Orange Madeleines - The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap

A few weeks ago I posted about The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap.  I was assigned 3 people (In Natalie's Shoes, Hye Thyme Cafe, and Cheesy Pennies) and was to send each of them a dozen cookies.  Even better, it was to help support a great cause: Cookies for Kids' Cancer.  Together, we raised over $7000!  It gets better.  Land O'Lakes, Dixie Crystals and Oxo matched what we raised!

I love this idea and everything behind it and I have to send a big thank you to The Little Kitchen and Love and Olive Oil for putting this together!

This was the first year I participated and I was terribly nervous.  I made 3 different cookies, and from the first bite, I immediately knew which one I was going to send out.  

The first batch I made was orange cranberry oatmeal cookies with an orange glaze.  I thought it was good but the hubby didn't like them.  The second batch of cookies I made was butter cookies.  I didn't like them but the hubby loved them.  Finally I made one more batch: orange madeleine cookies.  We both loved the look, the flavor, and the texture.  Ding ding ding...we finally had a winner!

Lemon Mousse Tart

Every year, on Thanksgiving Day, my husband and I go over to my aunt's house.  All of those that I love gather around the table, plates full to the brim, and we say grace.  We thank the Lord above for each other, the food on our plates, our health, and we ask God to continue blessing us with His love.  In addition to all this, I thank Him for my ability to bake and how much I have learned and continue to learn.

Challah Bread

The clocks have turned back an hour so I decided to use that extra hour to bake some challah bread.  More time in the day equals more cooking and baking.

This was my first ever attempt at baking any sort of bread, so I used a recipe from the kitchn.  This recipe was easy to follow.  The bread itself was pillowy-soft with just the right amount of crunch on the outside.

Here we go!

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap

That moment when your phone chimes, letting you know another email has come in...ugh!  Usually it has something to do with work, and that last thing you feel like doing at the end of the day is more work.  

However, when it is an email that reads "The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap," how can you not smile?!

Lindsay from Love & Olive Oil and Julie from The Little Kitchen have teamed up again to organize this amazing swap.  Basically each food blogger receives the names and addresses of 3 other food bloggers, then sends out 1 dozen cookies to each of the 3 names received.

There is also a great cause behind it all: they are partnering with Cookies for Kids' Cancer.  Each participating food blogger donates just $4!  Dixie Crystals, Land O'Lakes, and OXO will each match the donations up to $3,000.

More Information

If you'd like to participate, head on over to Julie's blog or Lindsay's blog for more details.  There are some requirements that need to be met by each participating blogger.

In the meantime, I'll be thinking of cookies.

Happy Baking!

Baking Bootcamp: Chocolate Hazelnut Rolls with Quick Puff Pastry

Hello hello!

Joy the Baker and King Arthur Flour have teamed up again to create another baking bootcamp!  Last year I found out about it too late and was only able to make one of the recipes: Triple Berry Cinnamon Swirl Bread.  It was absolutely delicious!

When I heard another bootcamp was starting up, I couldn't wait!  This time they are focusing on techniques.  The first recipe focuses on a quick puff pastry.  I have to admit, I was a little nervous at first, but once I began making it, the nerves disappeared.

And can I just say, as a side note here, that anything with hazelnut is right up my alley.  Right?!

So...let's get started!

America, America!

Time to celebrate our Independence!

It feels good to finally be back in the kitchen, whipping up some delicious treats, especially when it came to whipping up some fresh cream.  Today's freshly baked sweet is a pan di spagna (sponge cake) layered with fresh whipped cream and topped with the American flag (strawberries and blueberries).

Dutch Baby

It is a snowy day here in New York.  There is about a foot of snow on the ground and it is still snowing!  Time to hunker down, relax under the blankets, and make a breakfast that makes you feel all warm and cozy inside.

While the snow was falling last night, I was researching for a yummy breakfast.  I already knew I wanted something pancake like and I came across this Vanilla Dutch Baby recipe from Food Network.  You can top this off with anything!  Fresh whipped cream, maple syrup, powdered syrup, etc.  The list goes on.

Since I'm working on a healthier me, I made a couple changes.  I swapped out whole milk for almond milk and a 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour for 1/4 cup of hazelnut meal/flour.  Best thing I ever did!  It gives the pancake a nice, subtle, nutty flavor.

The recipe makes 8 servings, each serving at 126 calories (without toppings.)

Chocolate Lava Cake

The hubby loves chocolate lava cake.  Any time we go out for dinner, I know it will be followed by chocolate lava cake.  I made this once for his birthday a few years back and never made it again.  How dare I?!  It is so easy to make and doesn't take a long time to bake.

By the way, I'll be making this for Valentine's Day <3