Food Diary

Hello my friends!  Can you believe that these gorgeous hibiscus flowers bloom for one day, bring all of their shine and beauty, and then wilt the next?  All that effort and beauty for one day.  It’s incredible.  It blows my mind every time I see these flowers. It inspires me to make the most of my day … and maybe put on some pink lipstick, too.   How has your week been?  Real question, though you can also just answer it for yourself as you reflect on the week on what I hope is a day of (at least some) rest for you.  Does that work as a sentence?  I had a photoshoot for a paper towel company as well as a private cooking class at The Bakehouse this week! Continue reading Let It Be Sunday, 228! at Joy the Baker.

Pound cakes are always a crowd-pleaser. They are known for their dense, tender texture and are a great option for just about any occasion. While vanilla is my go-to pound cake flavor, it isn’t the only choice out there. This Brown Sugar Bourbon Pound Cake is a delicious alternative to traditional vanilla – and it never lasts long in my kitchen after I’ve baked one. I have a feeling that it will be a hit in your home, too! As the name suggests, this Brown Sugar Bourbon Pound Cake is made with quite a bit of brown sugar. You can use dark brown sugar for a stronger molasses flavor (and I do that sometimes in the winter), however I prefer the more subtle flavor of light brown sugar for a more versatile cake. The brown sugar is combined with butter, eggs and flour – ingredients that you’ll find in any cake, of course – along with a generous splash of bourbon. The flavor of the bourbon, with notes of vanilla and toasted wood, works very well with the brown sugar. There isn’t enough alc...

Hello friends!  It’s that time of year again!  Time to make our Summer Bucket List!   BUCKET LIST buck•et list (noun): a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have accomplished during their lifetime.  Also, a 2007 comedic film featuring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson.   SUMMER BUCKET LIST sum•mer buck•et list (noun):  a list of things that a person would like to accomplish and experience during the summer months. Continue reading Summer Bucket List, 2019! at Joy the Baker.

Mochi is a Japanese confection made from sweet rice that is pounded into a fine paste and molded into a shape. You have probably encountered mochi filled with ice cream, as it is a popular Japanese dessert that is also available at many grocery stores. A popular Hawaiian dessert is known as Mochi Cake, a baked cake that is made with the same sweet rice flour used to make traditional mochi. The cake is soft, chewy and very different than traditional butter cakes. The unusual texture might not make mochi cake everyone’s favorite dessert, but it is absolutely delicious for those who love it. Recently, Trader Joe’s introduced a Mochi Cake Mix that allows you to easily make your own mochi cake at home. The cake mixes up very easily with just the addition of butter, eggs and water. It has just the right sweetness and bakes up to be dense, chewy and quite delicious. While I admit that I haven’t made a mochi cake from scratch before using this mix, the consistency was very similar to some of...

Something happened last week back home in New Orleans.  I realized I am far more thirsty than I am hungry which means that summer is here (and it is unrelenting) and it’s now time to swap food for various forms of liquid.   I’m entertaining smoothies.  I’m here for cold coffee.  I’m here for summer water and Pimm’s Cups.  What else can we drink?  Gazpacho?  Sure sign me up.   Aside from liquids, I’m also entertaining vegetables (and sure… anything chocolate). Continue reading Veggie Egg Roll Noodle Bowl at Joy the Baker.