Daring Bakers: Biscuits

Wow! I have been a very bad blogger lately. I just realized it's been well over a month since I last posted. I guess I have either been too tired to bake and write or involved with too many other projects to stop in and say hello. And, while I sort of enjoyed the break, I promise to try to get back on track.

Sunday Baked: Buckeyes

Apparently, I need to apologize to the state of Ohio. I was never much of a fan of you... no offense, it's just that I'm a Purdue alum, and we just don't like anyone from The Ohio State University (intended mocking and sarcasm). Naturally, if I don't like Ohio State University, then I should make a blanket statement about the whole state... The logic is there, right!?

Oatmeal White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pistachios & Dried Cherries

I'm not a big fan of fancy things. Rather, I am a jeans and T-shirt, mini-van drivin', no frills, plain Jane sort of girl. It holds true for how I dress down to how I bake. I like to keep things simple. Christmas cookies are the perfect example of how I operate. This time of year most people break out their "fancy-schmancy" cookie recipes. They're baking nut cups, almond crescents and other uber traditional treats, but not me. No, I like to make an overabundance of the no-frills cookies that I love to eat throughout the year, plus a few others that make the holiday cut... for good measure.

Sunday Baked: Baked French Toast

Alright, so here's the thing. If you were to ask me what I would want for my very last meal on this earth, I would answer quickly and without hesitation, French toast. It is my idea of food paradise, and if done right, makes me one happy camper.

How do I prefer my French toast, you might ask? Well, my version of French toast is simple, classic and not at all froofy (which is what I am calling Matt and Renato's version). I eat mine one way and one way only. It needs to be slathered in butter and covered in powdered sugar. And by covered, I don't mean dusted or sprinkled. No, we are talkin' a think blanket of sugary snow that slowly melts into the butter to form a candy-like coating on top of the bread. It's how I have been doing it since I was a wee lass and to me is heaven on a plate!

Sweet & Salty Brownies

Typically, I tend to leave my review of the recipes I try until the end of my post. But I am going to make an exception this time. I fear that if I don't make this adjustment you may get the wrong idea and not fully understand how much I am in love with these brownies.

They were killer! The sweet and salty combination is one of my favorites, and these rich, decadent bites left me wanting more. How can anyone resist luscious salted caramel baked right into a brownie? Not to mention they were not overly difficult to make and plated up beautifully. The adults in the group loved the twist on the traditional brownie, especially since many had never experienced the sweet and salty combination before. They were received fantastically well, and I will be using this recipe again and again.

Now, to the Thanksgiving Brownie Debacle of 2011...

Sunday Baked: Boston Cream Pie Cake

Let's just clear this up right now.... This is no more a pie than I'm a size 2 beauty queen. There is no pie crust or pie dish to speak of. Nope. This is cake through and through. I imagine when the first versions of this dessert appeared in Colonial America, cake pans were not commonplace. So, the Colonial bakers of yore grabbed whatever they had available, which happened to be pie tins.