Cranberry Cream Scones

Mmm. These scones are light, fluffy and deliciously buttery. No need for extra toppings but nutella or raspberry jam would probably put it over the top - if that's what you're going for. They're also incredibly easy to make. I was able to mix the batter together while the oven was preheating. Total bake time: 15 minutes. Makes a great quick breakfast. Oh, and the smell of these guys baking in the oven? *Drool*

The recipe makes 8 scone wedges. As you can see in the picture, I only baked off 6 which was way more than enough for breakfast for two. The remaining two? Freezer! This is my new favorite way of storing food, especially when you make a batch of baked goods and can't finish them before they spoil. Method: once you've cut the scones into shape, place on a plate in a single layer, cover with plastic wrap and freeze (un-baked). Once they're frozen they can be gathered up and kept in a ziplock freezer bag. They don't need to defrost before you bake them off - just add a few more minutes to the total bake time.

Get the recipe over at the SmittenKitchen blog (another blog that I heart!). Deb's scones look much prettier than mine but I'm sure mine taste just as good, right? Hmm, maybe I'll have to invest in some biscuit cutters...

Gourmet - End of an Era

I was super excited yesterday when the November issue of Gourmet magazine came in the mail. I'm always excited when a new issue of a cooking magazine arrives. And I can never wait and save it for later. I HAVE to flip through the entire thing, dog-ear every recipe I want to make, right then and there. I jot down ingredients I'll need onto my existing grocery list, then rush out to buy everything, and rush home to cook. Those photos can make me very hungry!

My Favorite Cookie

Watchout waistline, it's that time of year again! First comes the Halloween candy, then the Thanksgiving turkey and finally all those Christmas goodies. Mmm, I love this time of year. My tummy is filled with delicious things and - hopefully - I'll be surrounded by people I love.

And, of course, what's a holiday season without some baked goods. Sure, it's against diet rules but come on! Tis the season to eat well and be (fat and) happy!

My all time favorite cookie are these pine nute cookies by Giada de Laurentiis.

Zucchini Bread

Poor Jason. Last week the guy had to suffer through eating the same everything bagel for breakfast every morning. How boring! But really, it's kind of my fault. I can never get up early enough to make a decent breakfast. The most I can muster up is two shots of espresso - one for him and the other for me. And breakfast is usually a bagel with cream cheese or cereal or yogurt and granola - anything that I don't actually have to prepare.

So I started searching for good breakfast ideas and making a list of things that could easily be made ahead and stored in the fridge, then warmed up for breakfast. And when I saw this recipe for zucchini bread over on the WhiteonRiceCouple blog, I immediately went out and bought some zucchinis. Mmmm, I'm eating a slice right now as I write this post.

Earthy Mushroom Risotto

My first Autumn experience is beginning to set in. The weather is cooling down, the winds are picking up and the leaves are just beginning to turn a pale yellow-green. I suspect it'll be full blown orange and red around here by the month's end. That's pretty exciting stuff when you come from Southern California where the leaves just wither and die and there aren't any real seasons to speak of.

So in honor of the cooling weather I wanted to make something warm and hearty.

Home Grown Local Zone - Arts & Music Festival

This past weekend the local 5 Points Community Farm Market had a "locals festival". It was all about the locals here: local artists, craftsmen, musicians and, of course, food!

Our upstairs neighbor, Justin, is part of the local home-brewing club (yes, they brew their own beers at home) which had a little setup at the festival. So Jason and I came out to support the locals and the club and sample some beers. There were several mini-kegs filled with unique home-brews like pepper beer, smoke beer and pumpkin beer. Beer samples were free and any tips/donations left in the jar went to a local animal shelter. Drink beer to save the animals!

Here are some pictures from the event: