Sometimes you need that extra somethin’ in your baking. Usually, I reach for Bourbon (god bless you, Kentucky), but lately I’ve been reaching for Amaretto. You may remember this lovely almond-infused liqueur from this california almond fudge pie or this incredible amaretto almond bunt cake.
What’s up, people? Are you ready for another round of the fabulousness that is Bundtbakers? I mean, I can’t hear you through my laptop so I’m assuming you all responded with a resounding “Yes!” This month’s theme is Strange but good flavor combinations. I found some weird ones out there, particularly this avocado pound cake…
You and your chocoholic loved one will devour this Dark Chocolate Heart Cake on Valentine’s Day. I can’t believe Valentine’s Day is almost here. It feels like I was just baking a Nutella Glazed S’more Bundt Cake and complaining about how it felt like Fall would never come. Ironically, here it is the middle of…
I am feelin’ this mocha biscuit cake, y’all. And I gotta tell ya: I have a soft spot for desserts that come together easily…and this dessert falls into that category.
After a much needed break, I’ve returned with a Southern favorite: Coca Cola Bundt Cake. Okay, I know what your thinking… Coca Cola Bundt Cake is not really a thing, but I’m making it a thing for this month’s #Bundtbakers. The theme, as you may have guessed, is retro desserts. When pondering old-school desserts the…
I can spin a story about my love affair with popcorn and how it’s gotten me through some pretty rough movies and blah, blah, blah.
The truth of the matter is…everyone loves popcorn. It’s popcorn! It’s universal, like porn ice cream. Read More…
This was a fun shoot. As always, preparation is the key to success and I came in with a lighting plan and a good understanding of the subject at hand. Food lighting is usually dictated by either texture or reflection and this this shoot had a bit of both. Read More…
The Ginger Lemon Tea photo shoot was the best shoot ever…until it wasn’t.
Usually, I’m a hot mess but for once, Dave and I were super-prepared. I came to the studio with a ‘list of shots’ and Dave had pre-gamed his lighting set-ups. His first shot was 80% “there” which is always a good sign. In less than two hours we had four great shots. Four! I don’t know about anyone else, but that’s a lot for us.
We couldn’t have been more prepared for work; but there was no preparation in the food department. You know, food-food, like sandwiches or something. Yes, we had plenty of raw ginger root around, but I really wasn’t trying to snack on that.
But I was in luck. You see, this was a double shoot, so there was plenty of ginger root and popcorn. Yes! Sure, I’d made the popcorn six hours before and yes, it was a bit on the cold side, but how bad could it be?
BAD!
The popcorn was so cold that it wouldn’t absorb the butter; and it was so freaking chewy that while eating it, my jaw started to cramp up. Seriously, it was like eating a big bowl of greasy packing peanuts. But I was was so crazy-hungry that my dumb-ass kept eating it.
Grabbed a beer to wash it down, but unbeknownst to me, it had expired. Now, I don’t now if it was the expiration date or beer bacteria, but that bottle was skunkified. The aftertaste kicked me in the face like Bruce Lee.
But it was too late. No takebacks. My first pull of an ice cold beer is always glug, glug, glug, so… about half of a bottle of it-used-to-be-beer-but-has-now-turned-into-vinegar was in me. All I could do was wait for my impending stomach failure.
Perhaps, a hot cup of ginger lemon tea could cure what ailed me?
Nope.
Ginger root doesn’t cure food poisoning, people! No matter what I was in for a world of hurt.
But if you have a cold, this is the tea for you. Ginger has many healing properties. It’s great for soothing sore throats and clearing nasal passages. Sometimes I like to have a glass of ginger water first thing in the morning. It energizes me and has a nice kick to it-unlike the Bruce Lee kind. That kick just puts a hurtin’ on ya.
Hello friends. Happy All Things Thursday!
My apologies; it’s been a while. Let’s dive right in. shall we?
Just in case you thought we Angelenos were completely devoid of culture, I’m here to prove you wrong. Los Angeles just became the home to a vending machine that doles out fresh burritos. Yes, it’s true. Choose a burrito, swipe your card, and pay $3 for what I can only imagine to be tortilla-wrapped mediocrity. So, if you have a hankering for a good old fashion case of mud butt, venture over to the west side and visit the Burrito Box. LAist
The Sriracha embargo has been lifted! Hooray! For those of you who have been worried about the Srirachapocalypse, worry not. Huy Fong Foods company plans to resume shipments of Sriracha at the end of January. Whew, that was a close one. Fox News
A gentleman in a Ford Freestyle crashed into a gas station yesterday morning. You’d think he had some elaborate plan to crack the safe and steal a buttload of cash, but he only took one thing…a banana. Really, dude? That’s a whole lot of work for very little pay-off. Oh, the things you do when your potassium level is low. Huffington Post
On the recipe front…
How delicious is this Hot Fudge Pie? I don’t know, but I need to find out. (Bake or Break)
Bacon Wrapped Cream Cheese Jalapeno Bites…get into it. (Doughmesstic)
Been hankering for muffins lately: Orange Poppy Seed Muffins (If You Give a Blonde a Kitchen)
I have a thing for Pan Roasted Potatoes. (Food 52)
Got a mandoline for Christmas. Thanks, Dave! Now, it’s imperative that I make:
Herbed Butternut Squash Chips (Food 52)
Baked Za’atar Egglant Fries with Lemon Tahini (The Kitchn)
Mini Herbed Pommes Anna (Bon Appetit)
and Microwave Potato Chips (The Kitchn)
I can’t believe it’s 2014! Let’s make it a good one.
You must be the change you want to see in the world.
Gandhi
Dave lied to you.
He promised that I’d write an All Things Thursday post for you last week, but I didn’t. Instead I wrote a little bit about resolutions and french toast sausages. Damn, those bad boys were good!
I guess I could’ve done a double post that day, but I just wasn’t feeling it. After french toasting and photo shooting, Dave and I took to Pasadena to check out the Rose Parade Floats.
It was a good time, but I could’ve done without the 81 degree weather. Wtf Pasadena? Can you give me a break, please?
Every year the City of Sierra Madre creates the most spectacular floats. This guy is my second favorite.
All you need is love…and a giant teddy bear, of course.
Tens of thousands of people come to see the floats every year. I think they were all standing around this one when Dave was trying to get a pic. What’s with that lady in the corner? Deep breaths, lady. We’re all in this together.
So close, yet Safari away.
Love this one. The lion is so fierce! Roar!
It is a great honor to volunteer for the Tournament of Roses. This “white-suiter” got the job done with flair.
Check out Glenbearian, aka Meatball. This beloved brown bear is infamous for stealing meatballs from the citizens of Glendale. Can you blame him?
Alhambra kills it this year with a Monster Truck.
To top it off, they put monsters in the monster truck. Brilliant!
A giant flower made out of 1,000 tiny flowers…I think my brain just exploded!
Look at the detail on those clown fish. Just…wow!
Adventures in Space: my favorite float of 2014. It was created by Public Storage.
I don’t know who came up with the idea of a crew of aliens aboard a giant rocket ship, but they blew my mind with the colors, design, and mechanics of this float. It opens up for pete’s sake!
The aliens were jettisoned from the rocket ship and drove right up to the audience. All I’m saying is…it’s a good thing we weren’t high. Kinda crazy.
…just a few of my favorites from 2014.
I’m so very lucky to live nearby so I can see, up close, all the hard work and creativity that goes into the Rose Parade Floats. I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did.
Until next time, my friends.
