I love farmer’s markets. I don’t just mean, I browse through them occasionally, I am addicted to them. Walking through the fresh vegetables, fruits and flowers, with all of the vibrant colors, fresh smells and flavor possibilities is truly a salve for my weary soul. It is my time to literally stop and smell the roses—-well more often, stop and smell the peaches, or basil or some other culinary delight—but you get the picture.
My little corner of suburbia, Lee’s Summit, MO, has a small but first rate farmer’s market. It’s busy and vibrant, but not overwhelming. I walk by every vendor in just minutes, but then I go back and soak in the sights and smells, talk to the friendly folks at each booth and buy my treasures.
We have been really busy and totally focused on a new project (and we will make an exciting announcement on it soon) but for now, it is fair to say that my walk in the market these last few weeks has been far too rushed and brief. This last weekend, I finally got to meander and savor it. Oh it is hard to limit my purchases to what I can honestly use in a few days—but I try. (Well, true confession, I browse farmer’s markets when I travel and can’t cook the produce—and love the memories of markets in Italy, France, and across the USA.) [Read more…]
Strawberry Cobbler Recipe
Cobblers, simmering jewel toned fruit and syrup topped with golden brown crusts, mean comfort to me. I grew up with master peach cobbler bakers, yet thanks to a trip to New Orleans and a food find with Roxanne, I now make a strawberry cobbler each spring. It is so easy and tastes so very good.
I do not remember tasting a strawberry cobbler until the International Association of Culinary Professionals met in New Orleans in 2007. When Roxanne and I travel, we love to explore local restaurants. One of our delightful restaurant finds that year served strawberry cobbler and I savored every bite. The flavor stuck with me and I had to make one. I do mean stuck with me—and now, every time I taste one, I am transported back to that table 5 years ago and dinner with my friend. Kind of like a ruby red magic carpet ride back to a fun, relaxing evening. I don’t remember anything else I had to eat that night—but the dessert is etched in my psyche.
Now, baking one is my spring ritual. I know strawberries are available year round, but this is one time when a basket of small, sweet, ripe strawberries from the local farmers’ market can’t be beat. I know. I have tried it with the larger, typical grocery store strawberries and while good, the flavor is just not as intense and the texture is not as perfect. So hurry–the season to make one is fleeting.
Cobblers are best served warm—and yes, a scoop of ice cream is the crowning glory. To many, serving hot strawberries is a bit different. I have one daughter who loves the warm, red dessert and one of my daughters would so much rather have them cold on strawberry shortcakes. Yet, I love this warm, homey dessert and I love that it transports me back to a dinner table a few years ago and time spent with a wonderful friend. What comfort.
[Read more…]
Test Kitchen Time…And Lemon Herb Chicken and Vegetable Kebabs
Test kitchen days. Fun, tasty and busy. Did I mention fun? Oh and tiring, too.
We have been busy developing recipes for our new cookbook, The Big Book of Babycakes Cake Pop Recipes, due out in the fall. (Robert Rose, Inc.) (It and another new cupcake maker recipe book will join 175 Best Babycakes Cupcake Maker Recipes and 175 Best Babycakes Cake Pop Maker Recipes. ) It is such fun to cook up new ideas and experiment with new recipes. We love it because we get to work together and the room is filled with laughter, wonderful aromas and yummy tastes.
We thought you might like to see some photos of a recent day in the test kitchen.
We baked lots of cake pops. Cakes of every imaginable flavor, plus biscuits, muffins, and doughnuts. Then we tested appetizers—savory morsels, cheesy bites, scrumptious meatballs and more. (We are excited about this new book!)
We have a great test kitchen team! For this book, Julie Bondank, Mandy Totoro and Amy Dowell—are all wonderful assistants that come in to help us. Shown above is Julie Bondank with Roxanne. Below is Kathy with Mandy Totoro.
After a day in the test kitchen, we go home and just like you after a busy day, we are faced with dinner time. I want a big glass of ice tea, a calm table and a healthy dinner. In fact, the dinner I crave on those nights would be great any night. It is so quick and easy and tastes so fresh. My hubby tends the grill, while I toss a salad and enjoy the iced tea. Even if you don’t spend a day in the test kitchen, this easy dinner might be the perfect meal for you after a busy day. Enjoy. [Read more…]
Sweet Little Lamb Cupcakes
Spring has exploded in the Midwest and painted the country side with vibrant colors and new life. I was just not content to let Mother Nature have all of the fun—and had to get in the kitchen and bake up some sweet creations of my own. Cupcakes and Cake Pops from the Babycakes appliances hatched these darling little lambs. I missed having some little hands in the kitchen to help out—and I think children would be delighted with the little lambs–but even without kids around they are just so fun to make and serve. They are perfect for Easter or any springtime event and they will bring lots of smiles and fun to the table.
Bake your favorite flavor of cupcakes and cake pops using your Babycakes Cake Pop and Cupcake Makers, then follow these easy directions to make your own basketful of lambs, using the cupcake for the body and the cake pop for the head. You might find a fun new flavor of cupcake and cake pop in either of our two new books. The directions to assemble these cute little guys are below, but the photos and how-to information in 175 Best Babycakes Cake Pop Maker Recipes would make these especially easy to make. (You will find all kinds of tips on dipping the cake pops and painting faces in that book, plus other fun, creative suggestions for decorating cake pops.)
The appliances are just so fun to use we can’t stop using them and are always baking up something new! Now bake some of your own—then tell us about them, or even share a picture of your little lambs . We would love to hear about your fun. [Read more…]
Tortellini Soup
It’s funny how we get “hungry” for a specific food. Why does a salad sound great one night and the next you must have a juicy burger? This week, I was hungry for Tortellini Soup. Why, I don’t know, except I hadn’t made it in several weeks. It’s easy and really is one of those soups that tastes like it simmered all day, but is done in about an hour or less. Best of all, it tastes fresh and fills the house with mouth-watering aromas.
I think I like it because the vegetables taste fresh, so it is a great transition from winter to spring. Roxanne would tell you that I like the vegetables nearly raw. That’s probably true and this is one soup that I can cook quickly enough the vegetables keep all of their bright colors and a hint of that crisp texture I love. If you like them more done, just simmer a bit longer. The only trick is to add the tortellini during the last 7 to 9 minutes so they don’t overcook.
It is also just a bit different from our typical dinner and that makes it special. Enjoy!
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