tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57862704294718897542011-07-30T19:42:21.066-06:00Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.comBlogger571100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-60309190750489423092010-09-19T17:51:00.000-06:002010-09-19T17:51:22.779-06:00

Hello, friends! It's been a long time. I'm sorry. As some of you may know, I'm a graduate student, and school started for us a few weeks ago. I've been busy with beginning of semester stuff, as well as some looming program deadlines. I haven't been cooking much at all, and have been suffering mightily for it. So has Jeff, patient man that he is. But, last night I finally cooked again. I've

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-42220985863380577112010-08-19T08:55:00.000-06:002010-08-19T08:55:00.930-06:00

Okay, okay, so this isn't actually challenging at all. The challenging part was that I had never made couscous before, and I can't exactly remember eating it either. So it was adventurous for me on that account, but that's it. And this is my blog, so there. And, if it weren't a challenge, I wouldn't actually be posting it, because I didn't think it was that good. The flavors fell flat in my

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-38546239923952038612010-08-17T08:25:00.003-06:002010-08-17T08:25:00.684-06:00

Weeks ago...nay, months ago, I won a cookbook giveaway from lisamichele.wordpress.com, and she sent me a copy of The Sweet Melissa Baking Book. I was so stoked when I got it, I pored over it, and dog-eared recipes I was dying to make, and dreamed of the treats melting in my mouth. And then life happened. The book got shelved away, along with my baking dreams. I planned on baking from it

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-9415928099225772942010-08-13T08:13:00.001-06:002010-08-13T08:13:00.588-06:00

I have a neighbor who does not bake. She used to, but has no desire anymore. She just doesn't enjoy the work. And although she loves baked goods, she and her husband get along just fine without her baking. But this is mostly because she has me and another neighbor, who have made it a habit to share whenever we bake. It works out great, actually. I love baking (mostly the eating part, I'll

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-91766158308574537802010-08-10T08:53:00.000-06:002010-08-10T08:53:00.787-06:00

I have very few memories from my childhood. Saying that makes me sound like some poor abused refugee kid, but I assure you, I had a very normal, middle-class suburban childhood. I was just a sensitive child to being bullied. So, in a move towards self-preservation, I have blocked out much of my childhood. It's sad, really...I remember mostly bad moments...and I'm quite sure I had much happier

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-18169042466524231082010-08-04T14:20:00.000-06:002010-08-04T14:20:16.170-06:00

Junior Chef is eating solids now. So far, she loves it all, with the exception of oatmeal. But, she'll gobble that down if we mix in some bananas or applesauce. I'm so pleased she loves food! But, feeding her requires me to think about grocery shopping a little differently. I have to be prepared for the next food,  I have to make sure to have fresh bananas and avocados on hand (and that they

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-79968305785737573032010-07-27T11:13:00.005-06:002010-07-27T11:13:00.343-06:00

I have a secret. Pioneer Woman's recipes rarely work out for me. I always want them to, I really do! I love reading Ree's posts. I try her recipes often. But most of the time, they're just okay. It makes me so sad! But, the other day, I tried another one. See, she just makes them sound so wonderful. You know. You all read Pioneer Woman. She makes her food sound just delightful. And I love

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-51583866178432613132010-07-24T11:12:00.000-06:002010-07-24T11:12:39.782-06:00

A few years ago, I worked as a secretary at a university. In my department, we had lots of student employees and I interacted with most of them on a fairly regular basis. It was a really fun place to work, and most everyone became close friends throughout the semesters. If it weren't so stressful during the regular school year, I'd really miss working there. Due to the nature of our department

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-6587616003134519342010-07-21T14:21:00.000-06:002010-07-21T14:21:03.851-06:00

It's finally time to start thinking about how to use delicious garden vegetables! Hurrah! Last week, Jeff and I visited his family in LA. It was a great trip, and it was fun to get away from the daily cares of our lives. Plus, Grandma loved caring for Junior Chef (age 6 mo.) so I was off the hook for a few days, which is always nice. When we got back, though, we had driven for two days (in

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-34767896786217437352010-07-13T21:56:00.002-06:002010-07-13T22:30:55.524-06:00

I am a food snob. There's no denying it, unfortunately. I like eating good food, and so often, typical chain-restaurant food does not measure up. The food is often salty (a sure sign that it is full of preservatives) the vegetables are frozen, or the food is prepared cafeteria-style (in huge quantities and plated from vats) and that is never good. Mexican restaurants are notorious for serving

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-72430568565796716012010-07-08T20:41:00.002-06:002010-07-09T08:22:20.767-06:00

There's a restaurant near my house. It's famous for its pizza, and rightly so. We love getting the chicken artichoke, but substituting tomatoes for the spinach. It's pretty delicious. But they also serve pasta. And they serve an all-you-can-eat pasta bar. I only need one plate. I mean, really. Pasta's pretty filling. In my younger days, I could stomach more than one plate, but now...well, I

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-26904869635819264722010-07-04T21:25:00.001-06:002010-07-04T22:24:20.959-06:00

Preserve that perfect strawberry taste, even with imperfect strawberries, with this ice cream. It tastes so fresh, I can hardly stand it. If it only it were as healthy for you as fresh strawberries! But hey, it's loaded with a full pound of strawberries, so it can't be all that bad for you, can it? This recipe is perfect when strawberries go on sale for a dollar a pound. You can buy a lot, and

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-7411772119838604422010-06-24T15:54:00.005-06:002010-06-24T15:54:00.579-06:00

We recently celebrated our fifth anniversary. I can hardly believe we've been married that long; it's just flown by! To celebrate, we took it easy. Earlier in the day, I picked up a mini cake from a local bakery, The Chocolate Dessert Cafe. When Jeff got home from work, we went out dinner at a great Italian restaurant and took a walk. Simple. But it sparked this post. See, the bakery is just

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-56557016260886968912010-06-19T17:16:00.000-06:002010-06-19T17:16:00.224-06:00

There are SO many countertop kitchen appliances out there. And so many of them perform precisely ONE function. Which, to me, feels wasteful. They do take up a lot of room, after all. I got rid of our electric can opener a few years ago because I just thought it was a waste of space. Are we really opening so many cans that we need an appliance to do it for us so we don't get carpel tunnel? I don't

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-83650642801209721392010-06-15T10:20:00.001-06:002010-06-15T10:20:00.073-06:00

When I was in college, I studied abroad in Paris for a semester. It was amazing. I loved it, and I wish I had been more adventurous or more experienced, because I wasted a lot of my time while I was there. I loved it just the same, and felt like I really grew a lot. I learned to know and love a city besides the one where I grew up, and I learned to find my way around. I became a lot more

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-58769575450729981782010-06-12T08:27:00.004-06:002010-06-12T08:27:00.896-06:00

When we moved into our new home two years ago, I threw caution to the wind and planted a vegetable garden. I didn't know what I was doing, but the previous owner had installed raised garden beds complete with soaker hoses hooked up to the sprinkling system, and so it was easy. Well, it seemed easy. That's the thing: anyone can garden. But not everyone can do it well. I don't do it well. But I

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-81381970935377199512010-06-09T19:56:00.000-06:002010-06-09T19:56:19.768-06:00

I love when a recipe is both surprisingly easy and amazingly delicious. It's so rewarding. It makes you feel like a master chef, and you get to enjoy the fruits of your non-labor. Such was the case with these scones. Which is why there was only one left to take a picture with. At least until I gave it to my sister a minute after taking this picture, at which point it was promptly devoured. This

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-547991515410151812010-06-05T20:27:00.000-06:002010-06-05T20:27:52.178-06:00

One thing I love about where I live is that even though it isn't exactly metro, I can get some really high quality treats. We have a few artisan bakeries and other fun dessert options. We have a local mill that (I've heard) mills great flour (I've been meaning to try it, okay?). Yes, despite being no where interesting, we have delicious food options. That ability to get great treats locally is

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-74575641533873576232010-06-04T15:41:00.000-06:002010-06-04T15:41:54.251-06:00

I love dessert. I have quite a sweet tooth. But I've never really gotten into cake. So many cakes are too fluffy, and I like dense desserts. So when I make cakes, I opt for molten cakes, quick breads, and pound cakes. Those...those are right up my alley. Desserts you can really sink your teeth into. Desserts that are substantial. I love them. But I still don't make them very often. I guess

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-77526589764770272782010-06-03T18:42:00.000-06:002010-06-03T18:42:03.497-06:00

Because I am. I apologize. This time of year is hectic for everyone, I know. Within about 4 weeks, we have mother's day, memorial day, and father's day, and families with school-aged children deal with the last days of school. On top of that, I have Jeff's birthday and our anniversary, and I've been taking a graduate class, so we have our final projects and final exam coming up in about a week.

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-9641108876841348992010-05-28T21:46:00.000-06:002010-05-28T21:46:52.031-06:00

Small pillows of fluffy, sugary goodness. Homemade marshmallows are the perfect snack for someone with a sweet tooth. That is, if you can eat just one. And they are nothing like the ones you can get at the grocery store. These are worth eating, spending the calories. If I had chocolate to dip them in, I would do it, because chocolate-covered marshmallows are one of my favorite treats. I might

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-20936389854362272082010-05-26T20:05:00.000-06:002010-05-30T09:44:24.391-06:00

About a month ago, my friend Sunny had a birthday. She and I, as well as our friend Julie, are firm believers that no woman should have to cook dinner on her birthday. So Julie and I made her dinner. It didn't actually end up being on her birthday because she went out with family. So she didn't cook anyway. But, this was our way of helping her celebrate. Planning birthday menus is fun, if

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-2228001242388678872010-05-24T09:37:00.001-06:002010-05-24T09:37:00.076-06:00

Some days are soup days. Especially in the fall and spring, when we have so many in-between days--one day will be nice, and the next...well, not so nice. Those days, when it's cold and rainy (or even snowy), call for soup. It warms the soul and makes the days seem less disappointing. Soup just does that. We've had a lot of those days lately...spring has been slow in coming this year. We put our

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-53297817942812340322010-05-17T10:13:00.001-06:002010-05-17T12:16:32.589-06:00

My first exposure to Indian cuisine was when I was a junior in college. Near the university I attended, there is a very popular Indian restaurant run by some Indian immigrants. At the recommendation of my friend, I tried the Chicken Coconut Korma. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Over the course of my education, I visited that restaurant frequently. I share my passion for Indian food

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-90208210625765058832010-05-17T10:06:00.000-06:002010-05-17T12:18:32.749-06:00

Sorry everyone, for the mini sabbatical last week. I had company and between preparing my house and hosting, I was pretty busy. But everyone has left and my house is quiet. I will get posting again, I promise. And there are some good things coming, too! Indian cauliflower, strawberry ice cream, minestrone...They're worth the wait, I promise. Again, sorry to abandon the blog for a week.

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-63315483196253871582010-05-09T20:55:00.001-06:002010-05-09T20:55:00.370-06:00

I mentioned earlier that I buy my meat in bulk when it's on sale and freeze it. This works out great. Except that it's often unpredictable when meat will go on sale again, so when  my stores get low, I tend to get very protective. Yes, I'm crazy. So, yesterday, I went to make dinner. I'd found a recipe for sticky coconut chicken (and I LOVE coconut). But when I looked for chicken, all I found

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-40710868165484855302010-05-05T10:46:00.005-06:002010-05-09T21:23:38.117-06:00

I love PF Changs. Love it. We don't go often, but when we do, it never disappoints. The food is so flavorful. Nothing is bland. Part of the reason we don't go very often is that we have to order lettuce wraps as an appetizer. We have to. And then, it's just a lot of food after everything is said and done. Sure, you can always take what's left home, but it's never as good. Plus, if you are going

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-60193895211582419002010-05-03T09:35:00.006-06:002010-05-03T22:13:36.278-06:00

Sometimes when I don't know what to make for dinner (even though I've already laid a menu for the week...) I come up with great ad-libbed dinners. Other times, I just don't cook and we eat toast. Hey, just keeping it real. Last week, I came up with something good. I have no idea where the idea came from, because it's really just a basic marinade with an Asian twist. It's probably a simplified

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-55120315766099017032010-04-30T09:35:00.000-06:002010-04-30T09:35:00.592-06:00

I, like many of you I'm sure, have a very extensive cookbook collection. I have over 30 cookbooks, and I should go through and give some away, because I have more than I need. And yet, I still continue to buy more... I love looking through them, especially ones with beautiful, glossy photos. They are so much fun for me, I'm sure you understand. I'm sure many of you have the same weakness.

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-27516785845458177302010-04-28T10:43:00.009-06:002010-04-28T10:43:00.610-06:00

I saw some photos of homemade thin mints over at Lisa Is Cooking, and have been meaning to make them since. Problem is, Lisa has a great policy and refuses to publish already-published-recipes unless she actually changes them enough to justify it. Kudos, to Lisa, for making sure she's being legal. (By the way, I feel confident that I am posting recipes within legal bounds). But, that made it

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-2464120745260061732010-04-26T11:47:00.002-06:002010-05-03T22:13:36.279-06:00

Asparagus has got to be one of my favorite vegetables. But, it's generally pretty expensive, so I don't get to buy it very often. But when it goes on sale...I love it. I don't have a lot of recipes that call for asparagus because, as mentioned, I don't buy it very often. But this is one I love. I found it in an American Heart Association cookbook, one written for low cholesterol diets. No, I'm

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-44721894306026555142010-04-23T09:29:00.002-06:002010-04-24T22:30:59.918-06:00

I made my first "skillet meal" a couple of months ago, and I was instantly hooked. It doesn't sound cool and it's certainly not fancy or showy, but it's a perfect meal when you don't have a ton of time. It's basically well-rounded, it's filling, and it usually involves pasta. And we all know how I feel about pasta! The first skillet meal recipe I made came from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. And I have

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-72263515195193218312010-04-21T09:10:00.013-06:002010-04-23T09:33:07.889-06:00

A couple weeks ago, whipping cream was on sale. When it's on sale, I can't help but pick up a couple; if I don't make ice cream with it, I could make alfredo. If I don't make alfredo, I could make any number of other things, or just whip it up and eat it over a nice, chocolatey brownie. I'm a fan of cream. Even though it's horribly awful for your health... Then, I forgot about that cream I

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-32651266984492584562010-04-19T08:52:00.038-06:002010-04-19T08:52:00.353-06:00

I love beef with broccoli. I really enjoy Asian food because you feel like you are eating healthy food: it has so many vegetables, and you can stir fry things in minimal oil. As a general rule, though, I don't enjoy Chinese restaurants. Too many of them use poor-quality meat and I end up chewing on a piece of gristle. Yuck. So, we are limited to PF Changs and an upscale Chinese restaurant a few

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-48671525212274491072010-04-16T09:16:00.003-06:002010-04-16T09:16:00.325-06:00

It's that time of year again...time to think about the garden! Are you gardening this year? I am really new to gardening. We bought a house just two years ago when we moved to Utah from Los Angeles (anyone who can afford a house in LA gets all my respect) and our backyard had some raised garden beds with soaker hoses already prepared. So that first year, I threw caution to the wind and dove right

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-32221584216272305202010-04-15T16:55:00.000-06:002010-04-15T16:55:29.712-06:00

I just got my first order from Penzey's and I'm so excited to try them. I have resisted ordering spices online because I figured my palate was not that discerning and that it really couldn't matter that much. But, then I ran out of Herbes de Provence, which I bought in Provence when I was there a couple of years ago, and I cannot survive without my Provencal herbs. I use them several times a week

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-69982348014913538832010-04-14T11:07:00.001-06:002010-04-14T11:07:00.857-06:00

Wondering what to do with the rest of that frozen spinach from the stuffed pasta shells earlier this week? I always wonder. How many recipes call for more than a half a box of frozen spinach? And, you have to thaw it to take out half and the box specifically says not to refreeze. Argh! I never know what to do with the other half and it usually goes in the garbage two weeks later, after I have

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-83498714940456930742010-04-12T07:44:00.061-06:002010-04-12T07:44:00.112-06:00

Like I've said earlier, we love pasta here at our house. We have several staples we go through on a pretty regular basis, and I always have plenty of dry pasta stashed away in the pantry; I stock up when it goes on sale. I don't think there's anything worse than a pantry without pasta in it. It can be such an easy and quick meal when you've had a hectic day. I know it's a big no-no for the

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-52610303413691214342010-04-09T08:40:00.002-06:002010-04-11T22:37:56.255-06:00

Like many of you, I read Pioneer Woman daily. I love her wit and her photos, and I love her recipes. I admire the woman; she seems to come up with recipes so easily. Is it any wonder she has thousands and thousands of hits every day? Back in February, she posted a recipe for Cajun Chicken Pasta. Like everything else, it looked delicious and I had to try it--we are into pasta here at our house.

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-4993405391323277882010-04-07T12:48:00.001-06:002010-04-07T22:12:45.949-06:00

Shortly after I started this blog, I had a dream. A glorious dream. Okay, it wasn't really a dream, I was definitely awake. But this dream kept me lying awake in bed, when I should have been sleeping. I could not get it out of my head. The idea was Samoa ice cream. Girl Scout Cookies had just been delivered. And naturally, like many of you I'm sure, my passion for Girl Scout Cookies had just

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-86788986422954019052010-04-05T10:13:00.001-06:002010-04-26T16:34:38.639-06:00

We often collaborate on dinner with our neighbors. It's wonderful; it motivates both of us to cook, we make great dinners, we get to hang out together, and everyone wins! I often bring breadsticks because I have a great recipe, and they are almost always the first thing to go. Her oldest daughter loves them and would eat them all if we would let her. We also use them to bribe her second daughter,

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-10179326353052589782010-04-03T21:53:00.012-06:002010-04-06T16:14:05.730-06:00

I know I said I cook everything from scratch...and that's (mostly) true. But, I haven't figured out how to replace the tomato soup in this recipe, and I don't know if I really want to. See, this is a recipe from my mom, and I love it. It was something she made a lot when I was growing up and it was one of my favorite meals. I remember fighting over the meatballs with my siblings, and I remember

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-37239394276337190102010-04-02T16:43:00.000-06:002010-04-02T16:43:00.107-06:00

There are endless kitchen tools to buy. Some very handy, others...not so much. Does anyone really need onion goggles? I don't think so...and I (personally) believe that there is something to be said for an uncluttered kitchen.  Some things are indispensable, though, and warrant the space. Like the two sets of measuring cups and spoons I have. Because, don't you know that whenever I go to cook, my

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-41814437969170843072010-04-01T13:16:00.001-06:002010-04-01T13:16:01.032-06:00

What a mouthful! Years ago, I was a leader for a girls' church group. I had just 4 girls, ages 8 to 11. I was always trying to think of activities to do with them, and many of them centered around food. What can I say? I have always been a sucker for treats. In order to make it more service-oriented, I decided to help them make cookies in a jar as gifts that they could give to people they

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-36877925733805436572010-03-30T12:49:00.003-06:002010-03-30T12:49:00.343-06:00

I think granola is a very personal thing. I mean, everyone has their own preferences. I got my recipe from Barefoot Contessa, and in the introduction to the recipe, she claims hers is the best granola and that she merely built on someone else's granola. Well, I happen to think that MY granola is the best ever, and I have just tweaked hers. See? Very personal. So. I'm posting my recipe and take

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-13735793460119909032010-03-27T10:13:00.002-06:002010-03-27T10:13:00.763-06:00

In December, before I had my baby, I made a big batch of Morning Glory Muffins. I got the recipe from my good friend, Julie, because she makes them all the time and I love them. It proved to be a very wise choice: I froze them and they became the perfect go-to breakfast while I figured out how to be a mom. It worked so well, I made more about a month after she was born. Julie got the original

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-59100554764933133722010-03-26T13:36:00.005-06:002010-05-25T16:39:44.394-06:00

Trusty Dishwasher Jeff requested Calzones last week. And I aim to please, so I made them for him. I was a little concerned, because I had eaten calzones that weren't cooked all the way through (and in Venice, no less!), calzones that were doughy...so I was a hesitant to make them. But, after some googling, I noticed that most recipes used a basic pizza dough, and I had a recipe I loved, so I just

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-27907396252348391022010-03-25T18:56:00.028-06:002010-03-25T18:56:00.205-06:00

If you'll recall from last week, I made a sourdough starter and then questioned how it was doing...well, I still wasn't sure, but I thought I might as well go for it. It seemed like the right consistency, and rather than just discard what I removed to feed it, I thought I would use it to try and bake. If it didn't work, I wasn't out much, just the extra flour really. So, I headed back over to

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-84302934658711799672010-03-23T12:28:00.008-06:002010-03-23T12:28:00.263-06:00

I discovered leeks about 2 years ago. I had never cooked with them before, but found an Asian-style recipe that included them and I always try to do a recipe correctly at least the first go-around. Well...most of the time, anyway... See, my mom does not like leeks. So I never had them growing up. When I tried them, though, I knew we would be life-long friends. And we have been. I just wish they

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-35789098323395781682010-03-21T23:16:00.003-06:002010-03-22T20:55:22.590-06:00

I had forgotten how truly amazing homemade ice cream is. Last summer, I took a bit of a sabbatical from the kitchen...I was pregnant and exhausted. The last thing on my mind was making ice cream! Although, I probably would have loved eating it, I didn't need the extra weight. But, I got a new ice cream maker for Christmas, and I have been itching to try it out. I finally had the energy, and

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-7298873087675906752010-03-20T13:34:00.005-06:002010-03-22T20:55:22.591-06:00

I grew up in a popcorn-eating family. We ate popcorn often, and my dad was the best at making it. Lots of butter, lots of salt...yum. Butter really does make everything taste better. Whenever we are at my parents' house, we can pretty much bet on having popcorn, and we still always eat it out of huge metal bowls. I'm sure they serve some culinary purpose, but we always just used them for

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-60551966122252049282010-03-19T13:58:00.004-06:002010-03-20T14:20:55.163-06:00

So, I'm not entirely sure this is working. My mixture smells like alcohol, and I think that is probably a good sign. But it's thin, and it's not bubbling anymore, although it still separates. Maybe this is what the blogger on King Arthur meant when she said "Frankly, I tried to make my own from scratch, and it simply wasn’t a happy experience." I'd post a picture, I really would, but it

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-61333709068023404032010-03-18T18:22:00.002-06:002010-03-20T14:21:31.164-06:00

I have heard people throw around the term "starter" for a while. I think when I was a freshman in college, a boy in the next dorms over had a starter he used frequently. He bragged about how it had been around since the Gold Rush. Hearing that made me feel intimidated by it; if it's something that people cherish so much and keep around for so long, it MUST be difficult. This fear was confirmed

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-41163115915788930662010-03-17T17:41:00.004-06:002010-03-22T20:56:39.671-06:00

My good friend turned me onto the My Kitchen Cafe blog. Her recipes seem to be right in line with how I cook, so I was really pleased to discover it. I've already made a couple of dishes from her site and they have been good. Tonight, I made Chicken Spiedies. The same friend that told me about the blog also raved about these sandwiches. When I saw the picture, I thought they looked okay, but

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-67551132716457759522010-03-17T16:13:00.003-06:002010-03-20T14:22:20.496-06:00

I'm a list girl. I have all kinds of lists all over my house. Most of them are shopping lists, some are to-do lists, and others are, well, just lists. It's such a quick way to say so much, I think. So concise. And as an English major, I have to say, concision is cool. I'll post lists here a lot; I already have several ideas for other lists to post here, and who knows how many others I'll come up

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-62859180176238811312010-03-15T13:18:00.002-06:002010-03-20T14:22:43.471-06:00

I have so many recipes that I love. And I'm continually trying new ones, thanks to my extensive cookbook collection and the internet. So, what to post first? Chocolate! Naturally. If you don't like chocolate, I'm just not sure we can be friends. Just kidding. But seriously, I love chocolate. Conveniently for this blog, Jeff and I will be eating with some neighbors and I have been assigned

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786270429471889754.post-48540169718025387572010-03-15T13:08:00.000-06:002010-03-15T13:18:47.017-06:00

Hi! Thanks for visiting. I'm Becca, and I'm on a quest to conquer all the recipes I've feared my whole life. Things like Bagels. Sourdough Bread. And tarts.I'll be posting all my (mis)adventures right here on this blog, along with lots of my favorite recipes as I work on archiving them on my new computer (Windows 7 is great! I love tagging files!)My trusty sidekick is of course my favorite

Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405985429568422236noreply@blogger.com0