For all your chocolate loving friends...give them one of these :) Coming up with a holiday gift idea for everyone on your list can be a challenge sometimes, but who wouldn't enjoy food in a jar? In my opinion, the best and most practical gifts are those that can be eaten. So stop stressing about all the gifts you have to get this holiday season and start mixing! Baking … [Read more...]
Carrot Cake with Spiced Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting
There's just something about sour cream mixed into a cake batter. The added moisture and texture makes it so-so-so fluff-ilicious! And then the frosting…sneaking in a little Breakstone’s sour cream into this cake’s frosting for a perfect balance of sweet and tangy with every bite. This cake is the perfect end to any holiday meal…it’s light, … [Read more...]
Homemade Pie Crust Recipe
I learned something about homemade pie crusts recently. Most people are scared of them. And completely overwhelmed with the thought of making a homemade pie crust. Huh. Really? I want to know...are you overwhelmed by the thought of making your own pie crust? Have you ever considered skipping past the pre-made rolled crusts from the store? Or you an old pre at homemade … [Read more...]
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
As promised, my homemade pumpkin pie spice mix recipe. You'll notice that it's very similar to the apple pie spice...just adds ginger and a bit more cinnamon. And just like I said the other day, "why buy a jar of spice that you only need 1-2 teaspoons of when you can mix up your own with what you've got already?!" Over time, you accumulate all the spices you need to … [Read more...]
Pumpkin – Canned or Homemade???
Katie asks... I have read many of your posts this year and last about pumpkin. As someone who makes many items from scratch (chicken stock, etc.), why do you use canned pumpkin? I cook up a few sugar pumpkins each fall, and freeze the puree for future pies, pancakes... whenever we are craving the taste of fall. It seems easy to do, so I wondered why use canned? I'd love your … [Read more...]
Homemade Apple Pie Spice
As we head into pie season, you might take a peek in your spice rack and see if you have the spices needed to make homemade apple pie spice recipe. (Here's my homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe!) There is no need to spend $5-$6 on a apple pie spice jar from the spice aisle, when you already have the ingredients you need to mix up your own. And you can mix up … [Read more...]
Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
I learned something new about chocolate chip cookies a few weeks ago. And I decided to put the theory to the test. I made these double peanut butter chocolate chip cookies...then took them to a church picnic...and they got RAVE reviews. I recently stumbled upon a New York Times article about the science and history of how chocolate chip cookies became so popular and … [Read more...]
Baked Apples with Maple and Granola
Scoop, crunch. Scoop, crunch. I want to recommend...no highly recommend...that you make baked apples at some point during this fall. Apple prices are as low as they get...there are so many different varieties available in stores. These baked apples do best when made with a sweeter variety like gala or golden delicious. They take minutes to get into the oven...just get … [Read more...]
Almond Raspberry Breakfast Cake
So today is my birthday. And I'll be having cake for every meal today. (Well, maybe not...but it's a nice thought right?!?) I'm starting the day out with a piece of this Almond Raspberry Breakfast Cake. Almond Raspberry Breakfast Cake Yes. A cake for breakfast! 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened1 cup white sugar1 egg1 tsp vanilla extract1 tsp … [Read more...]
Slow Cooker Applesauce
When you "accidentally" pick 30 pounds of apples, you've got to do something...and do it quick! That's a whole lotta apples to process! One of the easiest things to do is make slow cooker applesauce. I intentionally picked a bunch of Golden Sup apples from the orchard because I knew they were a sweeter variety, and wouldn't require any sweetener to be a good applesauce. I … [Read more...]