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Baking for Spring

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 I felt like baking today…  So late Saturday afternoon I made this list! Lemon bars- because I had 10 lemons that needed to be used.  I squeezed them and froze all the juice yesterday. Crispy ginger snaps- because I bought a bag on Thursday and we ate them ALL! Oatmeal cookies- because I got this recipe from a friend and I wasn’t happy with them the first time I made them. Chocolate chip cookies- because I found a recipe that declares these are better than Toll house so we shall see! Black bottom cupcakes - because I need to bake something for a family with teenagers.  Boterkoek- just because I have not made this for very long time, all the kids love it and I thought something with almond flavoring sounded good. I also need to use the almond paste in the fridge. These might become filled! Banana bread- because I have frozen bananas in the freezer and walnuts … Crispy sugar cookie- because I’m determined to conquer the really crispy cooks on my own. It is now 5:30 and...
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Sophistication

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Last week, after a few Wednesday lunches at "lower" end restaurants,  we decided to get a little more sophisticated. Today we went downtown to the Bistro Bella Vita a restaurant listed on Google as a place for a  high-end lunch.  As we entered we noticed many tables filled with 'sophisticated ' office groups out for lunch. Definitely a good sign, I thought. The menu offerings also seemed on the 'sophisticated ' side. I chose the meatball sub-sandwich with a side of fries and while that doesn't sound terribly sophisticated the description of the meatballs sounded pretty exciting.   Rose chose the gnocchi with squash, cranberry, kale and some lovely sauces. Our review?? ( I am much more critical than Rose.)  She enjoyed the dish of gnocchi but did mention that it was too mushy. From my one bite, I agreed but also thought it needed more salt. In a 'sophisticated ' place there never are salt and pepper shakers on the table. We didn'...
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March

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If March comes in like a lion and it will go out like a lamb.  I’ve heard that before. What about these? Some other March-related weather lore includes: A dry March and a wet May; Fill barns and bays with corn and hay. As it rains in March, so it rains in June. March winds and April showers, Bring forth May flowers. So many mists in March you see, so many frosts in May will be. I’m not sure what defines the lion as far as weather goes.  It’s March 2nd and it’s cold - the temperature was 16° when I got up and I have been cold all morning but the sky is blue and the sunshine is wonderful! Does that warrant a lion label?  Google says it should be cold, blustery and windy….  I guess it’s somewhere in between. On March 6 we got a rain event with lots of thunder! The lion roared.... I hope. I'm ready for warmer weather. 
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Guinness Chocolate Cake (embarrassing) but delicious!

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A cake for Nathan's 50th.  a valiant effort by mom ...I was in a hurry !  ( taste is more important, right?) enjoyed by all! Hard to believe it's been 50 years. Born in Trenton, Ontario.  13months old trip to Massachusetts,  Michigan, Edmonton,  Vancouver and San Jose, Costa Rica. Lived in Costa Rica for 15 months. Traveled by car through Latin America,  Mexico,  Texas to Florida.  Moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico. 1981 one year in Michigan and went to Kindergarten at Westside Christian School. Back to Puerto Rico until 1985. Moved to Toronto (Dad in Grad school) 1987 Moved to Grand Rapids. Michigan  Oakdale Christian school and GR Christian High. Calvin College Solo trip to Europe.  GVSU Toppers Pizza and much more in between  Texas  roadhouse His (older) twin sister went to celebrate in Mexico with a friend.  If she lived in Grand Rapids I would have made her a cake as well!
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Busy day in the kitchen with Cook's Illustrated

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 Just so I don’t forget. This all started with the latest edition of the Cooks Illustrated magazine. It’s a new format and seems to have a new focus.  I found myself wanting to prepare a lot of the recipes but I did not have all the ingredients required so I shopped first. Today I stared with Guinness Chocolate Cake. I ended up making two so I could use the entire can of Guinness!  One will go in the freezer for a birthday. It was pretty dense.  The thick layer of good cream cheese frosting helped.   Then I made a small batch of cookies- one bowl, one pan, 12 decent-sized Coffee Toffee cookies! ( Arie really likes them but I am not a fan -  not enough coffee).  Then on to the sauces and dip for oven-fried chicken wings. ( I was going to make these for Saturday night but I have since discovered that my DIL and grandson only eat the nuggets and my dear son gave me a long argument about fried versus oven-fried chicken. He says oven fried ...
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In search of crispy and crunchy

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  Bagels!  I used to love them! Chewy and fresh from the bagel shop and topped with butter and cheese or lox and cream cheese…. Maybe even a strawberry cream cheese! Then came the packaged ones…  They were okay and I certainly bought and consumed my share but they were never very satisfying. Back in the day, my dad (and all 3 brothers) baked bread … really good bread. Wonderful taste and texture and like all of the best bakery bread it had to be eaten fresh to really enjoy it properly!  We used to talk about Wonder bread and called it glue. It was soft as promised in the ads, it lasted on the counter for a long time so it was popular.  It also stuck to the roof of your mouth like glue!  Nasty stuff for the baker and his family. It killed the local bakery shops! It was easily available in the grocery store and it was cheaper to buy.  ( I fail to understand that in economic terms because I remember selling 1 lb loaves at 3 for $1.) Then came the large gr...
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Texas Roadhouse!! Best steaks!

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Sunday lunch at Texas Roadhouse! Such a treat!  We don’t usually go out to eat on Sunday but the food is down to the very basics in this house so we decided to indulge! Texas Roadhouse has such good steaks and the sides aren’t bad either ! (Please excuse the sideways pictures!) Ribeye cooked just right with Caesar salad and sweet potato! Filet - medium rare with fries and veggie mix!
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