Something to Think About

A good apple crisp is a real mystery.

Here's what it looked like right out of the oven.

And the next day.

All Shook Up

Chewy

Crispy or chewy? I am definitely of the crispy persuasion. These cookies by contrast are chewy chewy. I've seen a few references to the recipe, so decided to give them a try.

Although I remain crispy, these got rave reviews. One woman chased me down in the hallway after eating her cookie to tell me, "this is what a chocolate cookie is supposed to taste like!"

Here's a link to the recipe, at a blog I admire:
http://www.crumblycookie.net/2009/04/04/cooks-illustrateds-perfect-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Keeping it Simple

A Bag of Caramels

It's the middle of October and unseasonably warm and even though I can't wait for rain and snow and some seriously dessicating arctic cold I still also can't shake the feeling that my summer got cut short. The summer I was baking two or three times a week and going to the gym every other day and taking a nap most afternoons before hauling my Pico outdoor armchair to the lakefront and reading into the sunset...To get to the point, the day jobs are seriously cramping my enjoyments!

Just a Bite

Still I did manage a batch of dark chocolate caramels last week. When I started I was thinking pixies. Lots of them. The caramel spooned over piles of chopped salted pecans, then draped with milk and dark chocolate. But economic forces beyond my control, combined with my very early bedtime, were not helping my cause, and day after day the tray of caramel sat untouched on my counter, except for the corner where I kept cutting away a taste, and another, and another, and one more, and just one more, because really, it is pretty good all by itself.

Autumn in the Air

After a week of nibbling away, I suddenly realized I had a good thing going. So I started snipping wax paper into squares and twisting them around pieces of caramel. Pixies are definitely in my future. But for now, I've decided to keep it simple.

Dulce Amor

The pesky details of adjunct employment are causing a significant backlog in my baking queue. To pass the time here's what the cream cheese brownies are doing...