Project Domestication

Recipe for Roasted Carrots, Parsnips and Turnips with Thyme

2012-02-16T04:12:00.002-07:00

I enjoy life by the day, by the month and by the season. I look forward to the weekend, birthdays, special projects at work and try to live in the moment to appreciate life as it happens. One thing I've been working at since last summer or so, is to really enjoy food by the same measure. If we enjoy what we have when we have it, I believe we find more happiness, purpose and fulfillment.

It's easy for me to appreciate and look forward to ripe, garden tomatoes in summer and Utah's delicious apples and peaches come early fall. But what I'm talking about here is looking forward to what's in season locally, and regionally all year long. And, at the same time expanding my palate and appreciation for produce I don't normally look to.

My friend, Becky over at Vintage Mixer, has really helped me in this quest. Each month she creates a beautiful image with a list of the produce that is in season for that specific month. And each month I try my hardest to seek out each item and incorporate them into our meals at home. I even go as far as to printing myself two copies--one for my fridge at home, and the other for my office at work. I find great accomplishment and joy in checking off each fruit and veggie, especially when I source them from local growers. From June to October her lists are booming with Utah's harvest fruits and vegetables. But in the dead of winter, she also suggests produce that is in season regionally since Utah's growing season is short-lived.

This recipe for Roasted Carrots, Parsnips and Turnips with Thyme came as a result of The Vintage Mixer's seasonal produce guide for February. Specifically, this recipe was a way for me to mark-off parsnips and turnips.

Clearly parsnips are not an American favorite, we don't use them near as much as their homeland thinks we should. But why not? They are a beautiful creamy-white color, and a sweet and even slightly spicy root vegetable. I decided early on that if I didn't make an English Pot Pie with parsnips, I would for sure roast them.

I always enjoy the more intense and often sweater flavor the roasting process provides. To be frank, it's simply easier for me to just toss vegetables in a bit of olive oil and pop them in the oven while I prepare the rest of the meal, set the table or get an early start on dishes. I added in carrots, because, I had them and thought the dish needed some color. Then finally I tossed in some turnips to make things a bit more interesting. Add some EVOO, S&P and some herby, light n' lemony aroma of fresh thyme and you are good to go!

If you're looking for a great side dish or a way to experience parsnips and turnips, give my recipe a try. Roasting vegetables is always a pleasure and always delicious.

Roasted Carrots, Parsnips and Turnips with Thyme
by Becky of Project Domestication

Ingredients
1 lb. carrots, peeled
1 lb. parsnips, peeled
1 lb. turnips, peeled
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. kosher salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
3-5 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut carrots, parsnips and turnips in equal-sized pieces, around 1-inch. My preference is rounds for parsnips and carrots and small wedges for turnips. Place vegetables in 9x13 pan or on sheet pan. Pour on olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Add olive oil, salt and pepper and thyme and toss well. Roast for 30-40 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes. Vegetables are done when tender.

Happy Valentine's Day - Mrs. Backer's Famous Decorated Sugar Cookies (SLC, Utah)

2012-02-14T07:19:00.001-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

I love this day of love...

and spending it with the man I love.

We'll be enjoying a delicious evening at home where he cooks and I bake.

The menu for tonight includes Radicchio and Red Salad, Horseradish-crusted beef Tenderloin, Roasted Winter Root Vegetables and Baked-NYC's Mississippie Mud Pie (B).

The best part for me is that I made the dessert last night and just have to whip up some whipped cream to finish. Lovely.

I hope you all have a wonderful love day.

*Photo of giant decorated sugar cookie from Mrs. Backer's Pastry Shop in Salt Lake City, Utah by Becky Olsen. If you've never been to Mrs. Backers, you must go! Frosting is an art form there.

Utah Local Love: The Vegas, Baby! Cupcake from Les Madeleines in Salt Lake City, Utah

2012-02-10T12:55:00.001-07:00

Today I'm contributing over on I Heart Salt Lake. I'm featuring three Valentine's Day treats to buy yourself or your sweetheart from Les Madeleines in Salt Lake City. Make sure to read this post and head over to I Heart Salt Lake to see what I selected for the first two Valentine's treats!

Each February Les Madeleines makes their Vegas, Baby! cupcake. It's a special cupcake that I long for all year.

Everything about this Vegas, Baby! cupcake is Valentine-sie and delicious. It's red and white and tasty throughout. Isn't it gorgeous?

Les Madeleines describes the Vegas, Baby as this: Vanilla cupcake with cinnamon red hots. Topped with cream cheese frosting and real white chocolate sprinkles.

It's the way adult Becky likes to eat her cinnamon red hots. Though I'm sure kiddo Becky would enjoy it just as much, in fact I'm sure she'd try to eat two to three in one sitting. Okay, maybe adult Becky gets tempted to do that too. #truth

The Vegas, Baby! is more than just a vanilla cupcake with red hots inside. It's quite the dessert, actually. I love to bite through the textured wall of real white chocolate sprinkles straight to the creamy, cream cheese frosting. The vanilla cupcake itself is buttery and light and melts in your mouth. Then different explosions of gooey red hots explode in your mouth. It's so fun to eat.

Oh, and if you that red hot gooey-ness gets stuck on your cupcake wrapper...you best not forget to lick/eat/bite it off. It's one of the best parts of the cupcake! :)

I love this cupcake. It's one of the best cupcakes I've ever tasted, and absolutely one of the best in all of Utah. It's only available for a limited time this month, actually I think just until Valentine's Day. So scoot your boot-tay over to Les Madeleines and buy a dozen Vegas, Baby! cupcakes...they are the ultimate Valentine's Day cupcake!

Les Madeleines
Patisserie & Cafe
216 East 500 South, SLC
(801) 355-2294
Facebook
Twitter: @lesmadeleines

Frosting the Perfect Cupcake: My Portion Trick

2012-02-08T23:34:00.000-07:00

Many of you will be making cupcakes this next week for Valentine's Day. One of my favorite tips to share about frosting cupcakes is what I call my portion trick. To ensure equal amounts of frosting on each cupcake you just do the following.

1. Plop on the desired amount of frosting on your first cupcake. This can be with an ice cream scoop, or just start eye-balling what you think you want, or rather need. ;)

2. Continue doing so with all cupcakes until the frosting in your bowl is gone. (This is so easy, right?)

3. Take a look at all your cupcakes to make sure they appear equal, then frost them as you desire. If some cupcakes have a bit more frosting than others, adjust. The best part about this is you'll use up all your frosting and have great looking cupcakes. And there you go, an easy tip to frosting the perfect cupcake!

Utah Local Love: A Dozen Red Rose Cupcakes from Dippidee in American Fork, Utah

2012-02-07T22:43:00.001-07:00

I'm in full-out Valentine's mode. I can't help myself, I ooh and ahh at the sight of heart-shaped sugar cookies, red roses and anything pink and lovey-dovey. I'm a frequenter of Utah bakeries and visiting a local bakery in Utah has to be one of the most happy things a person can do in February.

Dippidee, a bakery in American Fork, goes all out for Valentine's--any holiday really. It's cheery yet romantic and makes you want to throw pink and purple jimmies in the air and twirl like a little girl in her first, flowy dress.

Dippidee makes some of the most creative and decorated baked goods in Utah. Their most original creations are their cupcake roses. These cupcakes, usually red velvet, are frosted and sparkled and adorned with a beautiful fondant red rose and packaged anyway you like. A single rose? Yes? A dozen? Now you've outdone yourself!

If you are looking to give or receive a different, and more delicious, dozen red roses. Head on over to Dippidee. And while you're there, get yourself a heavenly bite and Butterscotch cupcake too!

Dippidee
Address:
476 North 900 West, Ste D
American Fork, UT 84003

Web site: http://www.dippidee.com/
Blog: http://dippidee.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/dippidee

Phone: 801-756-4383
Fax: 801-756-4232
Email: dippidee@msn.com

Utah Local Love: Midway Country Corner Bakery in Midway, Utah

2012-02-03T17:08:00.002-07:00

There's one thing you should know about me. If I'm headed to a different part of town, it's pretty much a 100% guarantee that I'll visit a local bakery or restaurant. A month or so ago, I was finishing up the last shoot for this commercial for my day job and happened to be passing through Midway. So...I hit up the Midway Country Corner bakery.

Many a time, have friends told me I must try their famous chocolate fudge cake. So...I was ready. Sadly enough, the cake wasn't sold by the slice and I wasn't about to fork out the dinero to buy an entire cake.

Instead, I tried a variety of other treats from the Country Corner: an elephant ear, red velvet cupcake, chocolate fudge cupcake (cupcake version of the chocolate fudge cake), raspberry filled chocolate cigar and the lemon cheesecake bars. The unexpected winner was the lemon cheesecake bar.

So much flavor was packed into that moderately thin lemon bar. It was quite lemony, not the extreme puckery-type, but rather the creamy taste and mouth-feel you'd get from a balanced lemon curd frosting. And that's a great quality. I suspect the creaminess came from the cheesecake ingredients in the lemon bar. Next time you are driving through Midway, stop at the corner bakery and try their lemon cheesecake bars. And if you have the dough, try their chocolate fudge cake and tell me all about it.

Midway Country Corner
midwaycountrycorner.com
Facebook page

Address:
206 West Main Street
P.O. Box 495
Midway, Utah 84049

Phone:
(435) 654 - 1500

I love my boyfriend t-shirt...

2012-02-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

i get into holidays, okay.

i find them as great excuses to make great food, plan parties, be with friends and family...

and sometimes buy clothes.

i came across this awesome "i love my boyfriend" t-shirt at target the other day.

um, yeah, I bought it and will be wearing it on valentine's day.

Buttery Strawberry Jam Cookies with Crystallized Ginger and Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

2012-02-01T21:22:00.002-07:00

Happy February, friends! Can you believe it. It's time for lots of chocolate, pink sugar cookies, and special dinners with your loved ones. February is usually a pretty cold and dreary month in Utah, especially if you don't make it up to the ski resorts as much as you'd like...but this year it's warm, the roads are clear and it feels like an early Spring. I am always confused at what to wear in the mornings.

But one thing I'm not confused about is getting into the spirit of love. I grew up in a home where my Mother decked out the house in pinks and reds and always made festive treats. My father spoiled his girls with beautiful flower arrangements, and we all had a fun time. I haven't quite pulled out any decor yet, but I have been adding to my list of special treats to make for weeks! Adam and I have the tradition where we eat-in for Valentine's. It's just the way I like it. No huge expensive gift expectations, no long wait at restaurants--just a nice evening at home to love and appreciate each other. And oh yeah, enjoy a delicious homemade meal.

Adam makes dinner and I bake dessert. I am honestly stuck at what to make this year. I can't decide if I'm going the chocolate route or the fruit direction. All I know is I want to keep it simple and delicious.

Speaking of simple. I have a super easy cookie recipe for you to try that is super delicious. It would be great for Valentine's Day! It's a special strawberry cookie recipe that I adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Buttery Jam Cookies. This recipe all came about by the ridiculously over-abundance of jam in our fridge.

My sweet husband can't resist great jam, and every time he runs an errand he comes home with a new jar. The jam to human ratio at our home is 7:2. It's crazy! As I was cleaning our fridge one day I decided it was time to bake with jam. I had my eye on my current favorite strawberry jam preserves by Bonne Mamam. Man, that stuff is good. So I went to work.

I made Dorie's Buttery Jam Cookies recipe as usual with three minor adaptations.
1. I used Strawberry Jam instead of apricot.
2. I added in a heaping tablespoon of minced crystallized ginger (I'm always looking for ways to use this stuff up!)
3. I made a Strawberry Cream Cheese frosting to top it off. (Best decision ever! I already had a batch of cream cheese frosting made from a previous project and just folded in the jam. Hello, easy)

I hope you'll give these Butter Strawberry Jam Cookies a try. They'll be great for Valentine's day or really, any day of the year! And it may just help you jam addicts clear out that top shelf.

Buttery Strawberry Jam Cookies
with Crystallized Ginger and Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
by Becky of Project Domestication
Slightly adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Buttery Jam Cookies

Ingredients:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 c. sugar
1 large egg
2 T. milk
1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
1/4 c. strawberry jam
1 heaping tablespoon of minced, crystallized ginger

Directions:
Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
   Whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger and salt.
   Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Add the sugar and beat for a minute. Add the egg and beat for 2 minutes more. The mixture will be satiny. Add the milk and the vanilla and beat just to combine. Don't be concerned if the mixture looks curdled, it will even out shortly. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the jam and beat for 1 minute more. With the mixer still on low, add the dry ingredients (except for the crystallized ginger) and mix only until they are incorporated. Add in crystallized ginger and mix till barely combined. You'll have a very thick dough.
   Spoon the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls (or larger) onto the baking sheets, leaving about an inch between mounds.
   Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies will be only just firm, fairly pale and browned around the edges. Pull the sheets from the oven and allow the cookies to rest for 1 minute, then carefully transfer them to racks to cool to room temperature. Repeat with the remainder of the dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

Let cookies come to room temperature. Frost with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
1 c. cream cheese frosting (Use your favorite recipe.)
1/4 c. strawberry jam

Directions:
Combine jam and frosting with spatula. Mix until combined.

Blogger & Cookbook Recipes I Tried This Month - January 2012

2012-01-31T23:06:00.004-07:00

January was a very happy month for me. It was a month that provided a big breath of fresh air. A time to take a breather and relax. I've been giving myself the gift of time--time to do things for myself. It's wonderful. I'm rediscovering things about myself. I'm leaving time for hobbies new and old. I get more time with family and more quality time with my husband. I feel wonderfully balanced and fulfilled. I say this not because I wasn't doing these things before, I say it only because I feel it is a real focus for me now. Sometimes I think we are so laser-focused on work, deadlines and other goals that we forget about true leisure time and exploring a variety of activities that make us happy.

Would you believe me if I said I've only baked once this month? It's amazing how much focused, free time I've had since completing Tuesdays with Dorie. I miss the fun of TWD. But I love the extra time I have in my schedule for exercising, painting my nails, writing thank you notes, developing my own recipes, going out with friends, quilting, organizing my home, reading, ping pong, playing board games and much more! It's quite refreshing.

Like many of you, I made a list of specific items I wanted to accomplish in 2012. Among that list, was a focus on cooking...and cooking within my means, whether that be time or financial resources. I genuinely love being in the kitchen--I crave the creativity that I feel when I am making meals and the satisfaction from feeding my family. It's so fun to discover new flavors, techniques and recipes that will become staples in our home. This month I found myself delighted with many great recipes to try. Some are from food bloggers and others from cookbooks I own. Let's review them, shall we?

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal by Two Peas and Their Pod
I've made this recipe at least three times. It's warm and delicious. It's fantastic as is, but I've mixed it up and doubled the apples and tripled the cinnamon. Last time I made it I doubled the recipe and we enjoyed it all week long. It refrigerates well.

Toasted-Coconut Pecan Butter by Heather's Dish
This recipe was a revelation. On a week where I wasn't allowing myself sweets, it sure stepped up as a great substitute. (Yes, I understand it was full of fat and that my coconut was probably sweetened...but at least it wasn't a cupcake or gelato!) I had it by itself or with a sliced apple. I loved it cold, too.

Creamy Avocado Pasta Sauce by Two Peas and Their Pod
I talked about this Creamy Avocado Pasta Sauce recipe for days. I even persuaded like five friends and family members to make it within a week. It's crazy how quick it comes together (15 minutes, people) and it was so yummy. It made for a perfect Sunday lunch. I will be keeping avocados on hand now just for this recipe.

Roasted Fajita Chickpeas by Heather's Dish
These roasted chickpeas were a great afternoon or evening snack. I like the flavor of fajitas, though I think next time I make them I would make some seasoning adjustments that suite my preferences better. I do have to say I though, the baking time was right on par.

Bruleed Grapefruit by The Vintage Mixer
I'm always inspired by Becky's monthly local and seasonal produce list and recipes. I never buy enough grapefruits...and I have no idea why. We love grapefruit in our house. This 3 minute recipe was a good breakfast any day of the week. Plus, I love using real maple syrup.

West African Chicken & Peanut Stew with Chiles, Ginger and Green Onions by Kalyn's Kitchen
It's not everyday peanut butter is used in savory dishes, so I was excited to make this stew. I love ethnic flavors. It was particularly cold on the evening we enjoyed this...it was so warm and comfy and spoke to our souls. The green onions are a must-have. I served it over my recipe for pureed cauliflower...which I plan to share very soon!

Hambone and Bean Soup Mix Soup by Honey Baked Ham Company
We won a ham at a company party and with only two people in the house this recipe was the perfect solution to using up the rest of the meat and hambone. It was yummy and made SO much soup.

Grapefruit Poppy Seed Loaf by The Year in Food
This loaf cake was technically the only item I baked this month. That is nuts. For a girl who baked nearly 60 recipes from September to November, I sure got a break. I loved using grapefruit in baking, along with alternative ingredients like yogurt and olive oil and whole wheat flour. The result was delicious. It was a very delicious and subtle citrus treat.

Tuna Sandwich with Coconut and Cilantro by The Year in Food
This take on the tuna sandwich is enough to bring converts to the church of tuna. The flavors are complex, bright and at time buttery delicious. I loved how it allowed me to use up random ingredients in my fridge and pantry like capers, green onions, cilantro and flaked coconut.

Spicy Mexican Coleslaw with Lime and Cilantro by Kalyn's Kitchen
No picture here, but man this coleslaw was good. I think I ate half the recipe all by myself. Next time I make fish tacos I'm absolutely topping them with this coleslaw.

Hachis Parmentier by Dorie Greenspan from Around My French Table Cookbook
I've had this French-style Shephard's Pie dish on my to-make list for nearly 2 years! I'll tell you what, it was worth the wait. You make your own beef broth (bouillon) and pair it with sausage and cubed steak for the filling. The topping is sinfully creamy mashed potatoes with heavy cream, whole milk, Gruyere and Parmesan. Man we loved this dish.

Fresh Ginger Ice Cream with Homemade Speculoos Cookies by David Lebovitz in The Perfect Scoop
Confession: I actually made this in December. But I had to include it. I love ginger and it was so fun to make ginger ice cream. I think next time I'll double or triple the amount of ginger, as I would have liked to make it more prominent. If you make the recipe, be sure to make the speculoos cookies to mix in. They provide a nice spice and crunch to contrast the ginger ice cream.

Salmon Cakes by America's Test Kitchen in America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
We were left with a bunch of salmon filet leftovers and turned them into salmon cakes. Holy cow delicious. I even opted out of pan-frying them and baked one. It turned out just as flavorful and much more healthy!

Oven-Roasted Home Fries by America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
Perfect Long-Grain Brown Rice Cooking Method by America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
Breakfast Sandwiches with Perfect Fried Eggs by America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
This cookbook is a staple in our home. The recipes are tried and true and we have loved every single one we've tried! I highly recommend you get yourself a copy.

I love trying new things and I love putting my cookbooks to use. Afterall, why do we buy them anyway? I love the food blogging community. I love following other food blogs and trying out their recipes. I love how I can wake up one morning, not know what I'm making for dinner and then find an inspiring recipe on a blog and whip it up that night. On the other hand, say I've got a grapefruit that needs to be used up. I can search my favorite food blogs and find a recipe for that ingredient.

What did you make this month? I'd love any recommendations for February.

Peanut Butter & Banana Oatmeal Smoothie

2012-01-30T04:00:00.003-07:00

I love peanut butter. And I have a very low tolerance for bananas. That is except when they are in the form of being frozen. And I have to add another qualifier to make bananas edible for my palate--they must be in a shake. Yesterday morning I made a delicious smoothie, shake or whatever you want to call these liquid breakfasts. I made my recipe for a Peanut Butter & Banana Oatmeal Smoothie.

Since my husband is the only one in our house that eats bananas fresh, we always have one or two bananas from bunch that need to be frozen. Needless to say, I have a plentiful supply of frozen bananas for protein shakes and smoothies. I love it--I get the health benefits of bananas, without actually having to eat them fresh.

Read more »

Grandma Beda's Swedish Pancakes Recipe

2012-01-24T14:00:00.013-07:00

God middag, friends! That's good afternoon in Swedish. It’s a special day on Project Domestication for two reasons: one I was interviewed on Danish Mamma’s blog about my love for all things Scandinavia and my Swedish blood. And two: because I am sharing a family recipe with you today for Swedish Pancakes.

My mother's grandparents came to Salt Lake City from Stockholm, Sweden. My grandparents grew up in Salt Lake City, my mother in Los Angeles and I here in the beautiful state of Utah. Through these generations, my family has preserved some of our Swedish heritage. Though I'm as American as apple pie, (and make a darned good one, if I do say so myself) I devour everything Scandinavian and feel connected to my ancestors through keeping Swedish traditions alive. One of my favorite ways to do so is through, you guessed it…food!

I love Swedish Pancakes. These light and delicate thin pancakes are wonderful. You could say they are a cousin to the French crepe, really a cross between the Western flapjack and traditional crepe. We serve them rolled on a plate and with lingonberry jam and a dusting of powdered sugar. (Though, if I’m being honest I should say it’s more of a dumping of powdered sugar for me. I did this as a kid and old habits die hard.)
Read more »

Roasted Cinnamon-Agave Apples over Steel Cut Oats with Toasted Coconut

2012-01-23T04:03:00.006-07:00

Oatmeal is one of my most favorite breakfasts. It doesn't matter if it's a weekday or weekend--I'm always up for a nice warm bowl of oats. I like to switch it up too, by making steel cut oats. If you've never tried steel cut oats, you are missing out! Steel cut oats have this amazing chew. They are actually from the inner portion of the oat kernel, called groats. Instead of being rolled they are cut by steel into two or three pieces. Pretty cool, ey?

Sometimes I treat myself by adding my Roasted Cinnamon-Agave Apples to steel cut oats. It the perfect topping for a warm, hearty breakfast full of wholesome, healthy ingredients. And to make it even better, I sprinkle on toasted coconut. It's insane how good this oatmeal is--I'd expect to order something this at a weekend brunch spot.

Studio DuArte - Gold Hoop Earrings

2012-01-18T13:11:00.004-07:00

I don't own a lot of jewelry. But the jewelry I own, I absolutely adore.

This Christmas, my sweet husband bought me these large gold hoop earrings from Studio DuArte. It was a total surprise. I've wanted gold hoop earrings for years, and I've seen this particular pair a couple times at the Studio DuArte booth when we've visited New York in the winter. To my surprise, my husband bought them at the Bryant Park booth while I wasn't looking.

I love these earrings. They go with anything. I can dress them up or down. One of my favorite parts is the clasp, or the way you attach them on. Not sure what to call it? They are handmade, hammered, gold-filled large light hoops. The hoops are hammered on one side and approximately 2 1/2" in diameter and very light weight. Seriously, sometimes I forget I'm wearing them.

All Studio DuArte jewelry is designed and made in Brooklyn, New York and created by owner, M Cristina Duarte Veronese. You've got to check out all the jewelry on her site.

Podcasts to Love: America's Test Kitchen Radio

2012-01-17T20:57:00.003-07:00

If you're interested in learning more about cooking techniques, equipment reviews, blind taste tests, the origins of recipes and hearing interesting stories about people who surround the world of food--then of course you should look to the folks of America's Test Kitchen. Today, I decided to download the America's Test Kitchen Radio podcast and I enjoyed every minute of it. I was entertained and educated--who am I kidding, I knew I'd love it. After listening to their first two episodes I was ready to make Lemon Icebox Cheesecake, not be so worried about only using fresh lemons in baking and read the book, Season to Taste.

If you are new to America's Test Kitchen here's a bit about them:
America's Test Kitchen is a real 2,500 square foot test kitchen located just outside of Boston that is home to more than three-dozen full-time cooks and product testers. Our mission is simple: to develop the absolute best recipes for all of your favorite foods. To do this, we test each recipe 30, 40, sometimes as many as 70 times, until we arrive at the combination of ingredients, technique, temperature, cooking time, and equipment that yields the best, most-foolproof recipe.

I am a huge fan of everything ATK puts out. I subscribe to Cook's Illustrated, love Cook's Country and have purchased way too many of their cookbooks! They also have a fantastic (and free) app for your iPhone and iPad. So download their podcast, it's free too.

Desk It Weekly Calendar & Meal Planning

2012-01-16T10:43:00.002-07:00

Last night I finished my weekly meal plan. It's going to be a great week, ladies and gentlemen. When I was in NYC last month I discovered the perfect sticky calendar to put on my fridge for meal planning: the Desk it Weekly Calendar at the Museum of Modern Art store.

There is plenty of room to write your meals, side dishes and even some space if you want to include any activities or commitments you have going on each week. It works like a gem. Plus I'm just obsessed with its minimal design. I'm not one to normally stick something on my fridge, so if I do--you know it's going to look good.

Desk It Weekly Calendar
Museum of Modern Art Store (MoMA)
$8.95

And just in case you are wondering what's on our menu this week. I'll give you a little tease.
Hambone Soup (recipe & mix from Honey Baked Ham with modifications) with Field Green Salad
Ina Garten's Mustard-Roasted Fish with steamed sweet potatoes and green beans
Kaylyn's Kitchen West African Chicken Stew
Dorie Greenspan's Hachis Parmentier with Iceberg Salad

Utah Local Love: The Magic Potato at The Chocolate Dessert Cafe in Orem

2012-01-13T17:08:00.004-07:00

It's been a great week. I've shown you my favorite spot in our kitchen right now, told you about the best men's facial product to scare away ingrown hairs and well, let's be honest...I'm still thinking about last week and all those doughnuts! (Note to self: never include ingrown hairs and doughnuts in the same sentence! Ew.)

Today I want to tell you about The Magic Potato. It's found at one of my very favorite local bakeries, The Chocolate Dessert Cafe in Orem.

Isn't it gorgeous? So what makes this Magic Potato so magical?

Well first off, it starts with a sweet potato. I go goo-goo for sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are one of my most favorite foods. I'm used to their savory side, minus that one Thanksgiving side, so this is a real treat to enjoy anytime of the year. The Magic Potato was actually inspired by the owner's favorite steakhouse side dish, but it's so much better and such a dessert. Okay, onward... Then enters the buttery, brown sugar and pecan-crust-slash-crumble. And to take this dessert over-the-top The Chocolate tops it off with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Now that's indulgence.

The Magic Potato encompasses what a dessert cafe should serve. It's a made-to-order, individual-sized dessert. You order it at the counter, then wander around the enchanting home-turned-cafe to find a cozy spot. Since The Magic Potato is made-to-order, you can expect about a 10-15 minute wait. But that's just more time to chat with a great friend, date or browse your iPad, phone or laptop (yes, they've got free wireless) until a cute counter girl or boy serves up that sinfully good sweet potato.

This is a must-try dessert in my book. It's warm and cozy and loaded with buttery, crunchy sweetness. Give it a try this weekend. I'd say it is the perfect dessert to share, but let's be honest. I never share.

The Chocolate Dessert Cafe

Web: http://thechocolatedc.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thechoco
Twitter:http://twitter.com/TheChoco
Blog: http://www.thechocolatedc.com/blog/

Locations:

212 South State in Orem

9118 South Redwood Road in West Jordan

Hours:

Monday – Thursday 10am-8pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-11pm

If you want to read some of my other features on The Chocolate Dessert Cafe, visit my other blog, Utah Loves Cupcakes.

For Your Man: Ingrown Hair Night Cream by The Art of Shaving

2012-01-12T08:33:00.002-07:00

Ingrown hairs. First thought: “Ew!” Second thought: “Ouch!” Third thought: “How on Earth does a man get rid of those nasty, hurtful ingrown hairs on his face?”

If you’ve got a tall, dark and handsome man in your life. Or just a man with a lot of hair on his face, chances are you know exactly what I’m talking about. Somehow the strain of the shave does this… Actually, I looked it up and ingrown hairs, also known as razor bump, happen when shaved hair gets trapped inside the follicle or grows back into the skin. Ouchy! If you care to get all doctor-ish—the term is Pseudofollicultis. Sounds serious!

Well, ladies. Today I have the answer for you and your man. It’s a glorious product made by The Art of Shaving folks appropriately titled “Ingrown Hair Night Cream.” And guess what it actually works.

I bought it for my husband this Christmas. (Perfect stocking stuffer, right?) He put it to use and no joke—two weeks later his ingrown hairs were gone. No way, you say? I say yes. It got to be all those high-quality ingredients at work. Here’s how this ingrown hair night cream works:

• Shea butter softens the skin, allowing ingrown hairs to break free.

• Jojoba oil moisturizes and helps unclog pores.

• White willow bark and meadowsweet extract, containing salicilin, gently exfoliate and release the trapped hair.

• Botanical extracts that are rich in fruit acids improve the look of the skin’s texture.

Seriously, it’s amazing. The difference is beyond belief. I highly recommend (read urge) you to check out The Art of Shaving and this legit ingrown hair night cream. I first discovered them on a business trip to Phoenix. It was one of the coolest, specialized store for men I’ve been in. I instantly fell in love. So I bought my husband The Art of Shaving Starter Pack. He loved it and honestly had the best shave of his life. Plus, I think he felt cool for using a brush to lather on the shaving cream. I think it was his best shave yet.

When we traveled to San Francisco last June, I bought him a straight blade shave service at The Art of Shaving. It was so stinking cool. Plus it was on his bucket list to get a straight-blade shave, so more bonus points for this wife! Browse their Barber Spa menu.

Can you tell I’m a huge fan of The Art of Shaving?

And guess what? They’ve come to Utah! They are now at Fashion Place Mall. If you are looking for a special Valentine’s Day gift for your man, schedule him a straight blade shave (Royal Shave) or buy him some high-quality shaving products. He’ll love it. I promise.

One last tip: subscribe to The Art of Shaving on Facebook, Twitter or sign up for their email newsletter: The Brotherhood of Shaving. I’ve scored big time with free shipping and discounts. The price on these products are not cheap—as are most high-quality products.

Above the Fridge Love - Displaying Cake Stands and Such

2012-01-11T16:29:00.003-07:00

Lately I've found myself admiring this lovely spot above our fridge.

When we remodeled our kitchen I knew I wanted both open and closed shelving throughout the kitchen--and I knew I wanted some above my fridge. But when all was said and done, I was stumped on what to fill it with.

Finally, I just decided to give up on the idea "decorating" the spot and bit by bit filled it with everyday items that we already owned. So now I've got my all-purpose flour, old-fashioned oats, glass water bottles (from IKEA, you must get these as I love them!), a variety of cake stands, quazi-gravy boats and random dishes.

Somehow they all fit together perfectly and voila...it's a functional, decorated space. And I love it. It's so clean, crisp and useful. One of my biggest philosophies for decorating our home is making sure everything we purchase has a purpose or personal connection. I have the hardest time buying decorations for decorations sake...

So there you have it. My functional over-the-fridge storage space. :)

Utah Local Love: Provo Bakery

2012-01-06T04:00:00.006-07:00

I guess I've got doughnuts on the mind this week. I seriously have no idea why. Maybe it's because the closest I've come to flour, butter or sugar this week is wearing my King Arthur Flour t-shirt while working out. Hum...could my subconscious desires be coming out in these posts?

Well, Wednesday I blogged about my trip to the Doughnut Plant in New York City and man, that Creme Brulee Doughnut was a gift! Today, we head back to my home state of Utah to Provo Bakery. In my mind it's home of the most delicious maple bar. I'm a sucker for a good maple bar. I hate to admit it but anytime someone brings doughnuts to a gathering, I pretty much box-out my friends to snag the maple bar. Seriously, why do people only put one or two maple bars in the box when they buy a dozen? Crazies.

But you know what? Provo Bakery makes so many more delicious doughnuts and bakery treats. Among those are those gooey-looking, upside-down muffins in the picture. I can't remember their official name but I believe it's something like sticky honey-bran muffins. I order them every time I go to Provo Bakery. I think I added the sticky--trust me, they are sticky. I'm also adore Provo Bakery's apple fritters, Venetian cookies and pumpkin-shaped-and-colored bread bowls. Of course, you're going to find lots of other types of doughnuts, muffins, muffin tops, cookies, danishes, breads, cupcakes, cookies, baklava and more!

Next time you are in Provo, head to Provo Bakery. Man, I want a doughnut!

Provo Bakery
190 East 100 North
Provo, Utah

(801) 375-8330

Hours:
Tue-Fri 7 am - 6 pm

Sat 7 am - 5 pm

Other posts you may like:

Doughnut Plant in New York City on Project Domestication

Decorate the Christmas Tree Doughnuts on Project Domestication

Baked Pumpkin Doughnut Holes on Two Peas and Their Pod

Potato Doughnuts and Egg Nog on Cafe Johnsonia

Mighty O's Donuts in Seattle on Stephmodo

Doughntus with Burnt Caramel and Sea Salt on White on Rice Couple

Travel Bug Becky: Doughnut Plant in NYC

2012-01-04T04:32:00.002-07:00

I was lucky enough to visit New York City twice last year. I see each trip to the Big Apple as an adventure and a challenge. I try as much as possible to experience new things and venture out into each neighborhood.

My October visit keep pulling me to the Lower East Side—in the case of this blog post—for some of the best doughnuts I have ever tasted. The name of the place: Doughnut Plant.

Doughnut Plant doughnuts are made with the highest quality all-natural ingredients. There are no trans fat, no preservatives, no artificial flavorings and no eggs. Their glazes are made with seasonal, fresh fruit and fresh-roasted nuts. And let me tell you, folks--you can tell! Now that’s what I’m talking about when it comes to doughnut glaze.

The owner Mark Isreal has a great history with baking and has transformed his grandfather’s original recipe into one heckuva doughnut shop. You can read more about their history on the Doughnut Plant’s site.

The Doughnut Plant is one tiny little location, at least the area where customers can go and I like it. It’s cozy and fair warning---warm. The doughnut to human ratio is about a million to one, but don’t be too intimidated, remember you get to eat these things.

In instances like this I hate deciding what flavors I will try. So I said to myself, “Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the most delectable doughnut of all?” Okay, I’m lying. I pretty well new this--I did my research and many a recommendation touted the Crème Brulee doughnut above all else.

And they were right. Ridiculously right.

The Doughnut Plant’s crème brulee doughnut is a work of art. Hand-piped, homemade vanilla cream fills the tender doughnut. Then owner, Mark Isreal continues his magic by sugaring the top, then finally blowtorches it to burn the sugar into a stupor of crackly splendor.

And what better to enjoy a well-crafted doughnut with than my favorite New York milk from Ronnybrook Farms.

I knew I wouldn’t be back for a while. And even if I did happen to be returning for Christmas, what if I didn’t make it back? I had to try more flavors. And with a helpful counter boy, my girlfriend and I couldn’t resist nothing less than six doughnuts.

We both agreed the crème brulee was reason enough to venture to the LES…and we’d do it again if it meant we could feel the way we felt when indulging on this delicacy. We adored the vanilla bean glazed and the raspberry glazed types. I would order them again. We also tried the peanut butter banana, Valhrona chocolate and the last I can’t remember. Shoot!

Next time you are in New York City make sure you take a train to the Lower East Side to visit the Doughnut Plant. Bring cash, bring an appetite and above all else—order their Crème Brulee Doughnut.

Doughnut Plant

doughnutplant.com
Facebook.com/DoughnutPlantNYC

Twitter: @doughnutplantny

379 Grand Street (Essex Street)

New York City, New York

(212) 505-3700

The Best of Project Domestication 2011 - Top 10 Recipes

2012-01-02T21:12:00.001-07:00

I will remember 2011 as a year of many things--but one thing is for sure--it was a great year.

Last year I left you with a Top 10 Domestic Happenings of 2010. I'll do the same this year, however as I wrote my list I had to shrug because many of those happenings were not blogged about. So many wonderful instances occurred in and out of my home: I visited New York City twice and had the time of my life, we bought our first home and remodeled our kitchen and more, I played with lots of new ingredients like black cocoa powder and fresh figs. My husband and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary in the beautiful city of San Francisco, I shoped online more than I ever have before, I contributed delectable recipes to a wonderful new online magazine, supported and enjoyed local Utah restaurants and business es and I acheived the goal of finishing every single recipe in the baking cookbook of all cookbooks--Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Tonight, I will leave you with my Top 10 recipes of 2011. It's been hard to pick favorites, but somebody had to do it. Thank you all for a wonderful year! I look forward to 2012 and all it's deliciousness and domesticity.

Project Domestication Top 10 Favorite Recipes of 2011
(and in no particular order!)
1. Apple Coconut Family Cake
2. Our PreThanksgiving Dinner
3. Chocolate Pudding
4. Dressed-Up BLT Bar
5. Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
6. Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good
7. Grilled Corn on the Cob with Fresh Lime and Cotija Cheese
8. Brown Sugar Bundt Cake
9. Cocoa Buttermilk Birthday Cake
10. Pecan Honey Sticky Buns

Honorable Mentions:
Adam's Mini Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Caramel Pumpkin Pie
Rum-Drenched Vanilla Cakes

Salt and Pepper Shortbread Cookies
{Faux} Espresso Cheesecake Brownies
Irish Soda Bread
Golden Brioche Loaves
Flaky Apple Turnovers
Alsatian Apple Tart
My First Jelly Roll
Floating Islands
Ginger Jazzed Brownies

Floating Islands and a Farewell to Tuesdays with Dorie

2011-12-31T23:59:00.002-07:00

In August 2008, I joined the online baking group, Tuesdays with Dorie. I had one goal: to bake and blog every single recipe in Dorie Greenspan's cookbook, Baking: From My Home to Yours. Three years and three months later I am here to tell you that I completed that goal. (And after you read this post, make sure to read this post with 42 pictures of all my catch-up recipes!)

I can tell you that Tuesdays with Dorie wasn't just a little side hobby. It became a big part of my life--an education, a passion and a way to express love to those around me. It didn't come without hard work, that's for sure. I know my fellow TWDers can attest to that. For a girl who works full-time, I found myself waking up early to bake, prepping ingredients during my lunch break and loosing more than a few hours of shut eye. Our food budget was spent on bulk flour, butter, heavy cream, whole milk and expensive chocolate. I figured if I was going to learn how to bake, and take the time, I was going to use the best ingredients possible.

I laugh sometimes when I think back to the time as I began my journey. I really don't think I knew what I was getting myself into. But how wonderful it has been and how my life has been enriched. I can tell you this friends, Dorie Greenspan taught me how to bake. I have gained a confidence in the kitchen, I have no fear. I feel any recipe handed to me will be a pleasure, a new discovery. I find myself connected to bakers around the world and bakers of the past. It's beautiful.

With my Tuesdays with Dorie journey at its end, I've discovered this: I can do anything. I can do anything I set my mind to. And so can you.

So with these words, I leave you with the very last recipe I made from Dorie's BFMHTY: Floating Islands. I waited three years to make this recipe. For some reason, I found it fitting to make Floating Islands last. It always seemed like it would be a challenge, and I wanted to execute the recipe perfectly.

Floating Islands felt fancy, French...and yet simple and a wonderful dessert for the home. There are three components to Floating Islands.

1 - Creme Anglaise
2 - Meringue
3 - Caramel

You can make the creme anglaise and the pillowy meringues ahead of time. Then right before, just make the caramel. This dessert is delicious.

Happy New Year's Eve. Here's to a delicious 2012!

Floating Islands
by Dorie Greenspan in Baking: From My Home To Yours

Ingredients for Floating Islands
For the Crème Anglaise:
2 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Islands:
2 cups milk
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch of salt
¼ cup sugar

For the Caramel (optional)
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup water

To make the crème anglaise: Bring the milk to a boil.

Meanwhile, put the yolk and sugar in a heavy saucepan and whisk vigorously until thick and pale, 2 to 3 minutes. Still whisking, drizzle in a little of the hot milk — this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they won't curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remaining milk. Put the saucepan over medium-low heat and, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook until the custard thickens, lightens in color and coats the spoon (this can take 10 minutes or so) — if you run your finger down the spoon, the track should remain. For this recipe, the crème anglaise should be cooked until it reaches 180˚F on an instant-read thermometer.

Immediately remove the pan from the heat, strain the custard into a bowl and stir in the vanilla extract. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the custard to create an airtight seal and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, or for up to 3 days. (The crème anglaise will improve with at least on overnight rest.)

To make the islands: Spread a clean kitchen towel on the counter near the stove and have a large slotted spoon at hand. [The towel will help the floating islands drain after poaching.] Put the milk in a wide saucepan and bring it to a simmer over low heat.

Meanwhile, put the egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a large bowl and a hand mixer. Beat the whites on medium speed just until foamy, then beat in the salt. When the eggs turn opaque, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and add the sugar about 1 tablespoon at a time. Whip until the meringue is firm but satiny and still glossy.

You have two options in shaping the islands: you can just scoop up some meringue — specifically, an amount about twice the size of an egg — in which case you'll have the equivalent of a rocky volcanic island, or you can smooth the meringue to get a manicured island. For the smooth look, use a large oval spoon to scoop up the meringue, then use another large oval spoon to very gingerly transfer the meringue from spoon to spoon a couple of times to form a smooth oval.

Either way, one by one, lower the islands into the simmering milk, adding only as many islands as you can fit into the pan without crowding. Poach the meringues for 1 minute, gently turn them over and poach 1 minute more, then lift the islands out of the milk and onto the towel. Repeat until you've poached 12 islands. Put the puffs (which will have inflated when poached and will deflate when cooled) on a wax paper-lined baking sheet and chill them for at least 1 hour, or for up to 3 hours.

To make the optional caramel: Decide whether you want to serve the meringues in one large bowl or six individual bowls, and have the bowl(s) at hand.

Right before serving, stir the sugar and water together in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat, bring the sugar to a boil and cook without stirring, swirling the pan occasionally, until the caramel turns a pale gold color, 6 to 8 minutes or so. Pull the pan from the heat and let the caramel cool just until it is thick enough to form threads when it is dropped from the tines of a fork. (If the caramel hardens, rewarm it slowly over low heat.)

Either pour the crème anglaise into a large serving bowl and top with the meringue islands, or make six individual servings. If using the caramel, working quickly, dip the tines of a fork into the caramel and wave the fork over the floating islands to create threads that will quickly harden.

Serving: Once the dessert has been assembled, it should be served immediately.

Storing: You can make both the crème anglaise and the meringue puffs in advance and keep them chilled, but the assembled dessert won't keep.

The Longest and Most Delicious Tuesdays with Dorie Catch-Up Post

2011-12-30T18:23:00.003-07:00

Prepare yourself, my friends. This post is long. However, it is also temptingly delicious. It took a lot of patience and determination for me to dig up the photos and gather the post information. My utmost apologies for the lack of commentary on how I liked the dish. Each and every one of these recipes deserves their own. But for the sake of goals, I have to post all of my catch-up recipes before the clock strikes midnight on December 31. I have to prove that I finished and posted! (Note: I do intend to do individual posts at some point for many of these...too many other delicious pictures and notes must be recorded.)

I have to stop and say that I am so proud of myself. I have no idea how I did this. The majority of the catch-up recipes you see here were made between August and November. It's insane. But even with starting the group 8 months after it began and then having 117 recipes left to do in March of 2011. I did it! I did it!

Please enjoy. And check back tomorrow. I'm posting the Floating Islands. It was the recipe I saved for last and it was amazing. I am writing more thoughts about this marvelous journey called Tuesdays with Dorie on its post. By the way, did you see the article in the Washington Post about our little baking community?

Okay now for my 42 catch-ups in one post!

Snickery Squares
TWD originally posted on March 4, 2008.

Russian Grandmothers' Apple Pie Cake
TWD originally posted March 11, 2008.

Brioche Raisin Snails
TWD originally posted on March 18, 2008

Gooey Chocolate Cakes
TWD originally posted on April 1, 2008.

Almost Fudge Gateau
TWD originally posted on February 19, 2008.

Pecan Sour Cream Biscuits
TWD originally posted on February 26, 2008.

The Most Extraordinary French Lemon Cream Tart
TWD originally posted on April 8, 2008.

Fresh Orange Cream Tart
TWD originally posted on April 8, 2008.

Bill's Big Carrot Cake
TWD originally posted on April 22, 2008.

Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake
Originally posted on April 29, 2008

Pecan Honey Sticky Buns
TWD originally posted on May 27, 2008.

French Chocolate Brownies
TWD originally posted on June 3, 2008

Peppermint Creme Puff Ring
TWD originally posted June 17, 2008

Chocolate Peanut Butter Criss Cross Cookies
My husband mostly made the original version, so in order for me to be able to say I made every recipe in the book, I made the playing around version.

Summer Fruit Galette
TWD originally posted on June 29, 2008.

Chocolate Banded Ice Cream Torte
TWD originally posted on August 26, 2008

Chocolate Chunkers
TWD originally posted on September 16, 2008.

Kugelhopf
TWD origianlly posted on November 11, 2008.

Berry Surprise Cake
TWD originally posted January 20, 2009.

Tiramisu Cake
TWD originally posted on May 5, 2009

Parisian Apple Tartlet
TWD originally posted on June 9, 2009

Brioche Plum Tart
TWD originally posted on July 14, 2009

Raspberry Blanc-Manger
TWD originally posted on July 21, 2009.

Perfect Party Cake
TWD Originally Posted on June 30, 2009

Creamiest Lime Cream Meringue Pie
Originally posted on August 25, 2009

Chocolate-Crunched Caramel Tart
TWD originally posted on September 29, 2009.

Rosy Poached Pear and Pistachio Tart
TWD originally posted on December 1, 2009.

Cocoa-Buttermilk Birthday Cake
TWD originally posted on January 5, 2010.

Soft Chocolate and Raspberry Tart
TWD originally posted on March 16, 2010.

{Faux} Mocha-Walnut Marbles Bundt Cake
TWD originally posted on April 6, 2010.

Swedish Visiting Cake
TWD originally posted on April 13, 2010.

Tender Shortcakes
TWD originally posted on June 8, 2010.

Lots of Ways Banana Cake
TWD originally posted on July 20, 2010.

Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream
TWD originally posted on August 10, 2010.

Devilish Shortcakes
TWD originally posted on November 30, 2010.

Caramel Pumpkin Pie
TWD originally posted on October 19, 2010.

Cardamom Crumb Cake
December 21, 2010

Chocolate Fluff Filled Madeleine
TWD original post date: January 11, 2011.

Bourbon Bread Pudding
TWD original post date: February 8, 2011.

{Faux} Coffee Ice Cream Tart
TWD original post date: April 5, 2011.

Golden Brioche Loaves
TWD Original post date: August 23, 2011.

Bittersweet Brownies
TWD original post date: November 15, 2011.

If you made it to the end of this post, thank you! And...I hope you get the chance to buy Baking: From My Home to Yours. Each and every recipe is special and I guarantee you will enjoy each bite.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Kids' Thumbprints

2011-12-27T13:33:00.003-07:00

I never thought this day would come. It was hard to imagine. I think I’m still a bit in denial. Today is the day us TWD-ites post the very last recipe for our weekly bake. Dorie Greenspan herself chose the recipe: Kids’ Thumbprints. It has been an amazing 3+ years for me. I’ll be posting more thoughts later this week with my mammoth catch-up post. So for now, let’s talk about these adorable Kids’ Thumbprints.

I made this recipe back in the summer for a family reunion. They were addicting and delicious. The thumbprints are a play off of the classic kid sandwich: peanut butter and jelly. You get double dose of peanuts: some in the dough and then you roll them in chopped peanuts. The texture was great!

You can find the recipe on Dorie’s blog. She wrote a wonderfully, sweet post about the beauty of our online baking community, Tuesdays with Dorie. I myself have had a handful of interactions with Dorie—she is as sweet as her treats and as genuine as they come. If you would have told me three years ago that the author of my favorite cookbook would comment on my blog and respond to emails, I wouldn’t have believed you.

I can’t say it enough. Thank you Dorie for teaching me to bake. Thank you Laurie for starting a group that I am so proud to be part of.

Check back here later this week for some delicious catch-up photos (I think there are around 50!) and some wrapping up thoughts.

Update: I posted my catch-ups: 42! Wowza.
See them all here!

Dop-i-Grytan & Our Swedish Christmas Eve Smorgasbord Menu

2011-12-23T11:18:00.001-07:00

God Jul to you all!

I'm sharing a very special family recipe with you today. My mother is Swedish and as long as I can remember, we have celebrated Christmas Eve the Swedish way. Growing up we either attended a family gathering with or put together our own Smorgasbord.

Now as we've all grown up, we celebrate a bit before Christmas Eve so everyone can hopefully attend. There are so many delicious dishes, after all it's a smorgasbord, but today I'm sharing, my current favorite: Dop-i-Grytan.

Dop-i-Grytan means "dip in the pot." I believe the dish began as a way to use up the leftovers drippings of the Christmas ham. There is a lot of history to this dish but I'll let you google it. My family recipe consists of several types of meat combined with aromatics and butter. Yum. We serve it with the traditional Swedish limpa bread that is spiced with molasses, anise and orange peel. (One day I'll make my own limpa, I've found some great recipes, but for now one of my brother's usually picks it up from Mrs. Backer's Pastry Shop in Salt Lake City.)

The beauty of Dopi, as we call it, is the social aspect. It's always eaten before our meal. The family gathers around the stove, bumping elbows and laughing as we dip our limpa bread into the stock. I love it! I plan to carry this tradition on with my own family. Dop-i-Grytan is truly is delicious. The flavorful drippings paired with the spicy, soft limpa bread is the perfect way to start your Christmas Eve festivities.

Dop-i-Grytan
by My Grandmother Edith Johnson (and Eleanor Nalder with variations from Lorraine Johnson and Vicki Woolwine)

Ingredients:
2-2 1/2 lb. pork shoulder
2 lb. ham bones
2 1/2 lb. beef pot roast
1 sq. butter
Salt and Pepper
1 handful of allspice
12 bay leaves
1 large onion, cut in half

Directions:
Brown meat in butter. Add seasoning and onion. Simmer on low heat with pan covered for a few hours.

Variation: Add 1 can beef consomme.

A few notes from yours truly:
When I made this recipe in 2010, I added 4 large onions. I couldn't resist. I also did not add beef consomme. I seared the meat really well and used kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper.

And now for more Swedish fun. I've been pouring over our family cookbooks. I have to laugh at the giant smorgasbord menu. Get hungry!

Swedish Smorgasbord - Christmas Eve Buffet

(Edith Johnson & Eleanor Nalder)

Dop-i-Grytan*

Breads: Limpa*, rye, white, etc.

Rye Crisp

Ham

Roast Beef

Swedish Meatballs*

Pickled Cucumbers*

Anchovies, Pickled Herring

Liver Sausage

Jellied Veal (Head Cheese)

Svea Ost Nat'l Cheese

Sost Caraway Cheese

Relish Tray: Pickles, Olives, Tomatoes, etc.

Vegetable Tray with Dip*

Jello Salads*

Rice

Potato Salad**

Baked Beans

Punch*

Swedish Christmas Rice*

My mother has memories of all these dishes. I honestly can't imagine enjoying head cheese! One day I would like to eat all these traditional dishes. For records sake, I have put an asterisk by the dishes my family continues to serve. (Instead of potato salad we serve au gratin potatoes. And the punch is a virgin Shirley temple made of sprite and grenadine syrup. :) )

God Jul!

More Swedish stuff you'll like:
Swedish Hostess Gift: Lingonberry Jam & Glogg
St. Lucia Day (A Preview)
Happy Birthday, Utah IKEA! (Swedish Meatball Cake)

Simply the Sweet Life Holiday Issue 2011

2011-12-22T16:32:00.002-07:00

Let me introduce you to Simply the Sweet Life Magazine. My friend, April Atwater, began the magazine earlier this year and has published now four great issues! I contributed a handful of recipes to the holiday issue. Here are some pictures to tease you. Head on over and browse the magazine. It's all online!

Holiday Breakfast Parfaits. This features my homemade granola, roasted-almondy pears, roasted cinnamon apples and greek yogurt. The roasted fruit is made with agave...oh they are delicious. (Note: my current favorite agave is Xagave. Love me some local) The holiday brunch menu features recipes you can make ahead.

I'm a huge fan of homemade marshmallows. I've tweaked around with several recipes and found the ultimate. Can't wait for you to try them yourself. I did a fun peppermint-striped variation.

Last but very not least is my new recipe for chocolate truffles. These come out perfect every time. There is no greater time than the holidays to purchase the best chocolate you can find. For me, that is Amano Chocolate. In this recipe I used Amano's Dos Rios, mainly for it's notes of citrus. Instead of going with a fancy cracking shell, I took a more approachable shell of simple cocoa powder and toasted coconut. So easy.

Now what are you waiting for! Be sure to view the magazine. It's delightful, it's delicious! I'm not much of a crafter, but the pinecone wreath and leather pinecone ornaments are something I swoon over.

Simply the Sweet Life Magazine
simplythesweetlife.com
Facebook
Twitter

Tuesdays with Dorie: Banana Cream Pie {Catch-up}

2011-12-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

This week's TWD post is a rewind, meaning we can post any recipe we want. I chose to feature Dorie's Banana Cream Pie. If you haven't caught on, I'm not a big banana fan. But guess what? I LOVED this Banana Cream Pie. Thank you, Dorie!

And before you read further, know that the Baking with Dorie iPad app is great! I made this particular recipe with it and everything turned out perfect! I needed extra help with the pastry cream and the step-by-step videos are so incredibly helpful!

This pie was special, folks. It begins with Dorie's Good For Everything Pie Dough then you layer sliced bananas and brown sugar pastry cream. A word on the pastry cream: uh, yeah, it's delicious! Brown sugar, people. Brown sugar. It even has a touch of nutmeg in it which I found divine and timely since I served it at Thanksgiving this year.

To finish it off you top the Banana Cream Pie with sweetened whipped cream that has a bit of sour cream. This one little ingredient elevates the cream component immensely. It's got that extra tang and adds some great balance to the whole pie.

The memory (besides the outstanding flavor) that will stick out for me was something my 10-year old nephew proclaimed to everyone after he had his first bite of this Banana Cream Pie. "It looks disgusting but it is delicious!" We all chuckled. But hey, I thought it was gorgeous...kids.

You would do well to try this Banana Cream Pie recipe out yourself. It was delicious. The Tuesdays with Dorie Group originally posted on April 7, 2009. You can get the recipe on Amy's blog, Sing for your Supper.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Real Butterscotch Pudding {Catch-up}

2011-12-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

Homemade pudding is a real treat.

My mom made desserts every Sunday evening. It was expected by us kids. Don't judge, she trained us that way. On the few occasions that she didn't plan dessert she would quickly make chocolate or butterscotch pudding. I think we liked it just as much as her Texas sheet cake, angel food cake or my dad's favorite: yellow cake with milk chocolate frosting.

I'm still on the fence about the temperature I prefer her pudding and whether or not I enjoy the skin that forms.

So by now you know I enjoy pudding. Let's talk about this pretty yellow pudding you see above. :) It's my {slightly} altered version of Dorie's Real Buttersctoch Pudding. Instead of scotch I used my homemade vanilla that is made from Golden Rum, so essentially this pudding is a Butterum. And boy did we enjoy it!

It was smooth, silky and full of flavor. I served it chilled. The flavor actually reminded me of my favorite stocking stuff candy as a kid: Lifesavers Butterrum flavor.

You'll love this totally real, totally homemade Butterrum Pudding. You can get the recipe from Donna's blog: Spatulas, Corkscrews and Suitcases. The Tuesdays with Dorie group originally posted Real Butterscotch Pudding on December 23, 2008.

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post. This month the group is posting two recipes each Tuesday to make sure we finish the cookbook before the end of the year. I'm taking it a bit further and posting two posts per day to catch up on all my make-up baking adventures. Wish me luck.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Unbelievably Good Chocolate Blueberry Ice Cream

2011-12-13T11:01:00.001-07:00

This last summer, I hosted a dessert party for my siblings, their spouses and my parents. We played games and indulged in many a Dorie dessert. On the menu was Black and White Chocolate Cake, Bourbon Bread Pudding, Chewy Chunky Blondies, Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler, Vanilla Ice Cream and this Unbelievably Good Chocolate Blueberry Ice Cream.

I love chocolate and I love blueberries. Never would I have thought to put them together. But people: it works! And I have to say, everyone at the party LOVED this chocolate blueberry ice cream concoction. It came as a surprise to me that the blueberries were actually in jam form. No worries though, because I love to use a good jam. We pulled out Bonne Maman's Wild Blueberry Preserves and it was divine. If you're looking for a special ice cream to make, try Dorie Greenspan's Unbelievably Good Chocolate Blueberry Ice Cream. It really is that good.

You can find the recipe for this Unbelievably Good Chocolate Blueberry Ice Cream on Laurie's blog. Laurie, thank you for starting this group. You have no idea how you have made my life more sweet, and in so many ways! Be sure to also check out the LYL post to see how the other TWD bakers liked it.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Puffed (Not So Much) Double Plum Tart

2011-12-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

Store-bought puff pastry, plums and prunes with a very festive soaking sauce is what should make up Dorie Greenspan's Puffed Double Plum Tart.

Unfortunately we made this tart in December.

If you live in Utah, plums are no where to be found.

Not even in specialty markets. Boo.

I subbed in some apples and it worked well.

The dessert tasted much better than this picture looks.

The sauce that you poach the prunes in is supposed to be made up of a hearty dry wine, but I used Pomegrante juice. It worked great. It's spiced with orange rinds, orange juice and star anise.
It was delicious! I plan to make this again in September when I have access to my in-law's Italian prune plum tree!

This recipe was quick and easy.

So you should make it.

You can get the recipe on Julie's blog, Someone's in the Kitchen. Be sure to visit the LYL post and see how the other TWD bakers made it.

Tuesdays with Dorie is really wrapping up. I'm quite sad seeing how I've already finished every recipe in the book. Now if I could just get my act together and finish posting!

BAKED NYC Sweet and Salty Brownies

2011-12-09T04:13:00.002-07:00

Brooklyn's BAKED NYC is one of my favorite New York City bakeries. One of my biggest regrets on the few trips I've made there is not buying any of their brownies. Thank goodness Baked came out with two cookbooks. My husband and I love these cookbooks and have made many recipes from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking and Baked Explorations.

After owning these cookbooks and enjoying so many recipes I finally made Baked's famous Sweet and Salty Brownie on Christmas morning last year. It was a one of our favorite sweets of the holiday season and a great gift for our sweet tooth.

What makes these brownies so special? It's the perfect combination of sweet and salty. This comes in a couple forms. First, there is a special salted caramel that you layer between the brownie batter. It is amazing. And you actually have leftover salted caramel! (We poured ours over ice cream the next day!) After the brownies are baked you sprinkle sugar and fleur de sel all over the brownies. This is really what creates a true sweet and salty brownie. It also gives it a great texture.

I hope you give these Sweet and Salty Brownies a try! Ours were gobbled up quickly and we actually froze a couple for some family. They froze great. Happy holiday baking!

Baked NYC's Sweet and Salty Brownie
by: Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, from their cookbook "Baked Explorations"

Ingredients:

For the caramel filling:
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Fleur de Sel
1/4 cup sour cream

For the brownie:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method:

For the caramel filling, combine the sugar and corn syrup with 1/4 cup of water in a medium saucepan, stirring carefully so as not to splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 350℉ or until the mixture is dark amber in color, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, and slowly add the cream, and then the Fleur de Sel. Whisk in the sour cream and set aside to cool.
For the brownie, preheat the oven to 350℉.
Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light colored metal 9 x 13 inch pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper, and butter the parchment.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cocoa powder.
Place the chocolate and butter in the bowl of the double boiler set over a pan of simmering water, and stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water of the double boiler, and add both sugars. Whisk until completely combined and remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be at room temperature at this point.
Add three eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Add the remaining two eggs and whisk until just combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage, or your brownies will be cakey.
Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until there is a just a trace amount of the flour mixture visible.
To assemble the brownie, pour half of the brownie mixture into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Drizzle about 3/4 cup of the caramel sauce over the brownie layer in a zigzag pattern, taking care to make sure the caramel does not come in contact with the edges of the pan or it will burn. Use your offset spatula to spread the caramel evenly across the brownie layer. In heaping spoonfuls, scoop the rest of the brownie batter over the caramel layer. Smooth the brownie batter gently to cover the caramel layer.
Bake the brownies for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, and check to make sure the brownies are completely done by sticking a toothpick into the center of the pan. The brownies are done when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Remove the brownies from the oven and sprinkle with an extra 1 1/2 teaspoons Fleur de Sel and 1 teaspoon coarse sugar.

Cool the brownies completely before cutting and serving. Store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 4 days.

yield | 12 large brownies or 24 small brownies

Other recipes you may like:
White Chocolate Brownies - Project Domestication

Peppermint Bark Brownies - Project Domestication via Cafe Johnsonia

Biscoff White Chocolate Chip Brownies - Two Peas and Their Pod

Salted Chocolate Pecan Caramels - Simply the Sweet Life Holiday Issue (page 61)

Brown Butter and Fleur de Sel Chocolate Chip Cookies - Picky Palate

Tuesdays with Dorie: Florida Pie {Catch-up}

2011-12-08T21:45:00.000-07:00

Florida Pie.

This is Dorie Greenspan's take on a key lime pie.

Except it's extra special with some fun twists.

The meringue has coconut folded into it.

You also spread a homemade coconut cream on the graham cracker crust

before you add the actual lime layer!

I doubled the graham cracker recipe and made it in a springform pan.

Thanks, Josh for the recommendation.

Did I mention I love graham cracker crusts?

I was so proud of this dessert.

Thanks, Dorie. Your recipes are the best!

The Tuesdays with Dorie group originally posted Florida Pie on May 13, 2008.

Get the recipe here.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Hidden Berry Cream Cheese Torte {Catch-up}

2011-12-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

I've come to conclusion I've got almost a hundred TWD catch-up posts to do before the end of the year. This is almost (not really) as daunting as baking them. So in an effort to keep it real and get it all done. I'm going to write some short commentary on many of these posts. So here we have it. Hidden Berry Cream Cheese Torte.

It's made in a spring form pan. Shortbread cookie-type crust. Cream cheese, cottage cheese mixture. High-quality jam. And I think I over-baked mine or did something different because it looks nothing like the picture in Dorie's book. However, it was no less delicious.

Recipe here.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Banana Chocolate Ice Cream Pie {Catch-up}

2011-12-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

Just like many of you, each January I create goals for myself. I divide them into various categories and actually have a culinary category. One of my goals two or three years ago was to stomach a fresh banana. For nearly 25 years I couldn't even be around the fruit. Then I summoned up the courage and ate a couple one year. I don't think I've had one since, but at least I know I can.

Even with this aversion to the fresh variety, I love frozen bananas in my chocolate protein shakes. I have them nearly every other day. All this talk of smoothies and bananas and you see a picture of an ice cream pie. Well, this pie reminded me of my morning chocolate banana protein shake. So I liked it, but I was caught of guard.

If you are a fan of chocolate and bananas and coconut. You will LOVE IT!

The star of the dessert was the crust. It's made of toasted coconut, butter and sugar. And it is oh-so-good. I made this bannana chocoalte ice cream pie for my pie party I hosted in November. My friends all agreed, on the deliciousness of the coconut crust--saying they could each it plain.

This Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was originally posted on May 25, 2010. The recipe was selected by Spike of Spike Bakes and you can get the recipe on her blog.

Oh..PS I finished every single recipe in Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours on November 30, 2011. Boy do I have lots of recipes pictures to post!

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post. This month the group is posting two recipes each Tuesday to make sure we finish the cookbook before the end of the year. I'm taking it a bit further and posting two posts per day to catch up on all my make-up baking adventures. Wish me luck.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Honey-Almond (not-so) Fig Tart

2011-12-06T22:11:00.019-07:00

Holy cow. This tart was good! As you can tell I didn't actually use figs. There is not a fig to be found in all of Utah. Luckily, Dorie had a playing around version using grapefruit!

The flavors are wonderful and the textures are let's be honest, my favorite part. The ground almonds in the almond cream are so delicious. My only regret was not using more grapefruit.

This tart was delicious. It starts out with Dorie's Sweet Tart Dough. I was so happy to watch Dorie make it herself on my iPad App. I figured out I'd been under-mixing my tart dough for more than three years! Three years, people!

Isn't my tart dough perfect?

If you have an iPad, get the Baking with Dorie app! I LOVE it! It's been very helpful.

Tuesdays with Dorie: (Not-So Earl Grey) Spiced Madeleines

2011-12-06T08:21:00.016-07:00

Spiced Madeleines on the left.

I love madeleines. You know, the cookeis that meet cake, that meet french yumminess all in a pretty little shell-shaped pan. Yes, madeleines. This week's recipe was actually for Earl Grey Madeleines, but I chose to do the playing around version and make spiced madeleines. I'm glad I did. They were delicious.

I made three different types of madeleines in one night. Mini Madeleines, Chocolate fluff filled madeleines and this week's pick, spiced madeleines.

My notes straight from the book: One of my favorite madeleines. Wonderful fall and festive flavor. Great color too! Combo of lemon zest, cinnamon, fresly grated ginger and a teeny-tiny pinch of fround ginger is perfect!

You can find the recipe here on Nicole's blog, Bakeologie. Check out what the other TWD Bakers did for this recipe. All types of tea and ingredients were used!

Swedish Hostess Gift - Lingonberry Jam & Glogg

2011-12-02T07:59:00.002-07:00

I've gone my entire life living in a culture that is not surrounded with giving hostess gifts. I'm not sure why this is the case but it is. I decided to change that this year and give my parents a hostess gift for hosting Thanksgiving at their home. Everyone knows how much work it takes to open your home...even if it is to your own family. But with seven kids and nearly 20 grandchildren, it can't be easy.

My mother is Swedish and though she grew up in the states her family has carried on some wonderful tradition that she has passed on to me. I thought that it would be extra special to make a Swedish-themed hostess gift to help her kick of the Christmas season and Swedish Advent.

I chose to give her lingonberry jam and glogg. We Swedes love lingonberry preserves on our Swedish pancakes, mashed potatoes, Swedish meatballs and let's be honest...on anything. Lately, I've been putting it on Greek yogurt and oatmeal. The second part of the hostess gift was glogg. This is traditionally a mulled wine, since we don't drink alcohol I found a fruit juice based version.

Both the lingonberry preserves and glogg were found at IKEA, during one of my recent shopping adventures. I can't be the only one that goes in for one item and comes out three hours later with 20, am I? And don't you love the little Swedish gift tag, also IKEA.

And did you notice my little Santa hat decor hanging on my flip-out coat rack? For some reason this is one of my favorite little Christmas decor touches. Gotta love the dollar store Santa hats!

Other Swedish posts you may like:
St. Lucia Day - Project Domestication
How To: Making Authentic Swedish Meatballs - Cafe Johnsonia
Swedish Pancakes - The Bitten Word

Tuesdays with Dorie: La Palette's Strawberry Tart

2011-12-01T20:50:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite parts of being an avid baker is sharing my treats with those around me. I love making people happy, it's so fun to see the smile form on their face as soon as the delicious flavors hit their tongue.

Last month I hosted a pie party at my home for some of my very favorite friends. I made five pie, tart and galette recipes from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan to help me finish my baking project and complete every recipe in the entire cookbook. It was a lot of fun.

The most simple recipe to make for my pie party was this La Palette Strawberry Tart. It consists of three parts: Sweet Tart Dough, high-quality strawberry jam and fresh strawberries. You have the option to serve it with freshly ground pepper and lightly sweetened whipped cream, which I did both.

I loved the way the buttery, tender crust took to the not-overly-sweet Bonne Maman strawberry jam. The pepper added some spice and pulled out more flavor. The only thing I would have changed was to have made this strawberry tart in the summer and used local strawberries.

La Palette's Strawberry Tart was originally posted on June 10, 2008. You can find the recipe on A Year from Oak Cottage.

Other strawberry recipes you may like:
Strawberry Rhubarb Double Crisp - Project Domestication
Fresh Strawberries with a Balsamic Reduction - Project Domestication
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Almonds and Dill - Kalyn's Kitchen
Strawberry Pavlova Cake - Cafe Johnsonia
Mozzarella, Tomato and Strawberry Salad - Food Librarian

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post. This month the group is posting two recipes each Tuesday to make sure we finish the cookbook before the end of the year. I'm taking it a bit further and posting two posts per day to catch up on all my make-up baking adventures. Wish me luck.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Cranberry Lime Galette {Catch-up)

2011-12-01T19:40:00.000-07:00

If you are looking to make a festive dessert get ready for one of the best I have ever come across. This Cranberry Lime Galette is full zesty lime flavor, packed with great poppy texture from each fresh cranberry bite and spiced with fresh ginger. The Cranberry Lime Galette also fulfills that holiday pie need with its buttery pie crust sprinkled with sugar in the raw. Plus you'll love the extra fun that comes from the dried cranberries, apples, raspberry jam,

I highly recommend you make this cranberry galette during the holidays. Would you believe me if I said I actually made it twice? Well I did! The first time was for a special Pie Party I had for my friends and the second time, I made a Cranberry Orange version for my family on Thanksgiving! (Show below)

Cranberry Lime Galette was originally posted on November 16, 2010. You can find the recipe on Celestial Confessions.

Other cranberry posts you may like:
Not just for Thanksgiving Cranberry Shortbread - Project Domestication
Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry BBQ Sauce - Shirley J
Cranberry Orange Brie Crostini - Two Peas and Their Pod
Christmas Cranberry White Chocolate Blondies - The Vintage Mixer
Cranberry Salmon - Redhead Recipes

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post. This month the group is posting two recipes each Tuesday to make sure we finish the cookbook before the end of the year. I'm taking it a bit further and posting two posts per day to catch up on all my make-up baking adventures. Wish me luck.

I did it!

2011-11-30T15:44:00.001-07:00

I, Becky Olsen, have completed every single recipe in Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours! I shed a few tears this afternoon as I completed my final dish: Floating Islands. I'd been saving it. It was perfect.

Dorie: Thank you for teaching my how to bake. I hope to meet you someday.

Now it's time to post all these delicious pictures before December 27!

Life is sweet.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Sour Cream Pumpkin Tart (or Pie)

2011-11-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

I was happy to put some flavorful twists on the traditional Thanksgiving pie spread this year. For instance, this Sour Cream Pumpkin Pie was everything you want in a Thanksgiving pie, but with an extra tang and the perfect amount of spicing. And to make it even better, it is made with Dorie Greenspan's ultra-buttery and flavorful "Good for Everything Pie Dough."

You can't go wrong with this Sour Cream Pumpkin Pie. It was very popular and gobbled right up by my family, especially my nieces and nephews. Oh, and you can make it with Dorie's Sweet Tart Dough to put even more of a twist on America's traditional thanksgiving pumpkin pie.

Notes: My pie crust shrunk (this was only the second time this has happened). I did some research and I need to use more pie weights and make sure not to stretch the dough. Also this recipe makes a TON of pumpkin pie filling. I need to make a deep dish (or rather, makes sure my crust stays large so I can use all the filling. I had one whole cup left!)

Happy belated Thanksgiving. Hope you'll remember this SOur Cream Pumpkin Pie (or Tart) when you plan your Thanksgiving menu next year.

Project Domestication on Facebook.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Normandy Apple Tart

2011-11-29T05:32:00.000-07:00

Homemade applessauce coupled with extremely thin-sliced apples atop a sweet tart crust made a delicious and very special tart at our Thanksgiving table this year. The name of the tart? Normandy Apple Tart. Everyone loved it and I think I'll be making the homemade applesauce again. Though I have to say that pushing it through a sieve was a pain in the neck!

You can find the recipe on Tracey's Blog and make sure to visit the "Leave Your Link" post to see how the other Tuesdays with Dorie baker's liked the Normandy Apple Tart.

Project Domestication on Facebook.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Alsatian Apple Tart {Catch-up}

2011-11-28T22:27:00.000-07:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. Ours was filled with family, lounging, wonderful walks, movies and lots of delicious food. Among that food was a lot of pie. My Thanksgiving assignment was to make pies. It was more so a volunteer thing--I figured Thanksgiving was the perfect opportunity to finish off baking all of my Tuesdays with Dorie pies. So...I made six pies and tarts. I chose to break away from all the traditional pies my family normally makes, so it was a bit of a risk.

And guess which one was the star of the show?

It was this Alsatian Apple Tart!

Dorie's Alsatian Apple Tart begins with he perfect Sweet Tart Dough crust. It's tender, a bit crumbly and tastes just like a great butter or sugar cookie. Then you slice granny smith apples in to eighths and place onto your tart. After that you pour a homemade custard over the apples and bake to a pure state of deliciousness.

Everyone in my family loved this tart. In fact a few of my family members got a bit stingy about it, saying that it shouldn't be served to the kids because "They wouldn't appreciate it!" I was laughing my head off. I was so happy to try this new apple tart for Thanksgiving. Next year, I'll happily leave room on the dessert table for the Alsatian Apple Tart!

You can find the recipe on Jessica's blog. Alsatian Apple Tart was originally posted on two weeks ago on November 15, 2011. (I was saving it for Thanksgiving.)Be sure to see how the other Tuesdays with Dorie baker's liked it, here.

Project Domestication on Facebook.

Project Domestication Holiday Favorites - Recipes & Family Traditions!

2011-11-28T16:56:00.002-07:00

The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas and filled with fun, family and oh-yeah, food! Before we hit the whirlwind that is the holidays, I thought I’d share some of my favorite holiday foods and traditions posts on Project Domestication.

Decorate the Christmas Tree Doughnuts

My husband and I have done this our entire marriage. I am the anxious type of girl that can’t wait a moment after Thanksgiving to put up our tree. We’ve made homemade doughnuts every year until this year… We made a special exception and made Dorie Greenspan’s Brioche Raisin Snails. Wow. They were amazing.

Travel Tree

My husband and I love to travel together. My most prized memories with him are often while we are on a new adventure together. During the year we collect ornaments from our travels and work trips, and hang them on our Travel Tree. Then when we decorate the tree we each share funny memories, horror stories, and favorite moments of each trip. I love this tradition. Our tree is starting to get speckled with travel fun and warm memories.

Peppermint Bark Brownies & Holiday Baking Lists

My friend, Lindsey of Café Johnsonia, has a killer recipe for Peppermint Bark Brownies that I love. I didn’t make these last year and don’t know how I survived. You must try them. I wrote a Holiday Baking List post last season. And though, I will be taking a major baking break this season, I hope you can check out some of my favorite things to make in December. (Hint Hint: Sugar-Topped Molasses Cookies and Homemade Marshmallows are home runs!)

Christmas Reads

I am slowly building my Christmas book collection. (You should see my mother’s, it’s wonderful!) I highly recommend The Christmas Tree: A Story of the Rockafeller Center Tree. This isn’t a child’s book, but a very nice 118 page read that you will love. It’s all about the Rockefeller tree, and after seeing it in person last year…it means that much more. Super sweet read.

Utah Local Food Gifts

I love supporting Utah's local businesses, especially around the Holidays. Last year I compiled this list of 11 Last-Minute Gifts for Utah Foodies. It’s worth a look.

Swedish Christmas Traditions

I’m Swedish. My mother has instilled in me some wonderful holiday traditions that we celebrate during December. My favorite is St. Lucia Day on December 13. It’s so fun, easy and delicious. I’m hoping to write more about what my family does to remember Scandinavian heritage later this month. It's full of weird food names, meats and cheeses and beautiful decor. Read more about St. Lucia Day.

What are your holiday season traditions food and otherwise? I’d love for you to share links and spread the cheer!

Tuesdays with Dorie: Thanksgiving Twofer Pie {Catch-up}

2011-11-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

I truly hope you already have your Thanksgiving menu planned and that you have purchased all your ingredients. Grocery stores are the seventh level of you-know-where... But, if you by chance are not sure what type of pie you want to make for tomorrow's turkey day feast, I have yet another pie for you to try!

This time it's Thanksgiving Twofer Pie. "We call him Toofer because he's a Harvard guy and a black guy. Okay, if you are not a 30 Rock fan then you totally didn't get that quote by Jack Donaghy. But that is the first thing that came to mind when I read the title. Twofer means you get two-in-one. In this pie's instance: pumpkin pie and pecan pie. It was good. Very good, especially after it had chilled.

Okay, so even if you have already done your Thanksgiving shopping, chances are you have all these ingredients. So give it a try! Plus, Dorie's Good for Everything Pie Dough is a true winner. Quick note: I had to bake this for practically twice as long as the directions say, so watch your pie, bakers.

Thanksgiving Twofer Pie was originally posted on November 25, 2008. You can find the recipe here.

Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good: A show-stopping Thanksgiving side!

2011-11-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

Never has a recipe been so appropriately titled and so wrong at the same time. See, I'm talking about Dorie Greenspan's Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good. It's good alright...baguette squares, bacon, heavy cream, garlic, fresh nutmeg, gruyere cheese, herbs...did I mention gruyere? Yes, it's everything good but it's also everything so, so bad..meaning you will never want to eat anything else again!

This was an incredibly simple recipe. The hardest part was waiting for it to bake..around two hours I believe. We ate it as our main course for dinner and devoured all of it, minus some of the pumpkin flesh from our second helpings. Yeah, I just admitted we are pigs. But it was amazing. Recipe below all these tempting pictures.

Serve this for Thanksgiving. It will be the talk of the table!

Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good
by Dorie Greenspan from Around My French Table

Ingredients

1 pumpkin, about 3 pounds
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 pound stale bread, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/4 pound cheese, such as Gruyère, Emmenthal, cheddar, or a combination, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2–4 garlic cloves (to taste), split, germ removed, and coarsely chopped
4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and chopped (my addition)
About 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives or sliced scallions (my addition)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme (my addition)
About 1/3 cup heavy cream
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment, or find a Dutch oven with a diameter that's just a tiny bit larger than your pumpkin. If you bake the pumpkin in a casserole, it will keep its shape, but it might stick to the casserole, so you'll have to serve it from the pot—which is an appealingly homey way to serve it. If you bake it on a baking sheet, you can present it freestanding, but maneuvering a heavy stuffed pumpkin with a softened shell isn't so easy. However, since I love the way the unencumbered pumpkin looks in the center of the table, I've always taken my chances with the baked-on-a-sheet method, and so far, I've been lucky.

Using a very sturdy knife—and caution—cut a cap out of the top of the pumpkin (think Halloween Jack-o-Lantern). It's easiest to work your knife around the top of the pumpkin at a 45-degree angle. You want to cut off enough of the top to make it easy for you to work inside the pumpkin. Clear away the seeds and strings from the cap and from inside the pumpkin. Season the inside of the pumpkin generously with salt and pepper, and put it on the baking sheet or in the pot.

Toss the bread, cheese, garlic, bacon, and herbs together in a bowl. Season with pepper—you probably have enough salt from the bacon and cheese, but taste to be sure—and pack the mix into the pumpkin. The pumpkin should be well filled—you might have a little too much filling, or you might need to add to it. Stir the cream with the nutmeg and some salt and pepper and pour it into the pumpkin. Again, you might have too much or too little—you don’t want the ingredients to swim in cream, but you do want them nicely moistened. (It's hard to go wrong here.)

Put the cap in place and bake the pumpkin for about 2 hours—check after 90 minutes—or until everything inside the pumpkin is bubbling and the flesh of the pumpkin is tender enough to be pierced easily with the tip of a knife. Because the pumpkin will have exuded liquid, I like to remove the cap during the last 20 minutes or so, so that the liquid can bake away and the top of the stuffing can brown a little.

When the pumpkin is ready, carefully, very carefully—it's heavy, hot, and wobbly—bring it to the table or transfer it to a platter that you'll bring to the table.

Serving
You have a choice—you can either spoon out portions of the filling, making sure to get a generous amount of pumpkin into the spoonful, or you can dig into the pumpkin with a big spoon, pull the pumpkin meat into the filling, and then mix everything up. I'm a fan of the pull-and-mix option. Served in hearty portions followed by a salad, the pumpkin is a perfect cold-weather main course; served in generous spoonfuls, it's just right alongside the Thanksgiving turkey.

Storing
It's really best to eat this as soon as it's ready. However, if you’ve got leftovers, you can scoop them out of the pumpkin, mix them up, cover, and chill them; reheat them the next day.

Bonne Idée
There are many ways to vary this arts-and-crafts project. Instead of bread, I've filled the pumpkin with cooked rice—when it's baked, it's almost risotto-like. And, with either bread or rice, on different occasions I've added cooked spinach, kale, chard, or peas (the peas came straight from the freezer). I’ve made it without bacon (a wonderful vegetarian dish), and I’ve also made it and loved, loved, loved it with cooked sausage meat; cubes of ham are also a good idea. Nuts are a great addition, as are chunks of apple or pear or pieces of chestnut.

Our Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner

2011-11-21T13:06:00.003-07:00

My husband and I love to cook together. We live for the holidays and accompanying food, especially Thanksgiving. I'll be bringing all the pies for Thanksgiving this year, which I'm happy about. Mostly because it will knock five more off my Tuesdays with Dorie baking list.

For some reason, I always feel short changed that I don't get to make and cook all the cool Thanksgiving recipes I see floating around, or the ones we've made in previous years that made it to the top of our list. I know I won't always feel this way, and that one year I'll just be happy to bring drinks.

So since we are only making the sweet side of Turkey day dinner this year, Adam and I thought we'd make a very simple pre-Thanksgiving dinner. You have no idea how excited we were to do this. Instead of making our favorite Good Eats' Roast Turkey by Alton Brown (You should absolutely make this if you are doing an entire bird! The brine rocks!), we opted for a bone-in turkey breast.

Then we made the Bacon Brussel Sprouts and Roasted Garlic Mashed potatoes we made for the first time last year. They were a huge hit, so we had to make them again. I always make homemade cranberry sauce---so when I found the holiday cranberry chutney in my recent issue of Cook's Illustrated I was happy to try the recipe out and put a new spin. I'm telling you, it was amazing. I've already had requests for the recipe. (And the reason it's not posted here is because I think you should buy the issue!)

Olsen Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner Menu 2011
Turkey Breast with Gravy - Food Network Kitchens
Roasted Garlic Masted Potatoes - America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
Bacon Brussel Sprouts - Emeril Lagasse
Holiday Cranberry Chutney with Apples and Crystallized Ginger by Cook's Illustrated (Dec 2011 Issue)
Rosy Poached Pear & Pistachio Tart - Dorie Greenspan in Baking from My Home to Yours

If you are a regular reader, you are probably wondering where the #HELLmonth posts for TWD are. Well, I'm dying over here guys! I have been locking myself in my kitchen to push through. And guess what? I only have 13 recipes left! I'll be posting...I just haven't gotten to it. But 13 people! That is huge! I'll make sure to post the Rosy Poached Pear and Pistachio start very soon! It was a delicious beast I tell you, delicious.

Tuesdays with Dorie: My Favorite Pecan Pie {Catch-up}

2011-11-14T13:41:00.002-07:00

I ran out of gas on Thursday and Friday and missed my #HELLmonth posts. Don't worry, I was still baking. In fact I baked a lot... and I was making lots of trips up to SLC for work--teaching classes and more. It was fun but I never quite made it to my posting responsibilities.

The majority of my catch-up recipes lend themselves well to the Thanksgiving dessert table. I love this. This morning's post is yet another pie. But friends, it was the first pecan pie I have ever made and I wish I could bring it to Thanksgiving with me this year! (But alas, I have four TWD pies I'll be making so I don't have time for repeats. Next year for sure!)

Dorie's "My Favorite Pecan Pie" is ingenious! The pecan pie is not overly-sweet like most. In fact, it is quite refined with proper balance. It includes your usual ingredients like corn syrup, brown sugar, butter and pecans but then brilliance strikes in the form of bittersweet chocolate chunks, ground cinnamon, salt and espresso powder!

The chocolate and cinnamon truly make this special. I used my favorite local artisan chocolate, Amano Chocolate and it was amazing. Amano's Morobe was a perfect fit for this pecan pie, some wonderful citrus notes brought more complexity to the tongue.

I made two {gasp} substitutions, which normally I don't allow on the first time I try a recipe. Well I always substitute pero for espresso or coffee. But the other sub was in fact a bit of Xagave for corn syrup. See I ran out of corn syrup and I was in the middle actually baking it. So much for mis en place, right! Since I had been using Xagave in a lot of my cooking lately, I thought why not try it in this pecan pie. Well..it worked. It would be fun to use all agave instead of corn syrup next time I try my hand at pecan pie.

My Favorite Pecan Pie was originally posted on December 22, 2009. You can find the recipe on page 327 of Baking from My Home to Yours or on Beth's blog, Someone's in the Kitchen.

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post. This month the group is posting two recipes each Tuesday to make sure we finish the cookbook before the end of the year. I'm taking it a bit further and posting two posts per day to catch up on all my make-up baking adventures. I call it #HELLmonth. Wish me luck.

PS: My Project Domestication Facebook page is up.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Vanilla Ice Cream {Catch-up}

2011-11-09T23:18:00.001-07:00

Do you do it a la mode or whipped cream style when it comes to pie?

I personally think it depends on the pie. I like ice cream with my fruit pies and whipped cream with my pumpkin. As far as tarts go...I don't believe there is a conclusive answer and I don't have time to make a big list.

I've got a great recipe for you today if you are ready to pull out all the stops with your Thanksgiving dinner assignment! Why not make homemade vanilla ice cream to go along with the Thanksgiving pie spread? It's go big or go home at Thanksgiving, right?

It's not as crazy as you would think to make homemade custard-sytle vanilla ice cream. You can make the custard base in advance and churn the ice cream 1-2 days (even up to 2 weeks) before as well. This vanilla ice cream recipe is creamy, delicious and specked with loads of vanilla beans that I got straight from Tahiti. I'm surprised it took me until the end of summer this year to try Dorie Greenspan's recipe. (My usual go-to is by David Lebovitz.) Give it a try friends!

Vanilla Ice Cream
by Dorie Greenspan in Baking from My Home to Yours

2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 moist, plump vanilla bean, split and scraped,(technique) or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar

Bring milk and cream to a boil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. If you are using a vanilla bean, put the seeds and pod into the pan, cover and set aside for 30 minutes, then bring the milk and cream back to a boil before continuing. If you are using vanilla extract, wait until later to add it.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar together until very well blended and just slightly thickened. Still whisking, drizzle in about one third of the hot liquid-this will temper, or warm the eggs so they won't curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remaining liquid. Pour the custard back into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring without stopping, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon; if you run your finger down the bowl of the spoon, the custard should not run into the track. The custard should reach at least 170°F, but no more than 180°F, on an instant-read thermometer. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and strain the custard into a2-quart measuring cup or clean heatproof bowl. Discard the vanilla pod or if you are using vanilla extract, stir it in now.

Refrigerate the custard until chilled before churning it into the ice cream.

Scrape the chilled custard in the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. Pack the ice cream into a container and freeze it for at least 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop.

Makes about 1 quart.

Serving: If the ice cream is very firm, allow it to sit on the counter for a few minutes before scooping or warm it in a microwave oven using 5-second spurts of heat.

Storing: Packed tightly in a covered container, the ice cream will keep in the freezer about 2 weeks

Playing Around

You can flavor the custard before it gets churned into ice cream and/or toss crunchies and other goodies into the ice cream a minute or so before it fully churned.

Mint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Before you refrigerate the custard, stir in 3/4-1-1/2 teaspoons pure mint extract or oil. Start with 3/4 teaspoon of extract(or just a few drops of oil), taste and then add more a little at a time, remembering that freezing will tone down the flavor. Just before you finish churning the ice cream, toss in up to 6 ounces of semi-or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (or use up to 1 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips.

Honey-Vanilla Ice Cream

Heat 1/3 cup honey with the milk and cream, reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup.

Cinnamon Ice Cream

Reduce the vanilla to 1/2 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon extract and whisk 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon in with the yolks and sugar. Or, if you'd like to use stick cinnamon, toss 2 cinnamon sticks into the milk and cream and infuse for 30 minutes.

Crunchy Ice Cream

You can add up to 1 cup chocolate chips, caramel bits, chopped-up candy bars, chopped toasted nuts, candied nuts, buttered pecans or liqueur-flamed or steeped dried fruits. The dried fruits must be steeped in liqueur or at least plumped in some liquid or the fruits will freeze too hard.

Swirled Ice Cream

After the ice cream has been churned, you can spoon it into a big bowl, pour over swirlables-for instance, jam, chocolate syrup or dulce de leche-and marble them into the ice cream with a sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

You can also find the recipe here.

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post. This month the group is posting two recipes each Tuesday to make sure we finish the cookbook before the end of the year. I'm taking it a bit further and posting two posts per day to catch up on all my make-up baking adventures. I call it #HELLmonth. Wish me luck.

Project Domestication Facebook page!

Tuesdays with Dorie: Double-Crusted Blueberry Pie {Catch-up}

2011-11-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

I hope you like pie because I've got about as many pie posts as there are days in the month.

I for one love pie. My mother is an extraordinary pie baker. The woman makes a flaky crust and a pie that can be sliced perfectly and be held in the hand if wanted. Yesterday, I posted Depths-of-Fall Butternut Squash Pie. Boy did it scream fall and seem appropriate for a Thanksgiving dinner table. Today's pie is much different. It's a berry pie, Double-Crusted Blueberry Pie to be exact.

Though I don't think I've ever seen a blueberry pie served on a Utah dinner table, I'm pretty sure it will be making an appearance on any North Western or New England menu.

I was gleaming when this pie came out of the oven. I had executed what I consider a close-to-perfect pie crust. I was so proud. I think the extra day of chilling in the refrigerator made all the difference. The filling for this Double-Crusted Blueberry pie is simple. Combine fresh blueberries, lemon zest, sugar, flour and a pinch of salt for balance. To ensure your pie doesn't get soggy, you spread 1/4 cup of dry bread crumbs on the crust before you bake it. It's the little things that make all the difference. The end result is perfect and you'll really love the lemon addition.

I made it back in August and we enjoyed it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and all by itself because I think we both had more than our fare share of the pie.I hope you'll look beyond the traditional pumpkin, apple and cherry pies this Thanksgiving season and give this Double-Crusted Blueberry pie a chance.

Double-Crusted Blueberry Pie was originally posted on July 8, 2008--a month before I even joined the group. You can find the recipe here.

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post. This month the group is posting two recipes each Tuesday to make sure we finish the cookbook before the end of the year. I'm taking it a bit further and posting two posts per day to catch up on all my make-up baking adventures. I call it #HELLmonth. Wish me luck.

PS: My Project Domestication Facebook page is up.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Depths-of-Fall Butternut Squash Pie

2011-11-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

I'm in full-out holiday planning mode and loving life. I'm in my holiday shopping groove, planning my holiday decor, and even though I can't stand listening to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving Day...I'm guilty after buying the new Justin Bieber album. (Enter judgement as I confess to love the Bieb.) But don't worry, I vow not to listen to another Christmas jingle till I'm putting up my evergreen.

Usually I get a bit nervous when making Thanksgiving pies because making pie dough is more of a rarity for me until the holidays hit or fresh summer fruit hits the stands. But not this year, friends. I'll get plenty of practice with the amount of pies I have to bake to complete the entire Baking from My Home to Yours. And um...that's 22 pies and tarts.

You would die if you saw the amount of butter I possess at the moment. It's unreal.

Now onto the actual pie I made today! It's Dorie Greenspan's Depths-of-Fall Butternut Squash Pie. It's everything fall that you wouldn't imagine together in a pie: cubed butternut squash, diced pears, orange juice and zest and dried cranberries. I would normally pair those ingredients in a savory side dish or roasted salad. But man this worked! The most surprising part of this pie is the fact that the butternut squash is cubed and not pureed.

I loved this butternut squash pie. The cinnamon and nutmeg combined with orange zest and brown sugar brought the perfect amount of sweetness and flavor to make this pie special. And though my pie crust wasn't perfect it tasted amazing. The pie stood well after cooling, but since I was loosing daylight I immediately cut into the pie minutes after it left the oven.

If you are looking for a new and absolutely unique pie to bring to the Thanksgiving dinner table this year try this Depths-of-Fall Butternut Squash Pie. You can find the recipe on Valerie's blog, she has a lovely post with wonderful descriptions of this pie and gorgeous pictures. Be sure to check out the LYL post to see the other TWD bakers posts.

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post. This month the group is posting two recipes each Tuesday to make sure we finish the cookbook before the end of the year. The other post today was Mini Madeleines! I'm taking it a bit further and posting two posts per day to catch up on all my make-up baking adventures. I call it #HELLmonth. Wish me luck.

PS: My Project Domestication Facebook page is up.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Mini Madeleines

2011-11-08T12:58:00.014-07:00

Honey and lemon zest make a great couple. Today's Tuesdays with Dorie pick is titled mini madeleines, though if I were naming these babies, they would be Honey-Lemon madeleines because well...that's what they taste like. You could actually make these in any size madeleine pan. But everything is cuter when it is smaller, right?

I made these madeleines earlier this year for a church summer party. I actually was playing my usual game of TWD catch-up and made three madeleine recipes in one day. It was rather fun. And oh-yeah-delicious! Though I think madeleines are worthy of a fine-dining experience and French-bakery...they were fun to bring to a summer bbq.

All I wrote in my book was this, "So small and adorable. Love the honey and lemon zest combo!"

You really should try these honey-lemon mini madeleines. I splurged and bought a mini madeleine pan. Which turned out to be great but totally a rip off because you need like three to four pans to bake off the entire recipe. Why do they do this to us? Ugh. That's okay. I saved the batter and made more later. Also, after looking at the others posted today, I think I need to let my madeleines bake longer...mine are so light.

You can get the recipe on Di's blog, and please...check out my fellow TWD baker's blogs to see how they made and liked these adorable mini madeleines. These would be a fun addition and twist to your holiday cookie exchange.

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post. This month the group is posting two recipes each Tuesday to make sure we finish the cookbook before the end of the year. I'm taking it a bit further and posting two posts per day to catch up on all my make-up baking adventures. I call it #HELLmonth. Wish me luck.

PS: My Project Domestication Facebook page is up.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler {Catch-up}

2011-11-07T23:32:00.001-07:00

Can I tell you i don't feel like posting tonight's segment of #HELLmonth? I've baked and prepped 5 Tuesdays wtih Dorie recipes in the last 24 hours. My feet hurt and I am hungry, yet I can't eat because, well...it's late and I don't need the calories. But a deal is a deal. So here we go...

Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler.

Back in August I invited my parents, siblings and their spouses for and adult dessert and game night. It was an excuse to get together (and for me to bake). I made five Tuesdays with Dorie desserts that evening and this is one of them.

This Cherry Rhubarb cobbler wasn't overly sweet. I enjoyed that the cobbler biscuits on top included whole wheat bread and didn't have an insane amount of sugar. I bought both the rhubarb and the cherries from my local farmers market and had a lot of fun while I was there. It wasn't the most popular dish of the night. I think we all expected it to be sweeter or for the filling to be juicer or something. I can't quite put my finger on it.

One thing is for sure. It was gorgeous and we did eat it fast enough for me to forget to snap a picture of the baked-off product. Wait, I thought we said it wasn't our favorite? Funny how that works. Oh and there was ginger in this recipe...I remember really liking that addition.

Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler was original made and posted by the Tuesdays with Dorie baking group on July 22, 2008. You can find the recipe on this blog.

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post. This month the group is posting two recipes each Tuesday to make sure we finish the cookbook before the end of the year. I'm taking it a bit further and posting two posts per day to catch up on all my make-up baking adventures. I call it #HELLmonth. Wish me luck.

PS: My Project Domestication Facebook page is up.

Tuesdays with Dorie: {Faux} Espresso Cheesecake Brownies {Catch-up}

2011-11-07T08:06:00.003-07:00

I've made my fare share of brownies from the cookbook, Baking from My Home to Yours. I've tried my hand at classic brownies, quintuple chocolate brownies, honey-nut brownies, white chocolate brownies, brownie buttons, chipster-topped brownies, caramel-peanut topped brownies cake, brrr-ownies, cherry fudge brownie torte; and some special brownies made after people in Dorie's (the cookbook author) life: Tribute to Katherine Hepburn Brownies and Rick Katz's Brownies for Juila (Child). I have yet to post the remaining bittersweet brownie recipe from the cookbook. I've also tried my hand at some really special brownie recipes outside of this cookbook like Chewy Brownies from Cook's Illustrated and Peppermint Bark Brownies by one of my favorite food bloggers.

I love brownies. I love the process. I love that most brownie recipes only require a few bowls and whisk. It ties me back to bakers of old. I love the array of brownies in this cookbook. It's hard to pick a favorite since they all have their own spin. Each time I try a new brownie recipe I think I've found my favorite. Right now I'm loving on the {Faux} Espresso Cheesecake Brownie recipe. I say faux because I replaced the espresso with my go-to coffee/espresso substitute Perro. I'm sure it yields a different flavor than the real thing, but it works for me.

You've got to make these Espresso Cheesecake Brownies. They are loaded with great flavor, texture and three layers of bliss. You start out with a traditional brownie layer made with your favorite bittersweet chocolate. Next up is the cheesecake layer. It's nice tangy cheesecake as it's made with sour cream instead of heavy cream. This is also the layer where you incorporate the espresso powder. Last up is the topping. This is truly what puts the dessert over-the-top, pun intended. You even get to give the two batters a swirl. Resist going to far with this--minimal swirl means optimal flavor distinction.

The hardest part of this Espresso Cheesecake Brownie recipe is waiting for it to chill. I absolutely loved it and so did everyone that I brought these to. It's made in a 9-inch square pan so it doesn't make too may--perfect for a small gathering of friends. I found these brownies felt very different than any other recipe of Dorie's in this book. In a great way! You'll know what I mean if you've baked a lot of her recipes. You've got to try it. Cheesecake and Brownie lovers unite!

Espresso Cheesecake Brownies were originally baked and posted by the Tuesdays with Dorie group on September 1, 2009. You can find the recipe on on this blog.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Four-Star Chocolate Bread Pudding {Catch-up}

2011-11-04T22:13:00.000-06:00

Bread pudding is one of my most favorite desserts. And for some strange reason, I don't make it or eat it near enough. What's not to love? It's homey, creamy, full of texture, uses up stale bread and you can customize it to your liking.

Dorie's Chocolate Bread Pudding truly deserves four stars. Check out this ingredient list: challah bread, plum dried cherries, bittersweet chocolate and of course, the other ingredients that make up the pudding part of bread pudding (milk, heavy cream, sugar and eggs).

We absolutely loved this dessert! The cherries really plump up and provide such a great contrast and compliment to the bittersweet chocolate and subtle bread pudding. It's fancy enough to serve at a dinner party but cozy enough to enjoy on a weekday. One thing is for sure, it's special. We topped ours with powdered sugar and whipped cream. Next time I make it I'm going to whip up some creme anglaise as Dorie suggests.

The Tuesdays with Dorie group original baked and posted Four Star Chocoalte Bread Pudding on April 21, 2009. You can find the recipe here.

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post. This month the group is posting two recipes each Tuesday to make sure we finish the cookbook before the end of the year. I'm taking it a bit further and posting two posts per day to catch up on all my make-up baking adventures. I call it #HELLmonth. Wish me luck.

PS: My Project Domestication Facebook page is up.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Brown Sugar Apple Cheesecake {Catch-up}

2011-11-04T08:33:00.001-06:00

Happy Friday, friends! I've got a special treat for you this morning. It's in the form of an all-out-show-stopping cheesecake. And it is perfect for fall and I'd argue it has a place right on your Thanksgiving table this year. It's Brown Sugar Apple Cheesecake. Isn't it gorgeous?

This Brown Sugar Apple Cheesecake is full of apples and brown sugar flavor. You begin with a brown-suar-gingersnap crust enhanced with a tad bit of cinnamon. Then you begin your apples. I used three good-sized jonagolds (Dorie suggests Golden Delicious or Fuji). You cut them into eigths and sautee them in butter and light brown sugar. This step in itself makes you realize this is no ordinary dessert. The butter and brown sugar coat the apples into pure fall bliss. They are caramlized and spicy and great texture that isn't too soft at all.

On to the batter. Brown sugar makes yet another appearance in the batter along with three types of creams (cream cheese, sour cream and heavy cream), apple cider (heck yeah), vanilla, cinnamon...doesn't this already sound amazing! The batter is perfectly sweet, tangy, spiced and apple-y.

After you've pre-baked your crust and let your apples cool, you fill your spring form pan with 1/3 of the batter/filling. Next you place the apples in and then top off with remaining brown sugar apple cheesecake batter. It's delicious at this point. I couldn't help myself to some of the sauteed apples. Whoops.

The result is a one of the most delightufl and cozy desserts. I made this alst week and it was one of was a favorite among the recipes I've made in the last two months. Mind you, that's a lot of recipes. ;) You also have the option to top the cheesecake with apple jelly. Do it. It's a great addition that adds some shine too.

The Tuesdays with Dorie group originally made and posted this Brown Sugar Apple Cheesecake recipe on February 12, 2008. You can find the recipe here.

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post. This month the group is posting two recipes each Tuesday to make sure we finish the cookbook before the end of the year. I'm taking it a bit further and posting two posts per day to catch up on all my make-up baking adventures. I call it #HELLmonth. Wish me luck.

PS: My Project Domestication Facebook page is up. I'm actually having a giveaway on it right now for my go-to Mexican Vanilla!

Tuesdays with Dorie: Grandma's All-Occasion Sugar Cookies {Catch-Up}

2011-11-03T21:20:00.001-06:00

Every home baker needs a great sugar cookie recipe. I've tried my hand at a few different recipes and been decently happy. However, I tried Dorie's recipe for Grandma's All-Occasion Sugar Cookies and I think I'm pretty darn close to a perfect sugar cookie. There are a few other recipes I want to try that may come out more chewy but these can be as soft or as crispy as you want them, depending on how you long you bake them. I like to under-bake my sugar cookies.

If you're wondering why I'm posting patriotic stars in November, it's because I made these for the fourth of July and gave them to all my niece and nephews at our family BBQ. You can find the recipe here and check out the TWD blogroll.

If I were you, I'd make a batch of pumpkin or leaf-shaped sugar cookies right about now!

Tuesdays with Dorie: Mixed Berry Cobbler {Catch-Up}

2011-11-03T04:00:00.004-06:00

My Tuesdays with Dorie adventure is becoming quite interesting. For instance, I am on a strict bake-every-other-day-or-more regimin. I'm trying to finish early to mid-December and this requires such a commitment. I ended up working late Friday and we had plans to go over to our friends' house to watch the BYU game. I had a decision to make: Either miss half the game and let the Mixed Berry Cobbler bake in my own oven...or...make it all and bake it at my friends' home.

I chose the latter. It gets risky, you know, unfamiliar ovens, letting biscuit dough sit in the car (luckily my drive was only 7 minutes) but hey....still not on my home turf.

This Mixed Berry Cobbler was good. As you can tell by the picture above, we enjoyed it. (I forgot my camera so I took this the next morning...) I'd say it's a solid recipe you can depend on for a cobbler topping. I think I prefer mounds of cobbler dough compared to covering the fruit topping in its entirety like this recipe does. And as a note, I know I underworked or overworked the dough or should have added more cream because it was very dry when I was putting it together. It still worked out though...

Dorie's Mixed Berry Cobbler recipe is nice because you can use frozen mixed berries. I always have frozen mixed berries on hand for breakfast smoothies, so this cobbler recipe was very convenient for me to make. The fruit filling is yummy. You combine the berries with sugar, the zest of a lemon or lime and some freshly ground pepper for added spice. It's comes together nicely with thickens well with a bit of cornstarch.

This Mixed Berry Cobbler was originally made by the Tuesdays with Dorie group on June 24, 2008. You can find the recipe on the Sweet Life Kitchen blog.

Here's a pix of it from my cell phone before we gobbled it up with scoops of Tillamook Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. If you want to make this more of a festive fall cobbler, you can make an apple-cinnamon filling. That would be outstanding.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Lenox Almond Biscotti {Catch-Up}

2011-11-02T22:22:00.002-06:00

Oh hey there. So I have to confess, I said tonight's post was going to include apples. But I changed my mind. I'm going to save that post for later this week. But no fret, this Lenox Almond Biscotti cookie holds its own.

I think biscotti is cool. I love it is baked twice, has roots in Italy and used as a dipper. This almond biscotti gets it's name from Dorie's friend Tony who owned a NYC restaurant named Lenox. It has a toothsome crunch from sliced almonds and yellow cornmeal. They are buttery and sweet and have a great almond flavor. I also added some cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg for some fall spice.

We enjoyed our Lenox Almond Biscotti with some peppermint hot chocolate last week. I think these would make a great addition to your holiday cookie list! The weather is starting to get cooler and I am loving it. See you tomorrow for more of #TWDbakers #HELLmonth.

You can find the recipe for here or here.

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post. This month the group is posting two recipes each Tuesday to make sure we finish the cookbook before the end of the year. I'm taking it a bit further and posting two posts per day to catch up on all my make-up baking adventures. I call it #HELLmonth. Wish me luck.

PS: My Project Domestication Facebook page is up. I'd be happy if you'd check it out and like it.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Homemade Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows {Catch-up}

2011-11-02T08:23:00.002-06:00

Day 2 of #HELLmonth. So far it's great! Yesterday I posted with the group about our Honey-Nut Scones and Far Breton. Both were wonderful recipes, especially the Far Breton.

Today I'm pulling out some very timely recipes, both of which I made last week. This morning we are talking homemade marshmallows. I love homemade marshmallows they are superior in every way to store-bought marshmallows. If you have never tried one, please stop everything you are doing and make some. It's the perfect season.

This was (obviously) my first attempt at Dorie Greenspan's homemade marshmallow recipe. It is a bit different than the Alton Brown Homemade Marshmallow recipe I am used to, mainly because it involves using three egg whites. The recipes are similar but the eggs whites really make a difference.

Since I've made homemade marshmallows so many times, I wanted to mix it up and try one of Dorie's playing around variations. So I tried the pumpkin spice marshmallow version. It's all-out pumpkin season so why not, right? Get festive or go home, I say.

I regret to say that I blipped the recipe. I think in the instructions I miscalculated the time it took to bring the egg whites to the state they needed to be in and my syrup mixture was ready way before my eggs were, plus I think they may have exceeded the recommended 265 degree temp. So I the final marshmallows are missing some of the sugary mixture because it sat around in my heatproof bowl and got harder. This made the pumpkin marshmallows less sweet and a bit off.

But the weird thing was some of the mixture was perfect. This was totally an execution problem. I know this recipe is awesome, I've seen it on other TWD baker's blogs. (PS. Check out my friend Lindsey's post with step-by-step photos!) I'm going to try it again soon, and probably just make the original homemade marshmallow with vanilla version soon. Who knows, it may even be before #HELLmonth is over. Yes, it's bothering me that much that I messed up this recipe.

Happy Wednesday. I'll have another Tuesdays with Dorie Catch-up post for you this afternoon. It won't dissappoint. Hint hint....the recipe has apples in it!

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post. This month the group is posting two recipes each Tuesday to make sure we finish the cookbook before the end of the year. I'm taking it a bit further and posting two posts per day to catch up on all my make-up baking adventures. Wish me luck.

PS: My Project Domestication Facebook page is up. I'd be happy if you'd check it out and like it.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Far Breton

2011-11-01T23:59:00.001-06:00

Flambeed prunes in a French-style flan. That is how I described Far Breton, this week's Tuesdays with Dorie pick, to my girlfriends this evening before we each took our first bite. I honestly didn't even think twice about this recipe or really even recognize it until Nicole of Cookies on Friday chose. I think Far Breton is one of those hidden gems in Baking From My Home to Yours. And it makes sense too, because there is no picture and it has an obscure name.

I was so happy to realize how easy this Far Breton recipe was to put together. The night before (or just 3 hours...) you blend eggs, milk, sugar, salt, baking powder, vanilla and flour together then place it in the fridge to chill and set. It's just like making crepes.

The next day you can either soak prunes and dark raisins in Earl Grey tea or flambé them in Armagnac. I chose to use my homemade vanilla and it worked great. You simply pour the batter in an round cake pan, place the dried fruit and bake for an hour. The cake looks like a giants souffle as you take it out of the oven. It's beautiful.

Grab the recipe from Nicole's blog and also see what other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers made this Far Breton.

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post. This month the group is posting two recipes each Tuesday to make sure we finish the cookbook before the end of the year. I'm taking it a bit further and posting two posts per day to catch up on all my make-up baking adventures. Wish me luck.

PS: My Project Domestication Facebook page is up. I'd be happy if you'd check it out and like it. No pressure. ;)

Until tomorrow.... have a great night.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Honey-Nut Scones & Welcome to Hell Month!

2011-11-01T08:24:00.003-06:00

Welcome to Hell.
Hell month that is.

Wait...what? Sugar and spice and everything Tuesdays with Dorie simply must be Heaven. And it is...oh it is! I guess what I'm trying to say is I've officially declared November 2011 as Tuesdays with Dorie Hell Month, meaning I'll be posting two recipes not just every Tuesday (with the group), but every day! Remember playing sports in high school and you had Hell Week in August? Yeah, that was nothing. This is an entire month. :)

Yes, my friends, you can now refer to me as the comeback baker. We've got two months to finish this book and I'm gonna do it. Technically, I have 33 recipes left to bake to completely catch-up and finish every recipe from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan. However, I've got dozens and dozens of finished Tuesdays with Dorie photos and stories I need to post post. I'm a woman of my word and it's all going to happen this month! It's game time.

Jeannette of Whimsical Cupcake chose Honey Nut Scones. You can find the recipe on her blog. I actually baked these scones back in August. My little sister was spending the night and I decided to play bed and breakfast hostess and make her a wonderful brunch of made-to-order eggs, f ancy hot chocolate, roasted red potatoes and Dorie's Honey-Nut Scones. You can actually see more pictures on this post I wrote about it.

I remember really enjoying these scones. We ate them fresh from the oven with delicious jam and honey. The scones were really balanced. I loved the sweetness from the honey and the heartiness and body that came from using all-purpose and whole wheat flour. I used pecans instead of walnuts. You really should try these Honey-Nut Scones.

I'll be posting the Far Breton later this evening, as I have yet to make it. I made the batter last night and will be baking it this evening. In the meantime, check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers blogs and see how they enjoyed Dorie's Honey-Nut Scones. They will also be posting the Honey-Nut Scones and the Far Breton today. Double the fun, right?

If you are on Facebook, come join more fun with me on the Project Domestication Facebook Page. And if you are on Twitter, I'd love to connect. Follow me, @DomesticBecky. I'll be using the #HELLmonth hashtag along the normal #TWDbakers this month with all my tweets!

31 Songs for Your Halloween Playlist

2011-10-31T14:22:00.001-06:00

Happy Halloween!

I feel like I've already had a great Halloween and it hasn't already happened. My family hosts a wonderfully big Halloween Bash before the actual Halloween night every year. With seven kids and lots of grandkids this party gets fun and everyone is into it with costumes, great food, games and fun.

We have a great white chicken chili (recipe coming), cornbread or rolls, homemade root beer complete with dried ice, a doughnut eating contests for kids and adults, candy fishing, skeleton games and more. I love it.

I won't be dressing up tonight but I will be enjoying the pumpkins we carved and a great Halloween play list I've created on Grooveshark. I can't take any of the credit for this playlist, because it comes from a couple places. First off, one of my absolute favorite bloggers, Stephmodo, made this list and then I've gathered other songs from around the internet. Please enjoy.

1. Superstitious, Stevie Wonder
2. Abracadabra, Steve Miller Band
3. Trick or Treat, Otis Redding (favorite!)
4. Black Magic Woman, Santana
5. Ding-Dong! The Witch is Dead, Ella Fitzgerald
6. Thriller, Michael Jackson
7. Spooky, Atlanta Rhythm Section
8. Witchy Woman, the Eagles
9. Moondance, Van Morrison
10. Ghost, Indigo Girls
11. Harvest Moon, Neil Young
12. Witchcraft, Frank Sinatra
13. Moon over Bourbon Street
14. Monster Mash, Robert Walsh
15. Zombie, Cranberries
16. Howlin' For You, The Black Keys
17. Frankenstein, Edgar Winter Group
18. Werewolves of London, Warren Zevon
19. Spooky Jookie, Man Man
20. Bone Machine, Pixies
21. I Put a Spell on You, Screamin' Jay Hawkins/Creedence Clearwater Revival
22. Bela Lugosis Dead, Bauhaus
23. Pyscho Killer, Talking Heads
24. Ghost Riders in the Sky, Johnny Cash
25. Nightmare on My Street, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
26. This is Halloween, Marilyn Manson
27. Halloweenhead, Ryan Adams
28. Hollow, Bjork
29. Vampire Bat, Wesley Willis
30. Halloween, Sonic Youth
31. A Wolf at the Door, Radiohead

What songs do you like to listen to on Halloween?

Sources:
Planning a Halloween Party...Grown Up Style from Stephmodo
Halloween Playlist for Cool Kids from Huffington Post

***Not all songs are family-friendly.

Utah Local Love: Mountain West Burrito in Provo, Utah

2011-10-28T00:01:00.011-06:00

I've been on a quazi-search for fantastic burritos. Little did I know I would find them in a tiny restaurant located in a gas station. It was love at first read when I saw these words "We don't own a can opener!" These burritos are fresh beyond belief and always made with local, organic ingredients and always from scratch.

Plus, hey...they are just dang good. I enjoyed the 'half and half' variety with chicken and veggies with half black and half pinto beans. Yum!

I've got Jill K to thank. I have been driving by the place forever and finally after some tweets and tempting photos from Jill, I was persuaded.

Check it out!

Don't forget to visit my new Project Domestication Facebook page.

Mountain West Burrito
1796 N 950 W, Provo, UT
Open everyday: 10 am - 9 pm
Facebook Fan Page

More Utah Local Love Posts
Pumpkin Bread Bowls from Provo Bakery in Provo, Utah
Ike's Creamery in Provo, Utah
The Awful Waffle in Provo, Utah
Station 22 Cafe in Provo, Utah
Miss Arepas & Limeade Stand at Provos Farmers Market in Provo, Utah
Beer-Battered Fish Tacos from Red Butte Cafe in Salt Lake City, Utah
Tin Angel's Famous Bread Pudding in Salt Lake City, Utah
Kouing Aman from Les Madeleines in Salt Lake City, Utah
Coney's Frozen Custard in Orem, Utah
Allred Orchards in Provo, Utah
Strawberry Vanilla Bliss Cupcake from The Chocolate in Orem, Utah
Cupcake Chic Cupcakery in Orem, Utah

Tuesdays with Dorie: Apple-Cheddar Scones {Catch-up}

2011-10-27T00:02:00.001-06:00

Apples. Apples. Apples. I am taking full advantage of apple season. The other day I rode my bike down to my favorite local apple stand for the best jonagolds ever! I was sad I rode my bike cause I wanted to get a big box instead of bag. But hey, there will be time for that.

This apple-cheddar scone recipe by Dorie Greenspan from her cookbook, Baking From My Home to Yours is one of my very favorite scone recipes. In fact, it's as if I saved the best for last. Because now I've made all of her scone recipes.

These apple-cheddar scones are full of perfect scone flavor, buttermilk, dried apples and cheddar cheese and cornmeal! They've got a great texture that brings even more interest to your mouth. They are the perfect morning starter or afternoon snack.

This Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was originally picked on June 30, 2008. I'm playing catch-up and posting it now. You can find the recipe on The Floured Apron's blog. Be sure to check out the TWD blog and see how the others liked it. When I make it again, I'm going to cut the cheddar cheese into chunks instead of shredding it.

Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post.

PS: My Project Domestication Facebook page is up. I'd be happy if you'd check it out and like it. No pressure. ;)

Tuesdays with Dorie: Apple-Coconut Family Cake {Catch-Up}

2011-10-26T06:08:00.008-06:00

I really don't think I've come across a Tuesdays with Dorie recipe that I haven't enjoyed. But every once in a while I'll make a recipe from Baking from My Home to Yours that is incredible! This Apple-Coconut Family Cake was delicious.

It was light and fluffy, full of apple, cinnamon and vanilla flavor. I loved it. And to top it off, you glaze apple jelly all over. Everyone that tried it loved it. I will definitely make it again. It was so easy to make.

This Apple-Coconut Family Cake was originally chosen December 14, 2010. I'm playing catch-up right now. Wondering what all this Tuesdays with Dorie stuff is? Read this post.

By the way. I have a Project Domestication Facebook page up and running. I'd love for you to like it! You'll get all sorts of teaser shots and other musings from me in real time. :)