My goal every year is to get creative with my Thanksgiving side dishes. I love traditions and classics, but if we never introduce anything new, we’ll never create any new traditions or classics. At least that is the way I look at it.
So at least one new thing is always my goal.
On the Sly Scotch Cocktail
December 7, 2018I’m usually not one for sweeter, creamy cocktails. At least not anymore. There are two exceptions, though.
Sometimes I can swing one for dessert. And, if they are spiced, I think they fit right in with the holiday season.
So when I was flipping through my review copy of Maggie Hoffman’s The One-Bottle Cocktail, the On the Sly caught my eye. I took a second glance due to the combination of it being spiced, creamy, coffee-infused, and…it uses Scotch!
Salted Watermelon Margaritas
July 2, 2018These salted watermelon margaritas use fresh watermelon that has been cubed and frozen for a frosty cocktail that is perfect for summer!
I’m not watermelon’s biggest fan. It just isn’t my first choice for summer fruit.
Lately, though, I’ve found that I like watermelon flavored things – juices, beers, desserts. I’m not sure why my taste buds make the distinction, but they do.
I was traveling for work a couple weeks ago and I had a cocktail that used watermelon shrub. It was excellent. I wasn’t ready to jump into making a shrub, but after that, getting creative with watermelon was on the back of my mind for sure.
So with watermelon on the brain, when I got home and found them piled up at the farmstand, I grabbed one thinking I could make something interesting with it if I decided I didn’t want to eat it fresh.
Lemon Pistachio Tea Cakes
December 22, 2017This is it.
The final post of my epic holiday baking season. I made almost everything I wanted to. Almost.
There always seems to be one or two things I don’t get to. This year it was Kentucky bourbon fruit cake. I made stollen instead.
But I did get in quite a few cookies. Like these. I never know quite what to call them. Growing up they were Mexican Wedding Cakes. Then I learned they are also called Russian Tea Cakes. Also, Snowballs.
Cranberry Upside Down Cake
December 14, 2017I welcome the tartness and I shy away from adding too much sugar.
That’s my relationship with cranberries.
I love cranberry. It easily ranks in the top 5 for my favorite holiday flavors. Or I guess I should say foods, with it being an actual fruit and all.
It’s why this cranberry upside down cake immediately got my attention.
Gluten-Free Gingerbread
December 13, 2017
I want to introduce you to my friend, Jane. Even if you are familiar with her work, there is likely something you don’t know about her.
Without Jane’s support and interests in me, Food on Tap might have never come into existence.
She’s the one that connected me with publishers which led to my getting an agent and finally creating a full proposal for an idea I’d had for two years that Countryman Press eventually picked up.
This food blogging world is so big that sometimes I forget how I originally meet people. Jane and I got to know each other through all the fun food events I used to attend when we lived in the Bay Area.
But we actually go back further than that.
Way back in 2010 and 2011, I used to host a Blogger Holiday Cookie Exchange along with a co-hosting blogger friend. All involved traded recipes and made the cookies to post on our blogs and share the holiday love. In 2011, Jane participated in that. In 2012, she asked if I was doing it again, but that was the year that all my baking supplies, as well as most of my Christmas spirit, were boxed up and ready to move to California. But I always appreciated Jane’s interest in the project.
Soon, I got to meet Jane in person. I quickly learned that her positive attitude, friendly nature, and pleasant spunk stick with you.
A gluten-free food blogger over at The Heritage Cook, Jane and I share a strong love of Europe and the region’s baked goods. She’s managed to find a way to enjoy amazing baked goods despite her GF restrictions and earlier this year she teamed up with Shannon Kinsella to co-author the book, The Gluten-Free Bread Machine Cookbook.
Full disclosure, I do not own a bread machine.
Holiday Cut Out Cookies with Spiced Ale
November 28, 2017Today I’m sharing one of my favorite recipes from my cookbook, Food on Tap: Cooking with Craft Beer! I’ve lost count of how many batches of these I have made. Flavored with holiday ale, they have spiced, citrus notes that I can’t get enough of. They make the perfect cut out cookies any time of year!
Over a month has passed since my cookbook published. It’s been a whirlwind of questions, answers, outreach, event organizing, and even a podcast interview (link coming soon)! It has all been amazing.
At the same time, it left me with two overwhelming feelings.
Gratitude and mental exhaustion.
I was not prepared to feel either of these to the extent that I have over these past few weeks.
Let me explain.
Orange Candied Ginger Chocolate Shortbread
December 14, 2016This year’s holiday baking list is long with a capital L.
The past few Decembers I’ve penciled in things I want to make only to have that task followed by the days disappearing and me running out of steam. So I put them off until the next year.
Well, this is the year that I’m making it ALL.
Now, most of these things are traditional recipes and the recipes of others. I checked off rugelach (a lovely apricot pistachio version from Martha Stewart Living) this past weekend. I still have stollen, lebkuchen, Danish butter cookies and panettone to get to.
Since I share mostly original recipes here, that leaves me little to post, besides a few photos. So I still feel like I should come up with at least one new holiday baking recipe to share with you.
This is that recipe. My 2016 holiday cookie.
Holiday Gift Ideas
December 14, 2014It has been a year of cool finds around here which leads to a great list of holiday gift ideas! Whether you are buying for a cook, a runner or a traveler, I have a few ideas that will simplify your holiday shopping.
It’s the holiday season and what kind of blogger would I be if I didn’t share a few holiday gift ideas. Fortunately, compiling a list has been easy. I’ve come across so many things this year that fit every hat I manage to wear on a regular basis. If you happen to have a traveler, cookbook lover, runner or food blogger on your list, look no further. I have no doubt they will love these gifts as much as I do.
Bosc Pear, Walnut and Gorgonzola Holiday Stuffing
October 27, 2014Add a twist to your holiday stuffing! This recipe takes my favorite combo of pears, walnuts and Gorgonzola and turns them into a delicious version of one of my favorite holiday sides.
Friends of ours hosted a Thanksgiving potluck and I was put on the stuffing list. Since mine was stuffing number 2 at the dinner and stuffing number 1 was straight up traditional, I was given free reign to get creative. So I volunteered to bring this.
I made this recipe before…in 2009! 2009?! To be honest with you, I can’t believe I’ve been blogging that long. But there that post sits, with some pretty ugly photos and in need of some revision.