To diffuse some leftover adrenaline from fighting off an attempt by someone with a knife to get in my door in the middle of the afternoon last Thursday, I did one of the things that I find comforting. Bake something. Get in the kitchen, measure things, put ingredients together in a certain manner, take care … More Baking Experiments as Therapy, Example 1: Chocolate Chip Bourbon Cookies
One of my favorite nephews has recently begun a new job in Hawaii and will be moving his family there from Washington in the next week. His favorite of the the Christmas goodies is the Chewy Chocolate Mint, so I made a batch of the drop version just for him on Thursday so they’d be … More Snicks with Kisses
Leftover Christmas candy canes were the inspiration for these soft, cheesecakey and Heavenly peppermint cookies that everybody in my family wants (read: expects) in their tin of Christmas goodies. They are pink, BTW, not because I’ve added food coloring, but because the candy cane maker did and I don’t want to use the white canes. … More j’s Peppermint Cream Jones, huge Star
The golden raisins in these cookies were DRUNK when added to the batter, having marinated in Jamaican Rum for a year (and it’s time to put some fresh raisins in the jar for next year.) It’s my understanding that the alcohol bakes out, but do know that this cookie has had a drinking habit. No … More j’s Rum Raisin Jones, another Star
You’ve seen them in the main photo. Well, here’s the proof that it was not a one-off. See that zested lime? Can we say “Icing”? My Limey Jones are a very soft, cheesecakey cookie that burst with lime. They’re one of the earliest successes of my Joneses. When you are Jonesing for lime, not just … More The Limeys. Hey, where’s their star?
My daughter asks for these every year as a selection in the Christmas cookie mix. She used to make them, too, as her contribution to the holiday baking. I don’t prefer to put them in the gift boxes because they are big. It’s impossible to make them small or all you get is a few … More Haystacks. Someone thinks they’re a star
My mother gave me the 2007 Taste of Home Annual Recipes Book not long ago and I decided to give these a try. A layer of crushed Oreo cookies mixed with some butter, baked 10 minutes and cooled is topped with melted caramels and masses of pecans (which I roasted) and then a glossy fudge. They’re very … More Caramel Pecan Candy, a Star
We have these every year for Christmas and times when the extended families get together. Chopped dates, roasted walnuts, crushed graham crackers, marshmallows all held together with a can of sweetened condensed milk, then rolled in flaked coconut. They mellow for a few days. Then we’re off and away. I threw in some maraschino cherries … More Aunt Clara’s Date-Nut No Bakes, a Star
Christmas cookie platters on display in stores and on lovely tables all over the world include some variation of this classic cookie with a cake name. When I was growing up, we called them Russian Tea Cakes and they were made with chopped raw walnuts. They are also commonly called Snowballs and Mexican Wedding Cakes. … More Mini Tea Cakes, Star of the Day
There was Thanksgiving frost on the stairs and driveway this morning at 8:30. I’m thankful that the threatened snow earlier in the week stayed in the mountains where the snow bunnies and water table may benefit. The first scent of the day was, naturally, coffee, but I’ve just saluted the frost with the aroma of … More Thanksgiving, Great Yearly, Made Great Again
Ms Chef in Seattle 