people pleaser

I like this cheesecake. Did you ever think you'd read those words on this blog?

feliz navidad

I know that José Feliciano's song "Feliz Navidad" is on lots of people's List of Terrible and Annoying Christmas Carols, but I kinda like it. It's upbeat and fun in a genre that's often a little bit dreary and slow, you can't deny that.

a christmas contest

Looking for a new craft to try out during the holidays? I have two words for you: Cookie Kabobs.

christmas time is here

Do you like our homemade decorations? We're keeping it classy this year.

eaz-y as pie

I definitely support the idea of semi-homemade cooking.

Yes, my boyfriend's dishes are much prettier than mine. 
He has good taste in dinnerware and women.

nuts about nuts

In all my life, I've never seen an upside-down cake that didn't involve some sort of fruit.

Granted, I've only really been paying close attention to such things for about 6 years (egadders, have I been blogging that long?*), but still, have you ever encountered or heard of such a thing?

poor mary jane

It's a shame that such a lovely name for a little girl has somehow managed to have some negative connotations. Let's focus on the positive, shall we?

two become one

It's a sad truth that marriages don't always work out, but this particular union is a happy one.

corns, calluses, and another giveaway

Whose idea was it to name those terrible knobs that arise on our feet after one of the most extraordinary vegetables in the world? What an insult.

gobble gobble!

The number of potential Thanksgiving desserts is astronomical, but I wanted to show you some of my best recommendations. A few of these have definitely graced our holiday table in the past, but this year, it'll be something new: Pecan Pie Cheesecake. You'll want to stay tuned for that one.

farms of hickory (and an awesome giveaway)

I think my new favorite item to make is the upside-down cake.

Granted, there aren't quite as many things that you can change up as in cheesecakes, but its potential for versatility is still pretty great. Plus, there's that small added bonus of being something I actually enjoy eating...

whelmed, but not overly*

I've never hidden the fact that I don't care for the flavor of pumpkin, though I'll readily admit that it makes a useful ingredient. Anyone who works with food in any capacity knows that pumpkin is in everything from lotion to lattes right now, so it behooves me as a baker to get on board.

gettin figgy wit it.

I had my very first fresh fig just one month ago, can you believe that?

It was pretty good, though I've been hard-pressed to find a fruit that I don't like. The thing is, I think I prefer them dried! That chew and the concentrated flavor is tough to top.

a little veganization

You'd think that with the rise in popularity of vegan diets, people would know by now how to pronounce the word.

But no, I still get requests for vay-gan cakes and vej-an pies. That's okay though--at least these folks are trying to be accommodating to the needs of their friends and family.

there's no place like home (and a giveaway)

I'm so proud of my Southern heritage, and a lot of that has to do with food.

sugar and spice...

...and a few more things that are nice*.

*But not all things nice. Come on--let's be realistic here.

a little grace in the mixing bowl

You GUYS. Taste of Home has a feature called the Mixing Bowl in which they share information about bloggers they love. This month, they love me! Check it out on newstands starting either today or tomorrow!

If you're interested, here's the link to the pie included in the write-up.

crinkle lines

I'm halfway into my 30th year now. I need to be coming to terms with the fact that there are several things that I used to be able to do that aren't so easy now. Plus, my bumps and bruises hurt more and don't heal as quickly. I also have to accept that I can't pull out every gray hair I spot and that those little wrinkles around my eyes won't be going away. Like, ever.

speaking of nostalgia

I rarely eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches anymore, but when I do, I most definitely feel like a kid again.

hurra! (chinet giveaway nummer vier)

Did I ever mention that I'm trying to teach myself German? It's true. I mean...es ist wahr.

tea ain't always sweet, ya'll

Another pie so soon? Well, folks, pie season is nearly upon us. Best to gird your loins now and get prepared.

It's a custard curtsy.

urra! (chinet giveaway numero tre)

Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and this dish is delicious proof of that.

terms of endearment

How do you feel about pet names? They can be really silly, of course, and I know more than a few people who think of them that way, but I happen to believe that they can be a sweet and simple way to let a person know you care.

hooray! (chinet giveaway number two)

I know the saying is "as American as apple pie", but apple crisp is pretty representative of the good ol' US of A, too. Maybe moreso, as even the laziest among us can't complain about any difficulty in making it. (God bless America.)

unwritten rules

You're not supposed to wear white after Labor Day, but why not? It's an unwritten rule that really has no basis in our society anymore. There's another rule that everyone seems to follow for no apparent reason--even though it's widely available year-round, you rarely see pumpkin used as an ingredient until fall officially begins.

ole! (chinet giveaway numero uno)

I have high standards. I know this to be true, mostly because I've been told as much by several people who know me well. I don't think it's a bad quality, but it does leave me open to disappointment more often than not. It's also pretty difficult to impress me.

peachy keen

Melba. When I see that word, the image of a stereotypical little old lady comes to my mind. Is that weird?

food of the gods

You're familiar with ambrosia, right? The version I know and love consists of mini marshmallows, orange segments, pineapple, coconut, and nuts all smothered in a sweetened sour cream or yogurt sauce. Food of the gods, indeed.

slice of life

There are a lot of pieces of equipment and several utensils that I covet from the bakery, and I'm slowly but surely purchasing and procuring my very own collection of them.

mommy mia!

If you've ever been curious to learn a little bit more about me or my attitude in the kitchen, check out the little feature Mommypage has done! Even if you're not a mother, you can find a lot of useful information there.

curd's the word*

I'm just not crazy about curd. I think my problem stems from the fact that my first association with the word had to do with curdled milk--NOT pleasant. Plus, even before I learned about fruit curds, I knew about bean curd and how very unappetizing it could be.

*And yowza, what an annoying song. I apologize profusely if it's now stuck in your head. If it's any consolation, it was and probably still is stuck in mine.

so charred to say goodbye

Well, corn season is sadly over, at least for me and my personal gardeners (also known as my family).

lap of lemon luxury

Contrary to how it may seem based on my plethora of posts about lemon goodies, I don't really get excited about the whole sweet-tart combination in desserts.

You won't catch me ordering key lime pie, no sir. Not when there are things like coconut cake to be had.

a thrilling threesome

Uh...no. Not that kind of threesome. Get your minds out of the gutter.

rollin' rollin' rollin'

My beloved bakery makes the best cinnamon rolls I've ever had. That's not an exaggeration, folks, and I'm not the only one with that opinion.

a pleasant surprise

What's a gal to do when someone gives her a box of shredded wheat cereal?

We're talking the unflavored, unsweetened, MASSIVE kind here, so if you were thinking about recommending eating it with some milk, don't waste your breath. Blech.

crunch fitness

When did granola become the go-to snack for hikers and the like? I'm not sure, but as far as I'm concerned, that's just a marker of good sense and good taste.

this little piggy went to market

I know I'm not the only person who thought Stacey's maple bacon cheesecake on The Next Food Network Star sounded amazing, right? Bacon in dessert applications seems to be the way to go these days.

bananarama

Banana bread is a delicious, easy, and versatile treat, you'll get no argument from me on that. However, sometimes bananas deserve a fate just a little bit more decadent.

it's bean too long

I haven't posted a soup recipe since 2009. Dang. It's not because I'm not making and eating them, I think it's more to do with the fact that they're a)not extremely photogenic, and b)rarely the result of an actual recordable recipe.

scone zone*

Near the tippy-top of my list of people I'd love to meet and hang out with for any amount of time is Conan O'Brien. That man is a laugh riot.

no elegant sufficiency here...

...though anything more would be superfluous.*

*That's a riff on an old Edwardian family table-saying, in case you're curious.

when life hands you lemons...

...find some shmuck who'll buy them from you for a profit.

not red, white, and blue...

...so much as cherry tomato, French vanilla, and concord grape.*

*And yes, it's an absolute coincidence that all those hues happen to have culinary names.

who're you calling chubby?

Weight can often be a sensitive subject, and there are a few kinder, more delicate ways to describe the size of something or someone.

feeling punchy

As alcoholic beverages go, I find sangria to be extremely gentle and benign. After all, it's more fruit than anything else.

iiiiit's bacon!

More than almost any other aroma, the smell of sizzling bacon has a magical power to convince a person that she's hungry even if she's only just stuffed her stomach full of other foods.

peanut butter me up

People who know me well know that I don't squeal or get particularly sappy about much of anything*, but when I first saw these cookies, I thought they were absolutely adorable. It's the closest I've come to making an "awww!" noise in a long time**.

*My precious niece excepted.
**The last baby-unrelated trigger was probably a Corgi puppy.

tis the season...

...strawberry season, that is. Yep, there are no less than 5 trucks set up in random places in my area selling fresh strawberries out of the back. They're good strawberries, too, and I can't get enough.

wake-up call (and a novica giveaway)

Savory scones almost always look so drab.

Even if you get crazy and add scallions, they're still basically white or dark orange inside brown upon brown around beige. Blah.