Happy New Years! Did everyone successfully bid the past 365 days adieu?…
Pumpkin Scones with Orange Kissed Glaze
Oh these scones. They were a labor of love for me. I made them not once, not twice, but three times before I got them just right. The first time they were too dense and not sweet enough. The second time they were a touch dry and I overcooked them by about five minutes thanks to a pesky almost three year old who turned the oven dial up 25 degrees to 375º when no one was looking (ahem… Benji). The third time I hit perfection. I halved the recipe, added a touch more butter and duct taped the oven dial to 350º….
Banana Gingersnap Morning Muffins
In this household, there are always a stash of bananas waiting to be eaten. We use them in smoothies, cut them up for a cereal or oatmeal topping and simply enjoy them straight off the vine. If one sails past the mark, we don’t sweat it because we know it’s destined for even better flavor baked fantasies. This, in my opinion, makes bananas one of the best fruits out there. Just try and come up with one better. They travel well, cost little, taste great when eaten as intended and get even better once they’re overripe. Every time an over aged yellow skinned fruit presents itself, we stash it in the freezer in anticipation of a future loaf/cake/muffin of fruit flavored goodness down the road.
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The Art of Making Strawberry Jam
When I’m cooking in the kitchen, whether it be a simple dinner or an elaborate dessert, I tend to imagine myself a culinary artist. As I spin the spatula around the hot pan, questions dance through my mind as to the best way to paint an edible picture. What color would go best on this canvas? Green you say? Ok then, let’s toss in some spinach. You’re feeling the need for texture to add a little more interest? Would cooked brown rice suffice? I completely understand. the subject’s not spicy enough for you; a pinch of crushed red pepper it is. With a little give and take, the perfect work of taste-tempting art is almost always achieved.
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Morning Time Breakfast Burritos
My husband is turning the big 4-0 this year and I’m only a couple years behind. His inevitable journey over the hill has me thinking about all the fun side effects that come along with aging. Things like your pants suddenly shrinking when you’re not looking. I’ve been told it’s due to a slowing metabolism but I believe it has more to do with those pesky little pant trolls that sneak into your house while you’re sleeping and hem them down a size smaller for twigs and giggles. Ok, a stretch I know, but dang if I’m going to give up dessert simply because of my age. So the trolls it is.
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Roasted Asparagus Salad with Lemon Mascarpone Dressing
Yes, your eyes are not fooling you. I’ve placed another salad up on the blog today. After receiving multiple comments about snow days and jealousy over grill worthy temps, I determined that it might be in my best interest to throw up a spring salad that doesn’t require an outdoor flame. After all, even us Southern girls experience cold temps every now and then (as witnessed by one such nameless food blogger who was over at her vegetable garden last night covering all her planted seedlings for the “not supposed to happen in April” freeze that blanketed the city this morning). Shh… you didn’t hear that from me.
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