July 6th is my mother’s 88th birthday. Goodies that she loves were sent Priority Mail on the 5th for arrival on her day. They included brownies with dates, huge pieces of walnuts and fudge frosting plus a butter cookie, a dozen mini peanut-butter cookies and an old family favorite called Hawaiian Dream Bars. The latter … More Goodie Box for Mother’s Birthday
The words “non-GMO” on the package weren’t part of my decision to buy these dates, nor any other word on the package except “medjool.” They were needed for a batch to share of my Date & Walnut Chews, today with a handful of dried cranberries added. I couple days ago my mother and I set … More 6-Cookie Meetup with Mother, incl a Dough-to-Go Dozen. Spring Flowers.
There were apples needing use, so Saturday afternoon I decided to make the Apple Pie Bread Pudding with the baby cinnamon roll base and custard, so me and the big mixer got busy with some dough and a plan. The plan included making a smaller version of the 1955 Pillsbury Bake-Off recipe for Swedish Ripple … More 3 Breads 3. Well, maybe not breads.
It is indeed time for another birthday by proxy. Mark handed me a bag of organic dried cranberries during the Christmas baking blitz and this cookie was on the tentative menu. I ruled it out after looking at the number of tins full of cookies and candies on the makeshift tables in relation to the … More Birthday by Proxy: Molasses, Fruit & Nut Chews with Lime Cream Glaze
I like sweet potatoes baked plain in the microwave sometimes, but for Thanksgiving and Apple Cup and leftovers, I like the gooey version with butter, brown sugar, walnuts and marshmallows. This year I saw a recipe which included a bit of bourbon, no nuts and no marshmallows, so I decided to try it and it … More j’s Sweet Potato Bread, Christmas lights on sun porch
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
There was maybe 3/4 cup of leftover chocolate fudge icing in the fridge and last night somebody gifted me with a bag of Washington’s own Bluebird Grain Farms organic whole grain hard white flour while we were discussing acquisition of some good quality chocolate for a cake recipe. So, with chocolate on my mind and … More j’s Hard Flour Brownies with Cocoa, Walnuts & Fudge Icing
What do you do with storebought purple plums and nectarines that are a bit too mushy for snacks? Stew them for breakfast? Make jam? Use them for baking? Since it’s a bit chillier in Seattle following our brief heat wave, I decided in favor of a hot oven and the aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg … More Plum, Nectarine and Walnut Crisp
Two sour nectarines and two sour plums plus lemon, cinnamon and sugar simmered into a lovely compote, chilled and what have you got? Well, experimental ice cream. Four kinds of apples, definitely organic, no pesticides, a few creepy crawlies (which have now found themselves at their new home in the compost) and it’s time to … More Cinnamon Apple Pecan Crisp with Plum & Nectarine Compote Ice Cream
Two sourdough starters in the fridge need regular tending, so with a bit of this and that in the fridge I decided to bake three items. The sourdough flatbread was first spread with warm, just-caramelized yellow onions, a bit of ham pieces and crumbled cheddar-jack left from one of the protein snacks. Notice the attention … More Sourdough Saturday: Flatbread & Walnut Sticks
Ms Chef in Seattle 