Always With Butter

golden syrup cake

2012-02-26T14:42:00.000-08:00

Hello Have you heard of golden syrup? Its quite amazing and I hadn't heard of it before this recipe. Well I had heard of it but I had never used it, because I'm in America and it is more of a UK thing. It's kind of like honey, in texture but tastes like liquid gold. This cake is simple and rustic with the greatest frosting. The cake is good,

triple ginger squares

2012-02-16T18:53:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day has come and gone. The bakery was the most crazy I had ever seen it. I got their at 6 am and was going nonstop for the next 8 hours. We couldn't keep enough in stock, people were just walking in, buying by the dozen. The clipboard of orders was overflowing. I am still recuperating. These little squares are quite amazing. I normally have a great bias

photoshoot

2012-02-10T21:09:00.000-08:00

Over the past two weekends I have been busy doing photoshoots for Cups & Cakes Bakery. That's where I work. Each weekend my house was filled with cupcakes. The drive back from the city with a van full of boxes. Taking all the turns slow, annoying ever other driver by actually going the speed limit. I couldn't risk them getting smooched, they needed to be pristine. Luckily I

candied lemon cake

2012-02-07T20:18:00.000-08:00

A Donna Hay classic. I have always looked at her site, stared aimlessly at the gorgeous photos but never actually made one of her recipes. So this is my first of hopefully many. It turned out wonderful tasting. My candied lemons did not stay whole like hers did in the photos. The centers of mine fell apart and looked a bit rugged. I will have to figure out how to retain the 'prettiness'

birthday desserts

2012-02-04T22:30:00.000-08:00

My birthday was Wednesday, I turned 24. So I had the day off and decided to make two desserts. Blood Orange Bars and a Lavender Cake with Goat Cheese Icing. I shot most of the photos on film, with only a few back ups of the Cake on digital. I love shooting film, it's the type of camera I was taught on. I love the waiting, not knowing exactly how the photos will turn out. But

breakfast

2012-01-29T17:56:00.000-08:00

Sunday & Monday mornings are my breakfast days. I don't have to wake up at 5 am to catch the train. I can sleep in & take the time to make those proper breakfasts you see in the movies but never actually have in real life. One Monday morning I decided to tackle my fear of eggs & make some for me to eat. Now I love the look of eggs, photographing them, baking with them but eating them,

brown butter & jam tea cakes

2012-01-25T16:08:00.000-08:00

Somewhat a cross between a muffin & a cupcake. A tea cake! And of course I changed the regular butter to brown butter. The nuttiness, the little specks it gives, the depth of flavor that absolutely changes the taste. I know I have said that many times about brown butter, but it is so true. Making these tea cakes, I knew that they were my new perfect little snack. Appropriate for

cherry ganache tart with shortbread crust

2012-01-19T18:28:00.000-08:00

This ganache is different. It is special. It is not like a normal ganache with just heavy cream and chocolate. It has brown sugar added to it. Just that one simple component makes it ridiculous (in a good way). A rich, caramel-y taste that just melts the minute you bite in. Cherries have been on sale lately at grocery stores around me, so I have been buying them whenever I can.

one year

2012-01-15T17:38:00.000-08:00

One year ago today I had been out of school just a month with no clue what to do. I missed the graduation ceremony to go to Texas, I didn't have a job or any prospects in sight and had just watched 'Julie & Julia' the previous night. I knew I wanted to still do photos, but in school I didn't more artsy photos. All film, just moments in life that I wanted to capture. Lots of nudes, artful

many things

2012-01-11T20:00:00.000-08:00

Cranberry Streusel Muffins, Salted Caramel Apple Pie and finally the second half of the Michigan trip photos. I am very late on this post. It seems like ages ago that I was in Michigan, but it has been a very busy last few months. Cranberry muffins with fresh cranberries. A big clustery streusel topping that you just need to pile on. Michigan lighting in the photos, deep shadows, high

fresh goat cheese

2012-01-06T23:18:00.000-08:00

Fresh goat cheese is wonderful! I thought the farmer's cheese that I made a bit ago was nice, a bit bland but probably best I would get for homemade cheese. Dead wrong. Homemade goat cheese is fabulous. Of course not as wonderful as you would get from the store, but so nice non the less. It's creamy, has that tangy aftertaste, just a bit crumbly but spreads perfectly on a baguette. I thought

pecan pie french toast

2012-01-02T17:30:00.000-08:00

I got up very early on one of the last days that we were in Michigan. I wanted to make some special breakfast treat. Fall time, the air was cold, so when I found a recipe for pecan pie french toast, I knew it was meant to be. I always end up eating copious amounts of pie for breakfast after the holidays. Who can resist it, just sitting their in the fridge, staring at you. A

a pomegranate.

2011-12-28T18:15:00.000-08:00

I was given a few pomegranates about a week before I broke into one. I know I should have used them earlier, given that fruit goes bad so quickly, but I just didn't get around to it. So when I finally opened one up, full of mold. Damn it! I thought, what am I going to do now? So I decided to photograph them anyway. Destroying them was my method. Ripping them apart, puncturing them with gardening

orange poppy seed loaf cake

2011-12-26T23:00:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a nice holiday weekend. My Christmas day, and eve, was spent full of baking. I made a loaf of bread, rolls, triple ginger cake squares, walnut crusted pumpkin pie, roasted chestnuts, and two types of vegetable tarts. It was a very busy 24 hours. The counter was overflowed with flour, spices, butter, vegetables falling out of the bowls... The kitchen sink

On a Sunday

2011-12-21T10:30:00.000-08:00

Sunday and Monday are my days off. The days I do all the baking for the blog, photos whatever I created; trying to cram as much in to the day as I can. So here is what I made Sunday. Roasted Brussels sprouts. A hated vegetable to most, but throw in the cranberries and pecans, and it's love. The Brussels Sprouts get a crunchy layer on the outer leaves and the centers are soft, while have soaked

farmer's cheese and rye bread, a feature and my camera for sale!

2011-12-19T09:40:00.000-08:00

Check it out I'm featured in Refinery 29's article, Ten Best Food Blogs to Bookmark Now. Lovely! and from a site I read daily! Geez love me some good news These are photos from when my friend and I made cheese and bread a few weekends ago. Well I should say a guy who used to be my friend, that is why I have been hesitant to post them. In this past month, my relationship old has ended,

cranberry apple bread pudding

2011-12-16T18:18:00.000-08:00

Another recipe I made in Michigan. This bread pudding was a big hit. When trying to think of something to make with all the apples, my Dad suggested a bread pudding. So when looking up recipes I found this one. It originally called for dried cranberries but I added whole fresh ones instead. They stayed whole while baking so when eating it, they add nice tart addition to the sweet pudding.

molasses cookies & first half of Michigan photos

2011-12-12T18:44:00.000-08:00

These molasses cookies a kind of amazing little things. Maybe it is just my new found love of molasses, maybe because the dough is great by itself, there could be many reasons. When I asked my great grandpa what kind of cookies he wanted me to make, he said, 'Can you make molasses? Everyone always makes me chocolate chip but I want molasses' So that was my goal. I made a whole bunch and

earl's favorite cake

2011-12-07T17:45:00.000-08:00

Earl is my great grandfather and this is his favorite cake! While on vacation at his house, which I will post the photos from eventually, I found this recipe. I was rummaging through his cupboards finding props to use for photos and I found my great grandmother's old recipe file. All of the recipes were either handwritten or typed on a typewriter. Worn edges, some folded, multiples of many, it

cranberry gingerbread bundt

2011-12-04T16:41:00.000-08:00

The holidays are now among us. I walked into work yesterday and holiday music was blasting. Thankfully that was not long lasting, it would have been way too much for an eight hour shift. But one holiday thing I do love is the food. Such as cranberries! This is one of my first recipes using fresh cranberries. I remember buying them one years ago, but I didn't have a clue what to do with them.

bacon zucchini quiche

2011-11-30T17:25:00.000-08:00

Eggs straight from the coop! My aunt gave me these eggs from her chickens and I'm obsessed with them. Some are green, some are brown, some have spots and they are all different sizes. They all were so lovely. I had to make something that was about the egg. So bacon zucchini quiche it was. I, the non-bacon eater, did not try this but everyone gave it good marks. When I asked my Dad '

apple brown butter bars

2011-11-26T21:43:00.000-08:00

I made these bars while I was in Michigan. There was an abundance of apples everywhere. After first landing we went to a cider mill and got a big bag of apples. Then when we got to my great grandpa's house we found that a neighbor had dropped of two big boxes of apples for him. So most everything we made had apples in it. These seem like a cross between a cake and a cookie. The apples

Fig Goat Cheese Pie with Basil

2011-11-21T06:12:00.001-08:00

My friend Evan and I made these mini pies one day after work. We took over my parents kitchen, at a time when they normally would have been making dinner. Mini pies were everywhere. Running them in an out of my already stuffed fridge, trying to line the tins with the crust, while it was seemingly taking forever to roll out each ball of dough to the right size. So I was watching an episode of

Winter Squash Crumble

2011-11-14T16:56:00.000-08:00

Back in California! A very big change from Michigan weather where I was bundled up from head to toe, I am now in shorts and a tank top. This savory main dish is kind of a vegetarian's savior to me. It is hearty and flavorful, perfect for a cold fall or winter day, not that I seem to be getting many of those. I love a good big salad, but its nice to have another option of dinner.

Brown Butter Ice Cream

2011-11-01T13:38:00.000-07:00

Hi. One last post before I leave for Michigan in a few hours. This was my first time making ice cream and though it seemed to set up more like a soft serve than a hard ice cream, it was amazing. The flavor was one of the best ice creams I have had. It is buttery and nutty. Like nothing else I have ever tried before. I wish I would have made gallons of it to keep in the freezer at all times

A weekend in Half Moon Bay

2011-10-28T22:55:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Dave and I went to Half Moon Bay, camping out for the night and wandering around the city. The main reason for the trip was to go to Harley Farms, where they make goat cheese. We got to go into the field with the goats, see where they get milked, the cheese making room and finally eat some cheese at the most beautiful table I have ever seen. It was a long, large single piece of

Figgy Cake

2011-10-25T19:49:00.000-07:00

I keep having an abundance of figs at my house, no complaints at all but I don't know what to do with them! A lot of people I know have fig trees and don't seem to like figs, so I have been getting them all. This recipe is really simple but an amazing way to use figs, one of my favorite fig recipes yet. The cake has the warm spicy, fall flavor and big halves of figs scattered throughout it.

Buttered Baguette Bread Pudding

2011-10-18T07:01:00.000-07:00

I have been watching Gordon Ramsay's shows now for as long as I can remember. Must be going on quite a few years now that he has been on in the USA, and I have always loved how brash but somehow charming he is. It's the type of thing where you know he is getting mad at you because he knows you could do so much better. But recently I realized I have never made one of his recipes. When I like a

blueberry dutch baby

2011-10-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

I have been so internet MIA lately. Normally I am always updated on twitter, checking everyone's blogs daily and taking photos for posts. But this past week I went on twitter maybe once or twice, hadn't even gone on my computer, only checking email on my iphone, and barely taking any photos. Bad week for blogging, good week for actually having a personal life! I made this Dutch Baby one

Rosemary Garlic Bread

2011-10-03T19:21:00.000-07:00

Finally I have made some proper bread! I have been meaning to do a bread post for a while now, but the rising time always has the tendency to deter me, as it does for many people. Warm, homemade bread straight from the oven. Is their anything better? Slather some butter on it and I'm golden. The addition of rosemary and garlic to this french bread makes it rustic and full of flavor. I

Strawberry Skillet Pie

2011-09-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I won't lie. I made this pie like a month ago. I don't know why I haven't posted it yet, because it is seriously the best tasting pie I have ever made. It somehow kept getting pushed to the side and I would just post the thing I made that day and was really excited about. Oh well, a bit of a summer recipe and we are now into fall. I got these strawberries from the farmer's market

New Camera!

2011-09-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

Have been playing around with my new camera for about a week now and I'm love it! The 5d mark ii is such a dream, only had used it once before while shooting with Williams-Sonoma. I love the control I now have with it and I have been having so many less problems with color balance, which always seemed to plague me before. These are just a few shots of the veggies I picked up at the farmers

Pink Pearl Tart

2011-09-24T19:24:00.000-07:00

These amazing little apples look perfectly average from the outside but once you cut into one, you see the magic of their pink flesh. Pink pearl apples were introduced to me by my coworker Melissa. She said she saw them and instantly knew I needed to photograph them, and she was right! Not only are they beautiful but they taste amazing. And being available for only a month out of the whole year

Brown Butter Cake with Cookie Dough Frosting

2011-09-19T18:57:00.000-07:00

Oh dear, it is so hot today. I thought fall was coming in a few days yet this feels like hotter than any day we had in the summer. I barely want to move, no air conditioning and decided to bake bread today. Not the best combination given that I had to have the oven at 500 degrees. Anyways, I made this cake well not really a few days ago, a few weeks ago now. Oops, forgot to post about it. I

Ferry Building Farmer's Market

2011-09-13T20:09:00.000-07:00

I went to the ferry building farmers market one Saturday a few weekends ago before work. It was amazing, I loved every minute of it and everything that was being sold. These are only a few shots, tried to narrow it down a bit but I was really pleased with how the rolls of film came out. So enough words, just enjoy the photos:

Heirloom Tomato & Cheese Pizza

2011-09-11T15:56:00.000-07:00

A pizza made from my many treats from the ferry building farmer's market. I made it a few days ago and my dad is making it again as I type, so I would say the recipe is a winner. Don't you love these tomatoes? I always have loved the look of heirloom tomatoes but these ones being so small, the biggest one being about the size of a fig, I kinda love them more. They were from the market stall

Coconut Cream Birthday Cake

2011-09-07T18:20:00.000-07:00

Coconut Cream Birthday Cake, for my Grandmother! She is a big coconut fan, I have never been so I wasn't too sure about this cake before making it. But she loves coconut, so I decided to go for it. It came out really well! The coconut is not overwhelming at all, most of the taste of it is in the filling. The coconut extract in the cake is just a hint of it. When you taste the cake by itself

Bleu Crimini Quiche

2011-09-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

My new obsession with bleu cheese begins. Well I have liked it for quite a while now but had yet to cook with it. Growing up I hated it, for that fact it had all those moldy veins which freaked me out beyond belief. And that it was such a strong flavor but now I love the flavor and kept eating huge chunks of it straight while baking this. The online magazine NEET emailed me during

Cocoa Coffee Bread with Raspberries

2011-08-31T14:13:00.000-07:00

A sweet rich bread that could practically be considered a cake, but lets just call it bread, so we can eat it for breakfast. *color balance is a bit off in these photos, I know, I was having trouble going from scanner to photoshop. So finally a recipe post! I feel like I have not posted a proper recipe in a long time. But I have gotten back into the swing of things and am baking like

Champagne Grape Tarts

2011-08-26T18:22:00.000-07:00

I went to the little farmers market at Pier 39 when a friend came to visit me in San Francisco. I didn't even know they had a market there. There was not many stalls, really only one person but with a bunch of tables. The fruit they had their was really amazing actually! The cherries were some of the biggest I had ever seen, the strawberries had the steams still on them which I had never

New Print added to The Figgy.

2011-08-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

New print added to The figgy, the egg photos from the previous post: Come check it out HERE Change up in the photos at the shop to happen soon.... watch out

Eggs

2011-08-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

Do you love this photo? I love how it came out so much! I just go the film back and this is my favorite photo from the whole roll. At work we use those organic free range eggs so they always look different. They sometimes have spots, different hues and sometimes even have feathers still attached! So I got my lovely co-worker to hold them even though it throughly freaked her out, it kinda did

Almond, Cherry & White Chocolate Cake

2011-08-18T20:16:00.000-07:00

My first time with gumpaste! I convinced my lovely co-worker to walk me through my first time. Well, I didn't really have to convince her, she is always willing to teach me anything I don't know how to do. So I needed decided on what to make, something simple & classic without looking cheesy. I remembered the movie 'Run Fat Boy Run' and the wedding cake they had at the beginning with the

Sage & Parm Crisps

2011-08-15T12:07:00.000-07:00

On my past two trips to Monterey, at this restaurant on the end of the pier we had hear amazing french fries. They were the really thin crispy ones, fried with sage and topped with a bunch of shaved Parmesan. I never would have thought that fried sage would taste good but it was amazing. I ended up picking around all the fries and just eating all the sage. I knew from the moment I had them I

Chocolate Molasses Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream

2011-08-11T15:15:00.000-07:00

So Martha calls this cake 'chocolate spice' cake but I think it should be called 'chocolate molasses' cake. There is a whole 2/3 of a cup of molasses! It tastes amazing, I love it, but it's not a spice cake. Its a molasses cake. No process shots this time, I would say sorry, but I was just so tired, you are lucky I even made the cake! I now kinda wish I would have taken process shots once I

Drum roll please......

2011-08-09T20:33:00.000-07:00

The contest is over! There is only one winner, I wish you could all be winners. But then I would be very very poor... Hope you like the print, Roxanne! Come check out The Figgy. to see the other prints I have made.

Pesto French Toast with Tomatoes

2011-08-08T14:36:00.000-07:00

A simple easy recipe of breakfast of brunch that is a nice break from the sweet traditional french toast. This pesto french toast was something I made one day when I was really craving french toast but didn't have any maple syrup. I was searching through the fridge to see what I could use to make some type of french toast. I finally decided upon a savory french toast because I didn't need

Summer Photos

2011-08-04T17:13:00.000-07:00

These are photos from farmer's markets and my last Monterey trip. Remember to enter the contest to win a print by leaving a comment on the last post. I'll let everyone know who won on Tuesday afternoon! Good luck! Even if you don't win, just visit The Figgy. and get yourself a little treat :) Oh and I just got in yesterday the new lens I ordered. 50mm 1.4! Oh my gosh it is so nice. You

There is a contest, for you!

2011-08-01T14:45:00.000-07:00

Hello! This is my 100th post! Starting the blog in January, I did not think I would get to my 100th post. I figured Always with Butter would be like most other things I start, get really into it for about a week then just loose interest. But nope! it stuck! I love this little blog, it has changed my whole life. I would never have the job at the bakery without this blog, I would have never shot

Blueberry Pie by Dad

2011-07-30T19:06:00.000-07:00

My dad made a pie! He has made this recipe for years and years and it has never disappointed. Just a pure blueberry taste. No fancy modern flavor combination, just a classic pie recipe that you can always use. So when i asked him to be the baker on a post, since he is the man who taught me to bake, he of course said yes. His choice on exactly what to make, I just kept bothering him during

Sugar & Spice Layer Cake with Peaches & Cream

2011-07-25T16:31:00.000-07:00

Donut peaches are so much cuter than normal peaches. First of all the name just makes them better. Secondly they kinda look like alien fruit, a flat fruit? its strange. Lastly, they cut into such nice small slices. Don't get me wrong, use a normal peach for this recipe and its no problem. I love them just as much as anyone else, but the weird little donut peach just have a special place in my

New Cards to The Figgy. Shop

2011-07-23T17:27:00.000-07:00

New cards to The Figgy. Shop! There are four different cards available and each are in editions of 25. So once they are gone they are gone and a new card will appear. They are all blank inside so you can write your own love, thank you, I miss you, hello, notes insides. Come check them out, they are only 5$ each, so instead of just buying a generic card, support this blog because all the profits

The Figgy. Shop and a Figgy Tart

2011-07-20T14:54:00.000-07:00

The Shop <-- linked So I have made a little shop for prints and such! Come check it out, there are about 20 different photos available and more to come. All photography by Julie Marie Craig. Prints are available on lustre paper or on canvas, the latter being obviously more expensive but oh so luscious looking. I ordered the Onion photo as a test print and it came out great on canvas, reminded me

Blueberry Preserves & Blueberry Cupcakes with Honey Buttercream

2011-07-19T06:46:00.000-07:00

Two recipes in one post. Blueberry extravangaza. Ever since my first jar of Bonne Maman Blueberry Preserves, I have wanted to make my own. That magical little jar with the check top is so fresh & tasty, like it came straight from the farm. So when blueberries went on sale, I knew it was time to venture into preserve making. Only blueberries and sugar, and you can even add less sugar if you want

Photos on the web

2011-07-18T08:22:00.000-07:00

Happy happy news! Take a look at these products on Williams-Sonoma website. Does anything look familiar??? Lime Juicer Skimmer Ice Cream Scoop Cookie Spatula Can Opener I took the photos! Yes, little ol' me, taken in my kitchen with my Dad as the hand model. I did a test shoot with them a few months ago and I'm so happy they liked the shots and they are actually on the site. Yay!

Panettone with Orange Butter

2011-07-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

Correction: It is not Panettone, its Colomba. Thank you anon, very tasty either way.So this panettone is obviously not homemade... When at the grocery store, I saw a little display of this Italian sweet bread. It was wrapped in this cute paper with pretty bows and all, with really no description at all. It only said 'orange or chocolate Italian bread.' Immediately knowing it was panettone but

Stone Fruit Tart

2011-07-12T19:22:00.000-07:00

I am always on the search for the perfect little pastry that reminds me of the patisseries in Paris. After wandering around bakeries and cafes in fancy little towns, and still not finding something that would satisfy me, I decided to make my own. I hadn't really found a good recipe before that really made my mouth water. But then after seeing this recipe, from a book on Paris nonetheless, I

Printing the recipes

2011-07-11T17:07:00.000-07:00

Hello! I've gotten a few emails from people saying they cant figure out how to print the recipes. This confuses me just because I thought I made it really easy. So the recipe is uploaded on the blog as a jpeg file, so when you click on the recipe, it should open up in a separate page and be able to view it larger. So just copy that jpeg file to your desktop and either save it or print it as you

Vanilla Almond Bundt Cake with Strawberry Glaze

2011-07-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

Another cake! I swear I eat more then cake... sometimes. Cakes are just so much fun to make and they make everyone happy. So this is just a little post about a simple cake. This bundt cake is extra luscious, so rich with amazing flavor and soft but not too light. I added a fresh strawberry glaze and blueberries. It could also be just simply dusted with powdered sugar. Even after making

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-07-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

Who's birthday is it? No ones. Well, then why did you put a candle in the cake? Because its cute. So have a Happy Unbirthday! So this cake is very tasty. Refreshing, summery, a light moist cake with a not too sweet frosting. But I totally messed up with stacking it. I of course tried to make it in as many layers as possible. And the second to bottom layer was a bit rugged, not very solid,

SF Farmer's Market

2011-07-03T00:55:00.000-07:00

Ok so at my new job I have to go to San Francisco, its about 30 miles east of me. Whenever I tell people, they always go, 'Oh my gosh, you go all the way over there? That is way too long' I understand their response, but come on, if you could go to San Francisco everyday, do something you love doing, work in an awesome little cupcake shop and then get off at noon so you now have the whole

Blueberry Buttermilk Scones

2011-06-30T05:06:00.000-07:00

Blueberry season. I wish I lived somewhere where I could go pick blueberries. I remember picking blackberries as a kid when I was in Michigan. I loved getting my little fingers deeply stained and see my Great Grandpa snacking on the berries while picking, saying 'Well, they want you to sample!' And my Dad not eating a single one until they had been properly weighted and bought. Maybe I can pick

Still Lifes

2011-06-27T18:29:00.000-07:00

Why hello. Here are some photos, sorry no recipe my dear.Isn't this cereal so silly? They all look so happy. My mom found me one by the same brand that is sharks! Can't wait to make silly photos out of it. JAWS! When I saw this little wood and glass cloche, it was still in the hands of the worker at goodwill. She was looking at it being like, who in the world is going to buy this, and she

Baked Molasses Apples

2011-06-25T10:15:00.000-07:00

Ok you might be thinking, baked molasses apples, sounds good but isn't that more of a fall recipe? Well I just think it is a nice simple dessert, or snack, that can be made in any season.So on the recipe is says small apples. Many might say, well what kind of apple? I couldn't really say. I just used the small apples that my Mom buys for us to eat. Just use your favorite type of apple! As long as

Flourless Almond Honey Cake with Almond Brittle

2011-06-22T08:39:00.000-07:00

This simple little cake is only a few ingredients but still packs a great flavor. It has a nutty taste from toasting the almonds and the honey makes it sweet but not a sugar overload. When trying to figure out the decoration for the cake, because I knew I wouldn't like the look plain, I thought of powdered sugar. And then I thought, Bah every cake that doesn't have a frosting, I dust with sugar

Banana, Nutella & Cream Cheese Cake

2011-06-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

Three cakes and a lot of photos! I generally do not like bananas. There texture is just weird to me and it just taste that good to me. But banana bread, muffins or in this case a cake is a completely different story. I loved this banana cake. And it was very banana-y. I was trying to think of a good filling buttercream flavor that would pair well with the cream cheese outside and then Nutella

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

2011-06-16T07:56:00.000-07:00

So I got a call from my Mom when I was a work saying 'Can you pick up some muffins when you get off?' 'The pre-made ones? Why?' 'Because it is a lady at work's birthday tomorrow and she loves muffins''Fine. I'll make you some muffins' So Happy Birthday Lady! (I have obviously forgotten your name plus have never met you, but Happy Birthday all the same! Hope you enjoyed your birthday treat!)

Grilled Cheese with Farinata

2011-06-14T11:07:00.000-07:00

A somewhat unsuccessful grilled cheese. So grilled cheese is pretty much my go to meal. I am completely obsessed with them and I don't think I have ever had one I haven't liked. It runs in the family. I have a cousin in Texas who has a grilled cheese bar at the back of his 'Museum of Electronic Wonder'. Pretty cool eh? He and his better half also started the Food Shark, a food truck that

A blogger contest? fabulous!

2011-06-12T05:14:00.000-07:00

Has anyone seen that a blogger has somehow magically put together a contest for a trip to Paris. Like seriously? Go enter it now. It is pretty much the trip of my dreams because Paris is in my mind 24/7 since being there only for 3 or so days 5 years ago. I wish all of you luck, but me a little more. ha!

Mini Break to Monterey

2011-06-11T21:17:00.000-07:00

So last weekend I went on a little mini trip to Monterey with the boyfriend. And had such lovely weekend. It was so nice to be able to relax and not think about work or real life. We just wandered about, went to Carmel, went to the beach though it was not warm enough to swim and ate lots of food. It was my first time to the Monterey Bay Aquarium too. Monterey is a little more than 2 hours from

Chocolate Blackberry Cake

2011-06-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

Urgh, whenever I go to edit a post that is already published, I accidently click "Save as Draft" and all the info gets deleted. Rewriting all the words now. Anyone know how to get that info back?? Please help lovely internet friends. So I made this cake for my sister's birthday. So Happy Birthday Natalie. Even though we seem to never be able to have a conversation that doesn't end in one of us

Apple Brown Butter Jalousie

2011-06-05T15:25:00.000-07:00

This reminds me of a classy version of one of those mini apple pies you get from McDonalds. Yes this one is bigger, homemade, obviously tastier but essentially the same idea. This feels like a summery dessert to me, perfect for a picnic. Only if it actually felt like summer. It keeps raining, is still cold and I keep thinking it is winter. You would think driving more than two hours south would

flora

2011-06-02T20:22:00.000-07:00

Only flowers. No food. I love the photos though so I thought I would share. This is from my first roll of film in a while. I have dropped my old film camera, on vacation of all places, so I had been having problems with it ever since. So I shoved it in the back of my room and didn't want to ruin any more rolls of film. But I just revisited it and its love at first sight again. Ok enjoy.

Farmer's Market Sandwich

2011-06-01T04:54:00.000-07:00

And the Farmer's Market is back in Benicia. Yup, a little small town in North California, you have probably never heard of. Don't worry, I once met someone who lived 10 minutes from here and had never heard of it. So our little once a week market is back for the season. It's not very big, it doesn't have much of a selection, it is being overrun by the craft stands of obviously bored housewifes,

Spicy Hummus

2011-05-30T15:41:00.000-07:00

Gosh I did these photos like a month ago but could not find what folder I put the recipe card I. On my computer. I thought it was lost forever but I finally found it last night! I guess thats the one good thing about having a boyfriend who bails on plans is that I have more time for photos. :/ Hummus is one of those things I eat all the time. Yep pretty much everyday. It is just so good.

June Calendar

2011-05-28T21:42:00.000-07:00

Hello. Two posts in one day! Oh dear. Well I always make these crafty little things for myself, like cards or such, so I thought it was time for me to share with you! I made a iPod Touch/iPhone background or lock screen. I always find that a calendar is always nice as my lock screen because my days somehow escape me. So, May is almost up which means a new image. So here you go, free for you!

Mini Jams Tarts

2011-05-28T04:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, so these little jam tarts did not come out very cute. But they are very easy and tasty, so don't let their mangled little appearance deter you. So the crust is a pie crust with cinnamon. I for some reason feel like I have never really had this before and I have absolutely no clue why. Cinnamon in crust is so amazing! It makes the pie crust taste like a flaky snickerdoodle cookie. Then

Mini Malt Cakes

2011-05-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I made these mini cakes as just a practice for me on frosting. The little oreo buttercream one came out better than the raspberry one, because the raspberry buttercream was too soft. But I only realized that half way through frosting so I just had to go with it. And there were supposed to be three mini cakes, one totally oreo, one totally raspberry and then a little mixed love child.

New York Crumb Cake

2011-05-22T05:12:00.000-07:00

Short Post! Why New York Crumb Cake you ask? Not just because it is delicious, and it is, who couldn't love such a massive amount of crumb topping? But because my parents just went to New York for the weekend. My dad won another trip. This is much shorter than the Chile trip they won, it is only for the weekend, but still. I am of course very happy for them, and obviously very jealous.

Italian Strawberry Tart

2011-05-20T04:50:00.000-07:00

So this recipe I have been making for a while now. Probably since since I was 13 or something to be exact. It was a little newspaper cut out that I found in an old recipe box. And I still love it to this day. The cinnamon-y cake. The way you are supposed to push down the strawberries so some of them get encased in the cake, making them little surprises when you bit into it. The fact that I

Cannoli Cheesecake

2011-05-17T19:33:00.000-07:00

The last time I had a cannoli was from a little bakery in Chicago. It was called Palermo, a bit out of the way from downtown but turned out to be so worth it. Not familiar with the neighborhood, it seemed a bit sketchy and out of the way. We all seemed to be thinking 'Dad, where are you taking us?' But once we went inside, it was magical. The display case was filled with beautiful cannoli

Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-05-15T00:28:00.000-07:00

Oh dear, I have a feeling I will never get a full night's sleep. Even when I am supposed to work a half day, I get called in early. On my days off, I am baking and taking photos from 7 am on. Don't get me wrong, I love my baking days, they let me get through the rest of my days. It just takes a lot out of me. I work, bake, and try to hang out with family or he boyfriend. So when people ask

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

2011-05-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

Uhh blogger, what is wrong with you? I posted this yesterday and now you were 'unavailable' til right now and you deleted my post! ugh ill rewrite what it said in a bit. here are the photos! again! Hello So sorry about no process photos in this post. They were made at probably midnight in an intense photo weekend. I was doing a test shoot for a certain company and also had to work

Cherry Morning Rolls

2011-05-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

Happy Mothers Day! So I keep calling these cherry cinnamon rolls. But there is no cinnamon in them so they are 'morning' rolls now. Cinnamon rolls are just a broad category to me, with many varieties but if there is no cinnamon but they pretty much are 'cinnamon rolls' what are they called. Oh well, morning rolls it is, I think it sounds nice. So I made these just a few hours ago,

Chocolate Malt Tart

2011-05-06T07:53:00.000-07:00

So I have about 25 or so food blogs I look at regularly and even more on my iPod touch (Whig was an amazing Christmas gift boyfriend). Tartelette is one of the tops for me. Her photography is always so fabulous and perfectly styled, I'm always in awe of them. So when I saw that she put out a book on food photography how to, Plate to Pixel, I ran to my parents going 'oh my god, look look

Giant Sugar Cookies

2011-05-03T13:50:00.000-07:00

Sugar cookies are a classic, but there are so many variations of them. Chewy, crunchy, crispy, soft, puffy, etc. How could I ever choose a favorite? I love them all. I am always on the search for a good sugar cookie recipe. When I went to New York, a long time ago, I remember getting a giant sugar cookie and I kept seeing them in all the little bakeries. They were covered with sprinkles and

Mini Mushroom Galettes

2011-04-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

So I have got a growing fondness for mushrooms. I used to think they were these strange little fungus things. Probably never even having one till up to one trip in Vancouver in 2008. We were sitting in a restaurant in Gastown and the only vegetarian thing on the menu was a Portobello Burger. Obviously not thrill, I ordered it reluctantly because I was so hungry. And it turned out amazing

Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Bean Buttercream & a 97th birthday

2011-04-27T21:16:00.000-07:00

The Birthday Girl. I love the look of a simple frosted cake. Just smooth sides, completely flat top, minimalist perfect. I think after seeing too many cheesy grocery store sheet cakes that just look so dated and not my style. Going to many patisseries in Paris, even though I was only there for a few days and that was 5 years ago. I still can remember exactly what I had at each one, how

Pumpkin Biscuits

2011-04-26T12:45:00.000-07:00

Savory Pumpkin biscuits. This recipe was a total surprise for me. I thought it might turn out weird, too desserty or just remind me too much of pumpkin pie. But it looked interesting and who doesn't love a biscuit? So I figured I'd give it a go. These are good. Like really good. First of all, they are bright orange with just kinda makes me smile. And then they taste like pumpkin,

Easter Eggs & Baby Bunnies

2011-04-23T10:29:00.000-07:00

Massive photo post! Dyeing Easter eggs, I don't think I have done this in years. The last time was probably when I was in middle school or something. We used to always go to San Diego for Easter to visit, one set, of grandparents. (I have three different sets of grandparents). I always thought it was the coolest thing to take the white crayons and write on the eggs before dyeing them, so

Creme Egg Cake

2011-04-19T16:56:00.000-07:00

Cadbury Creme Eggs. They are pretty much the best thing about Easter. I have been eating them for about 2 months now already and it's not even Easter yet. So when I saw the design for a cake shaped like it, I knew I had to make it. It doesn't taste like a creme egg, who could replicate the one of a kind gooey center? It is still very tasty and fun for the Easter table. White cake, vanilla

Tomato Pesto Crostata

2011-04-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

The cornmeal in the crust makes this savory, somewhat of a pie, really special. It has a nice, crunch to it. Its a good variation of traditional crust, reminding me of that cornmeal crisp you get from the bottom of a thin pizza. So the crust in the recipe is a Martha, of course, from the Pies and Tarts book, and the center is all me! I had a bunch of cherry tomatoes and couldn't find a

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cloud Frosting

2011-04-13T21:52:00.000-07:00

Can you guess what these bunnies are really for? Shockingly, these bunnies are not originally for mini cupcakes! :)They are candle holders! This frosting is Martha's 'Seven Minute Frosting' which seems to be a staple for her. After seeing her make it a lot on air and finding it in most of her recipes, I decided to give it a go. Not hard to make and it has a nice look on cupcakes because it

Graham Cracker S'mores Cookies

2011-04-10T08:10:00.000-07:00

Ok so my Grampa was in town (yes I know I am spelling Grampa wrong, growing up he always wanted us to spell it that way) and I want to make him a dessert, something that he would like but wasn't too fancy. And when I asked him what he like, he said "Oh, I don't eat dessert, I dont know..." and then trailed off into another sentence. I just started laughing because the fact that he said he

Cherry Streusel Coffeecake

2011-04-08T09:14:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this recipe use cherries straight from the can. Pie filling to be exact. So when I saw this I was like "I can't make that, it feels like cheating, straight from the can....." But then I was looking at the photos of it and I didn't want to wait until fresh cherries were in season and on sale. And it's always nice to have a recipe or two that is just really simple to make at a moment's

Potato Pie

2011-04-06T21:08:00.000-07:00

Puff Pastry. A wonder all on its own. Ever since I started this blog and began making making things other than desserts, puff pastry has been a favorite for me. Simply throw some vegetables on top of it, put it in the oven and I'm happy. While assembling this pie, I realized something. It was starting to resemble a giant Pop Tart. And it didn't seem like it would be big enough for a dinner

Pumpkin Ginger Waffles

2011-04-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

I love pumpkin. Of course most of my memories around it involve it in the form of a pie. But the best time to eat pumpkin pie is for breakfast the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas. Thanks to my Mom and Grampa, I have learned the dessert for breakfast habit. They would always do it after a holiday, so I did too. Which is probably partially the reason I am addicted to anything sugar. So when

Meyer Lemon Cake

2011-04-01T12:06:00.000-07:00

Mmm lemon cake. I made this a few days ago and I really want to make another. It is so moist, and normally I can't really understand cakes without frosting but this frosting-less one is good. Perfect for dessert or brunch even, because it is not too sweet. And yes, another lemon recipe, with probably a lot more to come. I love them and also love that I have many at my house, so it's

Snickerdoodle Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream

2011-03-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

This cake is for my parents. They are going to Chile on Thursday, so I made them a Bon Voyage cake, in one of my Mom's favorite flavors. They won this trip so it is very exciting for them to go. Isn't that crazy? Win a trip to Chile, hotel, flight, spending money, etc included. Lucky Mom! It is through Travelocity, so they even have a little gnome to carry around and take photos of him

Lemon Ricotta French Toast with Homemade Cinnamon Bread

2011-03-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

Homemade bread. This is something we haven't had at my house in a long time. I remember as a kid having it a lot, but then it just didn't happen much anymore. It gets eaten so much faster than a store loaf of bread, but isn't that just a compliment to it? So after see the bread machine, never actually using it before because it was my dad's fancy toy, I asked him how to use it. And it is