christmas cookies with the hollenbachs
i had forgotten how a scent can trigger a memory. this weekend, i experienced a moment of such pure scent memory that i felt surprised then all warm and fuzzy inside. it started with grandma betty’s sugar cookies which i was looking forward to making all week – even though it felt like events were consipiring to keep me from it.
i finally got around to making the dough on friday night, but it didn’t really look like i recalled. it was much more shaggy looking. being the dutiful recipe follower, i popped it into the refrigerator to cool and came back to it on saturday. i had stored it in discs like below:
when i started to unwrap the disc, i was hit by the smell that i recalled so strongly from childhood cookie decorating. i couldn’t believe i’d forgotten it and i was giddy as i started to roll out the dough. it truly felt like christmas in the house.
Continue Reading →
tom douglas comes to the office
i’ve been slack in making grandma’s cookies because i have a plan: i’m going bake them this week for a christmas gathering hosted by another hollenbach grandkid. i thought it would be a nice treat to have on hand. i’ll probably post about it this weekend.
in the meantime: i met tom douglas!!
yes, the man that potmandu insulted unknowingly at his restaurant. the man who owns a number of restaurants in seattle (two of which are featured on eater.com as must eat restaurants: Brave Horse Tavern and Serious Pie) and may have single-handedly created the worlds most perfect coconut cream pie.
sadly, i’ve not had said coconut cream pie but a colleague of mine gets one every year for his birthday. which speaks volumes to the quality, since he rarely eats sweeets. but that’s not all: his wife is gluten- and dairy-free and this is her single exception.
Continue Reading →
Father Frank’s Beef Stroganoff
I actually have a night off this weekend! Sunday night when I get home from work, I’m going to attempt Father Frank’s Beef Stroganoff. I’ve never been a big fan of Beef Stroganoff, but I like the idea of this challenge. If this thing calls for mushrooms, I guarantee that I will not be putting any in my version. YUCK!! Not sure of all of the items in the recipe, but we’ll figure out as we go!
I’m thinking of trying the Chocolate Cookie Drop recipe as a dessert, but we’ll see how much energy I have when I get off work. However, when Christmas gets closer, I will be rocking a bunch of these cookie recipes out! Holiday baking is so close!!!!
Wish me luck!