Bread with dinner is almost a thing of the past. Mostly we seem to throw things on the table that streamline our lives, help us nourish our body efficiently, and allow us to move on to the next thing in 15 minutes or less.

Gone are the days of the family meal, chatting about lives, sharing thoughts and ideas, and relaxing over our dinners. Sad, really. Those moments were a time to reconnect with family, cocoon, and pass down family stories and anecdotes.

One of the components of those meals was hot dinner rolls. Steaming, fresh out of the oven, the yeasty scent of them wafting throughout the house as it drew everyone to the kitchen. No need for a dinner bell! Then on the plate, with fresh butter melting into the soft bread, spreading a golden stain as it dripped and puddled. (more…)

A few days ago on Kettle & Cup I wrote a recipe for a chocolate & earl grey terrine I had come up with. It is awesome. Well, if it wins this contest Marc and I will be headed to Napa, and chocolate…and a weekend AWAY. If you want to just vote for me because you are nice just click the chocolate icon at the top of the page. If you want more whining and begging head over to Kettle & Cup.

 

Jelly roll, rolled sponge, rolled cake; call them what you want but they are impressive and really, really good.  Most people are intimidated by them because they look difficult to do but, in actuality, they are one of the quickest, easiest desserts around.  The sponge takes only about 15-20 minutes to bake, cools quickly and you can get it on the table usually in less than an hour with practice.  Give it a try, it isn’t as hard as you may think. (more…)

Every once in awhile some one sends me a cookbook to checkout and potentially review. I always like doing that for a couple of reasons. One, I am naturally nosey, so when I can get a cookbook and read someone else’s recipes that is just cool. Second, I have dreams of doing a cookbook myself someday so it is just planting good seeds to be nice about looking at someone else’s.

101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes is a really excellent collection of cookie recipes. I do not know if there are a hundred and one, the authors say there are and who am I to doubt them? There are certainly alot. I will count them later. (more…)

I have been so busy lately I have not involved myself in the Jousts and the other roundups that I normally do. I wanted to do another terrine for WTSIM… at The Passionate Cook, a savory one this time, and the ingredients Dharm had picked for the Leftover Queen’s Royal Foodie Joust were:

• eggplant
• lentils
• cinnamon

And so, I thought perhaps a vegetable terrine with Morroccan overtones. There is no real recipe for this, I just tasted and adjusted as I went..but I did measure so I could repeat the recipe.

Eggplant separates the layers of terrine, with a spiced/sweet lentil filling and onion/garlic filling between. Serve hot or at room temp. (more…)