almond extract | Mommie Cooks!

Lemon Almond Cookies

April 7, 2016 By Julie 2 Comments

I adore spring. It’s not just the warmer weather I find appealing, but the gentle rousing of nature as it begins to wake up and once again come back to life.

Here in Charlotte it begins with the Bradford Pears. You get up one morning and walk through your neighborhood to notice that suddenly, as if on cue, the trees have the most beautiful white flowers budding from their branches. This in itself is a glorious site, but then it gets better. A handful of days later you walk down that same street, but now the leaves are pushing their way past the flowers causing a gentle rain of petals that my kids liken to a “first of the season” snowfall….

Family Friendly Fridays: Cherry Limeade Macaroons

April 15, 2011 By Julie 36 Comments

Wish us luck. Tomorrow Scott and I are driving the boys to Disney World for a week of fun rides, expensive food, and overtired children. Nick, my oldest, has been planning our schedule out for the past week and a half now. See that 123% down there at the bottom? I’ve been told that’s the percentage of fun he’ll have if we ride all his requested rides.

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Family Friendly Fridays: Cherry Almond White Chocolate Scones

April 8, 2011 By Julie 21 Comments

Is it just me, or has Family Friendly Fridays turned into a weekly display of rich and decadent “gotta have it now” desserts? Just thinking back off hand, I can recall a caramel apple cake that threatened to not only put apples back on the map, but permanently launch them to the top of the charts. And then there was the pretzel toffee crusted chocolate cake. Mamma Mia, bring out the milk cuz a second slice of that beauty was inevitable. And let’s not forget the chocolate churros. And I know I wasn’t the only convert to those. My friend Mari over at Mari’s cakes reported back to me that she made them a whopping six times! Seriously sweet.

Not that I’m complaining. I never meet a sweet I don’t like and am quite talented when it comes to engineering an excuse to bake up a meal-ending confection. Especially if it’s a treat like this one.

Now I know that scones are typically a breakfast food, but honestly, who made that rule up anyway. Certainly not me. And with the creation of this recipe, you can bring on the dessert. And hey, if you want to have it for breakfast. I’m all for that too.

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Family Friendly Fridays: Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

March 25, 2011 By Julie 39 Comments

I was supposed to be making a tart with my brand new tart pan. At least that was the original intention. In the end it turned out more like a bar made in a tart pan. This is the second time that my attempts at “tart creation” have been thwarted. The first time involved rhubarb and wouldn’t you guess, cream cheese. It was a sloppy finish and in the end I had to mix the whole concoction together, throw it in a pie crust and freeze it. The pie was delicious, but it definitely didn’t qualify for tart status. I swear, one of these days I’m going to set out to make a tart and succeed. Until that day comes though, this bar definitely suffices and serves to calm my ever nagging sweet tooth.

Think cookie crust with just a hint of lemon zest meets smooth as silk almondy cream cheese middle and hug it all together with a slightly tart red raspberry sauce that serves to balance the overall sweetness of the confection. Combine this melody of flavors and what do you have? One harmoniously empty plate, that’s what.

I’m assuming you can’t get to the kitchen fast enough to whip a plate up for yourself, so let me end the suspense and show you how it’s done.

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