Have you heard of Veganuary? It's a pledge to eat a vegan diet for the month of January, touted by such celebrities as Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Beyonce. For those who are curious about vegan and plant-based eating, it's a great catalyst to cutting meat, dairy, and eggs out of one's diet.
Did you know that chili is strangely divisive? People can get very passionate about it. Here's a fun psychological experiment: the next time you're at a party, randomly ask people for chili recipes. You'll be amazed by a) the wide spectrum of ingredients used, and b) the shocked faces at the description of recipes that differ from their own.
I have been thinking about desserts and festive treats, it seems, for weeks. Months, even. Rich desserts, rich appetizers, wine and cocktails and Baileys in my coffee - that has been my focus for the last little while and now, suddenly, I am in desperate need for a fresh start.
I know, I know. This whole month is a whirlwind of activities. There are parties to attend, potlucks to gorge at, concerts and performances and tournaments to applaud. Not to mention tree-trimming, shopping, wrapping, and watching Elf for the twentieth time while guzzling wine and wondering how you're going to find the energy to bake something for the class party tomorrow.
Is holiday baking fatigue setting in yet? It sure is for me. I always spend an inordinate amount of time in the kitchen, but between November and December, that inordinate amount of time seems to triple. Basically, I'm constantly covered with flour at this time of year. There are just so many things: classroom parties, cookie exchanges, pot lucks, and at least six or seven recipes that I MUST make for my family or all will be ashes and sadness.
Admittedly it’s been a while since I was a university student, but I seem to remember the campus as being a place where opening and expanding one’s mind and thoughts were strongly encouraged.
When my husband and I were still in the "courting" stage of our relationship, he took me to his hometown to meet his parents. His mother had made a glorious Caesar salad, complete with homemade croutons. Since it was our first meeting, I very politely ate a normal amount of salad, and I did not sneak back in the kitchen later to surreptitiously snack on handfuls of those homemade croutons, the way I would after we were engaged and they were stuck with me.
I just love the term "icebox cookies." It's so quaint, isn't it? When I think about them, I feel like I'm being transported back in time - like I'm actually baking in my kitchen wearing pumps, a frilly apron over my crinoline-lined skirt, and pearls. Oooh, this dough is too soft to use. I know! I'll put it in the icebox! Maybe one day my ship will come in and I'll be able to buy one of those new-fangled electrical refrigerator units.
Have you ever had great expectations for a recipe, and then had those expectations dashed dramatically? That happened to me the other day when I set out to make these cookies. I had an image in my head of what they should look like, and the resulting cookie was, visually speaking, dramatically opposite to what I had set out to make. In fact, these cookies - while delectable and fudgy - were possibly the ugliest cookies I had ever made. They were so unappealing in appearance, that I briefly wondered if I should start a "Cookie Wrecks" site.
We are entering the festive season, and you know what that means: parties, parties, parties! It seems like there is something going on every weekend leading up to Christmas: open houses, dinners, and let us not forget the social whirl that comes with children's activities.
I don't know about you, but I hate arriving at a party empty-handed. A bottle of wine is always an acceptable (and loved!) hostess gift, but that can get expensive at this busy time of year. Why not try a homemade gift from your kitchen instead?
