My 1st Blogversary and My 50!

Happy Blogversary to you! Happy Blogversary to you! Happy Blogversary dear Little Bit! Happy Blogversary to you!

Seems like just yesterday, this blog was only a wild and crazy thought in my mind. A year ago, I was looking for something to challenge my brain and a purpose for my cookbooks and recipe clippings.

Except for a short period of time last summer when my health got in the way, I've been motivated to keep up my blog. I've tried recipes I would have never tried, like this one from Sweet Melissa Sunday's . I've met a lot of great bloggers and continue to meet new friends. There's so many talented and creative food bloggers out there, my list of daily reads continues to grow.

One thing that helps me stay on course is keeping a list of upcoming posts and recipes to try. A couple of weeks ago, I started thinking about my Blogversary, what recipe to post and what to write about. One of the reasons I began blogging was to make recipes from all of my recipe clippings and cookbooks. One of my 2010 blogging goals is to make more recipes from the 100+ cookbooks I own. What do I do? I keep buying more cookbooks. Currently I have a dozen or more on the list of ones I want to buy. My Blogversary recipe is a Creme Brulee from an old issue of First magazine. You know those recipes that are like old friends? You can always count on them? This recipe is one of those old friends. If you haven't made Creme Brulee before, give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!


Creme Brulee
6 Servings

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 to 12 tablespoons sugar

Heat oven to 300. Heat cream and 1/2 cup sugar in a sauce pan over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot. Whisk egg yolks to combine. Slowly pour cream into yolks, whisking quickly so the hot cream doesn't curdle the eggs. Stir in vanilla.

Pour into 6 creme brulee dishes, custard cups or individual souffle dishes. Line the bottom of a roasting pan with paper towels and set the filled dishes on top. Set on oven shelf and pour warm water into pan to come half up the sides of the dishes.

Bake until a knife stuck in the center comes out coated with thickened custard, about 1 hour. (For souffle dishes and custard cups bake about 1 hour and 30 minutes). Let stand in water bath 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely. Chill overnight.

To glaze, sprink about 1 tablespoon evenly on top of the custard, smooth the surface. Using a kitchen torch melt the sugar to form the carmalized top.

I've been working on My 50, a list of recipes I haven't made before. There's lots of other recipes I want to make but these are those more "Julia Child like" recipes. With the exception of gnocci, I have never made anything on this list. I've made gnocci a couple of times but it's been at least 10 years ago. It wasn't all that good, certainly not that melt in your mouth gnocci you get at a good Italian restaurant. Compiling this list wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I had a hard time coming up with 50 but in the end, I am happy with my list.

Julie's Top 50

BREAD
1 Bagels
2 Baguettes
3 Brioche
4 Croissants
5 Focaccia
6 Pretzels

DESSERTS
7 Baked Alaska
8 Baklava
9 Bananas Foster
10 Beignets
11 Carrot Cake
12 Crepes
13 Decorated Tiered Cake
14 Filled Cupcakes
15 French Macaroons
16 Lemon Curd
17 Merinque
18 Panna Cotta
19 Pie Crust
20 Pots de crème
21 Profiteroles
22 Pudding
23 Shortbread
24 Tres Leches
25 Trifle
26 Truffles
27 Bubble Tea

MAIN DISHES
28 Beef Bourguignon
29 Beef Tenderloin
30 Butter Poached Lobster Tails
31 Chili Rellenos
32 Croque Monsieur
33 Dutch Baby
34 Gnocci
35 Gumbo
36 Lobster Bisque
37 Miso Soup
38 Pad Thai
39 Paella
40 Pizza Dough
41 Puttanesca Sauce
42 Ravioli
43 Sage Brown Butter Sauce
44 Sushi
45 Vodka Sauce

SIDES
46 Duchesse Potatoes
47 Caesar Salad
48 Chutney
49 Polenta
50 Rice Pilaf

Do you have a favorite or no fail recipe for any of the dishes on my list? I'd love to hear about them, let me know!

Lavender-Lemon Pound Cake

Two of my favorite things are lavender and lemon. When I saw this recipe on Savoring Time in the Kitchen, I knew I had to make it.

I've been wanting a mini bundt pan. We're making Chocolate Canneles on Chocolate With Francois in March. I don't own the molds but Sarah, our host for the month says we can use muffin tins. Wouldn't mini bundt pans be perfect? Two recipes, for sure I need the mini bundt pan. I bought this pan and I just love the different shapes. I bought mine at The Kitchen Connection and only paid $19.99.

We're lucky enough to have a Pezney's in Omaha. A few months ago, I purchased culinary lavender. I made Lavender Simple Syrup, a wonderful addition to cocktails.





This pound cake is a delightful recipe. The beautiful lemony batter is lightly scented with lavender. It doesn't have a typical pound cake texture. The texture was much more like a traditional cake. This cake was great with a small scoop of the Lemon Sorbet I made last week.

Recipe Courtesy of Monica Glass, Pastry Chef
12 miniature cake molds or cupcake molds

For the cake:

2½ cups sifted all-purpose flour*
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dried lavender, coarsely crushed or ground
¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature

For the sugar glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Generously grease two 6-cup mini Bundt pans or muffin cups with butter or non-stick cooking spray and dust lightly with flour, knocking out excess. Do not preheat oven.

Sprinkle the lavender into the buttermilk and let sit for 10 minutes. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.

Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy, about 30 seconds. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula. Then beat in the eggs one at a time, beating only until incorporated after each addition. Mix in the zest, lemon juice and vanilla.

Mix in the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Beat the final addition only until smooth. Do not over mix.

Spoon the batter into each cup, filling it only ¾ full and distributing it evenly between the 12 Bundt or muffin cups. Tap each pan several times on the counter to eliminate air bubbles and level the tops. Place both pans in the cold oven and turn the oven to 325? F. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the tops (which will eventually become the cake bottoms) are risen and golden. Do not open the oven until at least 30 minutes into baking so your cakes will not fall.

Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 30 minutes, then run a thin knife around outer edge of each cake to loosen and unmold by inverting the pan over onto a wire rack. The cakes will be right-side-up at this point.

Prepare the glaze:

Combine the powdered sugar, heavy cream and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula until the glaze is smooth and of drizzling consistency. Spoon the glaze over the top of each slightly cooled cake, letting some run down unevenly on the sides. Zest the lemon over the tops of the glaze and serve.

Wrapped in plastic or aluminum foil, the cakes will keep for 3-5 days at room temperature and for up to 3 months in the freezer.

*Sift the flour, then measure for accurate results.

Strawberry Lemonade - Sweet Melissa Sunday's

Today in Nebraska marks the 78th day with at least one inch of snow on the ground. Even though I have lived in the midwest all of my life, I've never experienced a winter quite like this one. Strawberry Lemonade reminds me of summer picnics. It was so nice to enjoy this reminder of summer on what is yet another snowy winter day.



The lemonade is a delicious, easy recipe and one I will make again. I had a few raspberries leftover from last weekend, so I added those to the syrup. I made the sugar syrup on the stove. I never seem to be able to "melt" the sugar without doing it on the stove.

Thanks to Jessica of My Baking Heart for choosing this recipe to give us a wonderful reminder of summer.

Lemon Buttermilk Sorbet

Participating in Sweet Melissa Sunday's, Chocolate With Francois and Martha Stewart's Cupcake Club have encouraged me to try recipes I wouldn't have tried otherwise. It's also increased the amount we spend on food. I buy ingredients I don't normally stock in my kitchen. I always try to "Use It Up". It's fun searching for a recipe to use the rest of those ingredients.

I found this recipe for Buttermilk Sorbet. Four ingredients, three really since lemon zest and lemon are the same ingredient. How simple is that? Speaking of simple, Santa brought me one of these. This makes squeezing a lemon quick and easy!

This sorbet is amazingly delicious. It has a nice hint of lemon but isn't too lemony. It's so creamy, you would think you are eating ice cream. I can't wait to make this sorbet with summer berries. I am just loving anything these days that reminds me of summer!

Lemon Buttermilk Sorbet
Recipe from Bon Appetit

Makes approximately 7 cups
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest
4 cups buttermilk

Stir sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Add buttermilk, stir until sugar is dissolved. Chill until cold, at least 4 hours. Process mixture in ice cream freezer, approximately 20 minutes. Transfer to contained with lid; freeze. (Can be made 3 days ahead.)

My notes on this recipe: I added about 1/4 cup of vodka to this recipe. I drizzled it in while it was in the ice cream freezer. You know how homemade ice cream can get too frozen to scoop? I think the little bit of alcohol helps prevent it from freezing so hard. The recipe says this can be made three days ahead. I made this a week ago and it's still good.

My First Blogger Award!

(With a look of amazement and delight!)

Uh...oh my....I wasn't expecting this and I have no speech prepared. (Wiping away the tears.) Okay, I hope I can remember all of the people I want to thank.

First, I would like to thank the lovely and talented Susan of Baking With Susan for awarding me the (Bald Faced Liar) Creative Writer Award.

If you haven't visited Susan's blog, please take the time to do so. She's funny, generous and bakes the most beautiful cakes!

Second, I want to congratulate the other bloggers who received this award. You'll find them listed here.

Okay, okay, let's see who I am forgetting? Oh my gosh...my husband, Tim. He's my very patient and talented photographer, recipe tester and all around great husband.

I probably should thank some teacher from the dark ages when I was in grade school. So long ago, I can't remember her name. I am sure she encouraged me to enjoy writing.

Now on to the rules of this award.

1. Thank the person who gave you the award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you.
4. Tell us up to six outrageous lies about yourself and at least one outrageous truth.
5. Allow your readers to guess which one or more is true.
6. Nominate seven "Creative Writers" who might have fun coming up with outrageous lies.
7. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate.
8. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them.

As you read my lies or truths, they may not sound as outrageous as some but trust me, some of these are really OUTRAGEOUS!!!

1. I am a natural blonde.
2. I have driven an 18 wheeler from New York to Los Angeles.
3. I competed in a triathalon in Hawaii in 2006.
4. I have fired 9mm and 40 caliber pistols.
5. I am a size 4.
6. I've written a self help book entitled Help Yourself, No One Else Will.

Now the difficult decision of naming the seven blogs I would like to nominate for this award....

1. Candace of Candy Girl
2. Natalia of gatti fili e farina.
3. Velva of Tomatoes on the Vine.
4. Nina of Nina's Cupcakes
5. Karen of Karen's Cookies, Cakes and More.
6. Sarah of Teapots and Cakestands
7. Maggie of The Other Side of 50. This one is a double nomination. Maggie was already nominated by Linda, who nominated Susan, who nominated me. Got that?

If you haven't stopped by these blogs, find the time to do so. I promise you won't be sorry you did!! They are all talented writers and creative cooks!

Smores Cupcakes - Martha Stewart Cupcake Club

Blogging certainly takes committment. In my case, it also takes a wonderful husband. Tim is my photographer, taste tester and never minds when we have to hold up dinner to take pictures of a dish. Thanks, Tim for all you do!!

Last Saturday, after a long day of shopping and errands, I remembered I needed the graham flour for this recipe. Tim thought we were headed home but instead we were headed to Whole Foods. Omaha only has one Whole Foods and it's always crowded. After two circles around the parking lot, we finally find a spot. First we head to the bulk foods section...no graham flour, then to the flour aisle...no graham flour. The trip isn't a total loss, we walk through the cheese section and taste some wine and cheese. We tasted a robusto cheese. It was so delicious.

Figuring I would use the whole wheat flour I had in the freezer, I went to the freezer to dig it out. Only to discover it was WHOLE WHEAT GRAHAM FLOUR!! Sorry, Tim!

We had too many sweets in the house, so I cut this recipe in half and in half again. It made 6 cupcakes.

I love Smores. They remind me of campfires and childhood. How do you like your marshmallow? As a kid, I always burned mine. Now I can take the time to just toast them until golden. Cake decorating is on my list of things to learn this year. Until then, I don't own a piping bag, so needless to say, my frosting doesn't look at all like the frosting in the book. I did make a couple of these in honor of my childhood smores, a little burned!




I loved these cupcakes. They taste just like a Smore. Once I learn how to pipe frosting, I will be making these again. Thanks to Mary Ann from Meet Me in the Kitchen for choosing a great recipe. You can find the links to all of other Martha Stewart Cupcake Club bakers here.

Easy Chocolate Mousse - Sweet Melissa Sunday's

Happy Valentine's Day!

Quick post and iPhone picture for me today. We are in Kansas City with our good friends Karen and Larry!

Easy Chocolate Mousse? I guess it depends on how you define an easy recipe? To me, easy doesn't require three bowls and two different rounds with the mixer. I've never made chocolate mousse so maybe compared to other recipes this is easy.

Mine didn't quite turn out as it should have. Instead of whisking the egg whites into the chocolate I folded them in. I read the recipe SEVERAL times but still messed up. I hate it when that happens. My mousse ended up with little chunks of chocolate in the mousse. Everyone really liked it and we renamed it Chocolate Chip Mousse.



Thanks to Spike of Spike Bakes for choosing a great Valentine's Day recipe. You can find the links to all of the other Sweet Melissa Sunday's members here. I'm sure you'll find lots of pictures of beautiful chocolate chip mousse (without the chips).