super bowl sweets

On February 2, most of America will be firmly ensconced in cushy couches, eating chips, wings, pizza and other gut enhancing foods. I am so there, gut notwithstanding. Super Bowl Sunday is the second largest food-consumption day in the good 'ole USA, behind only, you guessed it, Thanksgiving. For shame, I've never dwelt too hard about the dessert portion of it, as the wings/pizza/chips combo loom larger than usual and take precedence. I usually make a batch of chocolate chip cookies.

waste not... coconut buttermilk pound cake

We are into the third week of the new year ... how are the resolutions going? In recent years, I have pretty much given up resolving to do anything. I'm one of those "I resolve to not resolve."

I will admit, however, to an ongoing desire not to waste. One item, my nemesis, which always gets only partially used, is that darn quart of buttermilk. I use one cup and then manage to forget about it in the deep recesses of the fridge. The inevitable dump down the drain occurs after it's waaay past due and is stinkysourclumpy

perennial favorite christmas cookies

Have you been baking up a storm already? I've only just begun. I've been mostly making and freezing the dough so that when there's an event, I can bake the cookies morning of. As a Christmas present to Brother #3, I'm freezing assorted cookie dough balls so that he can have fresh baked cookies whenever the mood hits.

I was asked by The Chicago BFF what cookies I was baking this year. The list includes these:

Butterscotch Snowballs

Pecan Bars

Cornflake Crunch Cookies

Crack Toffee- this year I'm adding some pretzels on top. 

I like the addition as it balances out the sweetness with its

salty, crunchy presence.

White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Almond Roca Pretzel Cookies- my new favorite compost combo

(I'm really digging the pretzel crunch and salt, can you tell?)

What's on your list? If you care to share, I'd love to expand my cookie horizons!

candy cane blossoms

I'm always on the hunt for a new Christmas cookie to bake. These looked like they were fun, festive, and fabulous to take to a holiday party.

The dough is pretty much a stiff sugar cookie dough which you roll into balls and smother with sprinkles. The kisses are stuck on after the cookies are baked.

Please be patient and wait the 2-3 minutes before putting them on, or else you'll get something like this—

maple chai tea

I have been enjoying the chai tea concentrate for the past month, 

yet when I saw this recipe, I still had to give it a go,