tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74229553898953192002012-02-13T11:05:19.150-05:00k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.comBlogger1931100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-22649116687589597912012-01-01T20:08:00.000-05:002012-01-01T20:08:44.164-05:00

Happy New Year! It's been a few weeks since my last post. I thought I would kick off the new year with a BAKED post. Our first recipe for the new year was picked by my friend, Natalie of Just About Food. I made these into cupcakes for my cousin who's going back to school after his winter break. He has a 10 hour drive ahead of him and really appreciated the snack! The devils food cake was an

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-67393120435715506502011-11-15T08:06:00.025-05:002011-11-15T09:39:15.636-05:00

This week's Club: BAKED recipe is brought to you by ME. And am i ever so glad this was an easy recipe to make. You see... for the last two weekends I've been packing for our trip to DISNEY. Two adults, one toddler (who is super-excited) and the baby! What was I thinking? Just looking over everything I have ready is exhausting. We're going away for Thanksgiving -- first time we'll be away from

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-74736649443348777112011-11-01T08:56:00.000-04:002011-11-01T09:51:39.622-04:00

This month's Club Baked recipe was selected by Melissa, Lulu the Baker.  I was so excited to make this when it was selected.  I made this three weeks ago.... into cupcakes, which came together rather quickly & easily.  The caramel sauce was superb!!  But I could not get the frosting to work for me at all. So this past weekend, during our SNOWSTORM, I decided to take another crack at it.  My

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-10509800353879234082011-10-15T00:18:00.025-04:002011-10-15T00:18:00.919-04:00

Today's recipe is brought to you by Tessa, The Cookin Chemist. When I first got the book, I passed over the pies & tarts section... cause I'm just not a pie & tart person.  I'm more about cakes, cupcakes & cookies.  This time around... since there are more pie & tart recipes for me to try, I figure I would tackle more than I normally would. Sawdust pie - I KNEW the end product would somehow

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-5190183586614721032011-09-15T04:37:00.000-04:002011-09-15T04:37:00.593-04:00

Can I say WRITER'S BLOCK?  I have no anecdote to go with this week's recipe.  All I can say is that I cut the recipe in half, fried them like i fried up the donuts, came out with 5 delicious little fritters and practically drank the rum sauce.... =)  I reserved some of the rum dipping sauce for vanilla ice cream.... YUMMY! Visit Club: BAKED for more information on joining and to see how others

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-63069589184704620722011-09-14T16:31:00.001-04:002011-09-14T16:53:41.032-04:00

Gosh!  My last MSC Cupcake was March 2010!  I can't believe it took me this long to get into the swing of things!  Here we are with this month's MSC Cupcake pick.  For my comeback, I chose Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes, and as usual, I cut the recipe drastically and came out with 3 cupcakes.  To me these cupcakes tasted more like muffins.  In my haste, I didnt go for the frosting because I got

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-17718516649115219072011-08-29T03:48:00.001-04:002011-08-29T11:09:52.525-04:00

I have quite a few cookbooks but I'm proud to say that I've baked thru most of the recipes in this book --  The Sweet Melissa Baking Book by Melissa Murphy, owner of Sweet Melissa Patisserie. Two years ago, I started baking religiously... and then blogging.  I found a baking/blogging group that was baking through the book.  Since then, I've baked along with other groups and started my own group.

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-19612394966212103922011-08-21T08:06:00.000-04:002011-08-21T08:06:00.668-04:00

Shame on Me! Shame on Me! I haven't baked with Sweet Melissa Sundays since October of 2010! Many of you know I had another baby. With one infant and a toddler I didnt' have much time to do anything except tend to them. So I felt it was only fair to my fellow SMS Bakers that I bake and host the last recipe of our baking adventure. And what an adventure it has been! My first bake along - The

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-10906444816756165982011-08-15T06:41:00.083-04:002011-08-15T06:41:01.858-04:00

Before I started this group, I contacted BAKED co-founder, Matt Lewis, to let him know I was going to start a baking group for his cookbook.  He was honored and he also told me that Sunday Night Cake was his favorite cake.  I knew I had to try this immediately.  As I write this post, I wonder why I didn't pick this for our first recipe.  I was so happy when Julie did! When I first read a recipe

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-42619286329403497412011-08-03T10:26:00.000-04:002011-08-03T10:26:07.157-04:00

This month's Avid Baker's Challenge Recipe was Congo Brownies.  Basically, it's two brownie layers (blondie & chocolate); and in between is a layer of nuts.  I made half the recipe (again) and used my 8x8 baking pan and went with chopped pecans.  In my haste of baking a few things over the weekend, I completely forgot the baking powder in the blondie layer and as you can see from the photo...

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-58202046131848688252011-08-01T09:56:00.000-04:002011-08-01T09:56:32.305-04:00

This week's Club: BAKED recipe was chosen by Jamie of Random Acts of Food.  I'm becoming more and more notorious for making half the recipe and I did it again for these cookies, which were very rich & chocolaty, as well as minty.  I love chocolate & mint.  Half the recipe gave me one dozen-tablespoon-sized cookies.  I'm not sure if the white cholate mint ganache was suppose to set (& harden).  I

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-6632044471954417192011-07-15T04:00:00.001-04:002011-07-15T10:01:40.984-04:00

This week's Club: BAKED recipe was chosen by Gloria, The Ginger Snap Girl.  I've never made donuts before and I've been dying to & here was my chance! I made half the recipe and with everything measured out and ready to go, I was done in a little under an hour.  I started heating my oil as soon as I started mixing the ingredients.  I added half a teaspoon of vanilla extract because I add it into

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-65055131002119098052011-07-01T03:04:00.106-04:002011-07-01T14:47:17.826-04:00

While on maternity leave, when I wasn't sleeping or feeding the baby, I was reading.  I was constantly updating my Amazon wish list with books.  Some of the books, I was eyeing were COOKBOOKS.  And Baked Explorations was on the top of that list. Fast forward three months later:  With Sweet Melissa Sundays ending soon I thought, "Why not bake through another book?"  This would definitely get me

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-67473190551026423682011-06-21T11:44:00.000-04:002011-06-21T11:44:52.912-04:00

It's the beginning of blueberry season in New Jersey and they're on sale everywhere!  I picked up a pint or two for 99 cents each last weekend.  Would you think it's weird that I don't like to eat blueberries by themselves; and I dont like blueberry yogurt or blueberry pie.  But I LOVEEEEEEE blueberry muffins.  And I've fallen in love with this recipe.  I have no idea where I found it but the

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-12032279515265662272011-06-10T07:59:00.003-04:002011-06-10T17:24:20.806-04:00

I love paper-wrapped sponge cakes from the Chinese bakery.  They're airy, light and not too sweet.  At about $1 ea at the bakery, I thought I'd take a stab at making my own.  Plus, I had an excuse to buy & use my new kingsize muffin pan.  Each cup measures 3.5 inches across the top and 3.25 inches deep, and holds almost a cup of batter. The recipe below will probably yield 6 cakes in a standard

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-86016226894415600162011-06-07T08:48:00.003-04:002011-06-07T08:48:00.696-04:00

Last week as I was thinking about starting another baking group, I was invited to join one.  The group, Avid Baker's Challenge, founded by fellow-SMS baker, Hanaâ of Hanaa's Kitchen, is a monthly baking group that is baking through Baking for All Occasions by Flo Braker. Favorite Buttermilk Cake was this month's selection.  I didn't want to make the entire cake, even though the full recipe only

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-53657728545050709992011-06-01T11:15:00.000-04:002011-06-01T11:22:21.589-04:00

Sweet Melissa Sundays will be ending soon and as many of you know I haven't been baking along for over a year now... lil kids do keep you busy.  Rest assured, I will definitely be making one of the last recipes.  I have to... i volunteered myself to be the host of our final recipe. Meanwhile, a few SMS Bakers have been discussing baking from another book. Unfortunately, Melissa Murphy didn't

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-22262898195450111712011-05-20T16:30:00.001-04:002011-06-07T10:02:17.189-04:00

Last weekend after I made the easy chocolate cake I had some more time on my hands and I made little vanilla cakes as well. I should have opted for a nap but sometimes when I start baking I just cant stop. Trying to come up with the "perfect" vanilla cake isn't as easy as I thought it would be. Some recipes are too eggy; some are too buttery. Some are too "heavy." In this recipe, I used less

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-72697732343481748642011-05-16T21:12:00.000-04:002011-05-16T21:23:23.079-04:00

I'm slowly making way back towards baking again. BabyK is 4.5 months old now and easier to take care of. Megan, age 3.5, practically takes care of herself. I was in the mood for something chocolate and came across this one bowl recipe over at Smitten Kitchen. Deb, from SK, streamlined the recipe, originally from Magnolia: Classic American Recipes, and altered the baking soda/baking powder ratios.

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-24705595919713715892011-04-24T10:42:00.001-04:002011-05-06T17:12:19.609-04:00

Hi there! Long time no blog! This is as far as I get in the kitchen these days.HAPPY EASTER!Mommy's lil helper

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-43685048994661482772011-01-28T17:35:00.000-05:002011-04-14T15:12:48.711-04:00

Rather than baking, this lil cupcake has been keeping me busy! I'll be back soon.

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-44230049540583571202010-12-07T08:46:00.001-05:002010-12-07T08:46:00.436-05:00

I actually had time last month to try out another recipe of Crème Caramel aka flan. I've been craving something creamy and with all the cakes I made that used egg whites, I had some egg yolks to use up. This is from Dorie Greenspan’s Cookbook Baking: From My Home to Yours - Caramel-Topped Flan.I made individual flans. Unless I did something wrong, there wasn't enough caramel for the ramekins. I

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-4305832380907006662010-11-15T11:09:00.001-05:002010-11-28T20:53:03.555-05:00

Before I found out I was pregnant, I set out on a quest to make Chinese-style breakfast buns. My husband loves them and at $1 per piece from a Chinese bakery, I figured it would be much cheaper and tastier if I made them myself. I was so right!First, was to find the recipe for the buns (aka breads). I went thru a few recipes and found that this recipe for the bread was the best: All Recipes

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-55255048348607520282010-11-08T05:00:00.001-05:002010-11-28T20:55:30.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, as I was walking to the office, I detoured through Grand Central Station, one of NYC's transit depots, except this one is a beautiful one — I took my wedding photos here. I stopped at Dishes to grab something for breakfast — a donut muffin. I've heard about them but never had one and it cost me a whopping $3! As I ate my muffin at my desk, I knew there had to be blogs about this

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-8400806816533995332010-10-31T22:13:00.000-04:002010-10-31T22:14:25.911-04:00

My Baby Girl turns Three in a few days and this year, like last year, I combined her birthday party and Halloween. This year, being seven months pregnant, I couldn't exactly DIY everything. I had some friends and family pitch in with the party food.There was one thing I was determined to make this year... and that was her birthday cake. Last year all over "blog world" were photos of a super epic

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-2380587175406797942010-10-17T08:30:00.000-04:002010-10-17T08:33:08.205-04:00

WOW... its been a whopping four months, huh? Apologies to my dear followers & friends but I've been really busy... dealing with pregnancy, a 2 year old, the summer, vacations, work, etc.... you know how it goes... life in general.But here I am at last... with my SMS pick. (I will tell you that I did make a few of the recipes these four months, just didnt have the time or energy to post about them

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-89115290607627376942010-06-22T15:55:00.003-04:002010-06-22T20:39:13.334-04:00

Holy cow... has it been over a month since my last post? So unlike me, right? Well, I have a good reason for my absence: I've been bouting with MORNING SICKNESS except it hits me right about when I would be baking and blogging.... in the evenings & and on the weekends. That's right, folks! I'm expecting another child! I'm due early January 2011!So for the past month and a half, I've been

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-13081566942322286352010-05-09T18:40:00.003-04:002010-05-10T14:16:12.477-04:00

Some things have come up in the game called life. I'll be taking a few weeks off but dont you worry... I'll be back with some posts soon. To my SMS bakers: I'll still be helping with the administration of our weekly recipes.

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-41114668923546791952010-05-02T08:38:00.000-04:002010-05-02T08:38:00.057-04:00

Today's SMS is brought to you by Mara of Love Your Mother Earth.Peanut butter & chocolate...what's not to love? This recipe came together in less than 20 minutes. Refrigerate for 2 hours and then scoop. I used my melon baller for less-than-one-tablespoon-sized truffles. I quartered every ingredient of this recipe EXCEPT the peanut butter and then rolled my truffles in powdered sugar.The verdict

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-15882124309315147932010-04-25T14:06:00.002-04:002010-04-25T14:09:53.837-04:00

Today's SMS recipe was chosen by my great blogger friend, Tracey of Tracey’s Culinary Adventures, who decided to go out on a limb and pick one of the crazy ones for us to bake. Strawberry — ok. Pie — ok. RHUBARB — what the heck??? I've never had it and lucky for me, I wasnt alone --- many of the other SMS bakers haven't had it either.First off, was to get some rhubarb. I sent my father cause he

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-27819276170400293292010-04-18T08:49:00.004-04:002010-04-18T08:49:00.678-04:00

Hi, there! I'm baaaack! Last weekend I was in beautiful Puerto Rico for a destination wedding. It was so nice to getaway for the weekend with the hubs (without the baby). It was the perfect weekend. Here's a photo of the wedding cake & cupcakes:After a two week hiatus, it's time I got back to baking again. Today's SMS recipe was chosen by our founder, Lorelei of Mermaid Sweets, which is where you

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-22666869357843507482010-04-04T08:04:00.000-04:002010-04-04T08:47:03.282-04:00

My sincere apologies to my fellow SMS Bakers. I'll be missing the next two SMS bake-fests. Today's Easter recipe is Pecan Shortbread Cookies chosen by Lara of The Lab. I had too many commitments this last week and just couldn't squeeze this in. I'll definitely try to make these soon cause I love pecans. Next week's recipe is Chocolate Malted Layer Cake by Nicole of Sweet Tooth. I'll be missing

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-80853092451336499372010-03-30T16:00:00.000-04:002010-03-30T16:18:22.369-04:00

It's been quite a while since I last made chocolate chip cookies. I have a few recipes ear marked because they have been deemed the "Best Chocolate Chip Cookie" recipe, and this was one of them. I'm a fan of Food Network's Throwdown with Bobby Flay, and after reading some of the reviews of this recipe, I went for this. The recipe can be found here.I seperated the dough into two batches, throwing

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-78711005911459902092010-03-28T05:13:00.003-04:002010-03-28T05:13:00.450-04:00

Before joining SMS, I've never heard of pavlova, which according to wikipedia, is:a meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballet dancer Ánna Pávlova. Colloquially referred to as "pav", it is a cake similar to meringue with a crispy crust and soft, light inner.Pavlova is made by beating egg whites (and sometimes salt) to a very stiff consistency before folding in sugar, white vinegar,

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-84852880183918209542010-03-21T09:26:00.006-04:002010-03-21T09:26:00.374-04:00

Today's SMS recipe was chosen by Susan of Baking with Susan. Susan has a great blog and I didnt know this til recently, but runs her own baking business... You Go, Susan!Double-crusted Caramel Apple Pie... the name of it sounds luscious, doesn't it? I LOVE apple pie. I made fried apple pies once and to my dismay, totally cant find the recipe anywhere now! If anyone has an awesome recipe for fried

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-20105604218171599272010-03-15T11:45:00.000-04:002010-03-15T11:45:00.319-04:00

This month's MSCupcake was chosen by Megan from My Baking Adventures. I love all things lemon and I couldn't wait to bake these! The only thing that turned me off was the meringue frosting. I baked these cupcakes on the same day that I made carrot cupcakes. I made orange cream cheese frosting for those; I made lemon cream cheese frosting for these! Then I adorned them with a lil sugar flower -

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-7684758510408875162010-03-14T08:59:00.005-04:002010-03-14T08:59:00.169-04:00

Do you have a recipe that you swear by? I do, and it's carrot cake (click here for my recipe & "story"). Julie of A Little Bit of Everything chose this Sunday's Sweet Melissa recipe. I almost opted out of this weekend's bake-along, cause like I said, I have a recipe that I swear by.Compared to Melissa Murphy's recipe, I use more carrots, cinnamon, nuts, baking soda & baking powder, and LESS

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-23984278666678473642010-03-07T20:20:00.000-05:002010-03-07T20:23:40.121-05:00

One of our newest members, Leslie of Lethally Delicious, chose this Sunday's recipe. The long winded name of the recipe says it all — Roasted Pecan Cake with Caramel Orange Marmalade and Burnt Orange Buttercream — sounds like a lot of work, right? Well, sort of.For the cake: I halved the recipe, toasted up pecans, process them in a food processor. Beat SIX egg whites into a meringue. I'm so glad

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-81148825732011203222010-03-03T09:16:00.000-05:002010-03-03T09:16:00.432-05:00

My family knows me so well. I love shopping at Williams-Sonoma.... and so does my aunt. She got me the Cookie Cake Pan for Christmas and I finally got to use it this past weekend... for a friend's birthday cake. I used the recipe that was on the box, but I'm sure any cake recipe would work. This was a huge hit!My cake is not as photo perfect as the one on the WS site but I will surely work on it.

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-14898304529769835092010-02-28T08:41:00.001-05:002010-02-28T09:37:15.998-05:00

This Sunday's SMS recipe, chosen by Nina of Nina's Cupcakes, was a lil on the odd side to me. It's a pie crust recipe that you can use to make sugar cookies. As you all know by now, i HATE making "dough" recipes, i.e., pie crusts or any recipe that calls for rolling dough. After contemplating for a week and reviewing the P&Q's of SMS, I decided to go ahead and make these. I did what many others

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-72057895621655615762010-02-23T21:25:00.000-05:002010-02-23T21:26:54.842-05:00

Last week, I bought a bread machine that was on sale and was so excited that upon receipt of it, I made a loaf of bread at 11pm on a worknight! What I love about the machine is I can throw in all the ingredients, press a button and in three hours I have fresh baked bread.The next day in the office I printed out a ton of bread recipes and this was one of the first ones I stumbled upon and decided

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-53558613213758686762010-02-17T08:50:00.008-05:002010-02-17T08:50:00.264-05:00

Last week as I was reviewing the posts of my fellow SMS Bakers, I came across Julie's post about the "Baking Gals." I've seen Operation Baking Gals on quite a few blogs. I immediately became intrigued and read on and then as if I don't have enough to do in my life, I found myself joining.Baking GALS (GALS stands for Give A Little Support) is a group of volunteer bakers from around the country who

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-21966576047357148682010-02-16T11:00:00.001-05:002010-02-16T11:19:31.468-05:00

I just received two awards in two days from two different bloggers. The first is from Susan of Baking by Sue, the TAQ Award for Photography. (I will post about the second award later this afternoon, as I am now sitting in my office and I do have some work.)Thank you, Susan for the photography award. I am still an amateur in this area but I'm learning every day. I became interested in photography

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-81968023874261030102010-02-15T09:00:00.001-05:002010-02-15T10:08:05.045-05:00

It feels like it's been forever since our last Martha Cupcake feature, hasn't it? February's cupcake-of-the-month — S'mores Cupcakes — was chosen by Mary Ann of Meet Me in the Kitchen.I was never a girl scout. I never went camping. (I never had a s'more!)I love graham crackers. I love chocolate. (Not a big fan of marshmellows.)I gave this recipe a try anyway but with a few changes:There was one

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-63029864402067568292010-02-14T10:14:00.000-05:002010-02-14T10:14:00.151-05:00

Spike of Spike Bakes chose a wonderful and decadent dessert for us this Sunday's SMS -- Easy Chocolate Mousse.There's not much to say about this dessert except: it's easy to make and DELICIOUS! For the recipe, head over to Spike's blog. Happy Valentine's Day!

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-61457973828087504382010-02-07T14:50:00.002-05:002010-02-14T21:11:43.751-05:00

I made this Sunday's Sweet Melissa recipe, which was chosen by Rosy of Rosy Lips and Lavender, into cupcakes. The recipe can be found on Rosy's blog. I made 1/3 of the recipe and came out with 9 cupcakes.I've made red velvet a number of times and my favorite recipe is Bobby Flay's. So how did Melissa's compare to Bobby's? Melissa's was just ok... a cake with a slight chocolate flavor. I upped the

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-70607349028324797272010-01-31T08:14:00.001-05:002010-01-31T08:14:00.634-05:00

I've missed two bake alongs in a row.*bows head down in shame*Forgive me, fellow SMS Bakers but i've been swamped with work and when I'm not working -- I'm still working.I'll be back... hopefully, next week.

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-79445911504413900532010-01-17T08:47:00.006-05:002010-01-17T21:28:28.670-05:00

This is going to be a really short post: I've been super busy with work lately (working at nights, too) that I hardly have time to blog, but I still find time to bake on Sundays and when I have some breathing room, I take some time to go thru my reader and comment on your blogs. I apologize if I havent commented on your blogs lately, but eventually, I'll come around to it.I actually made these a

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-48698989032203328692010-01-15T09:13:00.005-05:002010-01-15T09:13:00.292-05:00

The January/February issue Food Network Magazine featured "candy cupcakes" -- cupcakes that taste like candy bars, i.e., Snickers, Crunch Bar, Chocolate PB Cups, Peppermint Patties, and Almond Joy! When I saw the coconut cupcake recipe plus the chocolate & coconut topping, I knew i had to do that for this month's MSCupcake Recipe.I loved Martha's cupcake recipe! It was light, airy, moist and so

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-44981425724058517492010-01-10T15:10:00.002-05:002010-01-10T21:21:00.240-05:00

This week's SMS recipe, which also gave us a chance to use an additional recipe outside of The Sweet Melissa Baking Book, was chosen by Donna of L’Amour de Tarte. There are so many great fillings that can be made with a chocolate pie crust... I decided to make a chocolate cream pie because it's on My 100 list (#54).The Pie Crust -- Part One (Recipe can be found on Donna's blog.)I hate making pie

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-57774547302485910152010-01-03T04:28:00.002-05:002010-01-03T04:28:00.434-05:00

Happy New Year!!!Sorry for not blogging for over two weeks .... i was super-busy when Christmas came around.... but I'm back, and we're back! To start off the New Year, Jeanette of The Whimsical Cupcake chose Chocolate Creme Caramels. At first, I was going to make half the recipe. I changed my mind on Christmas eve and went for the full recipe -- to bring as a treat to my aunt's Christmas Day

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-86637686951167814182009-12-15T08:55:00.003-05:002009-12-15T08:55:00.395-05:00

Kayte from Grandma's Kitchen Table chose this month's MSCupcake -- gingerbread cupcakes -- which was an easy recipe to put together. I cut the recipe in half and came out with 8. The one thing I didnt like about the recipe was all the butter in it, even at half recipe, 1.5 sticks was used. I should have went with my gut and just used 1 stick of butter because out of the oven, these were oily.

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-83096924985326606362009-12-13T11:51:00.007-05:002009-12-13T20:20:59.223-05:00

This Sunday the rest of the gang is taking a break so I decided to make the very first SMS Recipe I missed — Honey Beescotti (page 70-71), which was chosen & hosted by SMS Founder, Lorelei of Mermaid Sweets. The recipe can be found here.I reviewed the P&Q section for the biscotti and here are some of my notes:◊ Make your own candied orange peel by following Giada De Laurentiis' recipe, which can

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-12973982409346031792009-12-06T20:25:00.001-05:002009-12-06T20:58:36.740-05:00

Our last SMS recipe for 2009 was chosen by Shandy of Pastry Heaven.I rather make a cheesecake than eat it. Odd, right? I hope not. I think cheesecakes are an acquired taste. My brother loves cheesecake, but he's not too fond of chocolate! So what in the world do I do in this situation? Go for it? Take a pass? I missed last Sunday's recipe and I almost bowed out of this one but I went for it and I

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-73724001002719332912009-11-30T13:10:00.000-05:002009-11-30T13:15:44.778-05:00

Over the weekend, I posted about a dessert dish I made for Thanksgiving — Pecan Pie Cookies. The other dessert I made was determined by the MSCupcake Group — our November Bonus Challenge — Applesauce-Spice Cupcakes.I knew these were going to be a hit, as well as SUPER moist ('cause of the applesauce)! I was right! Another super easy and delicious recipe!After reading, Martha's frosting recipe, I

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-90905887271773292732009-11-30T08:42:00.011-05:002009-11-30T10:14:05.444-05:00

Today's another double header post day. Be sure to come back later this afternoon to see my second Thanksgiving dessert.In case you missed it, I joined another baking group last month. We're baking thru Chocolate Epiphany: Exceptional Cookies, Cakes, and Confections for Everyone by Francois Payard. Some of the recipes in the book are quite extravagant — to me, a little on the difficult side — but

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-35142491469798556762009-11-27T20:53:00.007-05:002009-11-27T21:31:22.679-05:00

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving!For the holidays, I take on the task of providing the dessert course of the meal, and it usually takes me a few days (to a few weeks) to come up with my dessert options. This year, I let my baking groups choose for me.First up, Pecan Pie Cookies... (recipe can be found here)which was the November recipe for the cookie carnival, chosen by Jen from Beantown

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-15695920102042962472009-11-22T10:01:00.005-05:002009-11-22T10:01:00.479-05:00

"Leggo my eggo!?" Where ARE the eggos?Have you heard about the Eggo shortage? Two months ago, they were on sale. Now, you can't even find them. Perfect timing for a Sweet Melissa recipe! Thank you Lauren of Fried Pickles and Ice Cream, who chose this Sunday's recipe.I made these twice. Last weekend, was my first attempt. I started the batter the night before and in my haste, and a not-so-thorough

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-62306791535480129352009-11-19T10:11:00.003-05:002009-11-19T10:11:00.782-05:00

YOU'RE ALL THE BESTEST — now I know how to increase traffic to my blog — host a giveaway! Wasn't this fun? It was fun for me to read all your comments and I thank you, thank you! I will definitely be hosting another giveaway soon.... maybe for Christmas? New Years? MY Birthday? You'll have to come back again and again to see what I'll do next, won't you?And now the winner....Using

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-4865635250467234432009-11-15T14:00:00.005-05:002009-11-15T21:49:33.530-05:00

It's a double header post day! Today is the 15th of the month and what do we have? MS Cupcakes! Today is also Sweet Melissa Sunday... click here for my Butter Toffee Crunch.I actually made these cupcakes two weeks ago for Megan's 2nd Birthday-Halloween Party. For the party, I made 1 dozen Chocolate Spiders, 1 dozen Vanilla Cupcakes and 1 dozen of these SWEET Potato Cupcakes. Took me two nights

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-31303810962944775332009-11-15T07:32:00.004-05:002009-11-15T07:32:00.291-05:00

Kaitlin of Kait’s Plate chose this weekend's SMS recipe: a candy recipe! I can't remember if i have EVER made candy before (besides caramel). I read this recipe over quite a few times. The first thing that caught my attention was that the recipe would yield THREE POUNDS of CANDY! Hubs is not a big candy eater, let alone candy with nuts — and I wasnt about to make 3 lbs of this stuff. I cut the

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-66124450922503854642009-11-10T09:08:00.015-05:002009-11-10T09:08:00.546-05:00

In 2004, I bought my first home. As soon as the kitchen was ready, I baked up a storm. In 2007, I got pregnant and the baking came to a halt. A year after my baby girl was born, I started baking again because I decided to bake her birthday cupcake. Pretty soon, friends asked me for recipes and urged me to blog about what I was doing in the kitchen.Here we are --- 27,000+ hits, 130 blog entries, 4

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com68tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-34024398997967432572009-11-08T07:32:00.001-05:002009-11-10T21:23:49.893-05:00

After baking (& cooking) for my daughter's birthday party, one would think I'd be exhausted and take a break from baking for awhile, right? Yes and no. Yes, it WAS a little tiring but do I want to take a break? No. There's so much good stuff to bake & eat!So here we are for another installment of SMS. Jennifer of Maple N’ Cornbread chose this week's recipe — PEAR Cranberry Muffins w/Gingersnap

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-82736423994239121962009-11-01T08:32:00.003-05:002009-11-18T20:53:43.399-05:00

First off, I'd like to apologize to Candace of Candy Girl and to all the other SMS Bakers for not making the Sweet Almond Bread Pudding this weekend. Please be sure to check out what they've done cause it's an easy recipe and I will make it one day.This is why I've been slacking on my posts. I've been planning this for the past 2 weeks. My Baby's TWO!!! And to celebrate, we combined her birthday

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-57233508743995353572009-10-30T09:17:00.011-04:002009-11-24T22:29:48.211-05:00

I've taken on so many projects these last two weeks. I dont know why I do this to myself but I do. What in the world am I talking about? This week, I've been planning my daughter's Birthday Halloween Party (be sure to come back in the next few days for that post).And now, I'm barely making it on-time for my new bake-along!Ready for CHOCOLATE overload? Welcome to another monthly baking adventure -

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-30742601752642054582009-10-29T22:32:00.006-04:002009-12-06T21:03:38.809-05:00

Another baking group, another cookbook.Completed & upcoming recipes:1. Chocolate Creme Brulee2. Charlie's Afternoon Cake3. Flourless Chocolate Cookies4. Pine Nut Turron Cake5. Chocolate Pets De Nonne6. Paris-Brest

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-67291234301150797992009-10-25T08:54:00.010-04:002009-10-25T12:03:30.415-04:00

Holly of Phe/mom/enon chose this Sunday's recipe. I love Holly's blog -- she takes the most amazing photos. If you've never checked out her site, please do!Hubs COULD NOT wait for me to make this one! He loves chocolate AND peanut butter. He eats Reese's PB Cups all the time! Before making this, i asked him twice -- if he would eat this because a lot of the treats I make he doesnt really eat.

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-90652020814339876412009-10-20T10:41:00.003-04:002009-10-20T10:50:21.762-04:00

Help support a fellow blogger! Kate from the clean plate club, aka the Cookie Carnival host, is trying to land a blog job and she needs help from the blog world! Click here to read her story and then click on the icon below to vote for her every day til Oct. 31!Good Mood Gig from SAM-eand a note from kate's daughter:

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-91659148287678194632009-10-18T09:20:00.002-04:002009-10-18T21:12:21.076-04:00

Sorry for the short and picture-less post.Debbie of Every Day Blessings of The Five Dee’s chose this Sunday's recipe. Please head over to her blog for the recipe. I actually made these last weekend in between baking birthday cupcakes and the MSC Pumpkin cupcakes. I never had a chance to take a photo of the cookies. I used the leftover canned pumpkin and cream cheese frosting from the MSC cupcakes

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-92196065072270387692009-10-15T08:31:00.001-04:002009-10-15T08:31:00.461-04:00

It's time for the cupcake of the month! Kim from What the Whisk chose Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes for October's MS Cupcake. I never made anything with pumpkin before; never really cared for it. No pumpkin pie -- it was always sweet potato pie for my family. No pumpkin cheesecake -- it was always a plain one for us. Yes, i've been a sheltered child. So I made 1/4 of the recipe and came out with 8.

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-48717086645863160262009-10-13T09:50:00.000-04:002009-10-13T09:56:48.100-04:00

Flavors for the day:Vanilla cupcakes with cocoa frostingRed velvet with cream cheese frostingAnd for the Birthday Boy: A cupcake larger than your standard cupcake.. again, vanilla w/cocoa frostingThe Birthday Boy

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-86948397691559551652009-10-11T08:01:00.008-04:002009-10-11T08:01:00.122-04:00

A few weeks ago I watched Alton Brown make Overnight Cinnamon Rolls on Good Eats. A few days later I took the liberty of emailing the October SMS Bakers for their recipes (I'm helping out Lorelei while she gets settled into her new home) — and there it was — Jen's pick!Jen of Not Microwave Safe chose Sticky Buns aka Cinnamon Rolls! After reading the recipe three times -- these are also OVERNIGHT

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-6236605274354741482009-10-04T09:33:00.006-04:002009-11-10T21:24:25.012-05:00

I love APPLE SEASON and I love to go apple picking! I use to go as a teen with friends and family and everytime we came back with bags and bags. There was always pie being made afterwards. I cant wait to go apple picking later this month with BabyM — I just hope she likes it as much as I do — it'll be the first time we go together as a family. My husband's never been apple picking,

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-89720281371541057982009-09-30T09:10:00.002-04:002009-09-30T09:44:25.639-04:00

I'm often asked, "How do you find the time to bake the things you do and who in the world eats them all?" During the workweek, I usually premeasure the dry ingredients and make any frosting a day or two before. So it usually takes me less than 1 hour to have 1 dozen cupcakes baked from start to finish. AND, I can still be in bed by 10pm! Who gets to try all these yummy treats? Me. My toddler.

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-76793628582786833742009-09-27T08:34:00.002-04:002009-09-27T08:34:00.034-04:00

Hanaâ of Hanaâ's Kitchen recently baked for her a State Fair and "placed" with a few of her recipes. That's a great accomplishment, and one day, I hope to do something as aspiring as entering a cooking contest. Props to Hanaâ, who also chose this Sunday's Sweet Melissa recipe.I LOVE cheese but i'm not very fond of onions. I mean, I'll cook with onions when I have to but I wont really eat them...

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-89608751355070462092009-09-22T09:28:00.005-04:002009-09-22T09:28:00.820-04:00

Welcome to my first cookie carnival — a once-a-month cookie-baking event, hosted by Kate of the clean plate club. This month's recipe was Martha Stewart's Black Bottom Coconut Bars and the recipe can be found here. As posted on the recipe page, "a rich chocolate brownie and a chewy coconut macaroon — indulge!"I like brownies & I like macaroons. Hence, it was time to put the two together. Lately,

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-77065733979679776642009-09-20T09:19:00.000-04:002009-09-20T09:19:00.051-04:00

I never ATE a scone, let alone bake one. Shocking, right? Scones werent something i've ever wanted to eat. Don't ask me why... i'll grab a bagel or a muffin before i grab a scone. What is a scone? According to wikipedia, "The scone is a small British quickbread (or cake if recipe includes sugar) of possible Scottish origin." And here I thought it was a cookie! Anyway, this week's recipe was

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-73776502316145684222009-09-18T09:58:00.003-04:002009-09-18T09:59:43.503-04:00

I'm looking to buy a bread machine. There are so many other there! I'm looking for something cheap, reliable and easy to use. For those of you who own one, what do you use? Do you like it? If not, which other one would you get? Thanks!

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-12080629140085349922009-09-15T09:08:00.003-04:002009-09-15T09:46:42.320-04:00

When I first received my Cupcakes cookbook, this was one of the recipes I quickly passed over. Didnt even want to try it. Certainly didnt flag it. I think my reasoning was because of the zucchini. I love them grilled but in a cupcake!?Fast forward to two months later and I made them! Why? Well, the obvious reason being that I intend to attempt every cupcake the MSC Group makes. Tracey from

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-19514194799655377812009-09-09T20:32:00.004-04:002009-09-09T20:53:52.365-04:00

I've seen this going on in the blogworld for quite some time now. It's like all those note-tags floating around Facebook. Finally, someone got me — thanks, Hanna — I think!1. A – Available/Single? Married2. B – Best friend? DH3. C – Cake or Pie? Cake4. D – Drink of choice? Water5. E – Essential item you use every day? Ipod6. F – Favorite color? Blue7. G – Gummy Bears or Worms? Bears8. H –

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-64351064392294089612009-09-06T20:30:00.001-04:002009-09-06T20:33:16.084-04:00

This is going to be a really short post of mine. I usually dont wait until the last minute to bake for SMS but this weekend sure was a busy one. Sarah of Blue Ridge Baker chose today's recipe, Fallen Chocolate Souffle Cake. I baked this early Saturday morning using a 7" springform and baked it for about 25 minutes.I brought it to a party on Sunday. I received rave reviews from ALL the kids who

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-20083623348844353782009-09-01T08:37:00.005-04:002009-09-02T20:54:44.709-04:00

A few weeks ago Stonyfield Farms asked me if I wanted some coupons (this link will take you to their coupon page) for free yogurt — why would i say NO? When I received my package, I was suprised to see a few coupons for their Greek-style yogurt. I've been craving some frozen yogurt so last night i gave it a try.Using David Lebovitz's recipe from Perfect Scoop, I made the Perfect Frozen Yogurt.

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-75671265059665083452009-08-30T10:00:00.045-04:002009-08-30T10:00:01.443-04:00

The week before our SMS creations are posted, many of us express opinions (raves, reviews, tips, etc.) about the chosen recipe. After reading the comments about today's recipe, Fresh Peach Muffins, chosen by JoVonn of The Givens Chronicles, I almost opted out of this one. I certainly didnt want a dense muffin that wasn't the least bit tasty. But I'm glad I went ahead and made the muffins

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-43002211446988595432009-08-23T10:03:00.006-04:002009-08-30T15:13:51.205-04:00

Apples in banana bread??? YES. YES. OH, HECK YEA!!! I actually made this when I first got the book back in April and I made it a few more times after that. Joy of Hot Oven, Warm Heart chose Banana Apple Bread for today's Sweet Melissa Sundays, and the recipe can be found on her blog. I think what makes this a FANTASTIC banana bread is the addition of brown sugar & cinnamon apples!I used my mini

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-35989293725301015242009-08-19T08:55:00.001-04:002009-09-01T11:00:52.340-04:00

I've made a few pound cakes: there was Elvis' Fave, Ina's Lemon-Yogurt, & Entenmann's Copycat, all of which were "POUND-like." It was time for something light & airy. And boy was I ever "smitten!" when Smitten Kitchen whipped this one up recently. If you've never checked out her site, please do --- she's witty, her recipes are great & her photos are fantastic --- just like this recipe!Recipe

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-24774743173654168102009-08-16T10:00:00.002-04:002009-09-01T11:04:42.656-04:00

I met Annie, of Living Life Foodcariously, a few years ago when we were planning our weddings. First, it was just chit-chatting online about our upcoming nuptials. Then, it was meeting for dinner & drinks with other brides-to-be in NYC. Now it's baking & blogging together. Annie chose a super easy recipe for Sweet Melissa Sunday --- HAZELNUT TRUFFLES.Easy to make, that is. I usually have a lot of

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-27089661903591200952009-08-15T19:30:00.006-04:002009-08-15T21:33:39.141-04:00

Welcome to the premiere of MARTHA STEWART'S CUPCAKES Club, where a group of bakers come together and bake a recipe monthly from the CUPCAKES cookbook and blog about it! Our featured cupcakes will be posted on the 15th of each month. Betty of eat my cupcake is our gracious leader and the host for this month. For our first cupcake she chose CHOCOLATE SALTED-CARAMEL CUPCAKES.I dont have a mini

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-44549072307989712052009-08-09T09:21:00.003-04:002009-08-10T09:32:29.880-04:00

I was meeting my girlfriend (who's 6 months prego) for Sunday brunch and since I havent seen her in about three months I thought I would surprise her with a sweet treat. How about a Snickerdoodle CUPCAKE topped with a Snickerdoodle COOKIE?Would you believe it if I told you that all this baking & blogging time, I've only READ recipes about Snickerdoodles. *sigh* I know, I know.... I NEVER ate one

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-11077157535283193672009-08-06T08:00:00.010-04:002009-08-07T15:23:18.074-04:00

After my first flop with flan, i was graciously showered with other flan recipes to try. So I decided to do a taste test of a few of them. This recipe is courtesy of Hanaâ, and its from America's Test Kitchen.Classic Crème Caramel (Serves 8)from the Episode: Puddings — from Simple to Spectacular Caramel1 cup granulated sugar1/3 cup water2 tablespoons corn syrup1/4 teaspoon lemon juiceCustard1 1/2

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-79019751270524692362009-08-04T09:55:00.010-04:002009-09-01T21:04:08.131-04:00

My mom loves my baking.... so much that her doctor told her to stop eating all the treats, i.e., cause of the sugar, the fat, the calories, etc. etc. So i took on the task of making her "healthier" things so she can still enjoy baked goods without all the good (or in my mom's case, the bad) stuff.I recently discovered Agave Nectar which makes a good substitute for sugar. Agave nectar is a real

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-17033827640277657512009-08-02T08:51:00.003-04:002009-08-07T15:25:40.580-04:00

Whenever I'm invited to a gathering, whether it be with family or friends, I usually bring dessert. This weekend was no exception. My brother had a BBQ yesterday and I made cupcakes (posts to follow) and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies. Stephanie of Ice Cream Before Dinner chose this week's Sweet Melissa Sunday recipe and it can be found here.Super simple. I had all the ingredients on-hand. Except

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-66838513820221662332009-08-01T21:09:00.017-04:002010-03-15T17:21:10.903-04:00

I'm baking my way thru another cookbook.For a list of participating bakers, click here.Here's a list of our completed & upcoming recipes:8/15/09: Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes (pages 148-149)9/15/09: Zucchini-Spice Cupcakes (pages 44-45)9/30/09: Banana Pecan Cupcakes (page 41) * BONUS10/15/09: Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes (page 236)11/15/09: I PICKED: Candied Sweet Potato Cupcakes (page 243)11/30/

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-40658394201885315052009-07-30T09:01:00.000-04:002009-07-30T09:01:00.456-04:00

I found this recipe on someone's blog and I'm so sorry for not referencing you --- I go thru so many blogs and I cant always keep track of everyone's. The recipe originally came from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking and I adjusted according to what I had in my pantry.Makes 12 muffins1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 medium)1/4 cup sugar1/4 cup packed light brown sugar1/2 cup chunky

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-10819892940187788012009-07-28T09:54:00.004-04:002009-07-28T10:03:15.817-04:00

This weekend we took BabyM to Hershey Park, PA. The last time i was there I was probably 15. I dont remember it being so big. There's the amusement park, the water park, a ZOO and the chocolate factory! For those of you that have never seen BabyM, here are two photos of us:BabyM was petrified of Mr. Reeses.

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-8079529281475922542009-07-26T06:00:00.001-04:002009-07-27T16:38:12.641-04:00

No SMS for me this weekend but if you have a moment, please go thru the blogroll and see what the SMS bakers created. This weeks recipe, Strawberry-Ruby Grapefruit Preserves, was chosen by Margot of Effort to Deliciousness.We're out in Hershey, Pennsylvania for the weekend and so i dont leave you recipe-less today I'd like to leave you with a frozen yogurt recipe that I think you should try and

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-44222190600789806122009-07-23T09:45:00.004-04:002009-07-27T16:41:31.680-04:00

Frozen Lemonade!Please excuse the blurry photo.... its difficult for me to photograph something so tantalizing at 10:30 at nite, especially if i want to eatit before it melts.Simple. Sweet. Easy. Refreshing. Delicious.Need i say more?As soon as fellow-SMS baker Tracey posted this recipe on her blog, I ran home to zest & juice lemons! From The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz:Printable recipe2 1/2

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-32699306247456188422009-07-20T10:40:00.003-04:002009-07-20T11:08:31.330-04:00

THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!A big thank you to Eliana of A Chica Bakes, who awarded me my first blogger award!As part of accepting this award, and in lieu of an acceptance speech, here are 7 things (some of you may or may not know) about me:1. I was born in Manhattan and raised in Brooklyn (NY).2. I ride a motorcycle.3. I hope to one day run in a marathon.4. My favorite food is anything made with

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-16136590864571906062009-07-19T09:55:00.013-04:002009-07-19T09:55:00.804-04:00

This Sunday's SMS recipe was chosen by a very multi-talented person. Not only is Melissa of Lulu the Baker a baker, she's very crafty -- making sweet things for babies & has an Etsy Store! She also recently celebrated her one year blogging anniversary by hosting a giveaway to one of her lucky readers. How cool is that?!Melissa chose Whole Orange Poppy Seed Cake. And yes, we used the WHOLE ORANGE.

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-89586038292253444692009-07-15T09:21:00.004-04:002009-07-20T13:52:45.758-04:00

Crème caramel, flan, or caramel custard is a rich custard dessert with a layer of sof caramel on top, as opposed to crème brûlée, which is custard with a hard caramel top.I've NEVER had flan before. I would always see it on the dessert menu at restaurants but never ordered it because i usually go for something chocolaty or fruity. So last Friday night, I decided to make it -- JUST BECAUSE!For the

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422955389895319200.post-9609381015493122352009-07-12T09:53:00.009-04:002009-07-12T20:48:21.156-04:00

I'm not a huge fan of cheesecakes. My family loves them and i happily make it for them upon request. Cheesecakes are just so easy to make. I usually make them with a graham cracker crust so i was pretty intrigued when I read that this recipe uses a cornmeal crust. Instead of making a huge 9" cheesecake, I cut the recipe in half and made minis in my cupcake pan. Half of the crust recipe is good

k.a.r.e.nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880308379938674772noreply@blogger.com12