I have a thing for flowers that look like pom poms. Mums, allium, chive blossoms, dahlias – love ‘em! Since fresh flowers aren’t always in the budget, and because I have a brown thumb, I started thinking about what I could do to brighten up our apartment with flowers without actually using flowers. Soon, the idea for some sort of pom pom flower started bouncing around in my head, and this is what I came up with.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Craft, Tutorials | 162 Comments »
This year was my third annual attempt at making a great apple cider donut. I’ve tried four recipes over the past two years and haven’t been satisfied with the results. Maybe I just don’t know what an apple cider donut should taste like, but I want at least some apple flavor in the finished product, and no recipe that I’ve tried has given me that. I’ve always ended up with somewhat dry, not apple-y at all donuts, most of which have been tossed in the trash. And it really pains me to throw out food, especially donuts.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Alternatively Sweetened, Desserts, Food, Gluten Free | 16 Comments »
Every autumn, without fail, I get the overwhelming urge to make soup. Cozying up with a warm bowl of tasty soup on a chilly day is undeniably comforting, so comforting that it can become an addiction. Yes, I suppose I’m a soup addict. As I type this, my freezer is filled with three types of soup, and I look forward to thawing each and every container so I can have more “warm and comfy” time. Saccharine, but true.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Food, Gluten Free, Soups | No Comments »
Missed the setup? Read Concord Grape Pie, Part 1.
Alright, so I had my hands on the elusive Concord grapes, and my mother-in-law had emailed the recipe weeks ago, when I first told her of my quest for Concord grapes. I wished that I didn’t live 500+ miles away, because she sounded quite wistful about the grape pie (as wistful as one can sound in an email), and I thought that it would be nice to give her a piece or make her a grape pie of her very own as a thank you. I also thought it would be great if some other grape pie fans lived nearby, so I could give them the remains of what I was sure would be a disastrous dessert without having to feel guilty for throwing it in the trash. Can you feel the optimism?
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Alternatively Sweetened, Desserts, Food, Gluten Free, Pies and Tarts | 8 Comments »
Once upon a time, I asked B what his favorite dessert was. I knew that he was more of an “ice cream man” than a “pastry guy”, but I was curious about whether he actually had a favorite non-ice cream dessert, and it was one of those days where I was looking for something new to try. Little did I know the can of worms that I was about to open.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Alternatively Sweetened, Desserts, Food, Gluten Free, Pies and Tarts | 1 Comment »
B and I just made our first visit to Wilson Farms in Lexington a couple of weeks ago. How in the world have we not visited this gem sooner? Talk about feeding the pumpkin lust! Yes, this means that you should stop here if you don’t want to see more pictures of pumpkins.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Etc | 1 Comment »