cake

Shortbread is one of the simple joys of the baking world. Usually, there are just a handful of ingredients. The effort is minimal. And, the simple flavors are just right.

Of course, throw some pecans into something, and I'm definitely on board. So, with those few ingredients and very little time, I had this shortbread in the oven. My kitchen was filled with the delightful aroma of buttery cookies and toasted pecans.

Related posts:

1. Coconut Pecan Shortbread Squares
2. Chocolate Shortbread Fingers
3. Peanut Butter Mud Bars
4. Chocolate-Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

ENJOY! is a subscription gift program.  It’s a mystery gift delivered right to your door. Like a wine of the month club… only better!

Every three months I pair up with a different cool, quirky company and hand-select a unique little gift package for you.  It could be a cool kitchen item.  It could be something for you to carry in your purse.  It could be a little something for your vanity.   Whatever it is, it’s a new and exciting thing that arrives in your mailbox every three months.  …We’re not talking freebies or samples… we’re talking full-on awesome gifts!

It’s easy!  Every three months, you get a gift!

What was the last ENJOY! gift?

For the last round of gifting I worked with a Los Angeles company called Poketo.

Poketo creates “art for the everyday”.  They work with artists and turn their work into awesome everyday things like wallets, stationary, calendars, plates, and these awesome clay chain necklaces that I’m obsessed with.  With Poketo we gifted cool wallets and arty calendars.  Surprise gift success!

Read on… sign up! (I’m bossy.)

What is the next Enjoy! gift?

Don’t be silly!  That’s a surprise!  I can’t tell you!

But… let me give you a hint… because I’m totally SO bad at keeping secrets.

The next Enjoy! gift is a few treats that you’ll get down with in the kitchen.  I love them and I hope you do too!

What if I don’t like my Enjoy! gift?

I try hard to select fun, useful gift that I think everyone can enjoy.  I choose things that I love, and I want you to love them as well.  I won’t ever send you peanuts or booze… not everyone is into that sort of thing.  Beyond that, it’s a surprise gift!  A surprise treat to yourself!  If you don’t like your subscription gift, please feel free to regift the heck out of it.  We’re unable to accommodate returns or refunds.  It’s a surprise!  If you don’t like surprises… and not everyone does… Enjoy! may not be the program for you.

Ps.  I really do think you’ll like it though…

When will I receive my next Enjoy! gifts?

Great question!  International and domestic Enjoy! gifts will be shipped  the last week of February.  Domestic gifts will arrive within one week after shipment.  International gifts will arrive within two weeks to a month after shipment.

Already a Subscriber?

If you’re already a subscriber, you don’t have to do a thing!  You’re all set!  An automatic payment will post to your account and you’ll receive your gift in early March.

If you need to amend your subscription status, or change your mailing address, please login to Paypal to make any adjustments.

Want to be a Subscriber?

I’m bonkers excited about the next round of gifting!  Enjoy! has been a super unique way to put the things that I love in your hands.

ENJOY! subscription slots filled up so fast last round! We’ve buffed up the program and we’re ready for more!

If you’d like to sign up for Enjoy!, now is your time!

ENJOY! subscriptions are $25 domestic and $30 international.  Price includes gift and shipping, and are charged every three months for as long as you’re a subscriber.  Each gift is worth more than the cost of subscription… so it’s a deal and a treat all in one.  I love it and I want you to love it too.  Think of it as that little treat that helps keep you sane.

 

US shipping.

International shipping.

payment through paypal or credit card

thank you for the photos Tracy.

Hey Dude (that I’m currently dating),

We need to talk.  It’s about your mother.

Mostly… it’s about how I need to meet your mother.  We’ve been carrying on for a while now… and I need to meet the lady that birthed you, clothed you, slapped you upside the head, and made you the awesome man you are now.  If I don’t meet her soon, she will surely think me some sort of hussy harlot who was born in a barn and doesn’t much care for other people’s mothers.  This is not the case.  I care about most mothers, often.

It’s a lady thing that perhaps you don’t understand.  I need to be nervous.  I need to bite off all my nails.  I need to agonize over the perfect outfit that will make me look sophisticated, but sweet and approachable, womanly without being more womanly that her.  I need the outfit that says I can damn well take care of myself, and keep her dear and darling son in line for the rest of his life.  It’s a fine fine fiiiine line.

I need to let your mother look me up and down in examination.  I need to stand there and let her envision me as her daughter-in-law.  I need to eat her casserole, express my desire for the recipe… then I need to do her dishes.

I need to let her tell me how to do things that I already know how to do, like make a pie, and pluck my eyebrows.  We need to watch 60 Minutes together.  Her in her recliner, me sitting on the floor.  I need to offer to bring dessert.  She’ll make a face when it’s being served, and enjoy it despite herself.  It’s all a dance.  Every moment of it.  It’s all a test… because mothers do not let their sons go quietly… they let them go passive aggressively.

Lastly, she needs to see that I make you happy.  That’s where you come in.  Don’t act weird.  Well, don’t act weirder than you usually act.  Be natural… and put your arm around me once in a while.  It’s your job to make sure that no one gets a third glass of wine.  That’s when things get weird.

It’s also your job NOT to tell your mother that there are beets in the cake I’m serving for dessert.  That will be our little secret.  Unless she loves it… then I’m taking all the glory.

Cool.

Love,

Joy

Quite right.  This chocolate cake is chocked full of roasted beets.

Beets are trimmed of their greens (which are delicious sauteed) and roasted whole in foil and just a touch of oil.  You know… like you’re making a beet salad, but you’re totally making cake.

Besides beets, this cake also has the usual cake- y suspects:  flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, powder, and salt.

I love preparing cake pans for baking.  Something about the ritual just calms me.

Parchment paper rounds (that are cut by hand) totally ensure that the cake will come out of the pan in one piece.  It’s an extra bit of work, but I love the insurance.

Roasted beets are cooled and peeled (which is easy… not to worry), and grated on the fine side of a box grater.

If you’re wondering about beet stained hands… yes, I had two.  They eventually wash clean.

Beets add moisture and sweetness to the cake.  Beets do not make the taste like a salad.  That’s an important thing to know.

The cake batter will be a purple color, but will bake into a moist chocolate cake with no trace of beets.

Let’s talk about frosting.  Butter and cream cheese are left at room temperature until soft.  They’re beaten with powdered sugar, vanilla, and a squeeze of lemon.

Beets, too!  Beets, shredded and mashed add a slight sweetness and intense color to the frosting.  It’s all you need for food coloring.  It’s delightful and delicious.  And again… it does not taste like salad.

You may have a few beet strands in your frosting as you decorate the cake.  Think of it as nature’s sprinkles.

… I can’t believe I just typed that.

I’m sorry.

I want you to fall in love with this cake.  I did.

The cake itself is moist and chocolate-y.  It’s not too sweet either!  Bonus.  The frosting is bright pink, speckled with beet bits, and creamy sweet.

No one would ever know this cake is chocked full of vegetables.  We can just keep that little bit of information between us.  Secret ingredient power!

You may know Jacqueline Butler as the artist behind beautiful handcrafted sugar flowers like Ranunculus, Peonies and Hydrangeas. She is a highly requested sugar craft teacher and have now started working together with Craftsy, where she is taking online video courses to a whole new level. With Craftsy, You can now sit home and learn how to make two of Jacqueline’s favorite sugar flowers: The Hydrangea and the small filler flowers. These two flowers are often to be found in the sweet floral bouquet that Jacqueline makes. She will also teach you how to make the gum paste that she is using for her sugar flowers. Show you the tools that you will be using through out the course. How you color your sugar flowers. How you apply the confectioners glaze to get pretty shiny leaves (There are some really good tips & tricks here!!) and she will also show you how to assemble and arrange the flowers. I really love the way the online courses works over at Craftsy. As they offer you to be interactive with Jacqueline. She will answer the questions you may have. You can also share your photos and even take notes along the way [...]

Want some heathy cookies?

Nope, that’s not a typo.

Healthy would be nice, but ……

These are all Heath.

I bought this bag of milk chocolaty toffee bits the other day.

Then I made the mistake and opened the bag to nibble on them.

You know, just for a taste.

Then I didn’t stop nibbling on them.

Every time I did something in the kitchen, I would pinch a few bits.

So I made myself bake something with them tonight before all my bits were bitten.

Toffee bits and a few basics are all you need for these cookies.

Fluffiness.

Dark brown sugar.

Yumminess.

Butter and peanut butter. Yes and yes.

Creamed.

Eggs and vanilla.

Or eyebrows… depending on which way I flip the photo. : )

After mixed, throw in the bits.

Roll and dip them in more toffee bits.

Then bite.

Easy!

And if you want to make them a little sweeter. Maybe for your sweetie.

Just bake them in a heart shaped silicone pan.

It just adds a little bit of love.

Heathy Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter, slightly softened 1 cup dark brown sugar 1/2 cup peanut butter 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/3 cup (8 oz bag) Heath Toffee Bits

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small bowl, mix flour, soda and salt using a wire whisk and set aside.
• In another bowl, cream butter, dark brown sugar and peanut butter until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
• Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and mix until combined.
• Stir in toffee bits, reserving some to dip tops of cookies.
• Roll cookie dough into 1-1/4 inch balls. Chill for a few minutes to make it easier to roll or use a small cookie scoop.
• Dip tops of cookies in bits and place on parchment paper covered baking sheet.
• Bake about 10 minutes.
• Place cookies on cookie rack to cool.
• Makes about 30 2-inch cookies.
• Note: I only had almost a cup left of bits to use for these cookies, but I would use the whole bag and possibly even two for these cookies.

Enjoy every little bit!

I generally have some hesitation in sharing super-easy recipes like this one. Then, I have an internal discussion with myself about how we all need to have a collection of embarrassingly easy sweets to make when we are lacking in time and/or inclination. After that, I end up sharing them with you with some near-apology about how easy they are.

While there is baking involved with these, it's not in the traditional sense. No flour, just a few ingredients, and very little mixing. Store-bought graham crackers get things started by providing a crust. Add to that a sweet mixture of buttery pecans, and that's all that's required to get these ready for baking.

Related posts:

1. Pecan and Salted Caramel Cheesecake
2. Chocolate-Caramel Bars
3. Chocolate Pecan Cheesecake Bars
4. Caramel and Chocolate Pecan Bars

You can and you should.  Work hard.  Don’t stop.  Unless there’s wine.  Drink it.  Then work harder.

If people don’t get it.  Lose em.  Find people that do.  They exist.  Make them your friends.  Go thrift shopping.  Buy skirts.  Talk about ice cream.

Make the world more beautiful.  That’s our job while we’re here.  And we’re still here.  So love well, and hard, and like we won’t be here forever.  Because we won’t.

Use your good luck spoon.  Throw away your bad luck fork.  Remember that texting and driving is dumb.  And your car horn never really adequately expresses your anger, so don’t use it and just scream in the car a bit if you must.

Buy kale.  Especially if it’s named dino.  It’s ok if it has dirt on it.  It came from the ground.  Wash it well.  Combine it with coconut.  Roast.  Feed it to a person you love.  See what happens.  You’ll have just made the world more beautiful.  Is it really that easy?  Sometimes it is.  Mind blown.

You might never guess that such a simple combination of ingredients could be so wonderfully lovely.

You also might never guess that I’ve eaten this dish every day for a week straight.  That is no exaggeration.  It’s so good.  So comforting.  Soooo the new mac and cheese.

Kale and unsweetened coconut is tossed with soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, and olive oil.  It’s baked until golden and crisp.

It’s chewy.  It’s crunchy.  It’s a total mouth workout… and so so good for your body.

Farro is a big hearty grain and it stands up wonderfully to robust kale and coconut.  Brown rice would also be quite nice.

This recipe is from Heidi’s Super-Natural Every Day cookbook and inspired by Tracy.

Tracy told me that this dish was serious man food/comfort food.  I refused to believe her.  I finally made it for myself, fed it to a man… and that was it.  Game over.  I’m now engaged, pregnant with twins (a boy and a girl), I just won the lottery, someone just bought me a pony, and I have every single pair of shoe that I’ve ever wanted.

Except none of that happened…. but this meal was simply exceptional.

Crunchy Kale and Coconut Bowl

makes 4 small servings or 2 large servings

recipe adapted from Shutterbean and Super Natural Every Day

Print this Recipe!

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (or seasoned rice vinegar if you have that on hand) (i know they’re totally different but both work well)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sriracha

scant 1/3 cup olive oil

5 cups dino kale, ribs removed and leaves torn into bite-sized pieces

1 cup unsweetened large flake coconut

1 cup uncooked farro

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium pot, bring several cups of water to a boil.  Salt the water (like you would for cooking pasta) and add farro.  Reduce heat and simmer farro, uncovered, for 17-20 minutes, until farro is softened but still as a bit of a bite.  Drain in a colander and set aside.

In a small mix together sesame oil (or rice vinegar), soy sauce, and siracha.  Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking as you drizzle it in so that the dressing emulsifies.  You can also place all of the ingredients in a small jar and shake to emulsify.

Place the kale pieces and coconut on the prepared baking sheet.  Drizzle half (or a bit more) of the prepared dressing over the kale and coconut.  Toss around to coat.  Bake for 12-18 minutes, until browned and crispy.  Remove from the oven.  Divide farro and crispy kale into bowls and top with a bit more dressing.  Enjoy warm.  [/printable]

Not everything requires a bowl, a mixer, whisk, and measuring spoons.

Sometimes the most delicious comforts come out of milk, spice, and heat.

I’ve been keeping it pretty simple in the kitchen lately.  You know… trying to treat my body right, and such.  I’m also trying to stay far far away from the Winter cold that’s ruining the world as of late (that was totally dramatic).

Here’s the plan:

Heat about 2 cups of almond milk in a small saucepan.  If it’s unsweetened almond milk… you might want to add a touch of honey.  It’s is sweetened… no need.

Add about 1/8 teaspoon of ground cardamom and a good sprinkling of fresh ground nutmeg to the heating milk.  Also add the scrapings of half a vanilla bean… heck, throw the pod in too.  If you don’t have vanilla beans on hand, no worries (!) just throw in a dash of pure vanilla extract.  If you want to add a bit of bourbon… I won’t tell a soul.

Heat until steaming hot.

Serve hot with cookies from your favorite bakery.  Enjoy while reading a cookbook studded with Polaroids of your friends as bookmarks.  (Suggestions… no biggie.)

This is not a cheeseburger.

This is not bacon.  These are not peanut butter and chocolate cupcakes.

These are not doughnuts nor french fries.

Oooh how I wish these were all of those things.

Instead… this is health.  It’s health that tastes good and makes our bodies feel like they can leap like superheros, with x-ray vision, and super strength.

It’s ok that this smoothie doesn’t taste like chocolate… mostly ok.

I really love going out to eat.  Sure… that’s an easy thing to say.  But I LOVE it!

When you go out to eat there’s French fries!  Blue cheese in your salad!  And bacon that you didn’t have to cook yourself!  It’s absolute magic.  Until the bill comes… that’s just real life.

When I’m home… not at a restaurant… not eating French fries and bacon… I drink a lot of smoothies.

Kale Spinach and Pear Smoothie. Peanut Butter Banana and Oat Milkshake. Super Citrus Smoothie.

Smoothies satisfy my desire to throw things in a blender and trick myself into thinking I’m drinking a milkshake.

Good heavens.  I have a problem.

I realize that this might seem like an odd combination of ingredients for a smoothie.  It is.  It’s the cucumber.  Weird, right!?

Believe it or not, cucumber thickens the smoothie!  It also adds lots of hydration and potassium.  It’s a total secret weapon.

This smoothie has just a hint of sweetness… and it doesn’t take like a big bunch of vegetables.  Strawberry sweet with creamy almond milk, and mellow mellow cucumbers.

Cucumbers add an interesting texture to the smoothie.  It’s slightly more slippery.  Like we added a touch of gelatine to the smoothie.  But!  It’s all natural and just the way that cucumbers work.

English cucumbers (hot house, that is) are the best for this smoothie.  The skin is thin and can be blended smooth.  Cucumbers with thicker skins should probably be peeled.

Deseed the cucumbers.  Chop into big chunks.  Blend with frozen strawberries and cold almond milk.  Add a touch of raw honey.  It’s simple and delicious.

I've been re-visiting some of my favorite cookbooks lately. I don't have a vast collection, but it's large enough that some get a little lost occasionally. The positive side to that is that when you find a formerly lost one, it's a bit like getting a new cookbook... for free!

I happened upon this recipe while re-discovering The Buttercup Bakeshop Cookbook. Of course, it had me at peanut butter. Then, I read the description that stated that these are a favorite at the bakery. With that kind of endorsement, I started rounding up ingredients. Luckily, these are all ingredients that most of us probably have in our pantries all the time.

Related posts:

1. Peanut Butter Candy Bar Squares
2. Peanut Butter Cup Blondies
3. Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
4. Peanut Butter Pie with Cookie Crust

There are tons of recipes for the most classic cupcake of them all. The vanilla cupcake! I have lost track on how many different recipes, that I have tried to myself. Some was good, some was bad and some failed to a disaster. There are many different opinions on what makes a good vanilla cupcake. So, no wonder why there are thousands of vanilla cupcake recipes out there. Yesterday I was going through a stack of old recipes, and I was thrilled to find an old recipe for vanilla cupcakes. I remember them as a bit too greasy but with a good taste. So I decided to make some small modifications to the recipe and made a test batch. They came out great. A perfect vanilla cupcake! That bake perfect too. Half of the paper cases was filled with a heaped tablespoon of batter and the rest was filled 3/4 full. They are good without frosting but they are certainly also good with a nice swirl of frosting on top. So far, I have tried them with Angle Feather Icing (recipe coming soon) a really good combination. I cannot wait to try them with other types of frosting. These cupcakes [...]

There are tons of recipes for the most classic cupcake of them all. The vanilla cupcake! I have lost track on how many different recipes, that I have tried to myself. Some was good, some was bad and some failed to a disaster. There are many different opinions on what makes a good vanilla cupcake. So, no wonder why there are thousands of vanilla cupcake recipes out there. Yesterday I was going through a stack of old recipes, and I was thrilled to find an old recipe for vanilla cupcakes. I remember them as a bit too greasy but with a good taste. So I decided to make some small modifications to the recipe and made a test batch. They came out great. A perfect vanilla cupcake! That bake perfect too. Half of the paper cases was filled with a heaped tablespoon of batter and the rest was filled 3/4 full. They are good without frosting but they are certainly also good with a nice swirl of frosting on top. So far, I have tried them with Angle Feather Icing (recipe coming soon) a really good combination. I cannot wait to try them with other types of frosting. These cupcakes [...]

There are tons of recipes for the most classic cupcake of them all. The vanilla cupcake! I have lost track on how many different recipes, that I have tried to myself. Some was good, some was bad and some failed to a disaster. There are many different opinions on what makes a good vanilla cupcake. So, no wonder why there are thousands of vanilla cupcake recipes out there. Yesterday I was going through a stack of old recipes, and I was thrilled to find an old recipe for vanilla cupcakes. I remember them as a bit too greasy but with a good taste. So I decided to make some small modifications to the recipe and made a test batch. They came out great. A perfect vanilla cupcake! That bake perfect too. Half of the paper cases was filled with a heaped tablespoon of batter and the rest was filled 3/4 full. They are good without frosting but they are certainly also good with a nice swirl of frosting on top. So far, I have tried them with Angle Feather Icing (recipe coming soon) a really good combination. I cannot wait to try them with other types of frosting. These cupcakes [...]

Have you ever spent a hearty sum of money on something… and then didn’t want to use it because it was so expensive?

I sometimes feel that way about my couch.  Ok… I didn’t spend a ton of money on my couch… but, well… it felt like a lot of money at the time.  As a result, I feel like the couch must be treated with the proper respect.  God forbid someone should try and jump on it.  Heck..  if someone sits down on it too hard (is that really even possible) I look at them sideways.

And don’t even get me started on the cat.  He has nooooo respect.  Probably because he has noooo concept of what money is.

My couch isn’t fancy.  But… I feel like the very fact that I have a couch puts me on the fancier side of fancy.  I spend a lot of years without a couch.

Don’t sit down to hard on my couch… that’s all I ask.  Oh!  and if you’re going to park your rear end for a prolonged amount of time, please rotate seat spots.  You’re mushing my cushions.  Nevermind that it’s a couch made for sitting and mushing.  I’m unreasonable.  I know.  I truly am.

I feel like these cookies echo my fancy couch sentiments.

See… they have fancy ingredients in them.  Cocoa nibs and vanilla beans deserve some respect.  When these two ingredients meet in a cookie, the cookie should me held in the highest esteem… even if it’s just a light, puff-of-air meringue.

Treating yourself is important.  Treating yourself to a couch, and then acting unreasonably about its use might be silly.  But splurging of some crunchy cocoa nibs and baking them into cookies is a slightly easier treat.  And your cat won’t scratch cocoa nibs.

These meringues were inspired by Tartine Bakery in San Francisco.  Tartine is one of the best bakeries in the land.  They’re people that do things right.  It is a dream.  Tartine has cocoa nib studded meringues that are perfect.  You’ll want to order two… and you should… but you’ll probably only be able to eat one.  Trust me.

Meringues require eggs.  The brown yolk-y kind… not necessarily the wood or marble type, even though they’re pretty.

These cookies are so simple… but they have some really lovely splurge ingredients in them .

Cocoa Nibs add a crunchy, chocolate and coffee flavor.  Vanilla Beans add that beautifully irresistible fragrance.

They’re special baking items… and totally worth the splurge.

I always want to swim in glossy, unbaked meringue.  It’s like thick marshmallow cream.

Easily dollop with a big soup spoon.  Keep it easy in the kitchen.

The parchment paper is a complete must.  Parchment paper might seem like another splurge item… but it’s important.  It’s not like foil.  It’s only like parchment paper.  There is no substitute.

Take a bite while the cookies are still on the baking sheet.

You know why?  Because you’re grown.  You made grown cookies.  There’s no butter in them.  And you you you are living a good life.  Bite!

Eat off the baking tray… but please don’t forget to make things beautiful.  Beautiful things always make me feel better.  And!  Since we’ve splurged on such lovely ingredients… we really should take out a pretty plate and brew a nice pot of coffee.

These cookies are light but crunchy.  The centers are simultaneously hallow and chewy.  They are a combination of delicate and rustic.  Have them with hot coffee, red wine, or in bed with a glass of cold orange juice.  It’s your world… and it’s a beautiful one.

If the baking lords ever decide the whole sweet and salty thing is played out, please don't tell me. I'd rather live in oblivion, happily eating salty, sweet treats.

These blondies are a very fine example of how sweet and salty play well together. First of all, you have brown sugar blondies that can barely contain all the chocolate chips in them. Then, that's topped off with lots of beautiful sea salt.

Related posts:

1. White Chocolate Chip Blondies
2. Sweet and Salty Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies
3. Peanut Butter Cup Blondies
4. Raspberry Pecan Blondies

There’s something about a giant stack of waffles topped with butter, powdered sugar, and maple syrup that puts me in an un-fightable, resistance resistant, afternoon coma.  That really… and I mean reeeeaaalllyyy pisses off the workaholic in me.  She hates napping.  The waffle-aholic in me?  Well… obviously she thinks her workaholic counterpart should just chill  the heck out.

I’ve tried to appease both sides of my w-aholics… and it’s not about trading waffles for spelt toast.  No…  that just can’t happen.

Switch up the waffle!  Make it a savory dream!  Top it with salsa and an egg!  This way my waffle-aholic self gets all of her warm waffle goodness. and my workaholic self doesn’t need a resentful nap.  Take note.

Please tell the waffle-aholic within you that this dish is supreme for either breakfast or dinner.

Savory waffles are IT!

Here’s what you’ll need:

A waffle iron.  I know… I know… what a pain.  There’s really no other way to make waffles though.  Perhaps you could turn this dish into savory pancakes… but it’s not quite the same.  Waffle iron.  It’s a splurge!!

Cornmeal gives these waffles a really wonderful crunch.  I used a more coarse cornmeal.  Bite!

Chives and parsley kick up the flavor of these waffles. Subtle onion and herb.  It’s perfect.

Black pepper!  Coarse and generous.

Salsa and eggs!  Cook up and egg and top it off with salsa.

With these few ingredients, I swear you’ll feel like you’re doing everything right.

This batter is beautifully thick and subtly flavored.

Cornmeal and scallions mysteriously take things from ok to uh-mazing.

You might choose, as I did, to enjoy these waffles with a friend, on a front porch, under a gloomy grey sky, on a slightly chilly weekend morning.

Or!  Or or or… you could plop down in from of the television and watch reruns of Law and Order SVU.

OR!  You could eat them standing in your kitchen, trying to get your cat to stop sticking his face in the open waffle iron.

I usually opt for the later option.  That’s just how I choose to live… or something.

Savory Cornmeal and Chive Waffles with salsa and eggs

serves 2

Print this Recipe!

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornmeal (fine cornmeal is good, but I love a coarse grind for this recipe)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1/3 cup melted unsalted butter

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons chopped scallions

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

salsa and eggs

I was in the mood to make some red velvet cupcakes this weekend. Red velvet cake is so pretty on it’s own, you really don’t need to do much to decorate it. A luscious cream cheese frosting works just fine most of the time.

But since Valentine’s Day is coming up soon, I wanted to do something simple and fun for the occasion.

So I made some cute cupid’s arrows to adorn them.

To make these love struck cupcakes, you just need to insert a 6-inch lollipop stick through the top part of the cupcake papers.

You can use a toothpick to pierce through the paper on each side to make it easier to push the stick through. Hold the paper on each side as you push the stick through so the paper doesn’t separate from the cupcake.

Then you can cut out sweet little hearts to attach to each end.

Actually, cut out the hearts ahead of time so you’re prepared.

Attach the small heart to one end with a small piece of tape and cut two slits through the larger heart to allow the stick to slide through.

Cut along the white lines on the larger heart for a more feathery look. I decided not to because I thought they looked cleaner this way.

Here’s a pdf if you want to download the ones I made. There’s a pink and a red version of the hearts in the pdf.

Or if you are more prepared, you can look for two different size heart paper punches and some pink or red heavyweight paper and save a lot of cutting time.

Obviously, I wasn’t prepared.

But in a pinch, these hearts work great, too.

To decorate the cupcakes, I used an Ateco Tip #807 to swirl on a mountain of creamy cream cheese frosting.

Yum.

And then I sprinkled a few of these tee-niny heart sprinkles right on top.

Perty!

But if you want to make them even easier, you can simply insert the arrow straight down through the frosting and into the cake below.

You can turn them into bleeding heart cupcakes, too. So easy!

Just attach a few hearts sprinkles upside down onto the frosting.

I used jumbo, regular and miniature heart sprinkles.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour 2 cups sugar 1 Tablespoon cocoa 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 eggs 1 cup oil 1 cup buttermilk 1 Tablespoon vinegar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1-2 oz. red food coloring

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line trays with cupcake papers.
• Lightly stir eggs in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Add remaining liquid ingredients and stir together with whisk until blended. Set aside.
• Place all the dry ingredients in your mixing bowl and stir together with another wire whisk.
• Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high for about a minute or until completely combined.
• Pour into cupcake pans and drop the pans on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
• Bake for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Makes 24 cupcakes

Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup butter, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla 6 cups confectioners’ sugar

• Sift sugar and set aside.
• Beat cream cheese and butter on high until creamy. Add vanilla.
• Then, add the sugar in batches. Scrape down the sides in between each addition.
• And frost away.

Either way you want to decorate, enjoy!

oh… and eat your heart out.

When we moved to New York just over a year ago, I was forced to whittle down my cookbook collection. Believe me, losing 3000 square feet of living space will make you whittle down a lot of things. I spent a lot of time and thought considering what books would make the cut.

My collection is about 85% baking books. One of my favorite kinds of baking books is bakery cookbooks. To me, those are just the best. I'm pretty sure all of those made the cut. An old favorite of mine is The Sweet Melissa Baking Book. From that book, I share with you these brownies.

Related posts:

1. Black-Bottom Coconut Bars
2. Salted Fudge Brownies
3. Brownies from Amy’s Bread
4. Black-Bottom Cookie Bars

This is total brain food.

If you think you know what I mean by that… think again.

This is the sort of dish that you can make seated at your kitchen counter, or at your the desk that you’ve cleared off, or sitting on the floor beside the coffee table.  This is the sort of dish that you sit, and make, and think with your brain… while you let your fingers do the working.

Taking the time to making these little pockets is the slightly more productive equivalent to standing in the kitchen with buttery crackers, peanut butter, and Lucky magazine.

Taking the time to make these little treats is also the equivalent to  listening to Van Morrison’s Veedon Fleece on repeat.  It’s just good for the brain.

If you don’t know… now ya know.

This is no time to celebrate fresh peas.  But! Frozen peas, brought to life with boiling water.  We’re good to go!

…I should tell you how many times a week I defrost peas and call them dinner.  It might make you worry about me.

Essentially, we making little ravioli pockets with pulverized peas.

We’ll mix the peas with lemon juice and zest, bread crumbs, garlic, shallots, parsley, and cheeeeeese!

This recipe is inspired by The Gourmet Cookbook…. my old standby.

The recipe combines pea ravioli with a lemon chicken broth… gorgeous!  Think about it… maybe this is your dinner style!

Here’s the thing that we need to talk about.

I made these ravioli pockets using pre-made wonton wrappers.  The kind of wrappers that are already perfectly portioned for fried wontons, boiled ravioli, or decadent Nutella pockets.

I know….  it seems like once you know how simple it is to make pasta… you’re not allowed to cheat with wonton squares.

But this is real life.  I don’t have a pasta roller.  And I have to desire to use a rolling pin and fight to make perfect little squares.

Wonton wrappers!!  You can find them in most groceries, in the refrigerated section.

Let’s just go with it.

Pea pesto is easily brought together in a food processor.  The toughest part about this step is, um… actually having a food processor.

I have this blender and mini food processor combo.  It has made me happy.  Boom.

Two edges of the ravioli square are moistened with water, using your finger.  Then the edges are formed into a triangle and pressed together.  Give it a good press.

Oh… also.. my watch calls it 11:07.  Fyi.

After the pocket is well sealed, bring together the two far corners.  We’re going to glue them together…

With just a dab of water… the corners get pressed together.

These little ravioli cook up in boiling, salted water in about 2 minutes.  Top with spicy tomato sauce and you’re good for dinner!

A few helpful notes:

-  Ravioli will begin to stick together if filled and left to sit atop one another.  Lay them flat, separated by parchment paper, and refrigerate.

-  Ravioli can be spread in a single layer and frozen.  To enjoy, place in boiling water until the float and are warmed through.

-  Don’t have a fancy food processor?  I totally get it!  These ravioli can be made with store bought pesto… no problem!  Spruce pesto up with whole peas, chicken bits, bacon bites… use your imagination.  Enjoy the project!

-  Kids can help!  I think they can, at least.  Cats can not help.  That much has been determined.

-  Ravioli can also be filled with sweet treats.  I’m thinking Nutella.  If filled with chocolate hazelnut spread… consider pan frying until crisp.  Boiled Nutella would be weird.

-  Relax and enjoy making these.  Don’t worry about the fancy food processor or pasta roller that you might not have.  Cooking is all about making what you have work for you.  Let’s just chill and do.

I've had a strange fascination with this cake for a long time, yet I've never made it. There's something about the thought of making a cake with a Coke that intrigues me. Sort of in a how-can-that-possibly-work way.

This particular recipe comes from Classic Southern Desserts by Southern Living. I don't know if this cake truly has Southern origins, but it certainly seems Southern enough to me. I mean, who else would pour Coca-Cola into a cake?

Related posts:

1. Chocolate Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frostings
2. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake
3. Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Chocolate and Nuts
4. German Chocolate Cake with Coconut-Pecan Sauce