Archive | October, 2009

morning meme

23 Oct

This week the theme queen for Pip’s meme (My Place and Yours) is Pottymouthmama.  She chose bedside…

03-09 yarn in bowl (2)keep your friends close and your stash closer, right?

the brownie I have been looking for

20 Oct

This summer we took our first family vacation.  I took advantage of being “the big city” with a little spree at Anthropologie (aka my happy place), where I found the hummingbird bakery cookbook.  Lately it seems every baking book out there is loading their recipes with chunks of this and pieces of that.  The hummingbird bakery’s recipes are beautifully basic recipes that kept everyone at my house asking for another. 

Last week, I was on a mission for a basic brownie for the kid’s sack lunches.  I tried these and love them.  They are full flavored, chewy not gooey, and have just a hint of a crunch on the top.

polka dot brownie R

traditional brownies

(adapted from the hummingbird bakery cookbook)

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped)

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1 2/3 cup sugar

1 cup AP flour

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Butter and line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper.

Melt chocolate and butter in a  heat bowl resting over simmering water.  Stir until melted and smooth.

Remove from heat, add sugar and stir well.  Add flour and stir until incorporated.  Then stir in eggs and vanilla and blend until thick and smooth. 

Spread into prepared pan and bake about 30-35 minutes.  Dust with powdered sugar when completely cool.

why not?

18 Oct

I started this whole blog thing as way to track what I have been up to.  I’m not much for joining groups, but for some reason Pip‘s appealed to me.  Maybe I’m looking for a reason to…

stop…

download the pics on my camera…

and actually do some computer work that I enjoy…

Anyway…

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this week’s theme “On the Shelf”

This is CJ’s shelf.  He’s 8 and we’ve been told he has autism.  He loves water and things that spin and just started playing the drums.  Best of all, I would say out of the 365 days in each year he wakes up smiling an average of 364.  This week it’s my job to rid his room of all things too small and too broken.  These two things will be staying.

coffee with a twist

4 Oct

I cut a deal with a friend.  She makes coffee…I supply treats.

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This is one of those recipes that is so easy you feel a bit guilty for accepting praise and thanks for bringing them along.

glazed apricot twists

(makes eight)

1 sheet puff pastry (thawed)

1/2 cup apricot jam (melted)

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon milk

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Roll the puff pastry dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12″ x 10″ rectangle.  Cut in half lengthwise and then cut each half in to 4 (5″ x 3″) strips.

Spread each with 1/2 Tablespoon of jam and fold in half lengthwise to make a 1 1/2″ wide strip.  Twist each strip 3 times and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake 15 – 20 minutes.  Transfer to a rack that has been placed over a baking sheet. 

Stir together the sugar, milk, and juice and brush over the twists while they are still warm.