Countdown: Top 10 Posts

What a wonderful year it has been as I reflect back …

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Countdown: Top 10 Posts

Happy Birthday Biscuits!

Don’t you just give a little sigh of relief right about now? The “HOLIDAYS” are over (almost…I mean, …

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Happy Birthday Biscuits!

In Praise Of Penquins

In Praise of Penguins These funny birds in fancy clothes may waddle in the snow, but when they reach the icy sea just watch how fast they go! Their song sounds like a donkey’s bray, they cannot soar or fly, yet penguins manage very well, and let me tell you why… Their feathers keep out water, their blubber keeps out cold, their wings make perfect paddles because they do not fold! Their tails are good for steering, they brake with both their feet— So tell me now, from all you’ve heard… Aren’t penguins NEAT? by Robin Bernard Penguins 18 jumbo ripe Black olives 18 small ripe Black olives 1 (8 ounce) package cream

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In Praise Of Penquins

Vegan Cupcakes for Christmas!

I was one of the lucky winners that got to try a vegan cake mix and a can of vegan frosting from Cherrybrook Kitchen and I’m here to say I want more! If I hadn’t known they were vegan, I would of never guessed. I made these for a couple of our employees that are vegan and the word on them were, “They’re the bomb.” That would be a good review. They were not saying that they were horrible but that they were killer. And I have to agree!!! This was an ultra chocolate treat using imported cocoa from Belgium and chocolate chips. Peanut free, dairy free, egg free, and nut free, it will satisfy even the most picky palate. Perfect for those with food allergies, or the vegan, or me! There are many products to choose from including yellow cake and chocolate chip cookies. they even have some breakfast mixes like pancakes and muffins. Thank you Blake from Blake Makes for giving me the opportunity to try these. I was not disappointed! If you have food allergies or if you are a vegan, or if you just want a great cake mix, head on over to Cherrybrook Kitchens. You will be delighted. I can guarantee it! Jump in and comment anytime! Just click through to the actual colomn by clicking on Meganscookin at the top.

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Vegan Cupcakes for Christmas!

Beefy New Traditions

Just before the Christmas season, our local PBS station was deep into its holiday pledge drive. Sometimes they feature cooking demonstrations during such times. But this time, they…

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Beefy New Traditions

Christmas Shopping Fumbling Frenzy

I don’t know about you but I’m done with shopping in mortar and brick stores. I am ALL for online shopping these days, especially during this festive season. Why? There are plenty of pros when it comes shopping online and one of them is that you can shop at your own leisurely time! Another pro would be that you don’t have to cram in like a pack a sardines with schools of people shuffling around a store. Some people just like standing in the way, be it to scratch their chin or stare at stuff or look for their wallets. I will be back in Malaysia in mid-Jan to mid-Feb next visiting my parents, visiting friends and relatives. The “talk” sounds pretty daunting isn’t it? But it’s not as daunting as the shopping list I have for gifts to bring back home! I need to look for wakame slices for my mom, 2lb of Schwartz’s smoked meat, some ice wines/ciders, maple syrups and the list goes on… fingers crossed on my luggage for not being overweight once I am done. I still want to go shopping for boxing day and in January 09 before l leave. Apparently with the economy in depression, things are foretold to be a lot cheaper to lure consumers. Hmmm

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Christmas Shopping Fumbling Frenzy

Salsa Verde is a Christmas Color

I got an early Christmas present delivered to me this week from my favorite Mrs. Purl of Austin, Texas. She happens to know that I like cooking and chose her gift accordingly. With a beautiful butter yellow hard cover and a bold vermillion spine: The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution by Alice Waters of Chez Panisse Restaurant. It’s starting to dawn on me that I’m becoming a sort of food nerd. How do I know? Well, I read cookbooks cover to cover now. I’d say that is a sure sign of culinary nerdiness. What can I say…I guess I’ve just discovered that there is a lot of good stuff in the text between the recipes! The book sat staring at me for a few hours while I had to devote my attention to making dinner, getting the kiddos clean and to bed. I suppose I could have flipped through it briefly, but I wanted to begin reading without interruption. Introduction: organic, local, sustainable, farmer’s market, plant a garden, eat together, cook at home, appreciate your food. Check. Getting Started: Ingredients and the Pantry, Equipment and Getting Started. Oooo, I love pantry lists. I took a few mental notes of some items to stock up on. The list was complete with explanations on how to store different items including their shelf-life expectancy. And equipment! I was happy to note that I possess quite a bit of the equipment suggested…and Christmas is around the corner for some of the items that are missing. I could definitely use an update in the knife department, as well as a new baking sheet (mine pops and warps in a hot oven). Thankfully, Alice Waters is a minimalist in the kitchen and writes her recipes for …

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Salsa Verde is a Christmas Color

Holiday Hazelnut Cookies

Tomorrow is the day for one of my favorite holiday events…a cookie exchange! I love seeing everyone’s family cookies and traditions. I’m not really sure if my family has one special cookie that says “Christmas”. Of course, there are always the cut-out sugar cookies and sometimes those yummy peanut-buttery cookies with the big Hershey’s Kiss in the middle (extra tasty if they are still a little warm from the oven). The one sweet that most sticks out in my mind are the chocolate covered coconut balls (unfortunately known as “Mounds Balls”). I’ve made them several years now and I just couldn’t face another year of rolling those sticky little coconut balls seemingly by the hundreds, dipping them into the chocolate/wax liquid, then letting them harden impaled on a toothpick stuck in some styrofoam. I needed something new this year! Enter Food & Wine magazine…oooo, holiday cookie recipes! After flipping through the section, I settled on Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies. The others looked great, but I figured the little Russian Tea cookies (or it’s many nuanced variations) would probably be making an appearance tomorrow. Plus, I just plain love anything that combines butter, sugar, chocolate, and nuts! We were asked to bring 3 dozen cookies (a fairly modest amount by cookie exchange standards–I heard of a 12 dozen party last year!). The recipe says it makes 40 sandwich cookies…perfect, I think. Now, maybe it’s just me, but have you ever actually made the full yield from any recipe? For some reason, I’m always a few short (or a dozen or two–I like big cookies). I thought I did everything correctly…I chilled the dough, I rolled it to 1/4 inch (I used my ruler to check…boy, I could use some of those roller pin thingys). Lacking a 1 1/2 inch round cookie cutter, I traipsed all over the house with my ruler measuring various potential cookie cutters…baby food jars, canning lids, pencil sharpener cases, water bottle caps. Nothing quite fit, until I checked that cupboard in the laundry …

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Holiday Hazelnut Cookies

Organica Deluxe Ginger Cookie

Not many things in December are quite as exciting as the uneven pulse of a diesel engine followed by a little “thump” on your doorstep. A package! What is it? Who sent it? (Oh, please don’t just be a ridiculous phone book….was what I was really thinking) Ooooo…what do we have here? A beautiful turquoise box big enough for a fabulous pair of shoes. I picked it up and it was surprisingly light. Not a pair of shoes, I guess. Opening the box revealed only a label and packing peanuts (completely biodegradable, water-soluble, cornstarch peanuts according to the label). And the label… Organica Deluxe “Natural, organic, sustainable, fair trade–and always luxury.” My goodness, what do we have here? Dig, dig, dig…swimming in natural packing peanuts… Oh..cookies. Two of them. Organica Deluxe Ginger Cookies to be exact. That’s right, I remember, FoodBuzz asked me if I wanted to review some products! Of course, I said “yes” to free products. But, only two cookies? Honestly, for as much info in the label about post-consumer this and biodegradable that, you’d think they could package these two lonely cookies in a far smaller box…but I digress. I went to open the cookie package only to discover that both ends of the little plastic package were jaggedly slashed, allowing the cookies to just slide out. Hmmm…should I even eat these? Are they “tainted”? Who have I been mean to lately (accidentally, of course)? Well, I guess I was a little rude to the school secretary a few weeks back when I couldn’t find my kid after school…but she doesn’t strike me as the poisoning type. (I’d better apologize, just the same) I inspected the cookies. Hmm…it looks pretty safe. I mean, poison couldn’t be colorless and odorless, could it? (haha) That was my justification, anyhow. The sweet and spicy aroma of ginger, molasses, cloves, and “other natural spices” wafted into my nostrils. The rich brown cookies studded with little sugar crystals really should be tasted. A tiny bite couldn’t hurt (I’ve spent some time building my immunity to anthrax and the lot). Teeth sinking…

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Organica Deluxe Ginger Cookie

Food postings will resume shortly

It’s been a long week and more. I do have some recipes up my sleeves but I haven’t been able to find the time to blog about it. I’ve been eating quite plainly these days with the purpose of filling the hungry tummy BUT, this weekend, there will be a feast of quails, cornish hens and chicken on a bed of parsnip puree. A birthday feast for 7 people. Till then, food posting will be sparse for now.

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Food postings will resume shortly

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