CuteKittyPunk

Earlier this year I went to a birthday party - dessert potluck. Everyone was asked to share a favorite dessert. There was just one catch. It could not contain chocolate. That was easy for me. I just made mini cheesecakes. It was a very fun get together because I got to try some different kinds of desserts. One thing that I tried that I absolutely fell in love with was an English Trifle. I had never had one before - what a shame because they are the yummiest and easiest to make. I suppose it's called a trifle because it has three layers. Normally when I think of the word "trifle" it makes me think of people who worry over unimportant things. It's in the scriptures in a few different places. See this Link . Well, the dessert I had that night was a very simple thing to make. I got the recipe and tried it a few months later. Oh yummy. Here is a link to that recipe. I made it back in June. And since then, I have come across several other yummy trifles to try - they a...

Well, some of you may be wondering what is the future of Sweet Rolls that Rock - my other blog dedicated to making awesome sweet rolls? And, to be honest, I'm kind of wondering about that as well. I think, perhaps we could get some guest contributors? Anyone interested? I'm also thinking about tweaking some of my recipes to include more protein. For example, this morning I read that you can use protein powder in baked goods. You can replace up to half the flour content with a protein powder. Here is something interesting I read in Little Sugar Addicts . Do not use soy-based powders or soymilk with children. Does that set off an alarm bell for anyone? As a "mostly" vegetarian - we like to follow the Word of Wisdom in our house - we eat a lot of soy. But we do drink cow's milk. Anyways, I ask why not use soy for children? Then I read that the estrogenic properties of soy can have hormonal effects on growing bodies. Increased estrogen levels can cause ear...

I bought this book - Your Last Diet... and it's not really a diet at all. It's a way of healing from sugar addiction. It's very interesting so far. The thing I really like about the "program" is that you can take as much time as you need to work through every step. The recommended time is six to eighteen months - yes 18 - not 8. I like that. Because I don't want to quit sugar like - cold turkey. That would be not possible for me. This morning I was feeling a little bit "blah" - like not overly depressed or hopeless - just "blah" and then I grabbed a couple of Twix bars (white chocolate - limited edition) and whalaa! I was UP. I felt so good. I felt very sociable and nice to be around. I was dancing and playing with the kids. I was feeling like I'm such a cool person. And I'm such a cool Mom! And then I grabbed the book - Little Sugar Addicts (because I bought two books by the author Kathleen DesMaisons) And I read something and ...

So, I just had a baby not more than 3 months ago... and I really need to SLOW DOWN. Like Ferris Beuller says: Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. And I was wondering, how did I get distracted so easily? What matters most? My faith, my family, my friends. This baking thing - is really last of all. But for a moment there, it caught hold of me - I got caught up in "following" all these cooking and baking blogs - and in posting on foodie websites like foodieblogroll, ptitchef and foodbuzz - and for what? For my pride.... ewwww. I fell for it. And I know that it was Satan all along trying to lead me astray. He is so evil - and tricky - how he takes something virtuous and good and turns it into a vice. So, I was listening to a couple talks from this last General Conference. And I took notes and it really helped me reflect on what matters most. President Uchtdorf is so funny - he has a nice way of teaching - I lov...

Okay, this soup is really called Peanut soup with chicken and banana... but it’s garnished with Seroendeng which is a spice-blend made from coconut, peanuts and spices - and when you swirl it through the soup - it tastes just like a Chick-O-Stick. Some of you may not know what that is, so I’ll tell you. A Chick-O-Stick is one of my most favorite “old fashioned” candies from America. Recently one of my awesome family members sent me a care package full of all kinds of American candies. I specifically requested a Chick-O-Stick. She had to look pretty hard but she found me one. It was one of the first things I ate. Loved it. A Chick-O-Stick is kind of like a Butterfinger without the chocolate. It’s peanutty, crispy, sweet and it’s got coconut. In one word it’s yummy. So, I found this recipe for peanut soup and it contains bananas! Of course, I recently wrote another blogpost with recipes containing bananas... and in that post I said that a friend of mine who grew up in ...

I bought this small recipe magazine at the checkout by my local grocery store back in 2003. It’s by Gold Medal (flour). This is another thing I miss about living in the U.S. I miss those cute little recipe books that you can thumb through while waiting your turn to check out. This book has lots of festive ideas for the holidays. I’ve made this one a few times. I’ve been thinking, I could easily top any of my favorite cookies with this marshmallow and fudge frosting... maybe even cupcakes... and sweet rolls! I think it would go fantastic with PB Criss Cross cookies or pumpkin chocolate chip cookies or Snickerdoodles! Gold Medal uses cocoa cookies - I made mine with a pumpkin variation of this recipe - adapted... I think I just used 3/4 cup pumpkin puree in place of the butter and 2 extra tablespoons flour in place of the cocoa. I put some cinnamon in as well - about 1/2 teaspoon I think and that worked pretty good. This is also one of those recipes that the kids can help out with... my...

So, good news - my brother who had spent the last year or so in Afganistan away from his wife and little girls - and a few years before that in Iraq... made Sergeant and I am so happy for him - he deserves it and also because that means - he gets a bigger paycheck! With good news like that I felt like making some cookies - specifically his cookies. My brother was always baking these cookies growing up - almost every Sunday night and we couldn't stop eating them... which is why they always seemed to disappear. He actually calls them: Vanishing Oatmeal *Chocolate Chip* Cookies. One time I ate so many of them... well, maybe that isn't the right story to tell... the point is that these are addicting - because they are so SO so good. Here is Sergeant York's cookies - in his own words he says “This is the recipe I use for oatmeal cookies. It actually calls for raisins, but I use chocolate chips instead, cause I'm not a big fan of raisins, and chocolate is always good...

Bananas are a staple starch of many tropical regions. Just the other day a friend of mine from Columbia even said they eat sweet bananas together with soup - when the rest of the Netherlands - and probably most Northern countries eat soup together with bread. Another wacky thing about bananas I read today on wikipedia - is that bananas are naturally slightly radioactive... and something that those pro-nuclear energy supporters often site in favor of their arguments. And that banana shipments often set off the radiation monitors installed at US ports to dectect illegal shipments of radiological materials. And have you seen the email forward that goes around all about the nutritional benefits of bananas? Bananas are like a super food! The expression “going bananas” is from the effects bananas have on the brain... just two bananas provide enough energy for a 90-minute workout, bananas may reduce blood pressure and stroke... read more about this amazing fruit here . Aside fro...

This month's  Sugar High Friday theme is "layer cakes" sponsered by Zucchero Dolce - sweet sugar. What is Sugar High Friday? Jennifer of the Domestic Goddess fame says it's my best excuse to bake something sweet each month. Although... I don't really need an excuse. This month I chose to bake Spumoni Cake. Here is a cake that I've had my eye on baking for years. It's from one of my most favorite cook books - Make-A-Mix Cookery. I've slightly adapted it and it's super duper sweet - perfect for achieving a sugar high on Friday or any day for that matter. I recommend baking this for a special occasion or when having friends over - don't eat it alone - may cause an overdose! It's a delightful blend of flavors and colors. I didn't have a few ingredients on hand, so I slightly altered the recipe. Adapting a recipe to your liking is best for experienced cooks anyways - my husband didn't like the peppermint in the recipe - so next time ...

So, I'm going to do a series of reviews of certain food products like Knorr and Conimex - and the reason for this is that I'm actually using these products a bit more regularly now... the reason being: Siembra. What is Siembra you may ask? Who is more appropriate... Siembra is my baby girl - she was born just days after the full moon in August and she's beautiful. She's also lots of work and my reason for lots less food blogging. It's on my mind a lot though - this is my one hobby that I really love right now and so when I get a moment free time I want to do it... the moments are few and far between. Okay, that's not true... I also have baking and cooking - those are my hobbies, too - I think I love baking far more than blogging about what I just baked... but because of the time restraints - baking and cooking are happening far less right now - creativity is about out the door and I'm using Knorr and Conimex to help out a bit. My first review goes to Kn...

I did not make this cake... I did eat! In my favorites... listed in the side column - you will find a link to Ons Eetcafe - in Eindhoven. I have found that they make a most delicious chocolate cake. Their own version of Death by Chocolate and you cannot find another one like it around - not for miles and miles. I looooove it. The middle is especially good - it's like milky and creamy and caramelly almost. I don't know how they do it. I've looked for several recipes online but none seem to compare to theirs... my good friend is even considering getting a job there just for a few months to learn the trade secrets... :) kind of funny I know... but it's seriously good cake. My husband suggests - that I just ask them how much they want for the recipe... but I think I'll just skip the baking and eat theirs when I'm in the mood... then I don't have to do the clean up... and I don't have to be stuck with a giant cake that might actually kill me... would ki...

What do you do when your 39 weeks pregnant, it's summer vacation, the kids are stuck inside cause of the rain and if you lay on the couch you just know you'll fall asleep? Bake! So, that's just what I did. I got up off the couch, and I walked to my shelf full of cook books and I looked for something to make. I felt like having something chocolately... I let the kids turn the living room into their house/tent for the day - they got all the blankets and pillows they could use for that - and while they played, I baked. I have a friend that has been posting a lot of links related to Baltimore Berger  (Bergers) cookies on facebook lately, and I found a recipe for them some time ago, so I finally decided to make some. Luckily, I even had all the ingredients on hand (as long as I cut the recipe in thirds - which I did)... then I also decided to make some chocolatey fudge gelato as well. If you are not familiar with Baltimore Berger cookies - let me just tell you - they are pil...

I love horchata - Mexican horchata that is. When I went to Spain last fall I found some tiger nut horchata and I didn't like it at all. When I first had Mexican horchata it was just at some hole in the wall dive that my Dad took us to and it was delicious. I fell in love with it right there. Afterall, almost everything is better with a bit of cinnamon - expecially a nice cold drink over ice. I've been told recently from a friend that you can also make it with whole wheat. That I haven't tried yet but this is my super easy version of Mexican horchata: Super Easy Horchata Recipe - serves 2-3. 1/2-3/4 liter cold vanilla-flavored rice milk (Rice Dream) 2 tablespoons ground almond meal 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8-1/4 cup raw sugar (to taste) or a couple drops of liquid Stevia Blend all together in blender till frothy. Serve over ice if desired. (I like it really cold over ice - yum). Recently I was a bit sick with the "d" word. I don't like to ...

I love eating "breakfast" for dinner. I love to eat at Diners. My favorite Diner that I miss the most is 5 & Diner. They had them all over Phoenix. I use to always get an Oreo milkshake and they would give you the extras in that tin cup. And I would order hashbrowns, eggs and toast. Simple but oh so good. I recently found out that my grandmother also loved Oreo Blizzards. So that is something we have in common. She died recently and this was listed in the handout at the funeral. Next time I'm in the states I'm totally going over to DQ and getting myself an Oreo Blizzard in her honor... and I'll be sure and stop by a diner and eat all my favorites as well. So, occasionally for dinner I make a special "diner night" and I often serve pancakes and hashbrowns, egg omelets or egg "mc" muffins but this time I served Potatoes O'Brien and French Toast. I've read that there are hundreds of different variations of Potatoes O'Brien. I ...

Several years ago I clipped this recipe from a Woman's Day magazine - August 2004 - this recipe is adapted from Mario Batali's Ziti with Pesto. I have never seen ziti pasta in a regular grocery store so I always make it with penne. It's delicious served warm or cold. Personally, I like it warm with extra mozzarella melted on top. It's easy to make and will remind you of eating at some place special like The Macaroni Grill. My changes appear in the brackets in red. PESTO : 1 cup fresh parsley leaves 1/2 cup each fresh mint and basil leaves 1/2 cup fennel fronds (optional) [ I've never used them ] 2 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons salt-packed capers, rinsed and drained 4 medium plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped [ I always use the cheapest budget tomatoes available ] 1/2 teaspoon each fresh ground black pepper and crush red pepper [ I like short cuts - so I use whatever I have on hand... and I almost always use Sambal Oelek in place of crushed red pepper ] 1/2 cup ex...

While browsing through my facebook feed I found a friend that commented on some recipes from a friend. I asked her so nicely if she could pass them onto me, too. Here are two of the recipes I made. One uses chicken but I used a soy-meat replacer and a few other changes - see below in red. Nevertheless - it was delicious - awesome chili and I loved every bite. I paired it with the corn bread. I was told that the chili has even won a chili cook-off... and I'm not surprised because it is so creamy and yummy in the tummy :) I will also add that Ella - my little 18 month old loved the beaniness of the chili - she's such a good eater - hooray! WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

 from Megan Marriott 1 lb chicken breast (cut in 1/2 inch cubes)
[ soy-meat replacer for us vegetarians ] 1 med. Onion 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
 1Tbsp. veg. oil 
 2 can white beans(rinsed and drained) (next time I make it I will put 3 cans in...just depends on how beany you want it)
 1 can chicken broth
[ 400...