I like to make something every year for the end of Ramadan, the occasion on which Muslims and those of us who understand it say “Eid Mubarak” which means Happy Eid. This year the manager where I live is neither Muslim nor Arab but I don’t let that get in the way of making something … More Eid Mubarak! and Chinese Sesame Tahini Cookies
Gifted with a small piece of ginger last week, having a recent purchase of crystalized ginger and an upcoming Mahjongg afternoon with my Chinese ladies, my mind went to a muffin that I had in mind for awhile. I planned to package them beautifully, add a sparkly purple Easter ribbon and a ginger chew. And … More Triple Ginger Muffins
In a previous post, I told the “discovery” story of how I’d found and used Trader Joe’s Caramel Sea Salt Baking Chips in several of my own and one family recipe.* Last week I made cookies for my sister and niece (who had a birthday), and froze some dough to make a dozen for my … More Caramel Sea Salt Chip and Walnut Cookies
A neighbor grew up with a version of this cinnamon and walnut bread with Red Hots, but a piece she gave me to taste was very dry and I decided to have a go using my own base recipe for quick breads. I added a whole 5.5 ounce package of Red Hots, which was too … More Two Cinnamon Walnut Breads: One with Red Hots, One Without
I went into my local Trader Joe’s last week on the hunt for some more of their yummy Sea Salt Caramel Chips but, as with other favored products you’ll find on their shelves, the item is either discontinued or seasonal and those chips are seasonal. That’s a serious marketing problem, in my opinion, because caramel … More New! 2-Chip Snicks with Trader Joe’s Peppermint Flavored Chips and Semisweet Chocolate Chips
Each year I search “National Pie Day” and then calendar it because why not? Seeing it there yesterday, I had a think about what type of pie I might make today with ingredients on hand and decided on a quick breakfast quiche. If I might divert for a moment: when my daughter Maria was a … More Breakfast Egg Pie for National Pie Day
As I wrote on my Instagram: My friend Dom’s birthday was on the 4th. I missed it but said I’d make him a cake for the next time I see him. What kind would he like? Chocolate. What kind of frosting? Chocolate. So tonight I made his Belated cake and a Spare because I’ll see … More When you miss a friend’s birthday, make a Belated Cake
I was gifted with a can of pumpkin to make pumpkin bread. First I soaked raisins overnight in fresh orange juice to nicely plump them. Then I tried to grate crystalized ginger but it made a gooey mess and clump so let’s hear it for the French knife and chop, chop. The recipe is typical … More Pumpkin Crystalized Ginger & Orange Raisin Bread
Two weeks ago there was a cookie exchange at church. I brought Molasses Kisses and gluten-free Amaretti Chews to donate rather than exchange since I didn’t need to bring other people’s cookies back here. Why? Because I had plans to bake a few kinds of cookies and make a couple types of fudge, a “light” … More There’s a new Jones from juliyya’s kitchen for Christmas: Eggnog Jones!
I’m pretty sure Trader Joe’s didn’t think of these: when they put out their Caramel Sea Salt Baking Chips, now joined in my Toasted Coconut Bars with Sugar Babies for a Christmas cookie. Mmm, mmm. Toast the coconut until the aroma fills the kitchen. Make the brown sugar, butter and flour base with a few … More Mmm, mmm. Toasted Coconut Caramel Bars
Recently one of my Chinese Mahjongg ladies gave me a Chinese cookie with sesame seeds in it and I was reminded that I’d had an idea for a butter cookie with things I associate with Lebanese sweets. Another one of the ladies here (who is a world-class gardener) provided me with rose petals mid-June to … More New! Flavors of Lebanon Butter Cookie
I had a couple bananas which needed to be used, the usual choices didn’t appeal and I’d had a dream, one of those “I’m in a bakery in Parkland” dreams. There’s no such bakery but I’ve gone there in a dream many times, seen something and the next day I’d either written it down during … More New! Pineapple Upside-down Banana Cake
Today is my sister Laurie’s birthday, but Maria and I celebrated with her aunt yesterday and I brought along the Jubilee Jumbles she’d requested rather than cake when I’d asked for her preference. It’s all about the frosting. I asked her if she wanted the browned butter frosting which the original recipe uses or perhaps … More Penuche on A Classic Cookie For A Birthday
Our Mahjongg “mother” Lisa turned 86 on the 16th of September while I was in Salt Lake City celebrating my birthday with my daughter, Maria. So, we’re having a belated birthday party for Lisa today with Lemon Cream Cake I made this morning. I made the lemon curd last night since it firms as it … More Lemon Cream Cake for A Birthday
Having just returned from a wondrous and joy-filled 75th birthday trip to Salt Lake City sponsored by my daughter, life in Bitter Lake returns and so does Thursday afternoon Chinese mahjongg with my lady friends. While there will be a little birthday party next week for the “mother” of our local mahjongg, I decided for … More Cranberry-Strawberry Upside-Down Cake with My Recipe
February 13th is the birthday of a native Alaskan man who lives in the Manor and who occasionally accepts a slice of cake or a cookie when I find him in the community room with his Tablet. I decided not to make chocolate because one of my Mahjongg ladies cannot have it and I thought … More Caramel Apple Cake and Trader Joe’s Caramel Sea Salt Baking Chips Review
Ms Chef in Seattle 