CuteKittyPunk

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 ...