-
Butterfly Cupcakes
This past weekend we celebrated my baby girl’s second birthday with two family parties. For me, it was a busy weekend of cleaning, cooking and keeping the girls entertained but it was all worth it. I loved just watching how happy my girls were to be surrounded by everyone who loves them. It wasn’t about the presents, the food or the decorations. Especially in the wake of the tornado destruction in Joplin, MO and Reading, KS, I found myself counting my blessings. It was a…
-
Share-It Saturday: Week 4
Hi everyone! Welcome back for another Share-It Saturday on Lemon Sugar! Before we get started, make sure you like Lemon Sugar on Facebook, and don’t miss my latest post – you can enter to win a Better Zester. You’ve got to try one to see what all the fuss is about. You’ll be zesting just for fun. Or is that just me? Don’t answer that. Let’s move on to the party. Welcome, welcome! That was my best Hunger Games voice. Geez, I’m just oozing coolness…
-
Friends of Lemon Sugar Series: Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Today I’m honored to bring you a post from one of my very favorite bloggers – I’ve been reading Jen at the Beantown Baker for years now. She’s extremely talented and full of fabulous, no-fail recipes. Check out her Purple Ombre Cake from her 1000th post celebration! UH. MAY. ZING.Thank you, Jen for contributing to Lemon Sugar today! It’s truly my pleasure. Enjoy, folks! Hi everyone! My name is Jen and I blog over at BeantownBaker.com. As the name implies, I live in Boston and I love…
-
Spaghetti a’la Jimmy
Ahhhh…spaghetti. I love it. I could live on it. I think I came to appreciate spaghetti my sophomore year in college, when I was on my own in an apartment for the first time. I actually went to the grocery store and bought a box of Kraft Spaghetti. Noodles, sauce, everything all in a box. It didn’t take long to realize that it was nothing like the spaghetti I grew up with and that I was going to have to figure out how to make…
-
Tuna & Noodles from Scratch
So, I don’t eat seafood. I’ve tried. I’ve really, really tried. There are a few swimming-things that I’ve taste-tested over the years that I didn’t absolutely detest, but I’d never order them for myself. Well, maybe, possibly a crab cake. But honestly, I’ll only eat it if my husband orders it – if it’s up to me, I can always find a more appetizing appetizer on the menu. I have done everything I can to ensure that my girls don’t have the same aversions to…
-
Boo-tiful Ghost Cake
I’m a scaredy-cat, generally speaking. Well, not generally speaking, specifically speaking. I can fake my way through a lot of scary situations, but deep down, I’m a bona-fide scaredy-cat. I could list all of the things that I’m scared of, but that would be the longest blog post ever. Unfortunately, and against my best intentions, I’m afraid I’ve passed some of my tendencies toward irrational fears along to my girls. My youngest is afraid of “creepy things.” And with Halloween right around the corner, everything…
-
Apple Frangipane Tart
I’m so fancy. Ok, not really. Not at all, actually. But if I was, this is tart that would prove it. Guys, this tart is amazing. Apples, almond filling, shortbread crust. So, so good. The apples are juicy and sweet, the frangipane apple custard is firm and creamy, and the crust is thick and soft. I’m not sure how it gets any better. Frangipane is a baked almond cream. It’s much like a custard – maybe a bit more firm, but it has that lovely…
-
Butternut Squash & Potato Gratin
I am a Thanksgiving traditionalist. I want the same dishes on my Thanksgiving table, year after year. And for me, it’s not even about the turkey – it’s about the sides. Mashed potatoes, gravy, homemade noodles, dressing (not stuffing), homemade rolls, sweet potatoes, real cranberries, my Grandma’s salad, green bean casserole and, if we have time, scalloped corn. I know there are tons of fabulous recipes out there and amazing Thanksgiving dishes that would make a great addition to my table, but dang it, our…
-
Black Tie Cupcakes
This cupcake was a creation of mine that was born out of the need to clean out my pantry. I had several almost-empty boxes, bags and bottles of pantry items, and their replacements were crowding things. So, what to do but make some goodies? I didn’t really have an excuse for these except that Mom made Sunday dinner and my brother and his girlfriend were going to be there – which means more people to eat and fewer leftovers! I knew I needed to…
-
A Playroom Makeover: Part 2
First things first, if you haven’t read Part 1, go back and read it now. Good? Ok. After we got all of the construction, painting and cleaning behind us, it was time to do the fun stuff – it was time to make the room look like what we’d been envisioning for almost a year now. Because we adore everything about our new pantry, we teamed up with Organized Living to give our two little girls a bright, clean & efficient play room. Their bedrooms…
-
Bacon, Egg & Pepper Jack on Toasted Ciabatta
Uncharacteristic trait of a food blogger number 982: I don’t really like eggs. Clearly, I eat my fair share of them in baked goods, and I even enjoy quiche. Plain old eggs, though, I can’t really get behind. Runny yolks? Don’t get me started. (But why? Why would you eat runny yolks? Help me understand!)
-
Homemade Marshmallow Peeps
You’ve had Peeps candies, right? Is there anyone out there who hasn’t? I used to absolutely despise them when I was a kid. My mom loved them,so it was without fail that we always had a package or two (or five) in our Easter baskets – to me, they had a funky food-coloring taste and were always a little too squishy. Blech. But then, at some point, we (my siblings and I) discovered two things. One, that stale Peeps are way better than fresh Peeps. They get…
