My empty nest world of scratch baking and chicken scratch
“Now bring us some figgy pudding” is part of the chorus in We Wish You A Merry Christmas. From the 16th century, Figgy Pudding traditionally graced the table at the end of a Christmas meal and it is quintessentially British. It’s possible ancestors made the pudding from a potage of mashed figs thickened with bread, … Read more
A cookie with cinnamon, ginger, molasses, and cloves – need I say more? A warm and fragrant, soft, slightly chewy, melt-in-your-mouth bite of nostalgia. A classic spice cookie that you will want to make year after year. It’s a Fall tradition in our house! Molasses Crinkles were considered by the Betty Crocker staff to be the … Read more
I love the story behind this Pumpkin Bread. One Christmas Eve while I was busy with last-minute Christmas preparations, my youngest son, Spencer, who was about five years of age, came into the kitchen and politely told me that we were going to start a new Christmas Eve tradition. “We are? What new tradition are we … Read more
Scones are a slightly sweet biscuit-like cake, and, with just a few ingredients, are easy to make. Be sure to use high-quality butter and cream for the best results. Scones are a traditional Christmas breakfast in our house. I love to hear “ mmmmmmm” and watch eyes gently close around the table as everyone takes their … Read more
Buttermilk Pie: A pastry shell filled with a mix of buttermilk, butter, eggs, flour, sugar, and sweet flavorings, a Southern US favorite. Prononciation: Buttah-milk Pie Don’t let the name of this pie fool you. It is delicious! This is a simple, wholesome, sweet and tangy custard-like filling with a slight hint of vanilla. It is very easy to make, … Read more
The classic peanut butter cookie. Hot out of the oven, the edges are light and crispy and the center is slightly chewy. The second day, the cookies are crispy throughout. Nothing fancy or difficult here – just a good, old-fashioned cookie. Gather all ingredients. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and … Read more
The Snickerdoodle is a drop cookie topped with ground cinnamon and sugar. It has a cracked surface and can be crisp or soft. Its name and origin are a mystery. Some think the name came from New England because they often have playful, whimsical cookie names. The invention of the Snickerdoodle is also questionable with … Read more
Homemade blueberry muffins along side of a cup of steaming hot coffee is a perfect way to start any day! Hot out of the oven, these muffins are AMAZING! And since blueberries are brain food filled with antioxidants, you can eat more than one…right?? They mix up super fast and come out perfect every time! I adore this … Read more
If you want to boost your baking confidence or if you are new to baking, then shortbread is an excellent place to start. With just four ingredients in this slightly sweet biscuit-like cookie, there is not much that can go wrong. The key to making good shortbread is high-quality, pure butter and pure vanilla. Do … Read more
I had the privilege of making 400 wedding favor cupcakes for my beautiful niece’s wedding last year. This is the frosting that topped the White Sour Cream Almond cupcakes that were given to the guests at the end of the evening. Classic VanillIa Buttercream Frosting 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 4 cups confectioners sugar (powdered … Read more