If you've read my about me page, (c'mon, you know you're curious!) you know that I sell homemade cookies and other treats. It's a very side business, and I don't push it much, mostly because I simply have no time. I don't, however, like to turn down an order, as the money is going to a special fund for my SLR camera. Imagine how cool it will be to take pictures for the blog on something other than my iPhone? In general, I love to bake, and I am super happy to take an order. The problem is that sometimes a customer orders something that I am simply not in the mood to bake. That's what happened the other day. Someone emailed me asking if I could bake them a couple dozen peanut butter cookies. … [Read more...]
Maple Sandwich Cookies with Toasted Pecans
This post is dedicated to all of my awesome friends and followers on twitter, and the exploration of just how helpful twitter is in day-to-day life. And no, this isn't sponsored by the Twitter folks (like they'd care about lil 'ol me!) nor is it a fishing expedition for new twitter followers. (Although you should totally follow me.) Here's what happened. I was in the middle of baking cookies, and couldn't decide if I liked the rough shape or the smooth shape. I made a tray with half of each, figuring I would decide how they looked baked. They came out of the oven, and I still wasn't sure. So I took a picture, and I tweeted it, asking people which they liked better. I was amazed at the … [Read more...]
Grilled Mustard Marinated Chicken
I've always read and heard great things about using a grill pan, but I've been too scared to use one. Why, you ask? Simple. I have a relative who is a huge fan of the grill pan, but everything they've ever cooked on it has come out dry and overcooked. [Let us all take a moment now to say a collective prayer that said relative doesn't actually read my blog.] Let's go on. So I left the grill pan in the back of the cabinet, opting instead for the outdoor grill, the George Forman grill, or in a pinch, the broiler. Then the blackout happened. And for three days I faced very limited cooking options. 30 degrees and a foot of snow meant no outdoor grill, the lack of power eliminated the … [Read more...]
Nutella Crinkle Cookies…and I Survived a Blackout!
I often wonder what life would have been like had I been born a hundred and fifty years earlier. Maybe I shouldn't admit to this, but I sometimes think I would have sat in the darkness, staring at a candle, pining for an iPhone. Sure, iPhones wouldn't have existed in those, days, so I wouldn't have known what an iPhone would be, but still, I like to think I'd have wished for one. Maybe that's an exaggeration, but I do love my electronics. I am happier in front of a computer than almost anywhere else, and I would pick a shiny touch screen device over a shiny piece of jewelry any day. Future husband, take note. And so, had you told me a week ago that I would survive close to 36 hours … [Read more...]
Double Chocolate Chip Crunch Cookies
I had a very difficult time naming these cookies. Even before I made them, I was coming up with names in my head, trying to figure out a clever title worthy of these clever cookies. It all started when I was walking down the cereal aisle in the local grocery store, and I saw this: Image via Wikipedia A little light flashed in my brain. How awesome would it be to bake chocolate cookies with little chocolate chip cookies in them? Naturally, I had to find out. I bought a box and brought it home. Then a month of Holidays got in the way, and it wasn't until last week that I had time to bake for fun and try new recipes. That's when I finally made these. Then the naming dilemma really kicked in. I … [Read more...]
Barbecue Flavored Roasted Corn Kernels: a Healthy Snack
I've been real quiet lately, I know. But I have a good excuse. No, a great excuse. Lets start with the month of Jewish Holidays, in which I cooked and fed a monstrous amount of food. No time for pictures, no time for writing up posts. No time to breath, really. All the while, I thought to myself "well, as soon as the holidays are over (they are now) I will be cooking up a storm, photographing everything I make...after all, I will have so much time." I must have forgotten ab0ut *work* when I formulated those thoughts. My company closed for the entire week of Succos, which is very nice on Succos. Then we all came back, and the reality hits. It's not like one person going on vacation, when … [Read more...]
Homemade Potato Knishes
Are you one of those people who thinks making homemade potato knishes from scratch is difficult? I used to think so. Then I made them. And I realized it's a lot easier than I imagined. I guest posted the recipe and some instructional photos on The Spiffy Cookie. Check it out here. Click here for the recipe. Enjoy! … [Read more...]
Apple Cherry Layered Crumb Cake (Kugel)
Remember the Kugel Quandary I had recently? Well, in case you were not yet confused about kugel, here we go. Honestly, I am highly uncertain about posting this recipe as a kugel. It's a cake, really. But when it comes down to it, a sweet kugel (such as this one) is really nothing but a great excuse to eat dessert halfway through your meal. And how can anyone not like that? To avoid confusion, I am going to call this a cake, going forward. Call it a sailboat if you want. The important thing is that you make it and thoroughly enjoy it. Now, a little bit of background on this cake. A number of years ago, just before a holiday, my father came down with a nasty infection and had to be … [Read more...]
Mini Shepherd’s Pies
What a week. I don't even know where to start. I guess with Sunday, when I worked a full day to make up for the days we were closed last week. Then came Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, all of which felt like a day later than they actually were. I got home on average 7:30 each night, and got straight to work in the kitchen. I went to bed after 2 am every night. Now it's Thursday, well after 2 and I am not nearly done in the kitchen. Did I mention that my company will be closed next week, so it's about doubly busy this week? Yeah, I did drink loads of coffee. Why do you ask? Enough complaining about me. Let's talk global issues. I honestly couldn't believe how saddened I was at the … [Read more...]
Mocha Cheesecake with Oreo Crumb Crust
Note: the pictures on this post don't do the dessert justice- at all! Please trust me on this one- this recipe is delicious, easy to make and even impressive. I've mentioned before that I occasionally get cooking or baking ideas into my head and can't get them out- until I find out how good they might be. Yesterday's Eureka moment came while I was at work. (Yes, on a Sunday. No, I am not insane, nor a workaholic. Ok...maybe a tad of both.) It wasn't until later at night that I was able to get into the kitchen to start tinkering. That's when the first disaster struck. Ok, it was (thankfully) the only disaster, but it was pretty bad. The lid to my food processor was missing. Yes, the very … [Read more...]