A few years ago, one of my favorite friends got her big break and landed the female lead in the FX series Fargo. It was her first big job and an all-around, life-changing BFD. We were all so excited for her! When she came back to Chicago to watch the premier in a local bar, I was determined to make something really special for dessert.
I have drop-cookie issues. I know they’re tasty and easy and much beloved. But I really can’t handle the uncertainty inherent in a cookie that just gets plopped onto a cookie sheet with a spoon. I need cookies to be precisely scooped or rolled or cut out, not “dropped”. Making chocolate chip cookies leaves me deeply unsatisfied. I’ve been thinking about a cookie with dried fruit and nuts but all my internet research led straight to drop cookies. So I got to work cooking up some delicious fruit-nut cookies that could be rolled out and cut into precise circles. No blobs allowed!
This frosting is the best baking idea I’ve had in like a year. I’m sort of over pumpkin honestly so when I got a hankering for a cozy fall cake, I didn’t really know where to turn. I’m not an apple gal and carrot cake is made of vegetables. And nuts. And raisins. Come on. Continue reading “Pumpkin Cake With Molasses Cream Cheese Frosting”
I used to work for a wedding photographer back in the day, before digital photography was a thing. He was very eccentric, had a lot of odd habits and some very strong opinions. He once leapt from a moving train that had gone express mid-route to avoid being late to class. He woke up the next day in the hospital with a nasty head injury then ran a marathon 3 days later. To save time while eating he would mash entire slices of bread into dense balls he called “cowboy bread” which he washed down with as much milk as he could safely drink in one sitting. He was unapologetically hostile towards new trends in photography, such as color film. He was fond of saying, “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” I thought he was a curmudgeon and a bit daft at the time but it turns out that’s exactly how I feel when it comes to the almighty PUMPKIN SPICE. Continue reading “Soft Chai Snickerdoodles”
Making gummy bears from your favorite cocktail, wine or even beer is easy! With a handful of ingredients and a gummy bear mold you can have these ready to enjoy in under 30 minutes. Just mix up a half cup of your favorite alcoholic drink, add sugar and gelatin, then use a dropper to fill your molds. Want to learn how to make alcoholic gummy bears from scratch? Read on!
Continue reading “How To Make Alcoholic Gummy Bears From Scratch”
I’ve been on a quest for the perfect IPA-inspired dessert. Spoiler alert: this post is not about that dessert because I’m still mulling it over and tinkering and drinking beer for research. But I know a few things about this mythical sweet. It must have hops. It must have conifers. And it must have grapefruit. My love for lemon curd borderlines on fetish, so I thought grapefruit curd had to be even better.
I love my little weirdos. All of my three kids have special talents and hilarious quirks. My son has an insane amount of energy, charm, musical ability and dramatic flair. If the entire cast of a cruise ship musical production could be crammed into one person, that would be Simon on a slow day. My middle daughter, Ramona, is artistic, soulful and passionate. Her art teacher once told me, “She’s like a conduit, the ideas and inspiration just pour out of her.” I wish this were a kids’ art blog because she is truly gifted. Continue reading “Weezy’s Honey Cake”
Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Last year I decided to forego the fancy brunches and forced outings and just spent some time working on a cake that pleased my palate. And my palette! I wanted something light and tart paired with something unexpected. Something that could be made and assembled quickly but still look and taste impressive. Continue reading “Lemon Blackberry Cake with Matcha Marshmallow Frosting”
Grassy matcha and ripe strawberry combine to make a meringue that tastes as cucurbit as it looks. Stripe your piping bag with green food dye, line the sides with your matcha mixture, then fill the center with strawberry meringue. Voila, Strawberry Matcha Meringue! Continue reading “Strawberry Matcha Meringue”
So, I know this is a baking blog and dandelion jelly is not really a baked good. But if some joker can put bacon on a maple donut, I think I can put jelly on my baking blog. Bacon started it. And this dandelion jelly recipe is worth breaking all the rules for anyway.
