Cookies and more cookies

I've said it before and I shall say it again...I LOVE MY NEIGHBORS!

I live in a community.  For once in my life, I know my neighbors and they know me.  They look out for me and vice versa.  They bring me dinner when I'm home alone or have worked late.  It feels good to belong.

To reach out to my neighbors, I am baking Linzer cookies and cinnamon rolls for them this evening.  I'm so excited!!!

As the weather chills, I look forward to baking in my kitchen.  I love creating treats and meals. 

For Halloween the subdivision comes together for a chili cook off.  The adults dress in costume - I will be the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland this year.  Can't you just see and hear me?  "OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!!!!"  LOL

I made an awesome apple cider for last year's celebration and this year I'll whip up something delightful.

So tell me, what's your fall ritual?

Granola

I was on a granola kick.  I couldn't find one that would serve me so I turned to my tried and true...smitten kitchen.  If she doesn't have it...it's not to be had.  I adore her website (http://www.smittenkitchen.com/).

I baked and baked batches of these.  My friends Char and Ern came for a visit and Char is always such a doll and sends us home with lots of treats I repaid the favor and made Granola Bars.  Ern said Char has made them every day since they left my house.  HA!  I haven't made them since their visit.  I will make some this weekend.

http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/02/thick-chewy-granola-bars/

They are amazing.

Adaptability

Although I live a thousand miles away from New York City - it is one of my favorite places.

What drives home NYC is the fact that I now have a galley kitchen. It's adorable, it's cute, it's modern but it is small. I am learning what is important and my life and my kitchen are important.

We've been "snowed" or more properly, "Iced" in for several days and I was busy creating.

I made bagels! My friend Charlene, who lives in a quaint town in NC, made them for me one morning and it was so easy I had to recreate them.

Pics and recipe to follow!

Check in

Cooking suggestions

I haven't created anything in awhile...I think I will create something soon.

Any suggestions?

Punitions - My Punishment

I've discovered baking. I haven't baked many items but slowly and surely I am getting the hang of it and becoming comfortable.

Today was a busy early day and I decided to make a simple treat. I watched Sunday Morning, one of my favorite shows, a few weeks ago and the were talking about a bakery in France (the famous Poilâne bakery). I am a fan of ALL things sweet so I decided to try these.

I pulled out the workhorse KA food processor and began. The softened butter, the half a cup of sugar, the all purpose flour and the egg. I marveled...no vanilla, no lemon, no NOTHING? I divided the dough and put one half in our fridge and decided to try the other half right then. It rolls out well and it is one delicate dough.

The cookies are light, delicate and crisp. The punition has no color and I marveled. At first I thought I made a mistake. I was initially disappointed in these cookies. I did not see the hype. I took a bite of the cookie and was not particularly impressed. I thought it lacked flavor. I said to myself "no vanilla, no lemon...no nothing" I shared the cookies with my partner and before we knew it...the batch was gone.

I beg to differ...the punishment is not in the waiting but the fact that they go so fast.

Easter Brunch

Historically, we have an Easter Brunch and we pull out all the stops. This year, with my partner's impending surgery, we have scaled back. My Mother is the only attendee and we are keeping it simple.

Our menu consists of:

hash brown casserole
green bean casserole
white chocolate pound cake
Macerated strawberries with sugar and balsamic vinegar
roasted turkey
biscuits
eggs the way you like them
pressed coffee
Mimosas





I served this white chocolate pound cake with the macerated strawberries and offered a choice between riesling sorbet or a delicious gelato from whole foods.