“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” -Virginia Woolf

Last night I had a brilliant plan to make my mom banana walnut muffins.  I found a Rachael Ray recipe, which had raisins that I did not intend to include.I knew my mom would like it because she’s an avid fan of walnuts, and I know that she’s made banana nut bread before.

Then… a problem.  Woke up this morning to realize that I hadn’t finished reading the ingredient list, which had listed “whole milk yogurt.”  I had just read the “whole milk” part.  Oops!  Oh well… my cooking philosophy is that you’re allowed a flop per new recipe.  :-)

What was a girl to do?  Okay, so I search for another recipe to figure out what the heck I could do to compensate (or salvage) the batter at this point.  I found a Tyler Florence recipe that was a bit different from the first recipe, but I managed to figure out something.

The result?  Meh.  It basically ended up being my own recipe, and it was okay.  I think I might give brown sugar a shot next time instead of the regular granulated sugar.  Whenever I perfect the recipe, I’ll be sure to post it here

What are you doing for Mother’s Day?

“My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four. Unless there are three other people.” -Orson Welles

Gosh!  It’s been a while, hasn’t it?  Well, I’m in my final stretch of college.  Hopefully once graduation is over, I’ll be able to concentrate more.

In the mean time, follow me on Twitter =)  Thanks, y’all!
-Leslie

“For the millions of us who live glued to computer keyboards at work and TV monitors at home, food may be more than entertainment. It may be the only sensual experience left.” -Barbara Ehrenreich

It is the end of the semester at school, and everything is coming to a close: the reason for my absence.  Unfortunately, I am taking this course, which is an 8am-er.  This class has the potential to be very interesting, but considering the time of day, that is just not the case.  So I’m sitting here drinking a Coke Zero (Diet Coke was sold out) to keep my eyes from fluttering.

What keeps you awake when you need to be the most?

“Fish is the only food that is considered spoiled once it smells like what it is.” -P. J. O’Rourke

Hey y’all!  I’m currently in Destin, FL.  Well… normally I’d say it’s beautiful and great, but it’s been (nearly) nonstop rain.  Unfortunately I’ve only been able to venture out once, which was last night, to The Back Porch.  It backs right onto the beach, which is beautiful!  Of course, it’d be better enjoyed during the day or at sunset.  I’ve gotta go for now, but I’ll be back later!

“Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat.” -Alex Levine

Erin go braugh!  Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone =)  What are your Irish plans for today? Are you Irish or not? Just remember, anyone and everyone celebrates St. Pat’s! Just remember to wear your green or you’ll get pinched

Tonight it shall be corned beef and cabbage, potatoes, and (for me) Black & Tan, which is 1/2 Guinness and 1/2 Harp and all good.

Last night I needed some R&R.  Spring break is coming so I cannot wait!  Before bed I had a kid-friendly “coffee” that my mom used to make when my brother and I were kids.  To check out the story and the recipe, go to my recipes page or click here.

Remember… are you on Twitter?  Follow me.

“I didn’t fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian.” –anonymous

I’ll be back later today for a true update, but for now… follow me on Twitter!

Tweet on, y’all!
-Leslie

“That’s something I’ve noticed about food: whenever there’s a crisis if you can get people to eating normally things get better.” -Madeleine L’Engle

Hey everyone! Yes, It’s been a long time. That’s the thing about school, you definitely get wrapped up in it!

This morning I got to campus and realized that I had left my breakfast, lunch, AND snack at home. Great. I can imagine what it must be like… my poor, delicious (salmonella-free) PBJ with my handfuls of crunchy Cheerios just lying on the counter… sad and all alone. Me… starving.

I’m walking onto the campus when it is a chilling 17 degrees outside trying to adjust to the situation. I remember the smell of Enchanted Orchid… the perfume I bought yesterday from Bath & Body Works.

It puts me in a good mood so I venture to try something new. This is something that I hadn’t tried before… It seemed sketchy to me, but as they say, “Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

It’s 17 degrees outside remember… What can I do? The economy (as you all know) is in a wonderful state (note: sarcasm) so the idea of Starbucks is a bit disturbing for my college-budgeted wallet. So… I head over to McDonald’s.

Yes. I bought McDonald’s Premium Roast coffee. How do I feel about it? Not sure… It’s a step-up from Folger’s (almost) with a slight essence of cigarette ash tray to it. Like I said… I’m desperate for something to keep me warm.

It’s time for class! i’ll check-in with y’all later.

“Forget love.  I’d rather fall in chocolate.” -anonymous

I hope everyone has had a fantastic past few days (Hannukah, Christmas, etc.)! The day after Christmas is usually time to relax after a long day of celebration. Food was amazing (as always). On my mom’s side, ham is always the meat we have for Christmas, and pork is usually the main course on my dad’s side. As always, I prefer the food on my mom’s side… We know what everyone’s strengeths are so we have them bring a dish based on their talent. My Aunt Debby always makes this awesome 7-layer salad. Aunt Jan makes amazing potato salad (and potato dishes in general). I’ll have to get her recipe and share it with y’all!

My mom is the dessert and coffee queen of the family. This year we made a French chocolate cake, lemon bars, toffee, peppermint bark, and classic chocolate chip cookies. Years ago I bought this French cookbook from Borders Books. If you have ever cooked French-style, you know that it can be a tad difficult! This gâteau au chocolat is dense and moist and may get confused with a brownie. (I’ll post that recipe soon!)

The peppermint bark was so simple. You’ll need about 3/4 cup of crushed candy canes and a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips (or any type of chocolate you want).

 1] Put the peppermints into a plastic sandwich bag and crush with a rolling pin or mug.  The pieces of crushed peppermint don’t all have to be the same size.  You can have small and medium-sized pieces.  (There will be some powder, but that’s okay.)  Set aside.
2] Get a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips (or any kind you want) and melt them in a double boiler.  Stir constantly until the chips are smooth.
3] Once melted, remove the bowl from the double boiler and place in the center of a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  Spread with a rubber spatula into an even layer.  You can form it into a square or rectangular shape (depending on how thick you want the bark to be).
4] With a sieve, shake powdered peppermint over the bark.
 5] Once the powdered peppermint has been spread, remove the bits of crushed peppermint and  spread over the bark.
6] Allow the peppermint bark to dry for a couple hours at room temperature.  Place the peppermint bark in the fridge overnight.
7] Cut and serve the peppermint bark however you want!

For the chocolate chip cookies, I actually used Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix.  All you need is a stick of butter (softened) and one egg.  Everyone absolutely loves these cookies!  I like to add a few more chocolate chips.  For two whole cookie sheets, use a teaspoon to help you measure out the cookies.  More cookies for everyone!

The lemon bars were not too shabby.  IT’s definitely best if you make them a day (or two) before so the flavors can blend better.  I’ll post that recipe ASAP!

“Coffee is the best thing to douse the sunrise with.” -Drew Sirtors

It seems that many of my readers are interested in re-creating some of their favorite coffeehouse drinks. Although I cannot give the exact recipes, I’ll give tips on how to get them as close to the real deal. I help you make a simple mocha sauce and whipped cream, and how to blend it all together to make a fantastic mocha.

Click here to check out these tips and recipes.

“There is no such thing as a little garlic.” -A. Baer

Just wanted to let everyone know that I have updated my recipes page!  The layout is a tad different, and I have added a few more recipes.  Check it out here!

I hope everyone is staying warm!  If you’re fortunate enough to live in a warm climate, count your blessings.  It’s about 20-degrees here today, which is quite a bit warmer than the -8 we had on Monday!

My tea kettle is going off… It’s time for some tea (black tea with one Splenda, splash of milk, and a small lemon wedge).

Take care, y’all!
-Leslie