March flew by in such a whirlwind of activity for me. I shared several recipes for a few sweets this past month, including delicious cakes, cupcakes and of course, cookies (!) which were well received all around by you and the lucky recipients. Baking has taken on a much bigger role in my life now because I am supplying a local cafe with my creations. To be honest, it's been an exhilarating learning process for me having to deal with the consumer and gauging what will sell and what will not. Everything is in the experimental stages right now and I'm not sure where any of this is going, so I'll take whatever comes my way and make the most of it. There's so much to do, so much to try and so much to learn. Let's see where this goes!
In the meantime, I do want to go back to the topics I wrote about here on the blog for the month of March. Let's not waste another moment.
I LOVE this carrot spice cake a lot. It's a recipe that's been in my friend's family for a few generations and not surprisingly it gets baked several times a year. Now that I have it at my fingertips I have a feeling I'll be making it quite often. For the cafe I think I'll make them into cupcakes in the near future. Delish!
Who doesn't love an oatmeal cookie every now and then? These large, puffy goodies are really good and they're pretty easy to make. The addition of maple syrup to the batter makes them extra special in my opinion. Make them for your kids' lunches or take them along with your work lunch for a bit of sweetness in the afternoon. The recipe can be doubled with no problems.
One word: decadent! This is not the type of cake that is moist like a chiffon cake. It is dense and fudgy like a good pound cake should be. Because it is such an eye-catching cake to display, I really think it should be put on your best cake stand. Let it sit there proudly for all to admire and then when it's time to serve it, devour every last crumb.
This guest post was so informative and wonderfully put together by a dear reader of the blog. I'm glad I was able to have her supply you with this information. If you're considering becoming a vegan or vegetarian, or know someone who wants to, give them these helpful things to consider. Good stuff.
To own these cookie cutters is to be one lucky person for sure. With Easter this Sunday, a few egg cookies would be welcomed by anyone. My friend Janet recently made some gorgeous Peter Cottontail Bunny Cookies for a child's birthday party and she included one tiny egg (cleverly hidden) with every large cookie. If you're interested in seeing what she did, click HERE. She is a true artist when it comes to cookie decorating!
From Martha by Mail comes a large set of copper cookie cutters that are among my favorite ones. I love making oversized cookies with these cutters. Treasure them if you own this set or any of the ones from Martha by Mail.
There are still a few crocuses left around our lawn, so it's nice to look out from my kitchen window and see these little pretties still holding on. While they were plentiful and everywhere I took advantage of them and brought a few indoors to display in my sunny kitchen. Go through this post and see how I arranged them. As I said in the post, if you don't have crocuses on your lawn try planting some to enjoy next year. You'll fall in love with them.
I think this has become one of my favorite cupcakes and I'm not just saying this because I baked them. The cupcakes were taken and sold at the cafe in town and guess what? People ate them right up! Gather your ingredients and make a batch of them for Easter. Actually, make a bunch whenever you have a craving for a great cupcake. Enjoy!
What can I say about my good friend, Chef Cyndi? She's a professional who is passionate about her craft. I love everything she makes. If you haven't had the pleasure of knowing what she's all about, revisit this post and go through some of her cooking demos that she tapes in Los Angeles. You just might find something to make for dinner tonight.
I finally got around to this post. After I published it I thought to myself: you forgot the microwave! Well, if you must know, I don't own a microwave or use one. I just have never had a reason to. Either way, the other kitchen electrics that I listed here in this post are essential in my opinion. Go through it if you're creating a wedding registry or if you're creating your ultimate kitchen.
These cookies were such a pleasure for me to create. They all came about because I was given some bunny corn that I didn't want to go to waste. Remembering that I owned an antique cookie cutter in the shape of a baby chick, I got to work. Using my friend Darlene's grandmother's recipe for Hungarian shortbread, I made about 6 dozen of these hatchlings. Over the weekend, I iced them and decorated each one. Packaged up and tied with some green twine, the flock of birdies were all set to go out the door.
You still have time to make a few of these you know. There is no need to make a giant batch like I did, so attempt a dozen or two and give them out to the special people in your life.
If you must know, I kept one or two at home to have with some tea. I had to be sure they were good!
~Expect many Good Things in April~
Crafting is coming soon!
David --
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and best wishes with your new venture. The photos you post of your baked goods always look scrumptious. I am certain your customers will clamor for more!
Christine
Thanks for the well wishes Christine! It's been kind of hectic for me, but it's also been fun. Let's hope they want more!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on this new baking venture with the local cafe. Best wishes with it all, I'm sure your baked goods will be extremely well received!
ReplyDeleteI must bake those oatmeal cookies, they look delicious!
Have a wonderful Easter :)
Thanks Paula! You should bake those oatmeal cookies because they're so tasty. Best to you!
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