Pecan Sandies

Today was a milk and cookies kind of day. I spent the morning baking Ina Garten's foolproof Pecan Sandies and playing Words With Friends. Periodically, I'd stare out the back window into the grey foggy drizzle that's coating New England, then back at the cheery blaze in the kitchen wood stove.

The idea of baking cookies and reheating some chicken noodle soup for a cozy lunch was particularly tempting, as it kept me in the warm kitchen. Must be getting old. I find the warmth far better for my bones than being outside on a day like today!

Pumpkin-Pecan Cookies with Rummed Up Icing

Jenna, my neighbor, recently asked for a plate of pumpkin cookies when we were yakking about the next baking projects we were planning. Since this is her Homecoming Week at school, I figured I'd treat her and her family to a plate of these to top off an easy dinner. There's always a lot of running around when kids are in their teens. Both Jenna and her brother are members of the high school band, so this week is very busy for them as Spirit Rally, the Homecoming Parade, and the football game loom large.

A Different Kind of Carrot Cake ...

Most carrot cakes that I have made over the years have a considerable amount of vegetable oil in the batter. The carrots are grated coarsely and join sweetened coconut, crushed pineapple, and walnuts to make a thick batter that has a heavy moist crumb. This version of carrot cake is a bit different, though.

New Orleans Praline Pound Cake

It's been a while since I baked a sweet cake ... a beautiful cake ... a pound cake ! This is a variation of a typical pound cake recipe that I found in a cook book by Nick Malgieri. The man knows how to tempt me. I should learn not to take cook books to bed for browsing before sleep. The idea of this cake kept rattling around in my head before I dropped off last night.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Bread with Pecan and Brown Sugar Streusel - Twelve Loaves Share

Last year, I always looked forward to posting bread recipes to Heather's monthly BYOB - Bake Your Own Bread recipe share. It was such an awesome place to visit when you wanted to find good breads all in one spot, but then things changed. Heather handed the baton of BYOB to someone new and I lost contact with the bread baking ladies ... sigh.

The other day, however, I happened onto Heather's blog, Girlichef and found another of her stellar bread posts. Lo and behold! She was sharing the post with a recipe share called Twelve Loaves! Hurray! So, I have found another group of bread baking enthusiasts! Sharing and inspiration up ahead! I'm soo happy to have found this group!

Butternut Squash Muffins with Pecans

Cooking with leftovers today! These muffins are positively luscious ... sweet and moist and perfect with ice cold milk ... I played with Nigella's maple and pecan muffin recipe that comes from her Feast cookbook. The resulting muffins could pass as cupcakes if you iced them, but we're just dusting them with confectioner's sugar and having them with some butter slathered on.

Derby Pie and a Funky Hat

Derby Pie - More Like a Huge Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Crust

Why is it that the photographer is never photographed ?  

This past weekend, SB and I put on our funky hats, crammed a few dollar bills in our pockets, made a decadent dessert and headed out to Mary and Bill's place for a Kentucky Derby Party. We were greeted at the door with the soft instrumental strains of 'My Old Kentucky Home', handed a mint julep, introduced around to new friends and urged to greet 'the old regulars'. Then, things got seriously fun!

Betcha Can't Eat Just One ...

One of the things that Silent Bob loves the most are oatmeal cookies warm from the oven with a cold glass of milk ... these cookies are the best oatmeal cookies that you will ever have. Guaranteed.

They're fast and easy. They mix up in one bowl with no fuss and they're dropped helter skelter onto the cookies sheets and popped in the oven one batch - two batch - three batch. You get just about three dozen cookies ... enough for a party or for stocking the cookie jar.

50 Woman Game-Changers - Edna Lewis

"Edna Lewis" - oil painting by Elayna Shakur

There is nothing like a beautiful cake and Edna Lewis's Famous Coconut Lane Cake is just that! This cake attests to the rich tradition of Southern cooking and Ms. Lewis's place in preserving it.

This is a cake that is rich with eggs, butter and sugar, coconut, pecans, and chopped raisins - three layers of confection worthy of gracing a table at a garden party with big jugs of iced tea served on the side. I made it to share with friends at a small weekend dinner party. Folks will certainly be 'wowed', don't you think?

Two Words ...

... pineapple Pisa ...