Coffee Comic

Totally cute & informative comic about coffee over at theoatmeal.

Birthday Dinner Surprise!

Jason turned 26 yesterday, Sunday, November 1st. My gift to him was a surprise, homemade, candle-lit, birthday dinner two days before his actual birthday. To throw him off a bit, I told him we had reservations that night at a nice restaurant located nearby (*wink wink*).

Although I was busy preparing for the surprise all week long, he was completely oblivious and didn't suspect a thing! (That's a guy for you!) I tried to be fairly well prepared by getting everything that could be done ahead of time, done well ahead of time. But, there were still lots of small details that had to be left for the last minute - setting the table, lighting the candles and (the big one) getting all the food cooked and plated. As if that wasn't enough pressure, Jason decided to come home early from work that day!

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!