The oven’s reached hot-flash mode, and I’m not far behind. The Heat Miser’s throwing flames and singing songs about melting things in his clutch. When this happens, it means the Christmas cookie countdown is coming in hot—and needs to cool down with festive mints. So, when the ovens are a fury of toe-tapping Heat Miser… Continue reading Merry Minty Mint Mints
Tag: baking
Chocolate Peppermint Party Cookies
If candy cane confetti hits the kitchen like a festive windstorm of merriment, do you… a) finish the email you’re writing, b) freak out and call the Krampus Control Hotline, or c) bake a batch of chocolate cookies and use them as pillows to catch all the fun? I opted for “c” mostly because “c”… Continue reading Chocolate Peppermint Party Cookies
Christmas Cookie Countdown: Boozy Butterscotch
The sugar plums dancing in my head are turning in their tutus ‘cause they’re all tapped out. But they left some butterscotch morsels, doused in a good tempest of butterscotch liqueur in their place. And as we all know, the show must go on, bottoms up, cheers, down the hatch, nom-nom-nom. To make the best… Continue reading Christmas Cookie Countdown: Boozy Butterscotch
SOS Cakes
A whirl of pumpkin guts, studded with candy wrappers and spider rings, just flew past my window. And I am so tired. Last night, it rained and rained and rained—and there were trick-or-treaters and Alex’s guitar. “Hotel California” briefly drifted into view. A pumpkin got carved, rolls got baked, and Alex played “The Greatest Song… Continue reading SOS Cakes
Strawberry Snacking Cake Scandal
Strawberry Shortcake called. She wants her house back, but I turned it into a cake. I did leave a note on the windshield of her berry-mobile, parked outside on her lot: “Excuse me. I’m so sorry, but I needed to borrow your strawberry house. It’s now in such a condition that I can’t return it.… Continue reading Strawberry Snacking Cake Scandal
Cincerely, Cinnamon
Dear Breadheads, I know what you knead. The Fixin’ Leaks and Leeks kitchen smelled sinfully cinnamony the other day, and I say sinfully because it’s not fair that I tried out a brand-new recipe the day before Nate’s colonoscopy, when he was on a clear liquid diet. But: I did leave plenty behind. In any… Continue reading Cincerely, Cinnamon
Is It Cake, Or…?
Is it cake or my dream vacation home? I could live in the Land of Vanilla, where gentle waves of frosting lap yellow cake shores. Also, this cake sort of kind of looks like a giant doughnut, and I don’t hate that idea, either. Here’s the thing: I didn’t really make it myself. It just… Continue reading Is It Cake, Or…?
Hot (Mess) Cocoa Cookies
My sleigh swerved off course and landed in a sticky river of chocolate and marshmallows. That’s why I only have one “Hot (Mess) Cocoa Cookie” to show for it—one that’s intact, that is. The good news: the rest of the cookies in the batch are still super good, though most of them stuck to the… Continue reading Hot (Mess) Cocoa Cookies
Rudolph’s Wild Night Cookies
Wish I could say Rudolph got lit and made these cookies, but he didn’t. I did. And I wasn’t lit. I can’t blame Rudolph, and I can’t blame booze. This is my best. And while it won’t win any baking challenges, it’s pretty good and festive and so, ho, ho, ho jolly. Not to mention,… Continue reading Rudolph’s Wild Night Cookies
Ships Ahoy! Cranberry-Orange Muffins for Your Crew
To all the scurvy pirates out there, I see you. I’ve baked you some muffins with an extra burst of vitamin C, me hearties! And, they’re super easy because they come from a box mix, which you could probably bring aboard a large vessel to avoid mutiny, but you’d probably bake them on shore and… Continue reading Ships Ahoy! Cranberry-Orange Muffins for Your Crew
Fixin' Leaks and Leeks 