December 12, 2012

Chocolate Chunk Blondies

Can I be really really REALLY honest with you? When I do Christmas shopping for other people I slyly throw in a few *little* presents for myself. I KNOW!! I KNOW!! It feels equally wrong as it feels right. Let me also say that holiday baking is no different. I usually make what I’m craving and I hope/pray people will like what I’ve made. I do have some good cravings…

I had really dense/chewy chocolate chip cookies in my mind the other day so I turned my craving into a gift for friends. That’s not so bad, right? I totally shared!

Remember how I gave you cookbook ideas for gifting? Let’s add another one to the list!

Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust is Ina Garten’s latest cookbook. It definitely belongs on my cookbooks to gift this Christmas. My copy has a sticky on almost every single page for the recipes I want to make. GOOD SIGN. Totally. Like major good sign.

Ina’s Chocolate Chunk Blondies are unreal. They’re buttery, dense, chewy, slightly salty, studded with melted chocolate and enhanced by walnuts. Casey and I LOVED the walnuts. I might be guilty of only giving half of this batch away. It was those dang walnuts! I plan on making at least three more batches this Christmas. Don’t look at me like that!

recipes, Uncategorized

December 10, 2012

Flourless Coconut Chocolate Drops

It’s a shame that certain things like chocolatey chocolate cookies don’t photograph well. It just means I need to be better at describing the taste for you. OK, here it goes. You ready?

While standing in the kitchen eating these with my husband (we were hiding from our 4 year old), I was able to figure out what they taste like.

These Flourless Coconut Chocolate Drops are a cross between rocky road and an almond joy candy bar mixed with crispy/chewy brownie notes.

MIND BLOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!

If that doesn’t get you hopping to this recipe, let me also say that they’re gluten free, SUPER easy to make and they’ll disappear in seconds.

They also should come with a warning label. Warn the people you’re making these for!

my everyday life, Photography, Uncategorized

December 8, 2012

My Everyday Life: Week 49

This is my 1000th POST!!!!! How crazy is that? We should celebrate somehow. I’ll get back to you on that.

Here’s what this past week looked like:

After 4 years of trying, I finally got Cooper to wear a hat! YAY.

Uncategorized

December 7, 2012

I love lists, Friday!

This just makes me love Bill Murray more. My mom took me to meet Gilda when I was little.
I’m sure we’ve all seen this song about Instagram this week. Still HILARIOUS.
Chalk Lettering Goodness!! I loved watching this.
Katie! You’re so gorgeous and the way you craft words makes me giddy.
Another gem this week from Shauna! Her writing makes me sane!
BROWNIES!!!!! (Oprah voice! Imagine it)
I’m SOOO proud of my friend Megan and I want this Boozy Eggnog Loaf!
How many times can we watch this? A million. (psst! watch the kids!)
Ummm. Tracy Morgan. Twas the Night Before Christmas. WATCH IT.
2012- A Retrospective in Animated Gifs.
I love this custom stenciled wall. What a fab idea!
Christmas Crack. GIMME DAT.
The prettiest recipe cards I’ve ever seen!
Freeks & Geeks Reunion Photos!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH. Millie looks great!
Hahaha. It totally looks like a bear, Megan!
I love getting a glimpse of Tamar Adler’s Kitchen.
This was our Christmas Jam when we were kids. Taking it back!

Modern Day Etiquette Part Deux! What’s Your Shoe Game? How do we exercise? Do I make people take their shoes off when they come over? An all new Joy the Baker Podcast is up!

Wanna see what’s in my bar? I created a Bar Closet in our new house. CHECK IT out on High Straightenence this week. BOOM.

MY BITES AROUND THE NET:

A Glass of Milk made my Baked Hot Wings

Make Great made my Rosemary Roasted Almonds.

Lemon Jelly Cake made my Earl Grey Chocolate Cake

Crooked Hazel made my Mini Ginger Almond Cheesecakes.

recipes, Uncategorized

December 6, 2012

Cranberry Rosemary Spritzers

We are now entering what I like to call BOURBON SEASON. Gin is hibernating. Gin is hanging out in a cave with a boulder in front of it. We’ll get back to gin when some of the icicles start to melt. Unless we want to drink it hot. A hot gin toddy is exceptional at this time of year!

I must not forget that.

My brain is still locked in on Bourbon. I like to think of different ways to spruce my bourbon and today I bring you this Cranberry Rosemary Spritzer concoction. We start with a rosemary simple syrup to get things herbaceous. Additions of cranberry juice and pomegranate seeds bring in the fruit component. Bourbon makes it bourbony as per usual and the ginger beer makes it gingery AND spritzy. Get your holiday spirit on with this festive number!

recipes, Uncategorized

December 4, 2012

Candied Citrus Peel

There’s always a bunch of pressure with gift giving during the holidays. DANG! It can be overwhelming! I like to make edible gifts for my friends & family each year because it works well with my budget and I get to flex my kitchen prowess. RAWR! The act of making edible gifts also calms me in a way standing in line at a department store CANNOT.

This year Candied Citrus Peel will be one of the edible gifts I give. They’re made with love!

It takes a little bit of time (about a day to cure) but once you’re done, you’re left with 6 jars of awesomeness. These candied peels are delicious on their own, but can REALLY enhance a cocktail. You could also blend them up in a food processor and you’ll instantly have citrus sugar. It’s amazing on buttered toast or on top of a muffin. You could go a step further and dip them in chocolate. How about that?!

These are things you should tell whoever you’re giving these to.

It’s also a two-fer recipe! You get a really great citrus simple syrup that you can gift as well. You’ll have enough citrus left to make this cocktail!

And if you’re really into lemon, I suggest making a batch or two of Limoncello. You have time!

Inspiration

December 3, 2012

Give the Gift of Cookbooks

I have a few friends & family members who love cookbooks. This is probably why I keep them around 😉 These are the cookbooks I’ll be gifting this year. They inspire & dazzle and they’re guaranteed to earn me good points with the recipient. I just know this.

1. Canal House Cooks Every Day I really can’t get enough of this book. This Apple Galette was the first of MANY recipes that will grace my blog. If you’re buying this for someone isn’t aware of the awesomeness of the Canal House ladies, this is a brilliant introduction.

2. Food in Jars For the friend/family member who wants to can & preserve stuff. You should get them a bunch of jars while you’re at it and some cute labels. People who can can NEVER have enough supplies. Trust.

3. The Joy The Baker Cookbook For your baker friend who is also your best friend. This cookbook has a crazy amount of recipes I’d like to tackle thanks to my best friend. Guaranteed hit! Also…HILARIOUS writing. Totes amaze.

4. The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook Just do it. I mean…if you haven’t already you SHOULD. What are you waiting for?

5. The Sprouted Kitchen For that person who enjoys healthy/beautiful looking & tasting food, buy this one. Then get them to cook for you.

6. Bouchon Bakery Cookbook If you feel like enabling somebody’s serious sweet tooth, this is the cookbook to try.

7. Aida Mollenkamp’s Keys to the Kitchen For someone in your life who loves food and wants to learn MORE about it, this book is a masterpiece! If they’re into beautiful photos & graphic design, that’s an added bonus!

8. An Everlasting Meal For that person in your life who appreciates good writing & loves reading recipes in cookbooks, get this! It has definitely changed my approach to food in our household.

HAPPY SHOPPING! Tomorrow I’m sharing my first of many edible gifts this December. Stay tuned!