Leftovers = Wednesday White Cake, Lemon Filling, Vanilla Buttercream

There were discussions last week regarding the flavor or flavors for the snowman cake. At one point, there were going to be three round cakes of various sizes and each was to be flavored differently. One of those flavors was white so I began freezing egg whites for it whenever egg was needed for something … More Leftovers = Wednesday White Cake, Lemon Filling, Vanilla Buttercream

In the kitchen with juliyya: Adorable Snowman Cake for a birthday

There was much fun and mixing in my kitchen this week in preparation for the birthday party of a young girl who will be six. She wanted a snowman cake, the description of which changed several times over the course of several days and, indeed, right up to the last moment when she decided that … More In the kitchen with juliyya: Adorable Snowman Cake for a birthday

Mrs. W’s Tamale Casserole. Now with Sriracha. Also leaves, a Seattle crane.

I spent some summers during university years as a live-in cook/keeper for a family with a “cabin” in a country club on Bainbridge Island where they spent that part of the year. As with any family, they had a rotating menu of favorites for which the recipes were available for whatever cook was in the … More Mrs. W’s Tamale Casserole. Now with Sriracha. Also leaves, a Seattle crane.

Whoop-tee-doo Chocolate Shard Cookie, V.1, Seattle’s Theo Chocolate

A lovely neighbor gifted me with two bars of Seattle’s own Theo Chocolate, a pure and dark variety, which, in this house, means “Bake something with it.” Some people have suggested a deficit in the planned cookie menu for MsChef in Seattle upcoming shops, namely, a chocolate chip cookie. I’ve resisted because that cookie is … More Whoop-tee-doo Chocolate Shard Cookie, V.1, Seattle’s Theo Chocolate

How to prepare for big storm: Bake! Loaded Frittata, Hard Flour Banana Nut Bread

The first of two expected windstorms in the Pacific Northwest passed yesterday with leaves and branches and plenty of fresh air. The second, more powerful storm, is already hitting the coast and expected here in the Seattle area beginning in a couple hours. While it’s not necessary — at least locally — to fill the … More How to prepare for big storm: Bake! Loaded Frittata, Hard Flour Banana Nut Bread

Sunday Cake: Banana Nut with Creamy Nut Icing. No nuts.

Last week one of my nieces put up a wee Facebook post about Wednesday cake. It set off my make-cake-bells and I went to the crisper to retrieve some bananas that I’d put there to ripen slowly for some baking purpose. Sadly, overripe, so the banana-nut cake that I had in mind? Nope. Substitute cake? … More Sunday Cake: Banana Nut with Creamy Nut Icing. No nuts.

Southern Pecan Pie for a friend on my birthday, Crispy for me

Having missed an opportunity to provide a friend with birthday goody, I asked what he’d like. Cake? Nah. Pie? Yes, please, real Southern Pecan Pie, dark and gooey, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. As much as I don’t like to make the crust, I did it anyway, making a single butter crust. There … More Southern Pecan Pie for a friend on my birthday, Crispy for me

Making Skillet Bread, serving it with marinated cold salmon and avocado

You look up a recipe online. Another recipe on the side catches your eye, which it would because those sneaky corporate algorithms have enough of your search data to choose and place more appealing items on the periphery of whatever you’re reading. Yesterday such a recipe idea was making naan or pita or flatbread with … More Making Skillet Bread, serving it with marinated cold salmon and avocado

Welcoming College Football Season with Caramelized Onions

Welcoming the college football season and the three teams that I follow* all televised on channels readily available, I decided to spend the commercials and listening time in the kitchen, slicing onions and stirring them every few minutes as they slowly warmed in olive oil and turned to caramelized goodness in the cast iron frypan. … More Welcoming College Football Season with Caramelized Onions