It Doesn't Have to be Pretty to Taste Good

Let's be honest: we don't post photos of every single thing we eat (unless you're Sam, or inspired by her). I think it's equal parts embarrassment (peanut butter & cheese sandwich) and lack of photogenic-ness (new word!) (buffet of refrigerator may taste good, but rarely looks it).

I skip photo opportunities all the time; a bowl of low-fat vanilla yogurt topped with wheat germ? Not worth it. An Amy's frozen meal? Not admitting to that (oops). Whatever left-overs I can scrounge from my fridge shelves? No one needs to see that.

But just because we don't photograph or talk about it, doesn't mean we're not eating well, right?

Something Matt & I have been doing the past couple of weekends proves it.

We, like many families with children, spend a large chunk of Saturday or Sunday doing our grocery shopping.

We generally hit three different stores, which means time and energy, not to mention patience (an active kid like Alex gets pretty bored after the second store). Four hours later (I wish I were kidding), we come home and try to figure out what to have as a meal that requires little to no cooking, yet isn't junk.

But a couple of weeks ago, we decided to cheat our way to a fairly healthy, no-cook, minimal-mess, and filing dinner: meze.

It's so simple. During our shopping trips, we grabbed a pack of pita, Earth Fare's amazing hummus (made daily, and saves us a ton of mess), some produce and white beans.
We already have a large container of plain yogurt, and the most amazing Feta I've ever tasted.

Once all the groceries have been put away (that part's never fun, is it?), we sit down to pita, hummus, tzatziki, white beans drizzled with rosemary-garlic olive oil, crumbled Feta, chopped tomato, and some tinned dolma.

It's fast, it dirtied very few dishes, and we eventually walked away from the table feeling pretty good about life.

There were no fancy dishes, or artistic platings. I didn't fuss with lighting or camera angles. It's not pretty, but darn it all---it was good.




Tagged with: Food and Drink + Vegetarian + Shopping + Meze + Feta + Hummus + Pita + Vegetables + Greek + Dinner

Chicken & Cashew Stir Fry

Well, it's happened again.

Another draft waiting for the full details, and I've more-or-less forgotten everything about it.

I'm pretty sure it was good, and again, it probably came from Gourmet or Bon Appetit. I also think it was a simple dish, and we made it based purely on it's having 'cashews' in it's title.

At least, I think that's what happened.



Tagged with: Food and Drink + Chicken + Stir Fry + Recipes + Magazines + Gourmet + Rice + Cashews + Dinner

My New Must-Have

SmartShopper Grocery List Organizer

With all the list-making I do, this gadget would save on paper, prevent lost pens (common in our house), and go anywhere I did.

I'm not big on the 'things to make life easier' stuff, but I could make an exception for this!





Tagged with: Food and Drink + Shopping + Technology + Gadgets + Groceries + Lists + Sur La Table

This is What Happens When You're Busy

You forget what it was, exactly, that you had for dinner!




I made this spice-crusted chicken dish several weeks ago. It may have been right around the time of the 'Great Renovation'. I'm fairly certain the recipe came from Gourmet. It was, I think, a North African-flavored concoction, which I served over Persian rice (dill & pistachios). But beyond that, I can't recall much about it!

I'm sure it was good. I just wish I could remember how good!






Tagged with: Food and Drink + Chicken + Spices + Recipes + Magazines + Gourmet + Rice + Dill + Pistachios + Dinner

BBM Package has Arrived...and I'm a Tim Tams Convert.

For me, the weirdest part of Blogging by Mail is selecting the blogger who will send something to me.

I could play favorites, but I don't. I try to be fair, and match everyone based on compatibility. It's still strange, though, to tell someone "send me stuff!"...

This time, I matched myself with Cakelaw, in Australia. And a what a good match it was!




Cakelaw & I are soul sisters, at least when it comes to food. Just look at what was inside my fabulous package!

Starting at the top, from one tea lover to another, gorgeous 'blossoming' tea buds, which are supposed to bring happiness. Well, of course! Flowers & tea? Perfect.

Next, Tim Tams. Tim Tams! I'm in love. These things are amazing. Matt & I had some last night, and agreed these chocolatly cookies are really, really good. Which is why I should hide them away...!
I've not yet tasted the Fruit Tingles, but Alex informed me, over breakfast, that we would be trying these this evening.

Koala's and frogs...in chocolate form! I've had these adorable sweets before, but that doesn't mean I don't want more. And...they're just so cute. Plus, I love caramel.

An enormous, hazelnutty, cookie. This thing? Bigger than my hand. Granted, I have small hands, but still.
And wow...can you taste them. Delicious. So delicious, in fact, that I decided to ignore the three or four hundred calories 1/3 of that cookie added to my daily total! Yum, seriously.

A beautiful postcard, showing sights of Australia...it's a country I've long wanted to visit, even before I became friends with a girl at college who hailed from there. One day, I promise...

How did she know? If I have a junk food weakness, it's for crunchy cheesy things! And these Twists are really good...

It didn't photograph well, but Cakelaw also included some very old-timey, and classic, Australian recipes. I can't wait to try these out.

You can never, ever, go wrong with chocolate-covered nuts. So this lovely box of chocolate-coated macadamia nuts? In peril.

Finally, she sent along a CD from Crowded House, a favorite of hers (well, wasn't that the point?). We listened to it during breakfast this morning, and I mentioned to Matt just how many songs of theirs I knew, but had forgotten. Really good stuff.

Cakelaw, this was a wonderful package...I love EVERYTHING in it. Thank you so much for sharing your favorites with me, and for being a part of BBM!



Tagged with: Food and Drink + Blogging by Mail + Events + Australia + Chocolate

Chicken with Taleggio & Prosciutto

This was an amazing dish. Incredible, simple, flavors. But what really made my day was how easy it was.

Chicken breasts pounded thin, topped with prosciutto and slices of Taleggio on one side. Pull remaining chicken to cover, add seasoned bread crumbs...bake. That's it. I mean, little effort.




And for that little effort, you're rewarded with the most amazing dish. The cheese and meats, the breadcrumbs...perfect together.

Partnered with wild rice with pecans and a green salad, it was a fast & fabulous dinner.






Tagged with: Food and Drink + Chicken + Taleggio + Prosciutto + Dinner

Cobb-ish Salad

Last week, I decided to read over a few of my Amazon.com blog posts...something I don'd do nearly enough.

I'm glad I did, because among the toy talk and techno-babble were posts from Jasper Fforde (won't be long now!) and a mention of a NYT piece from Mark Bittman, with 101 simple summer meals.

And while I will gladly slave over a hot stove for three days to make the ultimate meal for company, when it's just us? I like dishes that come together quickly, with very little effort.

I scrolled through the list, then sent the link to Matt at work. He printed out the pages, highlighting the ones he'd like to try. Not quite half (we skipped most of the seafood...).

Last night, we started things with what Bittman calls a 'Cobb-ish salad'. Greens (here, Romaine, as all our arugula had cooked in the car on the way home), tossed with tomatoes, avocado, red onion and Gorgonzola dolce, and drizzled with olive oil and red wine vinegar. It's then topped with bits of bacon, and chicken which had been cooked in the bacon fat (I made a veg version for me, cooking Morningstar Farms meat-free bacon in some olive oil and butter till crispy, then Veat bites in the same oil.).

Really simple. Very tasty, and filling.

Can't wait to try the next dish on the list!





Tagged with: Food and Drink + Salads + Gorgonzola + Chicken + Bacon + Mark Bittman + Amazon.com

Adventures of An Italian Food Lover: Dinner with My Sister

When Cath asked if I'd be interested in testing out a new cookbook, I think my reply was along the lines of 'you have to ask?'!

The book is Faith Heller Willinger's Adventures of An Italian Food Lover, and it took me about two minutes to fall in love with it.

Written in such a friendly tone, with personal stories about the recipes and their creators, it just made me happy. Amazing dishes, wonderful stories. It left me wishing I could create a meal from it's pages to share with one of my closest friends.

Closest friends. I'm using it as a term of endearment, and unfortunately, not as reference to the distance between our homes.

Because if I had the chance, I'd create a fabulous meal from Faith's book for Erin. I always get a kick out of telling people that this blog friend of mine? Also happens to be a childhood friend, too!

Erin & I have been friends since we were children. Four, five years old. That's...longer than either of us want to admit! Our grandparents lived a few houses apart, on a quiet street populated almost entirely with couples who's own children had long ago left home, couples, like our own grandparents, who were part of "The Greatest Generation".

The street backing those homes were made up of somewhat younger families, at least enough to provide us with a regular group of kids to play with.
Perhaps because my grandparent's yard was so large, and flat...and had a swing set!...many summer afternoons were spent there. Erin's grandparent's sported a wicked hill, perfect for sledding during those long, cold Northern Pennsylvania winters.

Whether it was just the two of us, or a larger group, Erin & I spent many afternoons playing kick ball, turning the neighbor's yards into the great battlefields of World War II (we were all generals, and all personally chasing after Hitler...), or picking berries from my Grampa's strawberry patch.

When we were younger, people who didn't know us well always assumed we were sisters. We didn't get it, but we heard it from the mouths of too many strangers and family friends to dismiss it.
Sure, we're both short (I'm about an inch taller), we're close in age (I'm about a year older), with dark hair & eyes, and dark complexions. But...we certainly didn't think we looked alike!

When elementary school started, we spent less time together. Schedules and new friends got in the way. We'd still see each other during the summer, whenever we both happened to be visiting the grandparents.

Middle and high school saw us drifting farther apart. It wasn't anyone's fault; we were just two different people. Erin became a cheerleader and hung around with the 'popular' crowd. I...was a social outcast, barely surviving the hell that was my class (seriously...how could they put so many terrible people in one place?), and a less-than-happy home life.

We'd see each other in the halls, or at the odd school function, and of course we'd nod or say hi, but we had absolutely nothing in common at that stage of our lives.

Still, people assumed we were sisters. Teachers would ask me if I had a sister in one of the lower grades...sure, but my sisters were still in elementary school at that time! It happened just about every year, and I always knew they were thinking of Erin.

Post high school, we both did what was expected of us: we went off to college. Saw even less of her then...again, our lives were going in such different directions.

But then, something odd happened.

I ran into Erin one night at a bar (because, in our hometown? That's the only place to go. No social scene outside bars. Nice, huh?), and did the 'hey, good to see you...what's up?' thing. Turned out, she was back in town. I was back in town. I suggested we get together. And we did.

Suddenly, it was if all those missing years hadn't mattered. We quickly found ourselves in a groove. We had similar likes & dislikes, opinions, life experiences. We talked and emailed like crazy. It was like looking in the spare room and discovering your best friend was just sitting there, waiting for you to find them.

When we'd go places, people would still ask "are you two sisters?". By now, we'd just laugh. No, we're not. But you're not alone in thinking it!

I noticed that our lives had taken somewhat parallel paths, too. I was living with relatives (grandparents) due to a low-paying job in the media (radio). She was living with relatives (parents) due to a low-paying job in the media (newspaper). We both had cautionary boyfriend tales, from which we both swore we would learn & never allow to happen again.
We were both determined to leave our hometown, find our way in a chosen field, and hopefully...find love.

I left first. I met Matt, and moved to California. Not long after that, Erin moved to New York (state), and after one 'oops', met her perfect match.

We're both still figuring things out, but we're working on it. And despite the distance, we chat and email, call when we can. We share our joys & disappointments, our frustrations and fears. We can always fall back into that groove, no matter how much time has passed.

Because you see, Erin really is my sister. She's the sister I was supposed to have, that best friend you see in movies and television shows. The one I never thought I'd get.
I have a friend who treats me with as much love, care and respect as I do her. She's the sister I was supposed to have.

So, if she and her wonderful boyfriend were to visit, I'd serve them a meal something like this. I'd prepare all the food in good spirits, because I was going to be sitting down with my best friend, my sister. We'd eat Smoked Mozzarella Cutlets, Leek & Sausage Orzotto, and Brick-Grilled Chicken Breasts till we couldn't move, and talk the night away. We'd forget about the dishes as Matt & Erin's boyfriend morphed into uber-geeks before our eyes. She & I would wander off towards the bookshelves or maybe upstairs to the lounge, put on some funky LP's, and gab all night.

And it would be a perfect evening.




Tagged with: Food and Drink + Cookbooks + Events + Italian + Friends + Dinner + Faith Heller Willinger + Clarkson Potter

Blog Party#22: Blogger's Choice, the Round-Up

Welcome to the second anniversary of Blog Party!! Can you believe we've been meeting one Saturday a month for the past two years? That's a lot of cocktails!

Tonight, it's all about the stuff we love. Our favorite appetizers, our most-loved drinks, and of course, our favorite people! And lucky for you, some of my favorite people came to the party, so it's sure to be a good one.

First, we have to have music. And my choice? Ultra-Lounge, of course! There's truly no better source for the perfect cocktail party soundtrack. Tonight, we're treated to Wild Cool & Swingin' 2



the appropriately-titled Bottoms Up




and Wild Cool & Swingin': Louis Prima & Keely Smith.




And what's a Blog Party without a few neat gadgets or serving ideas?

I really like the sleek and slender look of these glasses, don't you?




If you prefer 'on the rocks' to a fancy, fruity, drink, you're going to love these sturdy-looking glasses.




J, I couldn't help but think of you when I saw these fabulous appetizer spoons! Very cool, indeed.




And I love this platter & serving dish set! So much color, and so fun.




And hey; this is a special occasion, right? So, enjoy these chocolate champagne glasses! I'm almost afraid to eat it, it's so pretty!




Ok, music's on and the table is loaded with food, so let's see who's here, and what they brought!




First through the door is Cakelaw...welcome! This is your first Blog Party, yes? Well, you picked a good time to join us!
And you're going to find yourself quite popular once everyone gets a look at those gorgeous little Baby Lemon Meringue Pies, trust me. So cute! And very bite-sized.
And I am intrigued by your Rose Spritzer; can't wait to try one.
I'm so glad you could come tonight...enjoy the rest of the party!






Say hello to Eva! She's flown all the way from Switzerland, carrying seafood, so make room at the table! Yes, I said seafood, as Eva's brought one of the more exotic dishes tonight, Spicy Stuffed Squids...I'm a sucker for alliteration. Ha! Sucker. Some stop me before I pun again...
Eva then switched gears, with these gorgeous Minty Watermelon Refreshers. Perfect for such a warm evening.
Happy you could make it, Eva!






Proving that 'better late than never' couldn't be more true, Gabi's here with a hold-over from last month's party...and I couldn't be happier!
See...she appealed to my inner Trekkie with her super Sci-Fi treats. I am loving her Tribble Nibbles, and you're right Gabi; they will disappear rather than multiply!
Keeping with the Star Trek theme (and god love her for that), you have to taste her The Dribbles with Nibbles also known as a Pomegranate “Martian-tini”: Brilliant!
Glad you finally made it, Gabi...






Be sure to give a warm Blog Party welcome to Smita...this is her first visit!
And while it may be her first Blog Party, she has very quickly found her way to my heart...with her Red Bell Pepper Hummus...I am such a hummus fan! And red pepper? Actually my favorite version.
I have to agree with Smita, too...Sangria seems like the perfect drink for the hummus. So good to have you here tonight!






Sara's back! Always good to see you. And I just know your BBQ-inspired dishes are going to go over in a big way tonight. Mini Burgers are just the cutest things, aren't they? Not to mention tasty.
And I love your idea to serve Bean Bites on spoons! Perfect.
Believe me, no one will complain about recycling beverages once they get a taste of your Pineapple Juice & 7-Up mix!
Wonderful, as always, Sara!







J and her crockery have become staples here at Blog Party, and she didn't let us down tonight!
Taking the 'Blogger's Choice' theme to heart, J decided on a white-out for our party...varying shades of pale, in a full-course, bite-sized, meal!
There's her Pizza Bianco, Skewered Scallops & Spoonfuls of Fish Pie, there's Roasted Chicken, Creamy Leeks, and of course, dessert! J's made Vanilla Risotto which contrasts nicely with the White Chocolate Ice Cream. Whew.
To wash it all down? What could be better than a (fancy) glass of milk? Not much!
Fabulous job, as always, J...thanks for coming!




Sorry about that crash...but I think I saw a ghost! No? I'm not seeing things? Well, I'll be...look who's here! Cooksister!!!! I'm shocked, and stunned...but ultimately, very happy. Welcome, Jeanne!
It's been some time since my dear friend has made the long journey here for Blog Party, but I know you'll be as pleased as I when you sample her fantastic-looking Broad Bean Crostini. Yum. I never thought to do that! Of course, finding fresh broad beans here is a bit like locating an honest politician...rare.
And I'm already in line to try that Kir Royale...yum.
Seriously, Jeanne...thank you so much for being here tonight; it means a lot!







Thank your local tech geek, because without their help, Sarina might not have been able to make it here tonight! We're all very happy you're here, though, and Matt's already heading over to the table for one of your Scallion Pancakes! They look gorgeous.
And I can't wait to try the Sparkling Green Tea...yum. We always have sparkling water on hand, just in case we need to make more.
So glad you could come






I have a trio of treats, and a couple of beverages, for you, as well.

First, a Chipotle & Smoked Potato Salad. Potato wedges are smoked on the grill, over wood chips, diced and mixed with hard boiled egg, celery, and mayonnaise with chipotle powder. A nice smoke flavor. Very smooth, very creamy, comforting...then BAM! Spicy. But oh-so tasty.

Next, something I made some time ago for EoMEoTE (Jeanne, it's been on mind for a while...any chance of bringing it back?); Tamago Toast Nigiri.
Slices of tamago, on toasted bread squares, drizzled with a mixture of soy sauce and wasabi (to your own taste), draped with pickled ginger and 'dotted' with wasabi. Very yummy.

A dessert appetizer: French toast bites. Sure, why not? Baguette slices, soaked overnight in a mix of two beaten eggs, a couple tablespoons of milk (most of these are estimates), a teaspoon of vanilla, a dash of salt...and a half cup of maple syrup. Cooked in a cooking-sprayed frying pan, the result is a slightly sweet, maple-infused, and not sticky treat. Dust with powdered sugar, fruit or topping of your choosing.

To drink, a couple of 'virgin' beverages, no surprise. a Lemontini & a Raspberry Cosmopolitan. Fairly self-explanatory, as much as drinks can't really talk (unless you've had too many of them...).

Ok...we've finished with the introductions and food explanations: time to get on to the 'business' of eating & chatting!

A huge thank you to everyone who came tonight...it's been a fun two years. I hope you enjoy Blog Party as much as I do!
And if you're wondering, I have decided to continue Blog Party, with next month starting our third year. I'll email the theme to all of tonight's guests, and of course will post full details 1 August.

Thanks again for coming...now, let's party!




Tagged with: Food and Drink + Blog Party + Events + Appetizers + Cocktails + Canapes + Parties + Finger Food + Mocktails + Blogging

Blog Party Warm-Up: Mary's Little Lambs

Tomorrow's the big day...Blog Party's 2-year anniversary!

It's been all appetizers, all week, to get the festive mood going. Today, tiny bites of lamb, served in phyllo. I wish I could tell you what was in them, but...well, they're lamb. I don't cook lamb. Matt did the cooking on this one, as well as the eating! But I assure you, they're a big hit whenever we do serve them.

Ok...come back tomorrow for Blog Party#24: Blogger's Choice!




Tagged with: Food and Drink + Appetizers + Blog Party + Lamb + Phyllo + Feta

Blog Party Warm-Up: Potato Fritatta

Today's the last day to get your Blog Party anniversary entries in!!!

Today, it's the simple potato fritatta. Cubed potatoes, browned in a skillet, then covered with eggs. It would have been lovely to add some diced roasted red pepper, but one of our guests has a pepper-and-onion phobia, so we left it out.

These little cubes can best be described as compact comfort food. Just 'mmmmm' in every bite. Simple to make, and so satisfying.


This is it! The last day to get those Blog Party#24: Blogger's Choice entries in...you won't want to miss this party!











Tagged with: Food and Drink + Appetizers + Blog Party + Potato + Eggs + Events + Fritatta

BBM Takes Over the Postal Service

And...they're off!

Remember to click on the BBM logo (not this one, the one over------------> there) for updates.

But, as I type this, I begin to feel sorry for the postal workers of the world: 15 packages have already gone out, and one already has a home!!

Today's the day...so be sure to get those boxes out, and your 'I've done it' emails to me!

Blog Party Warm-Up: Ginger Guacamole with Wonton Chips

Just a few days till Blog Party's 2-year anniversary! And to get everyone in the mood, Dispensing Happiness has become hors d'oeurves central.

Chips & dip is such a classic party food, but it doesn't have to be fried potato wedges with sour cream or tortillas and salsa.

This, my friends, will rock your world.

Wonton wrappers, cut into triangles, brushed with sesame oil, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and baked. So good.

And to the guacamole, both wasabi and pickled ginger are added! How awesome is that.

This stuff is so good, and makes a nice break from the usual chip & dip set. And oh, smells divine...

Tomorrow is the last day to get those Blog Party#24: Blogger's Choice entries in...you won't want to miss this party!











Tagged with: Food and Drink + Appetizers + Blog Party + Wontons + Guacamole + Events + Sesame + Avocado + Chips + Dips + Ginger

Blog Party Warm-Up: Sweet Frites

This Saturday is Blog Party's 2nd anniversary! To celebrate, it's all appetizers, all week.

Above, addictive slices of sweet potato, tossed with oil and 5-spice powder, then roasted. They're dipped in an intoxicating sauce, the main components of which are sesame oil, soy
sauce, and ginger. And you almost fool yourself into believing you're eating healthy!!

There's still time to get your Blog Party#24:Blogger's Choice entries in...send your links to thehappysorceress at gmail dot com no later than Thursday!









Tagged with: Food and Drink + Appetizers + Blog Party + Sweet Potatoes + Sauces + Events

BBM Update

Don't forget: Packages are to be sent out by this Thursday!

If you still haven't received your swap info from me, get an email to me immediately.

And don't forget to let me know when your packages are mailed and received...


Be sure to click on the BBM icon to the right (located in the side bar) for package progress.

Blog Party Warm-Up: Wonton Wonders

With Blog Party's second anniversary coming up, I decided to dedicate this week to the appetizer. Nothing but small bites from now till Saturday!

Starting the week with Wonton Wonders; marvelous bites, and favorites of mine.

Baked wonton wrappers are filled with a mixture of chopped chicken (or Veat), green curry paste, Major Grey's, peanut butter, mayo and some lime juice (ok, there's one or two other things, but I'm not running downstairs just to check!), and spiffed up with chives.

They're served room temperature, and oh...how wonderful they are! Fancy chicken salad, yes...but just at the end? There's that little kick to the back of the mouth. A bit of spice. Ok, more like a punch delivered to the epiglottis, but still...really lovely bites. I don't make these often, because I will eat ALL.

You still have a few more days to get your appetizers and cocktails together for this month's celebratory Blog Party! Entries are due Thursday...hope to see you there!








Tagged with: Food and Drink + Appetizers + Blog Party + Wontons + Chicken + Events

Super Alex

Take a minute, and revel in the sheer joy of being a four-year old with a Superman cape.

Poached Egg Salad

or, fairly good-for-you food

More to come...







Celebrate Blog Party's Two-Year Anniversary! That's right, this month brings us Blog Party#24, and this time, it's all about you. It's Blogger's Choice! Make any kind of appetizer AND cocktail, and get those entries to me no later than Thursday, 19 July. Let's make this party the best one yet!




Tagged with: Food and Drink + Salads + Eggs + Cookbooks + Vegetarian + Recipes

Starry, Starry Cake

(photos taken under less-than ideal circumstances)

About a year ago, I bought the cookbook The Whimsical Bakehouse. It looked like fun, and hey, who doesn't want more fun in their lives, even if it's via the kitchen?

I turned to TWB for Matt's birthday cake last year, and we all loved it. Crazy, fun, you know...whimisical. Lots of color. I enjoyed making it.



I realized I hadn't opened that book in close to a year, so I found it on the shelf (not as easy as it sounds; have you seen our cookbook shelves?), and one of the very first cakes was this starry truffle cake. I thought it'd be perfect as a Father's day cake.

The decorations are easy. Candy melts, you know, melted, and piped into abstract-y stars, then 'painted' with luster dust. I liked that part.

The cake though...it was a flourless truffle cake. I am not an inexperienced baker. I know what I'm doing.

And yet.

I followed the directions. I did every single thing I was told to. But when it came time to unmold the cake?

The cake made noises. Gloppy, squishy, noises. Really gross noises.

The cake top? Done. It looked 'set', as it should. Our oven runs hot, which I know, so in fact I baked it longer than required. Just to be safe.

And yet.

At first, the cake wouldn't come out of the pan. It just stayed there. Sharp knives and toothpicks came into play.

I'd properly buttered and floured and parchmented the darn pan.

And yet.

The cake? Oozed.

I mean, it was pudding. Not cake! But pudding. It made noises. That's never good.

I left it sitting there, on the countertop, till Matt came home. He was as '??' as I.

So a bit later, with him watching, I re-made the cake. Repeated every step. Made sure he saw what I was doing, and could testify in court if need be.

And when, again, the cake came out a few minutes later than suggested...noises.

The darn recipe was not for a cake. It was for pudding.

I was out enormous quantities of chocolate, and a bit...um...on-edge by now.

I finally just made my proven double dark chocolate cake, with perfect results.

But I tell you...while I may use the decorating ideas from The Whimsical Bakehouse again, I will NOT be attempting those recipes!





Celebrate Blog Party's Two-Year Anniversary! That's right, this month brings us Blog Party#24, and this time, it's all about you. It's Blogger's Choice! Make any kind of appetizer AND cocktail, and get those entries to me no later than Thursday, 19 July. Let's make this party the best one yet!




Tagged with: Food and Drink + Cakes + Baking + Cookbooks + Chocolate + Recipes

Blogging by Mail: Update!

UPDATE

As of 11:00 PM, EST, all BBM swap details have been sent out. Check your email for your information.

If you didn't get one, email me immediately!

Boxes are due to ship in just over a week...if you have any questions about what to send, please let me know.

Have fun!





Hang tight, BBM'ers; match-ups are being made this very minute. (not this second; I'm typing up this post, you see...)

I hope to finish them up early Wednesday morning, and start sending them off to you after that.

Be patient!

And thanks...

Update

The first few swaps have gone out...more to come in the morning. I'm forced to this long-hand this time, so it's a bit slower going than I'd like. But everyone will have their info before the day's out; promise!

UPDATE

1/3 of the swaps have been sent out...if you've requested a local (North American) partner, look in your in-box for your details!


UPDATE

Ok, all 40 globe-hopping BBM'ers have been matched up. I'm taking a quick break to eat (kept forgetting to do that), but will have all the messages sent out before bed tonight.

Trying a Bit Too Hard

Fried Egg & Cheese BLT

This came from one of the many cooking magazines that show up in my mailbox each month. I can't remember which.

And while I applaud the idea, it really was a bit too much.

I mean, the BLT is a pretty perfect food, as is. Adding a little something extra to it...ok, I can see that. A few months ago, I did that very thing.

But there is such a thing as trying too hard.

Here, the wonderfulness that is the BLT is 'improved' by adding both a fried egg, and a few slices of cheese.

The egg? That makes good sense. Eggs & bacon & tomatoes & toast? Yes. But the cheese...the cheese was the problem. Or rather, the cheese wasn't necessary. It was...insignificant. Unnoticeable. An afterthought, at best. The mildness of the cheese got lost among the comfort of the egg, the smokiness of the bacon, the heartiness of the toast. It became the fifth wheel.

So, topping the BLT with an egg: good. Fussing with it by adding the dairy? Not so much.

But I certainly enjoyed the research!




Celebrate Blog Party's Two-Year Anniversary! That's right, this month brings us Blog Party#24, and this time, it's all about you. It's Blogger's Choice! Make any kind of appetizer AND cocktail, and get those entries to me no later than Thursday, 19 July. Let's make this party the best one yet!




Tagged with: Food and Drink + Sandwiches + BLT + Eggs + Cheese + Bacon + Tomatoes

But what about me?

Dispensing Happiness isn't the only thing being neglected these days.

What with all the renovations, clean-up from said renovations, shopping, more cleaning, a dinner party, and oh, yes...Blogging by Mail partners to match up, poor Donegal is feeling a bit left out.

Don't worry, Donny; it'll all be over soon.




Celebrate Blog Party's Two-Year Anniversary! That's right, this month brings us Blog Party#24, and this time, it's all about you. It's Blogger's Choice! Make any kind of appetizer AND cocktail, and get those entries to me no later than Thursday, 19 July. Let's make this party the best one yet!