Christmas

19
Dec
2013

Holiday Gift Guide: 2013 Favorites for the Baker & Foodie

categories: Christmas, Favorites, Gadgets, Gift Guide

The tree is up, the lights are hung, my cookie swap cookies are now just a faint delicious memory & the window cling snowflakes are up!

Oh yeah, it’s most definitely Christmas up in here.
I know, I know, you’re probably saying, “Window clings?! Really?!”
Yes, girl, really.
Don’t judge!

I’m relaxed, I’m singing cheesy songs & I’m ready to plan Christmas dinners!
Yes, girl.
Dinners…with an “s”!

Then someone has to go & ruin my “Zen-mas” mood & remind me that I have to buy gifts.

Crap.

As soon as the pressure is on, all of those great ideas that I tell myself I will remember come December are just not there anymore & I’m left scrambling for something unique & thoughtful at the last minute…which usually means that you are getting something I baked and/or bought at the supermarket.

This year, I decided to do something a little different & kept a running list of things that I not only loved but actually owned & used A LOT in 2013. This is not a sponsored blog & no company I mention has contacted me peddling their wares. Now if they would like to send me some more mats or pans, I wouldn’t be totally against a little package in the mail 😉

I just really want to spare the lost souls that empty thousand-yard stare that I so frequently see going on in the store isles this time of year.
It’s like rows & rows of sad, gift giving zombies out there.

No joke.

So here’s my list of top Foodie Gifts for 2013!
I know it’s a little late for this but if you two day ship with Amazon.com,
you will get it on time!!

I provide links to most of these products on my Amazon Store that you can find HERE or on the side bar of this here blog ——->

And remember, as much as we all love gifts, nothing beats the gift of love for your fellow man/woman. Take some time this season to tell someone how much they mean to you because you never know just how many more trips you get around the sun.

That being said, your mom might look at you crazy if you show up with hugs for Christmas so let’s get into it!

Happy Chrismakwanzakah!

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18
Dec
2012

Holiday Gift Guide 2012

categories: Christmas, Gift Guide

Oh, the holidays.

A time where we stress ourselves out about all the wrong things & overeat out of sheer anxiety.

Let me help you diminish some of that needless stress &
assist you in finishing up that last minute shopping by giving you some ideas for those family & friends that are oh, so picky & oh, so into their hobbies.
The best part about this stuff is that you can get it all ONLINE.
That means less time shlepping around a department store & more time enjoying the REAL reason for the season:
Sitting around with friends & family, talking about the year that’s soon to pass, & thanking the powers that be that we are alive, happy, & healthy for one more day.

If there is anything that has been more evident in the last couple of days, it’s that you never know how long you have with people…so cherish each moment you can.

Happy Holidays!!

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13
Dec
2011

2011 Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap: Citrus Alfajores

categories: Christmas, Cookies, Dessert

‘Tis the season…to eat cookies.

Duh.

Well maybe not just eat cookies, but it’s not a bad idea!

So you can imagine my excitement when I came across the posting by

Lyndsay at Love and Olive Oil & Julie at The Little Kitchen about

The 2011 Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap.

The idea: Have several food bloggers from across the United States sign up to take part of the cookie swap (600 to be exact!) have them each bake 3 dozen cookies and send a dozen to 3 other bloggers.

Then sit back, relax, and wait for your very own 3 dozen cookies to arrive at your door!!

I figured:

Hey.

I can bake

and

I’m pretty good at sitting back

and

I’m pretty friggin’ spectacular at eating cookies.

Win. Win. Win.

So I put on my apron, got out my rolling pin and decided on a variation of my absolute favorite cookie: Peruvian Alfajores!

Alfajores are a biscuit-y, slightly sweet wafer/cookie filled with dulce de leche and rolled in powdered sugar. They are very common in Peru and many other Latin countries with each one having their own variation on the same basic cookie. Growing up, I LOVED when my family would bring these from Peru when they’d visit us. I have not been able to readily find these in any bakeries so I decided to start making them myself.

But this was the first annual cookie swap.

I couldn’t just make any ol’ alfajor.

It had to be bad ass. It had to be unique.

I had to bring my “A” game.

So here you go:

Citrus Alfajores.

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Category: Christmas