TWD – Rick Katz’s Brownies for Julia

I’ve always loved Valentine’s Day – not really for romantic reasons.  I was never sad on Valentine’s Day if I didn’t have a boyfriend, and my husband and I don’t really make a big deal of it at all.  But I’m never against a day that celebrates love for the people around me.  So I just couldn’t resist decorating these in festive pink and red hearts. 

Tuesdays with Dorie – (Milk) Chocolate (Mini) Bundt Cakes

This week’s Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was the milk chocolate mini bundt cakes.  As you can see, I don’t have a mini-bundt pan, and didn’t think I would use them enough to justify purchasing one, so I doubled the recipe and baked it in a normal 12-cup bundt.    It was perfect!  I baked it for 50 minutes in the large bundt, and I think that was just right.  I also used bittersweet chocolate instead of milk chocolate .. and didn’t use the glaze suggested in the book, as I noticed a lot of other TWD members saying it wasn’t coming out quite right.  I made a very simple confectioner’s sugar glaze instead and added some sprinkles just for fun. 

Tuesdays with Dorie – Cocoa-Nana Bread

I am so behind in posting.  I have so many recipes and pictures to share, but with my new job, I feel like I barely have a minute of spare time these days!  I did manage to bake the TWD recipe this weekend.  I honestly was not sure how this came out.  After the cake cooled, I cut it and ate a few of the crumbs that fell out while slicing it.  I wasn’t crazy about it, but tried another crumb in the morning, and thought it acceptable enough to bring to work.

Chocolate Oatmeal Almost Candy Bars

I’ve been absent, but I have a good reason, starting a new job and all!  It’s been a slight adjustment getting used to a new schedule, though really not a huge one.  While I was unemployed, I purposefully kept a strict schedule so that it wouldn’t be a shock.  I went to bed at a reasonable time and woke up before 6:00 a.m. on the weekdays and went running or to the gym.  I baked and cooked long, complicated recipes, but even when working full-time, I always manage to get a fresh, homecooked meal on the table.  I’m a lot more tired at the end of the day and now I’m getting up before 5:00 a.m., but I love my new job and I am so thrilled.  I wouldn’t change a thing, except perhaps adding another hour or two to the day ..

Happy New Year!

2009 was a whirlwind for me.  My husband and I made an unexpected and last-minute move across the country, away from family and friends, to a place where we literally didn’t know a single person.  I left a stable job that I loved for uncertainty, which was scary.  I was unemployed for six months, which was frustrating and difficult.  But we stuck it out together and I’m thoroughly looking forward to 2010.  For one thing, I start working full-time on January 4.  I can’t think of a more perfect way to start the year.  And the job I got was definitely worth the wait.  I’m glad I didn’t settle, and I’m glad I held out for something I know I will love.  We spend so many of our waking hours at work.  Life is so much better when you enjoy your job.

Tuesdays with Dorie – Low and Lush Chocolate Cheesecake

I’ve missed a lot of Tuesdays with Dorie baking lately, so I knew I had to make up for it with some extra effort.  Since this is a chocolate cheesecake and all, and since I’m most likely bringing this to a New Year’s party, and I can think of few better ways to start off a new year than with excessive amounts of chocolate, I went all out with this recipe.

Happy Holidays!

I have been completely off track with blogging and Tuesdays with Dorie since Thanksgiving hit.  There are just so many other things to do during the holidays!  I wanted to bake this week’s pecan pie, but life became consumed with cookies instead.  This year, for Christmas, it’s just the two of us.  I don’t have a group of people coming over for dinner, and not being huge fans of pecan pie, I didn’t want to make a whole one for just the two of us.  There have been plenty of other things coming out of our kitchen.  There are the cookies above, Norwegian Butter Cookies from the March 1983 issue of Gourmet (I must mention those adorable Christmas tree tins – I am kicking myself for not grabbing a few more).

Bacon, Scallion and Cheddar Scones

I usually associate scones as a sweet food, but I recently tried out a savory scone recipe that was absolutely delicious.  As much as I’d love to whip up a batch of sweet scones for a weekend brunch (this recipe looks especially tempting), my husband doesn’t really like sweet foods much and prefers savory breakfast foods (eggs, bacon, potatoes, etc.).

Holiday Recipes from Domino Sugar

A representative from Domino Sugar contacted me last week to see if I was interested in featuring one of their holiday gift ideas in a post.  They sent me a $20 Visa gift card to help out with expenses in making one of their recipes.  I was excited to browse their homemade holiday gift page.  It gave me a sense of excitement for the upcoming holiday season.  Especially in a tough economic environment, homemade gifts are an affordable and thoughtful way to show someone you care about them this season.

Thanksgiving and All-in-one Holiday Cake (TWD)

I made  Dorie’s All-in-one holiday cake a couple of weeks ago for a large early Thanksgiving gathering.  It was a hit!  I only got a few leftover crumbs, but I took it as a good sign that everybody polished it off.  It smelled awesome coming out of the oven.  I love using fresh cranberries in baking!  I would definitely make this again sometime.  I didn’t make any modifications to Dorie’s recipe.  For those not familiar with the concept of this cake, it is a bundt cake with pumpkin, apple, and cranberries!  I omitted the nuts as I was feeding a large crowd and didn’t want to risk someone being allergic.