Desserts
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Say I Love You With Chocolate
I am a sucker for a truffle – the chocolate kind, not the fungus kind. I love a shiny chocolate shell that promises a creamy, flavorful center. Not just any truffle will do, though. Sorry, but a Whitman’s Sampler does not cut it. I prefer high quality dark chocolate. We have some really nice chocolatiers in our area, like Fera’Wyn’s Chocolate Cafe, and Tsuru Sweets & Coffee. Both of these local shops have some gorgeous options for your valentine, if you want show-stopping chocolate truffles. Fera’Wyn’s has dairy-free and gluten-free options, too. But if you are in the market for something a little more hands-on, you can make some handmade…
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The Pursuit of Perfection
When it comes to homemade chocolate chip cookies, I believe there are 2 kinds of people. The first kind has a secret family recipe they use every single time. The second kind of person is like me, always in pursuit of THE perfect recipe. Siri Daly, Today Show contributor and wife of Carson Daly, is also this kind of person. In her cookbook, “Siriously Delicious”, she shares that she has tried many recipes but has come up with an “ideal” cookie. Hers are chewy in the middle and crispy on the edges. They are also the perfect combination of bittersweet chocolate and salt! I decided to try out Siri’s Perfect…
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Apple Butter Magic
I am still loving the apples. I have made my second batch of applesauce already. The apple turnovers lasted about a day. But there is so much more magic to be made with these delicious humble apples, the jewel of the season. Lately, when I mention making applesauce, everyone asks, “What about Apple Butter?” Well, honestly, I have never made apple butter. I love it, and there is something ultimately comforting about it, but I guess I assumed it was really complicated. I imagined it being a complex recipe requiring canning, which still scares me too much to try. But I began to research apple butter and it turns out…
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Apple Season
The air is cooler now, and leaves are beginning to turn bright red, orange and yellow. It’s my favorite time of year. For many people, this is apple-picking season. In a way, it is for me, too – I pick them up from the farmers market. The Raleigh farmers market is a great place to find new varieties to try, and the farmers are very helpful and ready to answer any questions you may have. Sadly, because of COVID, we can no longer sample all the varieties, but it’s still a wonderful afternoon outing. We love apples and eat them raw, but it is also so satisfying to cook with…
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Finding Fall
We have just returned from an amazing adventure out West, to Creede, Colorado. The weather was amazing – crisp in the mornings and evenings and pleasantly warm in the afternoons. We left home when it was muggy and mosquitoey and entered an autumnal wonderland. Mitch has a co-worker who lives out there and he invited us to come experience Colorado and take a break for a bit. We visited at the very peak of the Aspens turning and it was gorgeous. We could not stop taking photos. While there, we had lots of adventures. We hiked, kayaked and generally explored. We took a ride on a steam train through the…
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Upside Down Cake for Upside Down Times
We are getting used to school at home, though it does feel a little like we have fallen through the looking glass. Everyone is up early in the morning, rushing to get to school – at their desks 2 feet from their beds. A few hours later, they come tumbling down the stairs to scavenge in the kitchen for lunch. Then they run back up to finish out the day, leaving a wave of kitchen destruction in their wake. I know this is the same story for most homes right now – upside down times, indeed. So, while feeling very upside down, I thought I would try my hand at…
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Losing my Patience & Finding it Again
It’s been kind of a week here. Nothing overtly bad, just a constant dribble of annoyances – Every. Darn. Day. I think it’s a symptom of the times, a pandemic slump of sorts. I have said from the beginning that one thing we are learning during this epidemic is patience. But mine has been severely tested this week. It started with a missing package. I was SURE I had received and unpacked it and the items were just misplaced in the house. I begged and even bribed my kids to help me find it, only to have it slowly dawn on me that it hasn’t ever arrived. I ordered it…
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Zucchini up the Wazoo
Last week I shared a recipe for Sautéed Squash as one way to use some of the zucchini that is so plentiful this time of year. I used up my zucchini and yellow summer squash, and as if by magic, it was replaced from a friend’s garden the very next day. Before I could use up those squash, we were given more zucchini from another friend’s first garden crop. So thoughtful – so much squash. I took it as a sign that folks might want more recipe options, so this will be the second installment in the Zucchini Trilogy. While picking up zucchini from the first friend, we talked about…
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When in Doubt, Bake
Our family is especially fond of rhubarb, that strange vegetable/fruit that looks like prehistoric celery. Technically, this is rhubarb season, though it doesn’t grow well here in North Carolina. About this time of year, my mom makes rhubarb freezer jam for our families. It is a family favorite and the only jam my father can safely eat, as he is allergic to most fruits. When we lived in the Midwest, rhubarb was plentiful and fairly cheap. Now we have to special order it through a fruit wholesaler. But it is well worth it. If you would like to know how we make the jam, you can find my blog post…
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Rolling with It
I had a different plan for the blog this week. But as we muddle through this strange time, I am learning to embrace each moment and let go of the things that really don’t matter. Just this morning, my dad and I donned face masks and gloves and braved a trip through BJ’s for paper goods and a few other essentials. Our face masks were from a protective set I bought at Home Depot a few years ago and never used. They were closer to the N95 type than a fabric mask and I must say the experience made me greatly appreciate the healthcare workers that have to wear them…
