From the category archives:

Holidays / Entertaining

Cooks Illustrated Almost No-Knead Bread

April 24, 2009
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I need a new dutch oven. Or a new oven. Or both. I burned the bottom of the first batch of this bread. Not that this stopped us from simply slicing off the browned bits and eating the rest, but still, I’ve never burned a loaf of bread in my life. So I suspect that [...]

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Spanakopita Pockets

March 2, 2009
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You know those times when you’re in the grocery store and you’re absolutely starving, and against your better judgment you end up filling your cart with all sorts of absurd things that you wouldn’t normally buy? I tend to toss in boxes of trashy appetizers like mini-quiche, egg rolls, and those itty bitty spanakopita bites. [...]

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Chocolate-Oatmeal Cupcakes With Maple-Bacon Butter Cream

February 22, 2009
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My friend Anna instant messaged me on Wednesday afternoon to let me know that a co-worker had found a recipe for bacon cupcakes in The New York Times. Anna really wanted to make them for a brunch party she was attending on Sunday morning. The only problem was that the recipe was giving her serious [...]

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Heart-Shaped Peppermint Patties

February 2, 2009
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Before the question is even posed I’ll just go ahead and tell you that, yes, these do taste eerily similar to York Peppermint Patties. The recipe is incredibly simple and also incredibly sticky.  I’ve thoroughly wiped my island down three times since making the candy on Sunday morning and it still has some sort of [...]

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Peanut Butter Bon Bons

January 6, 2009
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Do not under any circumstances allow me to make these again. They’re just too good, too rich, and too addictive to have around. Just in case I forget this public plea, I’m going to send myself an email from FutureMe.org. I’ll schedule it to arrive during the holidays next year, and urge myself to make [...]

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Raised Doughnuts: Raising the Roof with Mom

December 29, 2008
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The weekend before Christmas I went home to Maine in order to spend an early holiday with my family. Sunday morning, after the presents had been opened and the Eggnog Milkshakes thoroughly enjoyed, my mom and I decided to make her drop-dead delicious Raised Doughnuts. This kitchen adventure was particularly special because my mom hasn’t [...]

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My First Christmas Dinner

December 26, 2008

This year CK and I decided to celebrate Christmas at home. This meant that I would be cooking my first Christmas Dinner, from start to finish, all on my own. I also thought it would be an ideal time to test out a rather puzzling Jennie-O turkey I received a few weeks ago that claimed [...]

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Pretty Pink Christmas Trees

December 22, 2008

I hope you didn’t actually think you could escape the holiday season without a pink cookie from me. These pink Christmas Tree sugar cookies are decorated with my traditional butter based frosting and sprinkled with a light dusting of delicate silver icing sugar. I’m not the only person in my family with a pink problem. [...]

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