Is it just me or do other people think that we've taken random celebrations too far in this country? Yesterday was national garlic day, national Amaretto day and national Hanging Out Day. Not the kind of "hanging out" that I expected either. It's not a day dedicated to gathering with friends, it's an initiative intended to encourage citizens to hang their laundry outside on a clothesline to dry instead of using a dryer.👕👗🤷🏻♀️🤣 In case you're curious, I did not eat garlic or hanging my clothes outside on a clothesline yesterday but I did in fact enjoy some Amaretto in the form of a cookie.🥃 The next time you're googling random things on your computer or your phone, I recommend that you check out the national day calendar website. In case you're curious, April 19th wasn't the weirdest national day that I found on the calendar. Did you know that July 27th is national take your pants for a walk day?👖😂😳  Amaretti cookies are a traditional Italian cookies. They have a chewy center and a crackled, sugary crust. They're naturally gluten free and dairy free which makes them a great treat for any party with guests with dietary restrictions. And most importantly --- they're delicious!😋 If you don't happen to be celebrating National Amaretti Day or you don't have any on hand, you can substitute 2 teaspoons almond extract for the liquor in my recipe.  Amaretti Cookies 3 egg whites 3 cups almond flour 1 1/2 cups minus 1 Tablespoon caster sugar ¼ teaspoons vanilla 2 Tablespoons Amaretto liqueur For coating 1/4 cup caster sugar 1/4 cup powdered sugar
 Bake 15 minutes at 325.  Ciao!
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 As a general rule - I'm anti wrinkles. 🤣 I buy makeup to cover up the ones I already have and creams prevent new ones from showing up. My laugh lines are an exception - those are signs of a life well lived and I display those proudly.😁 Other than smiling, the only other time I'm excited to see wrinkles is when I'm baking cookies.😅 Unlike me, there are certain cookies that look even better when they're covered in crinkles and wrinkles.😂 I've had a recipe for Lemon Crinkle Cookies on my blog since 2014 but I wasn't really happy with it. In short: they just weren't wrinkly enough.😅 Hello, Lemon Crinkle Cookies 2.0 - full of wrinkles and bursting with bright, lemon flavor. 🍋
I had 4 lemons ripen on my meyer lemon tree last year and I was very deliberate in how I used them. I felt like they deserved to be used in only the most special recipes. Honestly, if I added up the amount of money that I spent on fertilizer, water and paying my plant sitters when I'm out of town - I could have bought a whole crate of lemons for what it cost me to grow 4 lemons.🤣 But it's not about the cost - it's about the pride that I have in growing my own citrus fruit.😬 That's my story and I'm sticking to it.🤣 Lemon Crinkle Cookies meet all of the necessary requirements to use 1 of my precious my home grown lemons. They're delicious and light AND ... they're full of crinkles and wrinkles.  Lemon Crinkle Cookies 2.0 2 and 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup butter, softened 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar 1 large egg, room temperature 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 Tablespoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon vanilla For Rolling 3 Tablespoons sugar 1 cup powdered sugar
 Bake 12-13 minutes at 350.  Ciao!
 I live in a state where it seems like everyone is obsessed with Fall.🎃🍎🍁 Halloween, pumpkins, cozy sweaters, apple picking, hayrides - I like all of those things but Spring is still my favorite time of year.😬 And I feel like it's worth noting that I feel this way despite the fact that I have to take Zyrtec from February through May. I said I liked Spring - I didn't say that Spring liked me.😅🤧
Digging in the dirt is one of my favorite springtime activities.🪴 There's something about having my hands in the earth that's therapeutic for me. This month I planted herbs and fruits in my newly upgraded garden: thyme, basil, rosemary, sage, parsley, mint, oregano, raspberries, blueberries, watermelon and a single pepper plant.🌱 I plant the things that I eat the most so herbs and fruit it is. 🤣🫐🍉 There's nothing like picking fresh herbs from the garden for my favorite Springtime recipes. If you don't have fresh herbs in your garden though, don't let that stop you from making these Olive Oil and Herb Biscotti. Fresh herbs are widely available in supermarkets and farmers markets this time of year so pick up your favorites and give this savory biscotti recipe a try.  Olive Oil and Herb Biscotti 1 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup cornmeal 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan 2 teaspoons black pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 2 large eggs 1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
 Ciao!
 I recommend that you find a spouse who will slow pour maple syrup over his sourdough pancakes at 7 am on a Saturday morning so you that can capture the motion in photographs before he even samples his first forkful.🤣🥞🫐 As if waiting until I've taken 30 pictures of the food on his plate before he can eat isn't bad enough - now I'm asking him to be a participant in the breakfast photography session.📸😬 And on a not unrelated note: has anyone ever been able to get decent lighting on a plate of pancakes before the sun comes up?😅  What is it about making homemade pancakes on a Saturday morning that makes the weekend feel a little extra special?🥞 And while a hearty stack of pancakes for breakfast is great - no one wants to set an alarm to wake up extra early to fix pancake batter on the weekend. Hello overnight sourdough pancakes. They're perfectly light, fluffy and delicious AND you can prep the batter overnight. These sourdough pancakes have a very subtle tang, with a beautiful light and fluffy rise. If you're a sourdough enthusiast - you'll definitely want to add these to your weekend breakfast menu.  Sourdough Pancakes Overnight Sponge 1 cup (227g) sourdough starter, unfed 2 cups buttermilk 2 cups flour 2 Tablespoons sugar Batter overnight sponge 2 eggs 1/4 cup canola oil 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon table salt
 Flip and cook until browned underneath.  Ciao!
 I think cherries are my favorite fruit so I did a little happy dance when I found out that my sweet daughter in law shares my love of this delicious fruit.🍒😅 Look out blog friends - now that there's a fellow cherry lover in the family - you'll definitely see an increase in the number of cherry recipes on the blog.😉 Cherry muffins, cherry pancakes, cherry ice cream, cherry cookies, chicken salad with cherries and cherries in cinnamon rolls - you've been warned.😂  Cherries and chocolate are a match made in heaven.🍒🍫 Does it get any better than a scoop of cherry ice cream with dark chocolate pieces dotted throughout?🍨 This is a hill that I'm willing to die on so don't bother trying to debate me on this.🤣 Another combination that sounds so amazing that I can't believe that I haven't made it before now: Cherry Chocolate Chip Banana Bread!! 🍒🍫🍌 I hope you love bread this as much as I do.😋  And for those of you who prefer the deliciousness of cherries and chocolate chips in a smaller form - this recipe can be made into muffins too. ⬇️
Cherry Chocolate Chip Banana Bread 1/2 cup butter , room temperature 3/4 cup sugar 2 large eggs 3 ripened bananas, mashed 1 1/2 cups flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup chocolate chips 3/4 cup maraschino cherries, halved
 Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake 1 hour at 350.  Ciao!
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