A Little Taste of Independence. July 1, 2009 at 11:03 pm Hey everyone – happy 4th of July!
I know most everyone has a special Independence Day tradition. Most people spend the day with their family and friends, others go to neighborhood potlucks and barbeques, and still others go to the park to watch the fireworks burst beneath the stars. My personal tradition? When we first moved into this house, I was so happy to discover that the neighborhood was full of kids. Brown Butter Baked Alaska & Ice Cream Petit Fours. August 27, 2010 at 11:57 am Maybe you’re sick of hearing me saying it, but it’s the only thing on my mind right now – I’m so excited for college.
It’s been coming for months. I felt it in my bones as I reread my acceptance letter, checking and double checking every sentence. It crept up my spine as I leaned over a map of Massachusetts, marveling at the thrill of my school printed there on the paper. Most surreal of all, I might never forget the day I noticed our plane ticket confirmation on the table… two tickets for each of my parents, and a one way ticket for me. And even though my friends have slowly left one by one, the change hasn’t felt real until the past week, when I myself began packing.
One of the best parts? Bacon + Chocolate = World Peace? December 29, 2009 at 1:47 pm When I was in 5th grade, my class went on an overnight trip to a pioneer farm.
We took a tour of the farm, learned about the equipment and tools, and slept that evening in a real pioneer cabin. The next morning after breakfast, we were given our authentic pioneer chores. Mine was cleaning up after the farm’s pig, Susan Bacon Anthony. I was not amused. While some of my friends pressed apples into cider, and other classmates tried out the tools at the blacksmith house, I trudged through the mud towards the barn. Blackberry Jam Almond Bars. April 2, 2010 at 3:41 pm I was almost fooled by the week of sunny weather Seattle’s seen, but the rain has finally begun to pour.
Just last week, the cherry blossom trees stretched over my head in airy, arching bloom, but these days I have to duck to avoid the low branches laden with water. Rain streaks down the windows, bathing everything in a steely blue glow. Umbrellas pop open like strange flowers when I walk outside. In the mornings I wear red rain boots to class, and in the evenings I fall asleep with the sound of rain in my hair.
Guess-the-Ingredient Brownies. August 26, 2008 at 1:34 am I think I’ve probably tried a hundred brownie recipes.
Every kind of chocolate, different spices, fudgey and cakey and everything inbetween. But seriously, I’d never tried any brownies like these ones before. Sometimes a recipe sounds so intriguing that you have to try it, even if it means a trip to the grocery store. Maple and Walnut Nanaimo Bars (Daring Bakers) January 27, 2010 at 2:17 pm Lately, I’ve been in a writing rut.
I’ve been in food ruts where I made the same types of desserts over and over, and I’ve had weeks where inspiration simply escaped me. I’ve had photography ruts, too, where every post would somehow have the same style of photographs. I think every food blogger has those moments where you long to shoot images of vintage cars, textured bark or copper kettles, anything but another cookie. The Bar That Needs A Warning Label – “Dangerously Good” June 17, 2009 at 6:28 pm I used to love the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as a kid.
Chocolate waterfalls, ice cream that never melts, everlasting gobstoppers? It seemed almost obscene! I am a chocoholic who might need rehab, a cinnamon-sugar addict who suffers from withdrawals, a sweetened coconut junkie. I have quite the sweet tooth, if you didn’t notice. My mom, on the other hand, does not think much of sugar. Sweet. A chocolate studded brown sugar and coffee shortbread, cooked crisp so that the edges are caramelly. They were the perfect gift for my lovely neighbor who did my prom hair out of sheer kindness. And oh, she got nuts. You might remember another thing from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – the amazing television commercials that Willy Wonka was perfecting. You’ve got the recipe. This is an easy recipe that came together pretty quickly and made the house smell wonderful. It cut into really beautiful bars that I felt proud to deliver next door. Like this:
Frozen Watermelon Basil-Lime Bars. August 4, 2010 at 10:06 pm We don’t spend hours in the kitchen every evening.
Sometimes, I just pop a bowl of cold fried rice into the microwave for a quicker than quick dinner. On Tuesdays my mother and I steam broccoli, chop watermelon into chunks, sit down to watch Chopped and call it a night. I’ve even leaned against the fridge and eaten cold chicken salad straight out of the tupperware. Our kitchen is always stocked with enough leftovers to make us low-maintenance weeknight diners. Weekends, though… That’s an entirely different matter. My parents and I frequently head to the farmer’s market right after breakfast to shop for dinner, usually without a meal plan in mind. April Showers bring May Migraines – and Cold War Brownies.
May 5, 2009 at 5:35 pm Oh, my gosh.
What makes these Cold War brownies?