Crunchy Coconut Oil Granola with Pineapple and Cashews

This pina colada style granola is crunchy and crisp. Perfect for eating out of hand, sprinkled on yogurt or ice cream, or topped with milk. I often leave it on the counter for Manservant who grabs it by the handful. I can't claim that it is calorie free, but it sure is a good pick me up.

Since I posted my crack granola, I've kind of been on a granola whirl. I made it for a friend's daughter

New Style BBQ or 3 Twists on Old Favorites

After looking at this photo I realized it doesn't look too out of the ordinary. Kind of your typical old fashioned bbq on a plate. Corn, slaw and chicken. I'm down! Truth is though, it isn't quite like that. Sometimes I think outside the box and need something a bit less traditional. I never know what I'm going to come up, but in this case it turned out pretty good.

And why I am calling

Macaroons, Version 2 and Hot Times in the Desert

I came back with a tan-how's that for a hot opener? It feels so good. And now it is back to the routine, as my father says. I think he lives for the sake of routine. I, on the other hand, have a hard time with that path. Not that I don't have a routine, but mine is always ready to be broken! Phoenix was beautiful and the weather was perfecto. Passover was glorious. My kids were there and what

Thai Pork Dip or Don't Be a Dip

Go ahead. Look up the word dip. I've never realized just how many meanings there are for the word. My favorite from the Urban Dictionary goes like this: "Dip -  leave abruptly. To get the hell out of somewhere."  In this case at least, with this recipe, it would go something like this: "Quit being a dip. If you don't put that damn dip in front of me, I'm going to dip right out of here."

Kadayif, Kadaif, Kanafe, Kanofa or Whatever you Want to Call It

It occurred to me that maybe some of you might seek out a Middle Eastern or Greek market searching for za'atar. If that is the case, you need to search for kadayif, too. I love Middle Eastern pastries. Now most of you are probably familiar with baklava and I love that. But another fun pastry that involves another type of fillo is called kadayif. I've posted about it before but wanted to

Balinese Chicken or Take Me Away!

 Take me away - to Bali. Please.

 Leave it to manservant to leave the taxes to October 15th. He mailed them at 11:50 PM last night. I am exhausted. I was entering bank statements for 3 days because he sprung this upon me, very last minute. I deserve a trip to Bali. Right?





 Ahhhh-well, it's been a crazy year. But I would be happy to do taxes if it meant a trip to Bali.

Coconut Rum Tres Leches Cake and A Special Request

 I'm really good at special requests. And they make me feel so special. I mean no one asks you to do something unless they think you can do it- right?  And that, to me, is flattering. I get it all the time in my small business because all I do is custom work. Now that wedding season is upon us I am doing lots of custom gifts for people needing special gifts. Generally, I take

Give Me Some Sauce Tuesday or Peanut Party Sauce

 Years ago when my kids were wee ones, I discovered peanut sauce. Or maybe it was they discovered peanut butter and then I discovered peanut sauce. I'm not a big fan of peanut butter though I do get cravings now and then, particularly when I'm sick. Go figure. When I'm down and out I like peanut butter spread lightly on toast, (preferably Pepperidge Farm or challah) and then lots of

Not My Mama's Cherry Pie and Toasted Coconut Cookies

Not My Mama's Cherry Pie









               “If life is a bowl of cherries, then
what am I doing in the pits?”

                                                           Erma
Bombeck



Today is George Washington’s
Birthday. A long, long time ago when I walked miles to school we celebrated George’s
birthday on his real birthday. I don’t think President’s Day was invented yet.

Brazilian Coconut Lime Shrimp Stew

By the time Sunday night
rolls around I am not in a great frame of mind to cook. I’ve laid around with
any luck over the weekend, and sometimes it is hard to get inspired. Going out
is not an option for us right now as our budget is very tight. I’m not a fast
food person and even if I caved and let my husband go to Chipotle I’d have a
hard time justifying the $8 or so that he would spend on

Magic Cookie Bars - Myth or Reality?

Magic Cookie Bars. Myth or Reality?




I’m not going to lie to you.

I’m
not going to lie to you.

I’ve
been gone for a few months. One month I was out of the country. The other I was
out of my head. With simplistic candor let me say I haven’t been so well.  This will get personal. Some people are a bit squeamish about
personal; so if that’s you skip now to the bottom of this page. Magic

Macaroons

 




 


When I walk into my kitchen today, I am not alone. Whether we know it or not, none of us is. We bring fathers and mothers and kitchen tables, and every meal we have ever eaten. Food is never just food. It's also a way of getting at something else: who we are, who we have been, and who we want to be.


Molly Wizenberg, A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table, 2009