Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Cranberry Orange Crumb Cake


I know you’ve probably had your fill of carbs by now from all the holiday baking but I felt the need to post one last recipe just in case you still have a house guests or need a New Years Day brunch idea.  I adapted this recipe from a blueberry coffee cake that Cook’s Illustrated did a few years back.  Blueberries are not in season so rather than pay a fortune for sub par fruit that’s traveled from great distances, I’d rather go with ones that are in season.  I thought cranberries and oranges would be a wonderful combination, perfect for the season, and it was.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Happy Holidays



In the spirit of saving trees, we hung our ornaments in the front window.  Hope you have a wonderful holiday season with family and friends!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Snickerdoodles - 3 Ways


I’ve said it before, cookies make an excellent holiday gift.  They’re inexpensive and easy to make and almost everyone loves them.  This year I made snickerdoodles, three ways, for the people I work with.  I started by adapting a Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodle recipe by Isa  Chandra, and eliminated the cinnamon and cayenne pepper.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Chickpea, Chard and (Soy) Sausage Soup


When the weather goes from unseasonable warm and windy to freezing overnight like it did last week, it’s time for soup.  Soup is one of the best comfort foods.  It’s good for you and inexpensive to make.  Packed full of beans and greens, and garnished with some Tofurky Beer Brats, this soup is the perfect end to a very cold winter day.  I love to make big pots of soup so I can eat the leftovers for lunch.  

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Growing Pomegranates


Two years ago we bought a pomegranate tree.  We chose the “Wonderful” variety because of it’s size, soft seeds, high water content and excellent flavor.  It thrives in a variety of well drained soils and grows best in full sun.  It will tolerate cold temperatures during winter down to 20° F.  Pomegranates are self-pollinating and typically ripen in the late fall in California.