just like these brownies, because Nicole Kidman plays, well, a prostitute. If you've never seen it before, don't let that scare you out of watching it! If you like musicals, you'll love it. If you like chick-flicks or romance, you'll love it. If you don't love it, we can still be friends, but we just won't be able to enjoy singing the soundtrack at the top of our lungs in the car together (which is what my oldest best friend Jackie and I did all through high school!). Love love love it!

On time! TWD: Cocoa-Nana Bread...Ahhhhhhh

When you think of a fruit dessert, what usually comes to mind? My first thought is usually chocolate covered strawberries. And the next would be pretty much any other fruit covered in chocolate - you know how at those chocolate fountains (that I won't even let myself really think about when I'm loading my plate full of heavenly chocolate-drenched finger foods because of all the oil they have to put in it to make it that runny and smooth) there is every fruit under the sun, because fruit is already fabulous, but then you bathe it in chocolate and you could just die it's so good?! Anyway, this bread is just like dipping bananas in that delicious chocolate fountain. Ok, so it's not exactly like that, but it's pretty dang good! It's really rich, so it's perfect with a glass of milk for that weekend junk-breakfast splurge, or the late night snack you've been craving all day when you're catching up on the episode of Lost you missed because your husband has a freaking night class on Tuesdays. Oh, the life of a student's wife - so glad I'm graduated! Like I'm going to understand anything they throw at me this season, anyway...hmmmm... But really, like every other recipe of Dorie's I've tried, this one was a huge hit. Dick took the second loaf to work, and didn't bring even a crumb home to me. Head on over to Obsessed With Baking for the complete recipe. You won't be sorry you did. Love you guys!

Cocoa-Nana Bread

Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Tardy TWD...kinda: Chunky Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters

Ok, so this week I was really supposed to make Chocolate Oatmeal Almost - Candy Bars, but it just didn't happen! You can, however, find pictures and a recipe for them at Confectiona's Realm. Instead, I made these delicious cookies for a baby shower I was invited to. This is going to sound bad, but I'm just going to say it...I'm not as big a fan of babies as I am of these cookies. It's true, and I won't take it back. In fact, I'm just not a fan of babies in general because they scare me to death...plus they're gross. Crying, snotting, pooping, and don't even get me started on the spit-up! I literally have to leave the room when that little situation happens because I'll be making a bigger mess if I don't. And yes, Mom, I know "it's different when they're your own," but we'll wait awhile longer to see if that one's fact or fiction. But let's stop talking about puke so you can get excited about these cookies! hahaha

They were easy & delicious, not to mention a big hit at the shower! The recipe really makes about a million cookies, though, so unless you plan to take them to friends and neighbors, I'd just half it. I'm going to stick to the rule of not posting the recipe, because I'm already breaking two rules this week by not posting on Tuesday (better late than never?), and not posting the right recipe. But you can also find this recipe at Proceed With Caution. She even made them into ice cream sandwiches! I just ate about a dozen with a big glass of milk - scrumptious either way!

Tuesdays With Dorie: Low & Lush Chocolate Cheesecake

The timing for this recipe was perfect! I knew we'd be visiting my in-laws for Dick's little bro Austin's missionary farewell (he's going on a 2-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), and that there would be lots of people coming to visit, so this could be just one of the goodies for them to munch on as they visited. The only problem is that this elephant has a knack for forgetting. I planned ahead, taking my ingredients with me, and I made the cheesecake the night before so that I wouldn't be in a rush and not let it chill for the needed amount of time (which I have been known to do on many an occasion. There wasn't enough room in the kitchen fridge, so I took it to the one in the garage. I think that was my problem - out of sight, out of mind. So, we went to church to listen to Austin give his awesome farewell talk, and to enjoy the incredible vocal stylings of him, Dick, and two friends. We came home, got things ready, and just relaxed...while the cheesecake continued to chill in the fridge in the garage. We sat around and visited for a long time, and even ate dinner. Dick and I packed up our things to go, and that's when it hit me. By this time, everyone was stuffed from dinner and snacking, so I cut one small piece, took a couple of bites - which I loved! - took some pictures, and then we headed home. I didn't know I could be so sad about a stupid cheesecake! I just looked forward to it for so long, and nobody even got to enjoy it. Well, maybe now they have. I left it with my in-laws, who I hope devoured every last crumb. If that's what I get for being "on the ball," I think I'll stick to my usual chaos from now on hahaha!

click HERE for recipe!

tUeSdAyS w/ DoRiE: sAbLeS...sort of...

Ok, so this is my second official Tuesdays With Dorie (TWD) post, and I have to say that I looooove being in this awesome little cooking/blogging club! That being said, I'm pretty sure this will be my first and last time I'll ever bake Sables. They turned out alright, but definitely not as beautiful as Dorie's, or Barbara's from Bungalow Barbara (where you can find this recipe). So I was a tad disappointed. But don't think for a minute that's going to stop me from putting these on my Christmas goodie plates to friends, though hahaha! I'm also pairing them up with some Cocoa-Nana Bread from Dorie, which I will post tomorrow, which will totally make up for the ragamuffin appearance of these shortbread cookies...I hope!

p.s. Hope you like the Christmas music - I'm so sick of hearing the same old boring songs on the radio that I had to make my own playlist :)

Sables

Coming up:

Cocoa-Nana Bread & No-egg "Nog"

Best KISS of my life!!!

Happy Halloween (belated, of course) to all! I hope yours was as rockin' as mine was...hee hee... let me just give you the run-down of how things went. I started the day by frantically looking for tight black pants for Dick and I - which I found in the girls' section at our nearest Target (yep, both in the girls section hahaha). I then sped home to make a dessert - it was the delicious, and blurry, Cherry-Fudge Brownie Torte out of my new fave cookbook I got for my birthday two weeks ago! Don't worry, there's a whole story that goes along with the cookbook, but that will go in my belated birthday post coming up next time, here in the kitch. Dick picked me up after work to go help the other rockstars on our church's Activities Committee decorate the gym for our ward Halloween party starting just a few hours later. After the decorations were all up, and you could seriously no longer tell you were standing in a gym, we headed home to do each others' make up (pretty sure I've never said that before!) with our friends, the Coleman's, who were the other half of KISS with us that night. 8 o'clock rolled around and we made our way to the partay where we danced the night away. Yes, I said WE!!! Dick has always either thrown a fit about dancing or simply refused, but there was just something about those skin-tight leggings and all that makeup that gave him the courage and energy to get down with his bad self for hours on end. And, seriously, I know I said this was a church party, but it was by far the best Halloween party I've ever been to! And believe me, I've been to some good ones. We are in a ward of young married couples, many of whom are students at WSU, and all of whom are AWESOME! Holler, University 1st ward - love you all! Anyway, it was pretty much the best Halloween of my life! And that wasn't even really Halloween - it was the night before!

To top things off, we went to a little dinner party with some of our other favorite peeps, the Parker's. I was asked to bring a "Halloween-y salad." I hadn't the slightest idea of what that meant, so I spent forever searching for one online and found absolutely nothing but the stupidest ideas I've ever heard and seen. I opted for a black bean salad that included scrumptious flavors, as well as colors you see at Halloween, and I topped it with a spider. It was a hit!

Hope your Halloween was as GRAND as mine was!

My very own Gene Simmons

He loved every minute of it, & so did I!!!

Cherry-Fudge Brownie Torte

From Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home to Yours

Sorry, I can't give the recipe to this one! I'm waiting to get into

a cooking club (Tuesdays With Dorie), and that would be against

one of the few club rules. Just know that it was FABULOUS!

Black Bean Salad

From Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

dressing

1 small clove garlic

a pinch of salt, plus 2 tsp

juice of 1 1/2 limes, about 3 Tbsp

2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 c. olive oil


salad

1 c. corn kernels

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1/2 of small red onion, finely chopped

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained & rinsed

freshly ground pepper

1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small avocado, diced

1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Make the dressing: smash the garlic clove, sprinkle w/ a pinch of salt, and w/ the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. whisk the garlic paste, lime juice, salt & chili powder together in a bowl. gradually whisk in the olive oil, starting w/ a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream.

For the salad: cook the corn, bell pepper, and onions in the olive oil until beginning to brown over med-high heat in a skillet. toss in the black beans and cook until warm. add the dressing and toss to coat evenly. adjust seasoning w/ salt & pepper. remove from the heat & gently fold in the tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro. serve.