Kamis, 31 Juli 2008

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Raisin Scones

In a busy world, where more and more families spend increasing amounts of their budgets on eating out and commercial food, sometimes you just want home baked goodness. It is a form of love embodied in flour, sugar and butter. It can be self-love when you deserve a treat, love for your neighbors, or love for a friend. But no matter how you slice it or slather it in butter, baked goods are always

Senin, 21 Juli 2008

Healthier Fruit Crisp Topping (with a hint of ginger!)

There is perhaps no dessert more perfect for summer than a seasonal fresh fruit cobbler or pie. My husband is a fresh fruit dessert fanatic. There is no quicker way to that man's heart than to surprise him with a pie or cobbler made from fresh seasonal fruit. And if you buy seasonal fruits at the peak of their ripeness, the fruit itself has almost all the succulent sweetness you need, with very

Rabu, 16 Juli 2008

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (and they're healthy too!)

Lately I have been craving oatmeal raisin cookies like they were a force of nature. But the idea of nibbling at tempting cookies was not exactly in line with my summer "shape-up" plan. Or so I thought. Then I found this recipe by David Lebovitz for all natural, chewy oatmeal raisin cookies. Folks, I may never try another oatmeal raisin cookie recipe again. I'm willing to believe there may be

Rabu, 09 Juli 2008

Kung Pao: Reflections on immigration and food

My husband and I visited my parents in Wisconsin last weekend. As we often do when we visit my hometown, we got Chinese take-out for lunch one day. And so I found myself glorious slurping a bowl of Hot and Sour Soup, and reflecting on one of life's greater mysteries. I grew up in Racine, Wisconsin. It is the first county south of Milwaukee. We are a town trying to grow past its industrial roots,

Jumat, 04 Juli 2008

Jarlsberg French Bisto Sandwich...for American Independence

As this Fourth of July loomed, I found myself increasingly taken with the idea of doing something French to celebrate American Independence Day. Why? Do I have some perverse desire to infuriate legions of freedom-friers? On the contrary, I think it is because most Americans have either forgotten, or were never aware, of the debt we owe the French for our success in the Independence struggle.

Kamis, 03 Juli 2008

Blogaversary Recap and a Look at SG's Top Content

I tried whispering sweet nothings to it and I got no where. I batted my eyes and winked suggestively, but still nothing. And try as I might, my blog just didn't pick up on the idea that for once I wanted it to cook me dinner. It only seemed like a fair way to celebrate the blogaversary. But as it turns out, I am having a somewhat one-sided yet time-consuming love affair.I thought about baking a

Selasa, 01 Juli 2008

How Should I Celebrate My One-Year "Blog-aversary"?

I just realized (with a startle) that today is July first. Among other things (the summer is going by so fast, deadlines loom etc), this means that tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of my first ever blog post. This makes it my "blogaversary," which is a word I have only recently discovered.This also makes me feel strangely a little old. I still think of myself as the new kid on the food