Bookalicious :: More from Macrina

If ever I had an aspiration, it would be to bake better bread.  I have made a few loaves that turned out alright, but nothing like what my sister can pull off.  Her bread is amazing.  I have given up making bread a few times only to try again when I get the urge to eat a really good loaf of bread.

And now that time has come again.  Macrina Bakery (if you haven't eaten there yet, drop everything and eat there) has a second cookbook out, More from Macrina.  I am devouring it.  I've even successfully made a few things from it.  Hooray!

The best part - for me - is that each chapter starts with a 'master recipe' and every subsequent recipe uses that one as the base.  That means I only have to really get one recipe right and I have several things I can make from it.  Success!  

Christmas morning we're eating Sugar Buns.  (And I may start calling my kids that too.)

As Seen on TV :: Thanksgiving Preparedness

Handprint Turkey Instructions :: Knit Pumpkin Instructions :: Raw Brussel Sprout Salad Recipe :: Cranberry Fizz Recipe

The Hedin's do Disneyland

We took our children to Disneyland for a few days of chaos infused sugar highs and tear streaked dinners.

January Yellow :: Obsession #1

I am obsessed with butter.  I love butter.  I think I only eat toast and bread because I get to put butter on them without excuses.  When Darigold recently sent me their GOLD BRAND REAL NAME HERE butter I swooned, I baked bread, I sautéed vegetables and when it was gone I went back to the regular ol' Darigold butter.  That's when I realized my world had changed.  Now I'm not just obsessed with butter, I'm obsessed with GOLD BRAND REAL NAME HERE.

Have a magical weekend

Bookalicious :: The Sugar Cube

One thing that I believe passionately is that if I can do it - you can do it.  You may feel I have some superior advantage but I don't.  I'm a stay-at-home mom to three kids under four years old and I have twenty eight square feet of countertop in my kitchen.  28.  Which is why I feel such a kinship to Kir Jensen of the Sugar Cube.  She turned a teeny tiny food cart into her pastry kitchen and became the 'sweetest little food cart on the planet.'  If she can bake it - you can bake it.

And now she has a cookbook.  Lucky for all of us - especially with Thanksgiving this week - because there is nothing worse than pumpkin pie.  Literally.  I'm making Lemon Pudding Pops.


Three things I learned from this book.
1. brush the top of cakes with flavored simple syrups = moist cakes + intense flavor
2. ruffles potato chips dipped in caramel are addictive
3. bittersweet chocolate + tawny port = after dinner decadence


Oh, and my next trip to Portland may or may not be specifically to go see Kir.

images via Star Chefs and Chronicle Books

November Knit :: Me & Mini-Me

fair isle sweater :: ball rattles :: woven bracelet