My empty nest world of scratch baking and chicken scratch
Cindy Liles
I think of Coffee Cake as comfort food of the dessert world. Warm out of the oven with a tall glass of milk, it’s reminiscent of grandmom’s house. Don’t let the name fool you, coffee cake does not have coffee in it. Coffee cake is traditionally served with coffee, like tea-cakes are served at tea-time, when getting together with friends for coffee. … Read more
Sables are a French cookie with a delicate, sandy texture. Their American counterpart would be something similar to Sandies. This cookie uses both unsweetened cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate which yields a very intense, complex chocolate taste. The sandy texture comes from a dry mixture that you bring together to form into desired shapes; the … Read more
Traditional, buttery French cookies that are named for their sandy texture (sable means sand). Every bakery in France makes them. There are two ways to make these cookies. You can roll them and cut out with your desired shaped cookie cutter, or you can form the dough into two logs (my preferred method), freeze, slice, … Read more
A very delicate, soft, buttery cookie with cream cheese mixed into the batter for a distinct flavor. This cookie is very easy to make. Change the look and taste by simply changing the jam flavor. Save Print Strawberry Cream Cookies Author: Cindy Liles Recipe type: Easy Cuisine: American Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 12 mins Total … Read more
I am a cherry fanatic! I could go off on a major rant about all the things cherry that I love, but I’ll spare you that rant! Let’s just say, if there are cherries involved, I’m all in! I make this Chocolate Cherry Cookie once a year at Christmas time, and it’s my favorite Chrismas … Read more
I wish I knew how many different Banana Bread recipes I’ve tried over the years! A lot! I have always gone back to my original recipe that I started making in 1977 and have shared a million times with friends and family. I have never found a recipe that I liked as much as mine … Read more
I love growing fresh basil for use all summer long. As Fall approaches, it’s time to harvest the remaining basil and make pesto for the freezer. Pesto is very easy to make and can be used in a variety of ways – serve it over pasta, as a sandwich spread, on pizza, on chicken, or … Read more
The comb sits on top of the chicken’s head and the wattle hangs beneath the chicken’s bill. They are both soft, fleshy, thick, and made up of blood-filled capillaries, which accounts for the bright red color. While they can appear very different, wattles and combs all perform the same basic functions which are vital to … Read more
Called Palet for their round shape, these are buttery, delicate French cookies that have been topped with raisins plumped in rum. You can replace with rum with water if you prefer a non-alcoholic cookie. The finished cookie is delicate, crumbly, only slightly sweet with a crisp edge. Begin by placing 1/3 cup raisins in a … Read more
A small French cake, similar to a Madeleine that is baked in a small rectangular mold. Financiers are sweet, tender and moist, and have a distinctive almond flavor. The basis of the cake is beurre noisette (brown butter), egg whites, sugar, flour, and flavoring. The browned butter imparts a lovely nutty flavor and crispy edge. … Read more