When I was growing up we called these Brown Eyed Susans.

These are one of the types of cookies I sent to Chris in the Middle East a few weeks ago. They took nine days to get there and he said that they were great, unbroken and still very fresh tasting. They are based on one of the recipes in my Everything Cookies and Brownies Cookbook.

Chris, as are all my kids, is a big tea drinker. He likes all kinds of tea. I wanted to make something a bit different, and wanted to stay away from dairy fillings so I used this recipe (which calls for water in the filling) and used a strong infusion of Earl Grey instead. Read More – Earl Grey Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Shrimp should be marinated in a little vodka for one very good reason.  It brings out a sweet, pure flavor in them that I haven’t tasted any other way.

Now, the odd thing is that, believe it or not, I don’t drink. A glass of wine once in awhile is about it for me. So, even if you don’t drink there is probably a place for alcohol in your kitchen.

I have a lot I want to do this week.  I haven’t done many of the recipes yet so there are not a lot of images. This week I am going to focus on Thanksgiving side dishes with a few other things thrown in..
I always like to try new things along with the tried and true on the holidays. Paging through the November issues of Bon Appetit and Gourmet I have seen several things that pique my interest. Then there are the recipes I make that I want to share. So…here goes:

blogsurfing, blogs, recipes

O.k. maybe some tears. The tears that fall as you pray over the cookies hoping your son or daughter (or husband, or friend) is safe count as tears. But with this  method the cookies will get there fresh, unbroken, and yummy…so you can feel good about that, right?
I wanted to send a test batch to Chris in the Middle East, time how long it took them to get there, and how they were once they were there. I figured that way it would be documented and not rely on my memory. So, A few weeks ago Kyrie and I baked …read more

You have to love the color of cranberries. They add vibrancy to any table, holiday or otherwise. And the tangy flavor is perfect with the heavier meals we eat in the fall and winter. I wanted a crisp that was purely cranberry yet not too tart. I didn’t want apple or pear or anything else with it…just pure cranberry flavor bursting open in every bite.
I put a layer of streusel on the bottom as well as on the top for added texture and sweetness. I really like the result.

This is a great, comfort food type dessert but would also work …read more

O.k. I bet you are wondering why I would call this Pumpkin Pie Noir aren’t you? It isn’t just the color here. I intentionally caramelized everything so that the filling was dark and sticky and very intense pumpkin.
Now, usually when I am making a pumpkin pie I stick with the Libby’s recipe. I know, I know…in a rut..but there is just not that much that can be improved there for a traditional pumpkin pie. This time, though, I wanted something that was sultry, and smooth, and sophisticated…sort of like the Libby’s recipe wrapped up in black leather, you know?

You have …read more

Iron Chef is one of my favorite shows. I don’t have cable so I watch it on my computer a lot. Which is also good because it means that I get to watch as many episodes as I like!
A new release today states that Bobby Flay and Mario Batali would be joined by Emeril Lagasse and White House Executive Chef, Cristeta Comerford to take part in a competition. The challenge was issued by First Lady, Michelle Obama; Use the White House kitchen garden to produce a meal for America.

The battle will premiere January 3, 2010 at 8 pm EST.
The chefs …read more

Twitter is a great invention as far as I am concerned. I love chatting with y’all there and especially late in the evening the banter can get going pretty strong. One night last week it was going back and forth and Kelly from Evil Shenanigans said something about me making whiskey sours and inviting her over…I don’t drink very often…counted in terms of maybe once or twice a year if that and so I thought that was funny. I said I needed to make a whiskey sour bundt cake and all of a sudden half a dozen people were inviting …read more

I know. I am late.  Last week’s chaos turned into this week’s devastation and my household is recovering from an emotional hurricane that hit on top of an emotional tornado. However, one can only wallow in the slough of despond so long before moving out and getting on with life – or at least getting on with  work.
So…I don’t know if you realize this but we are in to November and that means that Thanksgiving is almost here for those of us in the US. I thought that from now until Thanksgiving I would concentrate on those things that you …read more