Thanksgiving Desserts

Thanksgiving was here and I had nothing done. Ed & Sarah wanted both Apple Pie & Pumpkin Pie. So, I cheated and bought an Apple Pie. When Ed found out it was from a store, he refused to eat it. The Pumpkin Pie was a big FAIL - too much filling, so did not cook through. That went in the trash. I also made Pumpkin Pie Squares that Sarah loved. I am going to do a Take 2 on my Pumpkin Pie this weekend and will take pics throughout the process.

Sarah's Birthday Gifts

Sarah's Birthday was soon to arrive & I had no idea what to get her. She had just lost her job and I wanted to make her smile. So, after a little investigation, this is what I came up with. Pumpkin Bisque & Pumpkin Cranberry Bread.

First Try at Chili

Strawberry Cream Cupcakes

I made 18 cupcakes this weekend and they are all gone! I gave them away so people could taste test. The strawberries were not as sweet as I thought. The topping is a whipped cream topping with strawberries folded in. So yummy.

Rave Reviews

So, I made the chocolate tart for a client who had a family get together over the weekend. I received an email this morning.

"Oh my goodness!! You can’t believe how much everyone raved about your dessert. One of Jack’s brothers thought it came from a bakery. I said no, my friend made it. They were so impressed! It was absolutely incredible!! You could go into business! It really just melted in your mouth and that raspberry sauce was the perfect flavor accent! Wonderful! This recipe is definitely a keeper! I can’t thank you enough!! Just excellent!!"

Lemon Ricotta Bread

So, I made Lemon Ricotta Muffins awhile ago and wondered what it would be like if I made it into a bread. Take a look and enjoy!!

Gramma's Cookies

Finally made Gramma's Special K cookies. When I eat them, it is like getting a big hug from that loving woman. Now, I was out of Special K Cereal & used Touch of Honey Cornflakes. Still freaking delish! And, I try to forget that it uses 4 sticks of butter!!

Chocolate Tart

Up & Running

This was a yummy chocolate cake. I wish I had taken a picture of the final product. I cut it into 3 layers and filled each layer with a peanut butter buttercream frosting. Next time, I will also had a covering of chocolate ganache or chocolate buttercream.






Lemon Ricotta Muffins - thinking of making this into a loaf of bread. They are super delicious. They were received quite well.

Doggie Dessert

I found a recipe for Doggie Dessert - it is a frozen peanut butter yogurt and Justice LOVED it!

14 Layers

I think this may be my next experiment.

Cheesecake Disaster

Before I could eat it, my ricotta cheesecake ended up in the trash. I was trying to unclasp the springform pan and it popped up and over and all over the counter. The kitchen and I are just not friends lately.

My Mojo is GONE

This was the worst weekend of cooking for me ever!! On Friday, I made lasagna. BUT, I went against my instincts and used jarred spaghetti sauce - UGH. I have a very small kitchen right now, and got lazy. Because of this, my lasagna was so salty. On top of that, my oven was cooking super hot, so it was also dry. What a waste of ingredients. I was gonna say it was a waste of time, but I learned I need to trust my gut - and test my oven!!

Saturday it was all about Mac & Cheese. I do not know what happened. It was just awful. I cannot even explain how bad it was.

So, no pictures from the weekend. Believe me, you do not want to see them.

A New Favorite?

Look at this deliciousness I found from Kraft!! I cannot wait to make these. Maybe I will have to find myself invited to a dinner party soon and offer to bring the appetizers.

Vacation

What a great vacation! I had 10 days with my guys and even got to take Justice back with me to KC. Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures. :-(

I had a "True Blood" Season 2 marathon and am super excited for Season 3!! It was fun hanging with Amanda. I also got to have lunch with Nikki & Amanda at Fricker's. You know I love the wings there.

Here's hoping that the house will sell and we will be living together soon. Being home was a blessing, but a curse. It made me realize what I am missing. If the house does not sell by the end of the year, I will be taking a close look at my job. Is it really worth it? I love what I do, but it has not been as fulfilling as I wanted.

I'm Back

Yep, it has been awhile since I posted. It is strange living alone and having no one to cook for. However, I was home for a week and did a lot of cooking!! Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures.

Angel Food Cake with a Strawberry-Blackberry Puree & Whip Cream.

Mac & Cheese with Crunchy Croutons.

Here is my homemade Mac & Cheese with crunchy croutons.

Ideas??

Well, I made these last Easter/Spring. So, I need to figure out what my next baking project will be. There are some really cute ideas out there, so I am taking suggestions. Comment on this and then stay tuned.

Meatloaf & Mashed Potatoes

I was craving meatloaf & mashed potatoes. Unfortunately, I had no loaf pan and no recipe. So, I decided to wing it. I used my 8x8 glass baking dish, which was a great idea! Because it was not as thick as baking it in a loaf pan, it only took 35 minutes to bake! I threw in an egg, salt & pepper, season salt, oatmeal, diced onion, and chopped garlic. Topped it with ketchup and threw it in a 375 degree oven. Needed a little more seasoning, but it was nice and moist. I boiled the potatoes with 2 smashed garlic cloves and YUMMY!!

Yummy Granola Bars

These are my delicious homemade granola bars! I found the recipe at www.smittenkitchen.com and made a few changes. I am not one for cooking fruit, but added dry cranberries anyway. Thinking now that I will just do a combo of nuts next time. THey are super yummy, but am ready to change the recipe!!

I want to make this so bad

I found this recipe on www.bakerella.com

Baked Ricotta and Chicken Meatballs

Can I tell you that this was the BEST meatball!! I got the recipe from my new favorite site: www.smittenkitchen.com She has some freaking amazing recipes!!

Later today, I am making granola bars and I am super excited!!

Julie/Julia Project

I am sitting here on President's Day, watching "Julie & Julia" and wishing that I was spending a lot of time in my kitchen. I feel like I have been neglecting my passion. Food is what I love and what I love to do. Now, there are some things I could never cook - like lobster, and the beef gelatin thingy - EWW!! However, I am adventurous, and there are so many things I want to try. Who knows, maybe my blog will be made into a book and then into a movie. :^)