Mary’s Bluegrass Pie

I haven’t slept well for the past several nights for two reasons. First, my 84-year-old aunt Mary, and the author of this recipe, is in the hospital. She is pretty sick with a bout of pneumonia and could potentially be in the hospital during what was always one of her favorite days to celebrate, The [...]

Read Full Post »

Moist Carrot Cake

Make one 13 x 9 x 2-inch cake
Carrot cake conjures up images of a small restaurant with mismatched chairs, rickety tables, and thick white coffee mugs. (Sounds like my kitchen table, now that I think about it. One of my sisters describes this as the “beat all to hell” -style of decorating. I digress.)
This cake [...]

Read Full Post »

Meet Brownie’s Sister Blondie

I’m proud to present, for the very first time, One Pan Blondie. This nutty companion to our brunette favorite – One Pan Brownies -  is the perfect accompaniment to an afternoon cup of tea.
Makes one 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1  1/2 sticks) butter
1 1/2 [...]

Read Full Post »

Double Ginger Cookies

Makes about 4 dozen cookies
 
Again, a thankful nod to Bob, my favorite brother-in-law baker. He baked these cookies a few years ago and brought them to our family Christmas gathering. I loved the flavor and texture, not to mention the extra bits of crystallized ginger mixed into the dough. On another note, this recipe uses canola oil and [...]

Read Full Post »

Sugar Cookies

Makes about 4 dozen rolled and cut sugar cookies (depends on the size of the cutter)
Big Note: This dough needs about 2 hours in the refrigerator to chill, so plan accordingly
I give my brother-in-law Bob all the credit for introducing me to this recipe. The cookies made with this dough are crisp, buttery, and sweet. I find [...]

Read Full Post »

The Baking Begins

My holiday kitchen is officially open. Our Fraser Fur, fresh from Fries Brothers, stands bare waiting for its decorations. Behind me, the pantry overflows with nuts, spices, chocolate, flour, sugar, and sprinkles. Then there’s our refrigerator giving its all to keep the butter, eggs, and nog chilled. As we make our way through the [...]

Read Full Post »

Shameless Plug

I guess since this is my blog I can write about any darn thing I want to. It’s hard though. I grew up in a large, estrogen-dominated family where drawing attention to ourselves was not encouraged. Walk in line. Follow the pack.
I’ll break from my upbringing for a moment to shout out about a recent [...]

Read Full Post »