I started this blog in May 2011. And 68 recipes later, 2011 is ending!
Here are MY favorites from the year.
1. S’Mores Cookies
These cookies are always a hit. They are one of the few that I never get tired of making and always get requested.
2. Hostess Cupcakes
Delicious and will get you oooh’s & ahhh’s.
3. Maple Glazed Ribs
Yes, you CAN make ribs! Awesome ribs! Easy ribs!
4. Boston Cream Pie
I made this dessert before I even started my blog. I brought it over to lunch with my parents’s and brother. When eating dessert, I told them that I was going to start a food blog. I was worried that they’d think it was weird. But they had a positive reaction to it. And it helped that the Boston Cream Pie was good!
5. Sour Cream & Bacon Stuffed Tomatoes
6. Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Frosting
8. Brownie & Marshmallow Crunch Bars
Stay safe tonight, you crazy kids!!
As 2011 wraps up, I wanted to recap the Top 10 Recipes of 2011 on my blog.
The top 10 is based on site stats.
1. Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies
2. Almond & Oat Chicken Fingers
8. Sweet Potato & Apple Gratin
9. Brownie Cupcakes with Cookie Bottom & Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting
Thank you so much for your readership and especially for your comments!!!!
I love reading books almost as much as I love buying books.
And I love recap lists.
Here’s a list of books I read this year. So, that you think I’m smart & worldly!!
It’s mostly because I need a record of what I read to refresh the ol’ memory.
Books Read in 2011
* = a book that I’d recommend to others to read
1. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger *
If you liked reading The Time Traveler’s Wife, you’ll probably like this book. It has mystical theme too.
2. Room by Emma Donoghue *
It takes awhile to get used to the book being written by the point of view of a child, but very unique and original!
3. The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister *
I loved this book, but I lent it to a friend and she did not. But if you’re a foodie, I think you’ll enjoy it!
4. Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates
A different friend loooooves this book. I haaaaaaated this book.
5. A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore
6. Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby *
We were a split camp at book club with this one. I really enjoyed the book and related to the female character a lot.
7. Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
8. Miles from Nowhere by Nami Mun
9. The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown
10. Ghost, Interrupted by Sonia Singh
11. St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell
12. The Girl Next Door by Elizabeth Noble
13. Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner *
14. This Is Where We Live by Janelle Brown
15. Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister *
16. The Jewel Box by Anna Davis
17. Blood, Bones, and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton *
A good chef memoir!
18. The Violets of March by Sarah Jio ***
My favorite book that I read this year!
19. Labor Day by Joyce Maynard *
20. Ice Land by Betsy Tobin
21. Commencement by J Courtney Sullivan
What should I read in 2012?? I’m currently working on The Tiger’s Wife. And I am going to read The Hunger Games triology in Jan/Feb.
Do you leave your Christmas decorations up through New Years? Or do you take them down right after Christmas?
I’m in the “leave them up!” camp. I think of the Christmas season lasting from the day after Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day.
Although, it is a little depressing staring a tree with no presents under it.
And mostly, this decoration debate is a way to justify why there is a reindeer in my waffle picture. I made these waffles weeks ago and didn’t blog about them before Christmas.
Oops!! I swear, keeping to a blog schedule and some semblance of consistency with blogging needs to be my New Year’s resolution.
And maybe making waffles every weekend should be a resolution. That sounds like a great one!!
This waffle recipe is a copy cat recipe from Waffle House’s pecan waffles. They are the BEST waffles that I’ve made to date!!!
Pecan Waffles
Recipe from Food Network Magazine–Dec 2011
Ingredients:
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted & cooled
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, melted & cooled
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecans onto a cookie sheet. Bake about 5 to 7 minutes until toasted. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, buttermilk, and vanilla.
Stir the egg mixture, melted butter, and melted shortening into the dry mixture. Stir just until combined.
Preheat a waffle iron. Brush heated waffle iron with some melted butter. Ladle about 1/2 cup of batter onto your waffle iron. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the toasted pecans onto the batter.
Cook until golden brown. Repeat until all of your waffles are cooked.
Serve immediately with butter and syrup.
I realize that deviled eggs are not an earth shattering recipe, folks. I also realize that you probably already know how to make deviled eggs.
You probably already have one of those cute deviled eggs trays too. Maybe I can borrow it from you next time? I just let my eggs slip and slide all over the platter.
My point is…deviled eggs recipe on a food blog! It’s really for my own benefit! One of the reasons that I started this food blog is to have a central place for my recipe collection.
So next time, I won’t have to google “how long to boil eggs”. Yep that happened. I seriously had no clue!! I’ve only scrambled, fried, or soft-boiled eggs.
Deviled Eggs
Recipe from Simply Recipes & Food.com
Ingredients:
12 hard boiled eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons Miracle Whip
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
4 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
salt & pepper, to taste
paprika, to sprinkle on top of prepared deviled eggs
Instructions:
Tips: For easier to peel eggs, use eggs that are a few days old. You can also leave the boiled eggs in the refrigerator for a few days to get them easier to peel.
Place eggs in a saucepan. Cover eggs with 1-2 inches of cold water. The cold water to start will help keep the eggs from cracking as they boil. Add a half teaspoon of salt to the water. Place your saucepan on a stovetop burner. Put the burner on high and bring the eggs to a boil. As soon as the water starts to boil, turn off the heat and keep saucepan on burner for a minute.
After a minute, remove the saucepan from the burner. Cover the saucepan with a lid and let the eggs sit for 12-15 minutes. The residual heat from the pan keeps the eggs cooking, but they don’t get overcooked with this method.
Once eggs are cooled, peel the shells off. Slice eggs lengthwise into halves. Remove the yolks with a spoon and place them in a bowl.
Mash yolks into fine pieces with a fork. Add Miracle Whip, yellow mustard, sweet pickle relish, and salt & pepper to yolks.
Stir mixture until creamy. Spoon mixture into a pastry bag with tip. Squeeze mixture into egg white halves.
Sprinkle the tops of the eggs with paprika. Place prepared deviled eggs into the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
Devour!!!
Deviled eggs are generally gone in 2.6 seconds at a party.
Now that people that I know in “real life” know about my food blog, I sometimes get recipes from them. And sometimes, I get so excited that I make that recipe the same day.
This recipe was one of those recipes!! It’s pumpkin pie meets coffee cake!!! Loved it!
Thanks, Nancy!! :)
Pumpkin Pie Crumb Cake
Ingredients:
1 16 oz can pumpkin puree
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package of yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter, melted
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch pan. Combine pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, granualated sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Pour it into the pan. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture. Top with the chopped pecans, then drizzle melted butter over the top.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until golden. Let it cool completely.
Cut into squares and serve. Enjoy!
It’s been sleeting here today. Luckily, I didn’t have to drive anywhere.
Well, I did go outside at 9:30 am. I moved my car from across the parking lot to a parking spot right in front of my apartment. Because if it’s slick out tomorrow, there’s no way I could successfully walk across the parking lot without falling!
Does this happen to anyone else? I get so inside my head when it’s slick outside! I’m so convinced in my head that I’ll fall that I curse myself. I’ll end up taking baby steps, but I think that just makes it worse.
Can someone give me boots with spikes on the bottom for Christmas? Or some semblance of balance and grace?
Instead of driving today, I made Christmas cookies!! I’ve seen these cuties floating around on Pinterest.
Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies
What you’ll need:
Peanut butter cookies
Chocolate covered pretzels
Chocolate chips
Hot tamales
Instructions:
Bake 2 dozen peanut butter cookies using your favorite recipe or mix. While cookies are still warm from the oven, place 2 pretzels on the corners of cookies for the antlers. Place two chocolate chips (flat side up) in the middle for the eyes. And finally, use half of a hot tamale for the nose.
What do you remember about Christmas when you were young?
For me, it was the anticipation!! We always had our Christmas tree in our basement. It would have been too cramped in our upstairs living room with the Christmas tree plus presents. On Christmas morning, I wasn’t allowed to go downstairs until my Mom got up though. And I had to wait until 11 am to wake up my Mom. I kid, I kid. I probably only had to wait until 7 am. But on Christmas morning, it felt like I was waiting until 11 am.
Now, my brothers’ bedroom was in the basement though. They were already down there! Taunting me!! Me, lip quivering at the top of the stairs. Brothers, downstairs and yelling up the stairs….”Oh!! Wait until you see what Santa got you!!! We’re going to start playing with your presents!!”
Anticipation is killer.
That’s how I feel when I make cakes. I will always prefer to make cupcakes, cookies, brownies, or dessert bars. Baking actual whole cakes freak me out! You can’t eat a piece for quality assurance ahead of time. It rattles my nerves. What if I did something wrong? What if it doesn’t taste right??
Anticipation is also awesome when it works out well in the end though!
Gingerbread Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake
Recipe from PromiseMe2
Ingredients:
For the cake:
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark molasses
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1/2 cup half & half
1 & 2/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
For the cream cheese filling:
1 cup cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions:
I saw this book recommended on Jenna’s blog months ago. I loved it SO MUCH! I’m thinking that I now need to read all the books she’s recommended this year.
The Violets of March by Sarah Jio
The Violets of March is the story of Emily, an author who’s just finalized her divorce from her cheating husband and is living in NYC. She decides to travel to Washington state to stay with her great-aunt Bee for a month to try to heal.
Shortly after arriving, Emily discovers a diary in her aunt’s house from the 1940′s. Emily works to uncover the true story behind the diary while learning about herself in the process.
This book is part romance, part historical fiction, and part mystery. I sailed through this book in less than 3 days! And considering, I usually take a few weeks to read a book that’s saying something! I highly recommend this book. I haven’t enjoyed a book so much in such a long time. It’s definitely my top book read in 2011!!
Read it yourself and then share it with a friend! I plan on giving it to my friend, Kristie, to read this week.
Sharing is caring!
5 out of 5 stars
You know those people that listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving???
GUILTY!
I started listening to Christmas music before Halloween.
I can’t help it. It makes me happy! It makes me smile! It makes me want to eat Christmas cookies.
Julie’s Top 5 Favorite Christmas Songs:
5. All I Want for Christmas is You; Mariah Carey
4. Last Christmas; Wham
3. Silent Night; Michael Buble
2. O Holy Night; Celine Dion
I’m not afraid to admit it! Celine is fab! Celine can BELT out this wonderful song.
1. O Come All Ye Faithful; Josh Groban & the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
This song! This song! THIS SONG! Love! You NEED to get Josh Groban’s Noel album from iTunes if you don’t have it already.
Christmas music is great to listen to whilst baking too.
Let’s bake! Shall we?
Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
Recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Yields approximately 26 cookies
Ingredients:
For the Chocolate Cookie Dough
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
Turbinado sugar, for rolling
For the Peanut Butter Filling
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375. Line baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
To make the chocolate cookie dough:
Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set bowl aside.
Beat together the sugars, butter, and peanut butter in a bowl until smooth. Add in the vanilla, whole egg, and egg yolk. Beat until combined. Stir in the dry ingredients to the wet. Blend well.
To make the peanut butter filling: Stir together the peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Using your hands, roll the filling into 26 small balls. Place flour on your hands if they become sticky.
To shape the cookies: Using a cookie scoop, scoop out 26 balls of chocolate cookie dough. Make an indentation in the center of the chocolate ball with your finger. Place one of the peanut butter balls into the indentation.
Bring the chocolate cookie dough up and over the filling to cover the peanut butter inside. Roll the cookie in the palms of your hand to smooth it out. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Roll each rounded cookie in turbinado sugar. Place prepared dough on baking sheets. Use a flat surface to flatten each cookie to about 1/2 inch thick.
Bake cookies for 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
