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Nothing wrong with easy, if that’s what it takes

February 3, 2010

As I mentioned earlier,  January was a blur of activity here in loveyland.  Something with chocolate was definitely in order, but I was too worn out to attempt anything new or complicated.  As I sat there with my fist in the Costco-sized bag of chocolate chips, trying to decide what to make and getting whinier by the minute, it came to me.  Classic Toll House cookies!  Nah, still too complex.  Who wants to take the energy to individually scoop out cookies *and* have to put them on a tray???

Absent-mindedly reading the back of the bag – a habit I’ve had as long as I’ve been reading (seriously, who can eat without something to read?) – it hit me between the eyes like a freaking sledgehammer.  Toll House cookie BARS!  Perfect solution when you need something reeeealllly easy and comfortable.  We ended up eating a couple of them, just enough to get a taste, and then the next morning the rest went to mrslovey’s work, where they were devoured instantly.  There’s a reason these are a classic. Read the rest of this entry »

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February – Brownies and bars

February 3, 2010

Long time no see!  The end of January was a bit of a blur – unexpected travel followed almost immediately by helping loveymom through surgery and post-op care, and then a sick kitty.  Things are starting to fall back into a routine, so February should be more consistent.  We’re doing brownies and bars this month, as I’ve got a major chocolate craving at the moment.  Hope you enjoy!

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It’s beer-thirty somewhere…

January 21, 2010

The bread bug bit again last night.  Five loaves by the end of the evening, because I’m crazy.  This post is about one of them.

I didn’t want all of this month’s recipes to be sweet, but couldn’t decide what to do for savory.  I really didn’t want to have to go to the store to buy any special ingredients.  And then I realize, we have beer.  LOTS of beer.  No, we don’t live in a frat house.  We overbought for our wedding a few months ago, and even after giving a few cases away, we’re still working our way through the leftovers.  Sad but true.

Mrslovey remembered that her mom used to make beer bread from scratch.  I’ve never done it before, but how hard can it be?  After digging out the recipe card and looking it over, I’m amazed at how simple it is.  Really, really simple.  I know that lots of people swear by the beer bread mixes that you can buy at home food parties, but this recipe knocks the socks off of those.  It’s a beautiful golden brown color, fresh, tangy, and lacks the processed flavor of the boxed mixes.  And the best part?  You pay up to ten dollars (not including the beer you still have to add!) for the mixes.  Mrsloveymom’s recipe costs less than two dollars to make, beer-inclusive.  Who can argue with that?? Read the rest of this entry »

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I know it’s not fall, so what?

January 18, 2010

Mrslovey’s hometown has a Farmers Market that’s been operating in the same location for 84 years.  It’s definitely an institution, although I must admit that I have never made it there.  When we lived out there, we didn’t appreciate good local food the way we do now.  And now that we’re back in New England, opportunities to check out the market are few and far between.  Last summer Mrslovey and her mother decided to go visit the old market.  Having driven 13 hours straight the day before (and not being a member of the insane early riser club, like those two are), I opted to stay in bed.

They came back just after I woke up, proudly showing off the vast quantities of fresh produce they had acquired.  And there, in the bottom of the bag, was the most prized purchase of the morning.  The market had put together a cookbook as a fundraiser, so they each bought a copy.  People, this is no tiny mimeographed handout.  This book is substantial – over 180 pages.  The majority is, of course, delicious-looking recipes from good solid midwestern farm folk.  Also included is a history of the market, with a nice selection of pictures showing how it’s changed (and stayed the same) over the years.

Just like any community cookbook, there are sometimes multiple versions of the same recipe.  When I decided I wanted to make bread to use some pumpkin I had put up last fall, I had several to choose from.  I used two of the cookbook recipes as a basis, and added my own  variation (and glaze) to it.  It came out VERY moist, and the glaze added just the right touch.

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Everybody deserves chocolate

January 16, 2010

I just realized that the virtual oven has been quiet this week, as the real oven has been in overdrive.  Lots of baking has been going on, and most of it wasn’t quick bread or muffin related, so will have to wait for another month.  In the midst of it all, however, I took an evening to make three dozen Chocolate Breakfast Muffins from one of my favorite recipe sources, mail order catalogs, and retail stores – King Arthur Flour.   These muffins are incredible.  Little handfuls of amazingly chocolately goodness, so compelling that you want to open up the oven and lick the piping-hot batter while they bake, because you can’t possibly wait another minute to taste them.  Seriously, they’re THAT good. Read the rest of this entry »

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