Grandma's Kitchen Table

Modern Baker: Ginger Scones with Almond Topping

The fourteenth recipe I made from the Quick Breads Section of The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri, was the one for Ginger Scones with Almond Topping, on page 54.  (We are not publishing recipes from the book, so if you like what you see, buy the book and bake along with or without us). 

I baked a third of the recipe, which gave me a medium size round dough that I divided into fourths as there are four of us.  I also have been baking a bit today and didn't need a whole lot of other baked goodies hanging around just in case people were tired of eating baked goodies, i.e. the guys, as sometimes they go in spurts around here about that.

These went together very quickly, baked for 18 minutes, and the instructions were to eat them warm.  Since I was the only one here to taste test, and I figured eating a warm scone was a great idea for a late afternoon snack, I didn't hesitate to spoil my dinner by eating an entire scone in about three minutes flat. 

Okay, I know I said the Blueberry Crumb Muffins were my favorite, but I have to take that back because THESE are my favorite recipe in the Quick Breads section of the book.  A repeat?  Definitely, maybe tomorrow. 

Actually, looking back, I had a lot of favorites in this section of the book.  There were 15 recipes in this section, and I made 14 of them.  The last recipe is for something called Sweet Rusks for Dunking, which are like a hard biscuit (break-a-tooth hard if you try to eat them without dunking), and we are not fans of dunking things...no one likes wet bread, so I skipped this recipe. 

Our fearless leader, Phyl, established the schedule so that we took 3 months to bake this section of the book, ending today.  The next section we are tackling is entitled Breads and it also has 15 recipes which we will bake over the next 3 months.  If you would like to bake along or be a part of the Modern Baker group, you will find all that, plus a tab to link to the blogs posting the Quick Breads, with the blogroll here.

Modern Baker: Cocoa Banana Muffins

The thirteenth recipe I made from the Quick Breads Section of The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri, was the one for Cocoa Banana Muffins, on pages 60-61.  (We are not publishing recipes from the book, so if you like what you see, buy the book and bake along with or without us). 

I baked a dozen of these (half a recipe netted me a dozen the size you see in the photo) and as you can also see, there seems to be missing a few between taking them out of the pan and photographing them.  Matt arrived home from swim practice and immediately heaped a plate with several, isn't it nice to be a teenage swimmer so that you can do that without fear of consequences in your waistline? The pronouncement was that these are very good.  Chocolate, Sour Cream, Bananas...all favorites of his, so I was not surprised at all.  The recipe is easy, quick, and a good way to use up very ripe bananas...those black ones that you dig out of your freezer for just such occasions.  A repeat?  Definitely.  

If you would like to bake along or be a part of the Modern Baker group, you will find all that, plus a tab to link to the blogs posting the Quick Breads, with the blogroll here.

My Kitchen, My World: India

This month's My Kitchen, My World selection for world cuisine was the country of India, chosen by Margaret, my good cooking/baking/Twitter/Secret Baker buddy from Tea and Scones. 

My first thought was: India...are you kidding with this, I have never had much Indian food, let alone cook it.  I made a curry once, end of experience with Indian cuisine.  Until now.

Last week I suddenly remembered that I was in this group and needed to make and post before the end of the month.  So much for planning ahead and spacing it all out nicely. 

Fortunately, Leslie at Lethally Delicious, another baking/cooking/Twitter/Secret Baker buddy was up for anything I wanted to make and she knows a lot about Indian cooking.  Armed with Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking (2003), nicely scored by Mark on a trip to our local library, I started thumbing through it and realized that probably 100 recipes looked good and like I could possibly handle them.  (Okay, turns out I could not handle the Kulfi, which is an ice cream, as I burned the heck out of the milk and there was no rescuing that.) 

I started cooking and just cooked everything I could get my hands on for about four days.  This book is definitely on my Christmas list as everything was delicious and easy (and Madhur is certainly not responsible for the burned milk...my only excuse is that I was reading a book while the milk boiled and let's just say I was engrossed more in the book than in the milk boiling activity). 

Here are a few of the things I made (I figure you will only read so long, so in pictures, here we go...I recommend buying the book and just start cooking from it).  I plan to keep checking it out of the library until Christmas and continuing the process...maybe even another shot at that Kulfi.  

Hara Shorva (Green Soup) - Potatoes, Peas, Onions, Chicken Stock, Ginger, Coriander, Cumin, Fresh Coriander, Green Chili, Salt, Lemon Juice, Cream - So delicious!  

Dahi Ka Shorva (Cold Yogurt Soup with Mint) - Yogurt, Light Cream, Chicken Stock, Cumin, Salt, Pepper, Lemon Juice, Fresh Mint - Wonderfully refreshing and delicious!

Naan (Leavened Oven Bread) - Milk, Sugar, Yeast, Flour, Salt, Baking Powder, Oil, Yogurt, and Egg.  Wonderfully easy and fun...it puffs in the oven and creates big blisters on the bread.  Delicious, will make again.  

Lal Masale Wai Murghi (Chicken in a Red Sweet Pepper Sauce) - Chicken, Onion, Ginger, Garlic, Almonds, Red Sweet Peppers, Cumin, Coriander, Turmeric, Cayenne Pepper, Salt, Oil, Water, Lemon Juice, Black Pepper.   Just the right amount of spicing in this, nothing too overpowering, just a nice spicy flavor that went so well with the chicken and rice.  Definitely a repeat.

Peelay Chaaval (Aromatic Yellow Rice) - Rice, Water, Salt, Turmeric, Cloves, Cinnamon Stick, Bay Leaves, Butter.  Loved this rice, so flavorful...definitely this will find a permanent home here.

I think I can fit Indian cuisine into the weekly rotation around here...guys were loving it and I have a lot more recipes that I want to make!  Thanks, Margaret, for picking something that made me branch out into new territory this month.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Rum-Drenched Vanilla Cakes

Thanks to Wendy of Pink Stripes for her Tuesdays with Dorie pick of Rum-Drenched Vanilla Cakes, found on pages 226-227 of Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours cookbook.  Wendy has the recipe posted on her site here.  Thanks for a wonderful pick, Wendy, not only was it easy and quick, it was tasty and delicious! 

I only made one cake as it was soaked with rum, so the junior members of the household were not going to be partaking in this one.  I had one piece and Mark happily ate the rest over the next few days.  As you can see, if it can be turned into something akin to strawberry shortcake around here, it's a good chance it will be.   Definitely a repeat.
Next week:  Dharmagirl from Bliss: towards a delicious life has chosen Tarte Noir, found on pages 351.  TWD blogroll found here.

Friday's Favorites Fare

READING:   Still trying to sort through college materials, reading some quick mysteries on the side, catching up on publications, a lot of "pick up and put down" quickly things.

LISTENING TO:  Usually when I am sitting here typing I have a little music going on my computer, etc., but today, after a week of painters and such, I am just really loving the gentle quietness of the morning.  Oh, yeah, and the sounds of the washer and the dryer in the background.

COOKING BYTES:  I received a lovely and thoughtful gift this week from a blogging friend who was fortunate enough to have gone to the Willa Cather Conference in Red Cloud this year.  Jessica lives in D.C. and is working on her thesis, taking a little side trip for some fun and extended learning.  She cooks/bakes with me in a few of the bake/cook alongs and I have gotten to know her over the past couple of years.  She and I have somehow managed, despite our ages and locations, to have been on a parallel reading course...we tend to read and like the same things in great literature.  What a fun find for me, to have someone to share this with.  When she was in Red Cloud she got me a wonderful book At Willa Cather's Tables:  The Cather Foundation Cookbook, so I have been reading that all week as it has such fun information in it about the stories and WC's life, etc.  Cooking/baking runs consistently throughout the stories/books, so what a treat to have this book.  

FAV NEW FIND:  It feels great to have the house freshly painted!   

FAV THING THIS WEEK:  I can't think of anything specific, it was just a good week in general, getting caught up on a few things, etc.
GOING TO:  A final graduation party to go to, a three day swim meet, Reds baseball game, and some fun and relaxation time!             

PRAYING FOR:  Safe travel for everyone this summer, please join me.  Lots of traveling happening, hope it is enjoyable and safe for everyone.

CEiMB: Chicken Paella with Sausage and Olives

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, was selected by my good friend Margaret at Tea and Scones and is Chicken Paella with Sausage and Olives.  It can be found on pages 182-183.  Joanne at Apple Crumbles also posted the recipe here at the end of last week's entry. 

Both Matt and I enjoyed this very much...Mark thinking it was okay but not on his top ten list.  Ingredients are chorizo, boneless chicken thighs, onion, garlic, chicken broth, peas, white rice, tomatoes, green olives, salt, pepper, tumeric, and saffron.  There is a bit of prep, a bit of cooking things separately and then reuniting them for the final stint in the oven, but all in all, each step was easy.  The only thing I changed was that I put the peas in after it was cooked as we do not care for peas that are overcooked and discolored.  That worked out well, they were perfect. 

It was delicious, easy enough on a busy weeknight, and something I will make again soon when Matt and I find ourselves for dinner with Mark being away.

Next week's hostess is Bri at Yoshimi vs. Motherhood.  She has selected the Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic, and White Beans recipe on page 157 of The Food You Crave.   You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.  

BBA: Panettone

The twenty-fourth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Panettone, and is found on pages 202-206.

This is a six-day bread:  four days to make the seed culture, one more for the barm, and then one for the actual Panettone bread making, shaping, and baking. 

I always think of this as an Italian holiday bread as you can usually find it in the specialty stores at Christmas time, and sometimes around Easter.  It has a rather sweet flavor, but not too sweet.
There are dried fruits, blanched almonds, vanilla, rum, and Fiori di Sicilia (which I love...it has a sort of floral scent and I can't begin to describe the flavor, just so good) in it.  I baked mine in two six inch cake pans as was suggested, lining them with a parchment round on the bottom and parchment collars to help the shape of the bread as it rose. 

Was it worth all this trouble?  Absolutely...a wonderful bread eating out of hand and even more wonderful toasted. The flavor of the bread is delicious...all those long days of making that barm!  Definitely a repeat.

Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking on a slower schedule.  If you would like to see their Panettone, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Pizza Napoletana, found on pages 207-212.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Dressy Chocolate Loafcake

Thanks to Amy of Amy Ruth Bakes for her Tuesdays with Dorie pick of Dressy Chocolate Loafcake, found on pages 286-287 of Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours cookbook.  Amy has the recipe posted on her site here. 

I knew there wasn't a chance in the world when it came to Amy's turn to choose a recipe that it would not be chocolate.  Amy loves chocolate.  Amy is a gym rat, runs marathons, etc. so that she can dine on chocolate.  I also knew whatever it was, my guys were going to love it.
I was eager to see what this "Dressy" part was all about, and it turns out that the cake is baked in a loaf pan, cooled, horizontally sliced into three sections, jam (or in my case cherry preserves because that is what Mark specifically picked out at the store for this dessert) is spread between the layers, and the whole thing is iced with a chocolate and sour cream frosting.  

While I was making/assembling the whole business, Mark kept asking if it was ready, telling me to be sure to let him know when it was ready, etc. as he was looking forward to this chocolate treat.  Finally the time arrived, I let him know the cake was ready and he offered to pose for the weekly photo since Matt was elsewhere occupied, so I took him up on the offer. 

He was all ready with his fork poised, a big grin, and somehow or another half of the large forkful of cake slid off the fork and onto the floor, which is why he is looking down with such a look of disappointment at most of his great forkful of cake hitting the floor just as I snapped the photo.  After a few giggles I did manage to get a couple of nicer shots, but figured I would post this one anyway just so anyone who thinks life is more organized, predictable, and saner at everyone else's house, you can rest assured, here we are all about the unpredictability and the giggles. Thanks, Amy, what a great choice for the week.  Definitely a repeat.  

Next week:  Wendy from Pink Stripes has chosen Rum-Drenched Vanilla Cakes, found on pages 226-227.  TWD blogroll found here.

Friday's Favorites Fare

 

READING:   Am figuring WWII is going to need to wait a bit as all I am getting accomplished with reading seems to be college catalogs and recruiting materials.  Yep, July 1st is just around the corner and Division 1 colleges can contact Matt in regards to visiting them for recruiting visits, etc. for swimming.  Figure we should be up on what colleges offer what and all that...he wants to have all the signing done by the fall date if possible so he can be finished thinking about it all and just concentrate on school and his senior year of swimming.

LISTENING TO:  Right now I am listening to a lot of pounding as some workers are here to fix a couple window sills that needed tending to before the painters arrive next week to paint the house.  It's driving the dogs nuts.  Earlier in the week I listened to the sound of our beautiful 18 year old Bradford Pear tree crack in a bad storm, splitting it in two.  Sadly, it has all been taken down and carted away, even the stump, not a trace of it left.

COOKING BYTES:  Embarking on the BBA Panettone recipe...a four day process from making the seed culture, to making the barm, to making the dough for the Panettone.  Apparently that Panettone we all buy at Christmas time involves a bit of work...maybe why a good one costs so much.

FAV NEW FIND:  Seeing all the college swimmers home for the summer and swimming with the team again.  They have all grown up so much!   

FAV THING THIS WEEK:  I am just really enjoying having Matt home for the summer for lunch and popping in and out all day between swim practices and such.  On Sunday after Mass we hosted the senior altar servers from the young Knights for a pitch-in cookout.  Matt, Jack, Chaz, Mr. Higgins, Colin, Steven, Matt F., Derek, and Mark cooking with Matt J. standing and that was a fun time for all of us, even though the swimming portion was rained out.
   

GOING TO:  Three more grad parties this weekend, DM concert Friday and Saturday nights, and Father's Day with Mark's folks with the family all home for celebrating.  A full weekend of fun...lots to love about all that.      

PRAYING FOR:  Fathers everywhere, please join me. 

CEiMB: Salmon Florentine and Quinoa Pilaf with Pine Nuts

Please note that this is not a particularly good photo of all this.  For some reason, my camera (totally the fault of the camera operator, me, because I don't know how to adjust for this) always shows spinach as dark, almost black, when in fact it was a nice and pleasing green color on the salmon.  I think I needed to shoot this in natural light but there wasn't any by the time we had dinner, so use your imagination.

The recipes chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's book, So Easy, were ones that I got to select for the group as the main leader of the group is on a bit of a break so a few of us are trying to keep it going in her absence. 

The recipes are Salmon Florentine and Quinoa Pilaf with Pine Nuts and both can be found on pages 196-198, page 196 being a full page photo of the two recipes.  You can also find the recipe online for the Salmon Florentine here, and you can find the recipe online for the Quinoa Pilaf with Pine Nuts here. 

Both recipes were extremely easy, the only thing that I changed was that I used fresh spinach, which I wilted a bit, instead of the frozen cooked spinach that the recipe calls for...I figure she did that for ease, but it was just as easy for me to do it from fresh and I had that on hand already. 

The salmon is baked under a topping of spinach, ricotta, shallots, garlic, sundried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.  It bakes for 15 minutes.  The Quinoa Pilaf is just as easy, Quinoa cooked in chicken broth, with the addition of parsley, lightly sauteed onion, and lightly toasted pine nuts when the Quinoa was finished. 

It was all just delicious, extremely easy on a busy weeknight, and something I will make again soon.

Next week's hostess is Margaret at Tea and Scones.  She has selected the Chicken Paella with Sausage and Olives recipe on page 183 of So Easy.  This looks like a great recipe, hope you all have a great time with it! 

You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.  

BBA: Pane Siciliano

The twenty-third Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Pane Siciliano, and is found on pages 198-201. 

This is a three-day bread, one day for the pate fermentee, one for the making and shaping, and then one day for the baking.  I had a lot more success with the shaping of this bread than I did with the epi.  The recipe makes three loaves which you form like baguettes and then elongate and roll from each end in opposite manners to form the "S" shape.  Once they are formed the loaves go into the refrigerator for overnight, come back out the next morning and rise a little before baking. 

I loved the shape of this bread, so I am hoping to do it with other recipes as the actual recipe for the dough for this one was not my favorite due to the semolina flour in it, just didn't really like that combination in a bread as much as I have liked other breads we have made.  The guys liked it, however.
One of my loaves rose like crazy, so I baked it the evening of the second day so that I could see how it compared with waiting the extra day for additional flavor.  It was okay, but the other two loaves which remained in the refrigerator overnight and were baked the next day had a far superior flavor and texture.  The extra day was worth it. 

Will I make this one again?  Probably not, unless the guys request it as we loved so many of the other breads that it seems silly to make this one again which was just so-so.  I will make this "S" shape again though, it was a lot of fun and looks so special, definitely a repeat with that part.  Will try that shape with the BBA Italian Bread dough next just to see.

Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking on a slower schedule.  If you would like to see their Pain a l'Ancienne, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Panettone, found on pages 202-206.

BBA: Pain de Campagne

The twenty-second Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Pain de Campagne, and is found on pages 195-197. 

This is a two-day bread, one day for the pate fermentee and then one day for the making, shaping, and baking.  Shaping, oh yeah, that was the interesting part.  The bread dough came together easily and was a very nice dough to work with.  There were various shapes shown in the book, but at first sight I fell in love with the epi (like a stalk of wheat) and was hoping I could achieve at least something epi-ish. 

The first go was a fail...not very epi-ish and a little discouraging.  Then Nancy gave me a link to a site that showed how to do it with the cuts in the bread and the pulling this way and that and armed with this new knowledge, I tried again.  Better this time.  Not perfect, but then the people making these for the photos have probably made hundreds of these loaves and have it down to an exact method...when I get to my 100th loaf, I'm sure it will look as perfect as theirs.  That's the hope anyway.  Until then, here is my second try at forming an epi and I have a long way to go, but at least I tried it! 

Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking on a slower schedule.  If you would like to see their Pain a l'Ancienne, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Pane Siciliano, found on pages 198-201.

MSC: Strawberry Cupcakes and Strawberry Meringue Buttercream Icing

It's time for another cupcake adventure this month from the Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book.  This one, Strawberry Cupcakes, is found on pages 146-147 of the book, and was chosen by Sherry of Sherry Starts Cooking.  Oh, thank you, thank you, Sherry.  Strawberries are a real favorite around here and these were delicious...didn't even need the frosting in my opinion, but I did make the one suggested in the book anyway, Strawberry Meringue Buttercream on page 306, and it was delicious as well.

I had no choice but to make meringue on a rainy day, so I am sure it did not handle exactly as I had hoped, but it tasted just fine. 

I made half a recipe as like the lemon cupcakes, I certainly didn't need a lot of these hanging around as temptation.  That said, I am looking for an excuse to make them again soon.

Next month's recipe selection was chosen by Lauryn from Bella Baker and is Flourless Chocolage Cupcakes, found on pages 108-109, posting July 15th.   Blogroll and Schedule found here.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Raisin Swirl Bread

Thanks to Susan of Food.Baby for her Tuesdays with Dorie pick of Raisin Swirl Bread, found on pages 59-60 of Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours cookbook.  Susan has the recipe posted on her site here. 

I was eager to try this recipe as those of us in BBA had made a raisin bread for that group and it is always fun to make another recipe and see how it compares.  This one compared nicely...I enjoyed making the dough and following the process of adding the cinnamon and raisin swirl.
We really liked the orange flavor in this recipe.  I liked the raisins only in the swirl, but the guys prefer to have raisins spread throughout the dough so the bread has raisins in every bite.  It was great toasted and I would make this again as I loved the orange flavor in it.  Did I mention that I loved the orange flavor in it??? Thanks, Susan, what a great choice for the week.  Definitely a repeat.  

Next week:  Amy from Amy Ruth Bakes has chosen Dressy Chocolate Loafcake, found on pages 286-287.  TWD blogroll found here.

Modern Baker: Blueberry Crumb Muffins

The twelfth recipe I made from the Quick Breads Section of The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri, was the one for Blueberry Crumb Muffins, on page 58.  (We are not publishing recipes from the book, so if you like what you see, buy the book and bake along with or without us). 

Okay, THIS one is my favorite so far.  Nice plump juicy blueberries and a crumb topping...what's not to love about all that?  Very easy recipe, the only thing I would change is that I would add just a little vanilla to the batter next time as I am all about the vanilla in baked goods.  Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing.
I made the entire recipe and it gave me 18 muffins, not 12, so either my muffin pans are not the size that the recipe used (they can vary in size a bit even when you think you have "standard" ones), or I just didn't fill them to overflowing.  I liked the way they turned out, so I noted that in the book for next time.  A repeat?  Definitely.  

If you would like to bake along or be a part of the Modern Baker group, you will find all that, plus a tab to link to the blogs posting the Quick Breads, with the blogroll here.

Modern Baker: Triple Chocolate Scones

The eleventh recipe I made from the Quick Breads Section of The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri, was the one for Triple Chocolate Scones, on page 57.  (We are not publishing recipes from the book, so if you like what you see, buy the book and bake along with or without us). 

Yep, triple chocolate:  Milk Chocolate, Bittersweet Chocolate, and Cocoa Powder...this, I would think, would satisfy all chocolate lovers.  The guys enjoyed them as snacks.
The recipe was easy, came together in the food processor, patted into shape, transferred to a parchment lined baking sheet, and baked for 17 minutes.  A half batch netted six scones for us, a good amount considering there were just two guys eating them.  A repeat?  Definitely. 

If you would like to bake along or be a part of the Modern Baker group, you will find all that, plus a tab to link to the blogs posting the Quick Breads, with the blogroll here.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Tender Shortcakes

Thanks to Cathy of The Tortefeasor for her Tuesdays with Dorie pick of Tender Shortcakes, found on pages 423-424 of Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours cookbook.  Cathy has the recipe posted on her site here. 

I knew Cathy would pick a winner of a recipe.  And, even better, I knew it would not be chocolate as her husband David does not care for chocolate, so when it came her turn to pick, I knew I was going to love it.  Thanks, Cathy, it was a very big hit here and one we will make again.  (Also, I am not surprised that you made two variations of this over on your blog, because you always do everything with such flair, but I am very surprised and impressed that you had appropriate linens to go with each choice...oh, yeah, you are so TWD cool!) 

It goes without saying that anything involving strawberries and whipped cream has my attention immediately. A finer combination, I cannot think there is on earth.  That said, we were a little lax this week on making the Tuesday deadline for desserts as I think we have been indulging in too many at all the graduation parties we have been attending and somehow dessert wasn't a priority this week.    

I finally put it together and rounded up Matt to give it a taste after a long swim practice this morning and he was more than happy to oblige. 

The little shortcakes look like biscuits, so I was a little wary of that as I'm not all that fond of biscuits, or that successful at making them.  However, these are not really biscuits at all, very much like a shortbread cookie instead:  sweet, a little crumbly, and light. 

Making them was a breeze, assembly in less than five minutes, baking for 18 minutes, slicing strawberries and making whipped cream while they bake so that you can eat them warm.  I made half a batch, which netted six little shortcakes, enough for Mark and Matt to have a round or two this evening.  Definitely a Top Five Recipe from this book.  Definitely a repeat.  

Next week:  Susan from Food.Baby has chosen Raisin Swirl Bread, found on pages 59-60.  TWD blogroll found here.

Friday's Favorites Fare

READING:  Finishing up bits and pieces before I start on WWII era, so a little of this and a little of that all over the place over here. 

LISTENING TO:  It's a Tom Petty kind of day.  Of course, I pretty much think every day is a Tom Petty kind of day, what can I say? 

COOKING BYTES:  This month's My Kitchen My World recipes are to be from the country of India, and I have not a clue on the cuisine of India, which is good because I will learn something, or maybe a whole lot of somethings.  Maybe I need to go to an Indian restaurant first and see what I am aiming toward.  Any help????? Heading to the library to see if there is a cookbook of sorts geared along these lines.  Suggestions, send me an email...am totally lost on this one, but I have all month to figure it out.

FAV NEW FIND:  Finally found a place in the yard where impatience flowers seem to be growing and thriving. It's been a long search. The roses are absolutely gorgeous around here this year...maybe all this rain?  Tons and tons on every single rose bush. So pretty.   

FAV THING THIS WEEK:  Matt teaches little children swim lessons out of our backyard pool, so it was fun to see them arriving this week all ready for their lessons and happy to have "Mr. Matt" with them back in the water.  We haven't seen them since last August, so it was amazing how much everyone has grown and how much they remembered from last year.  So cute.  

GOING TO:  It's summer, so there is just the loveliness of having a wonderful yard and pool, etc., and fun to see everyone enjoying that all summer, grilling out, etc.  A few grads are having parties this weekend, so there is the fun of making the rounds on those.  Nothing else special planned, just relaxing a bit and enjoying life.      

PRAYING FOR:  Your choice...send me an email and let me know how we should be directing our prayers this week.

Tuesdays with Dorie: White Chocolate Brownies

Major fail this week with the White Chocolate Brownies.  Kept baking them, but they remained soggy and fell apart after they cooled when I tried to remove them from pan.  The photo is the corner piece that did not fall apart, I'm thinking this was not my best recipe.  I thought I followed all the instructions exactly, so not sure what happened.  Ah, well...not everything is always a success.  See you next week.