Today I am writing my apology, to be extended to all you readers for the next three weeks. Though as Christmas approaches I would like nothing more than to be drinking coffee, listening to Christmas music, watching Elf, and baking all types of goodies to share here, I’m sad to report those things will have to wait until December 18th – the highly anticipated, feared, and welcomed day when I graduate from college! Immediately afterward, I plan on getting back … Read More
Havest Dinner Party
I’ve been saving these pictures, from a dinner party I hosted, for a couple weeks, and am just now getting around to posting them. The guests, Drew and Jean Vogel, and their friends Nick and Cindy DeVries, were the highest bidders at an anual auction in my hometown, and were treated to a dinner at my home, with me playing both chef and waiter for the evening. Knowing they paid money to have me cook, (crazy!) I wanted to make … Read More
No-Bake Chocolate Clusters
Crazy, busy, wonderful. Those three words really are not even close to being enough to describe my past two weeks, but they will have to suffice for now, because my brain is only functioning at 50% at the moment due to over-use and exhaustion. I’ve spent the better part of the last couple weeks filming holiday craft and decorating videos for Better Homes and Gardens – 100 Days of Holidays. I was introduced to a whole new world that doesn’t … Read More
Peanut Butter and Jelly Oats
We’ve been having unseasonably warm weather here in Iowa. It’s November and today warmed into a lovely, sunny, 74 degree day. Winter can stay at bay for at least another month as far as I’m concerned, which is probably wishful thinking, but a girl can hope, right? Happy weather calls for even happier food. Familiar favorites that make you smile and want to linger at the table for just a few more minutes. Since breakfast is my ‘stay-and-linger’ meal of … Read More
Peanut Butter, Pear, and Honey Stacker
Quite often, I sit down at the end of a busy day and think about what I fixed for myself, only to feel dismayed thinking about food I find to be rather uninspiring. I’m not a chips, fast food, and junk food type of girl, but on busy days I sometimes rely rather heavily on coffee, yogurt, and Lara bars, finished off with a big plate of veggies at the end of the day to balance everything out. A couple … Read More
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Truffles
Maybe it’s a bit too early to start thinking about favorite holiday treats. But since Halloween is over and done with, I have decided it’s entirely appropriate to start posting any and all treats that remind me of Thanksgiving, and particularly, Christmas. For years growing up I tasted these sweet little peanut butter-chocolate morsels of deliciousness and thought they must be terribly difficult to make. If big flavor was any indication of difficulty level, they would most certainly take forever … Read More
Gluten-free Cranberry-Pear Crumble Pie
Rainy days and nights. We seem to be having a lot of rainy days in Central Iowa and lately all I’ve wanted to do when it’s raining is to sit inside and hole up under a pile of blankets. I’ve found my happy place. Rainy night and howling wind, I’m hiding under the covers while watching Gossip Girl, drinking coffee, and blogging about pie. Gluten-free Cranberry-Pear Crumble Pie at that. Disclaimer: I have very little practical knowledge of gluten-free anything. … Read More
Fruit and Nut Breakfast Muffins
Whew! After a crazy two weeks of papers, tests, and general craziness there was nothing more I wanted to do than mentally check out of school mode and into creative baking mode. Nothing even remotely related to school was allowed this past weekend, just baking and more baking. Of course, man (or woman) can not survive on decadent sweets alone. For that reason, I give you Fruit and Nut Breakfast Muffins. Truly healthy, hearty, and utterly satisfying in every sense … Read More
Too Good to Be True Banana Ice Ceam
I’m constantly stuck between a rock and a hard place, where my health-nut side battles it out with my sweet tooth’s love of ice cream. There are many sweets I could do without, but when it comes to ice cream, I’m hopeless. Something about the cool, creamy goodness draws me in, no matter the season. But even low-fat and reduced-sugar varieties of ice cream can hardly be considered healthy, so alas, ice cream remains a treat rather than a dietary … Read More
Broccoli Pesto
Alice in Wonderland. I think the Disney character that best personifies me at this point would be Alice in Wonderland, falling, tumbling into a rabbit’s hole and disappearing from the world. Substitute the rabbit’s hole for work, classrooms, and the small nook where my desk and computer live and there you have it, my reasons for disappearing from the known world, as well as the blogging world. Lately, my cooking has been more utilitarian and droll than exciting and adventurous, … Read More
Sweet Mistakes
I am posting today in keeping with my promise to share both triumphs and failures in the kitchen. While I hope the balance remains heavily on the triumphs side of the scale, today’s post might best be classified as a failure. But, as is often the case with baking disasters, something quite delicious and unexpected can often come from a botched attempt at something else. Herein lies the story of these Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles with Pecans. While at … Read More
Southern Comfort
Think about the foods that make you feel like you’re home. What are they? Cookies, lasagna, a favorite pie, or maybe a soup. A few things come to mind when I think about home-cooking. My mom’s meatballs, beef stew with biscuits, and a fresh garden salad with poppyseed-balsamic dressing. But really, for me, it’s all about the Southern cooking. We’re talking grits, pinto beans with ham, cornbread with butter, and rice. My dad’s side of the family comes from the … Read More