Lime in the Coconut Macaroons

I got this recipe from this month's of Bon Appetite.  We are expecting about six more inches of snow tonight, so I whipped these up in an effort to encourage spring, and to tell winter to screw off.  These macaroons are a bright mouth full of lime and sunshine.  They are also amazingly light.  A perfect remedy for the white crap that is about to fall from the sky.

lime in the coconut macaroons
2 egg whites
1/4 c of sugar
1 TBS of lime zest (I added a little more)
Pinch of salt
7 oz unsweetened coconut shavings

Preheat oven to 325
Whisk egg whites and sugar until frothy.  Whisk in lime zest and salt.  Fold in coconut.  Place in heaping tablespoon s on parchment covered cookie sheets.  You should get 24, I got 22.  Bake for 18-22 minutes.

Orange item of the week

This week it is.. .  Jelly Beans!  They have an interesting place in the Cornelius household.  My mother LOVES them.  Well, the red green and yellow.  The orange, black and purple get left behind every year.  She puts them away with the decorations for Easter.  The colors she likes are pretty much like a strange form of Cornelius currency for a few months.  My mom buys a bag and then sneaks away sifting out the colors she likes  and eating strait from the bag.  She does this before dinner or even after a large meal.  Some times I had a bag for later and she sniffs them out.

getting 'punct

It has been a stressful week.  We got the fan on our oven fixed and I have been burning things left and right: a lemon cake, a meatloaf, bread....so I needed a little help destressing.  I decided to try acupuncture at a local yoga studio.  It was all well worth it!  I rolled the ankle I broke a few weeks ago and have been in pain ever since.  45 minutes of needles and the pain is greatly diminished!  I made an appointment for next week.  The nice lady with needles, Ginger, said that the effects are cumulative.  I can't wait.  We'll see what it does for my baking, if a calmer mind will help with my baking times.

pancakes from scratch

Like most of you, I have been buying pancake mix for years.  Then, a few weeks ago I thought it was Mardi Gras and I was mix free (turns out I was a week early.  Awkward.)  I thought, how hard can it be? I found this recipe on the food. com  site and it has changed my life.  First off it is all things you already have.  There are no transfats, and they are light, tender and delish.  Who knew aunt jamima was hoodwinking us the whole time.  BTW, if I go missing you know it was her. She has eyes everywhere.  I forgot to take a pic, but really they look like normal pancakes.

Here it is:
1 1/2 cup fleur, sifted (but they were fine when I was not in a sifting mood)
3 1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 T sugar
1 1/4 c milk
3 T butter melted
Sift the dry ingredients together and make a well.  Add wet ingredients and mix.  I add a little vanilla.  Place in a dryish pan.  Pam works great and away you go.

Ina's Raspberry Squares

These are effing amazing.  Those were my mother's words.  Only she did not say effing, she said the word.  They were really easy to make and super yummy.

This one came from Foolproof, ona's latest.

Here is the recipe:

1/2 pound butter
3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/3 cups fleur
1/2 t salt
 10 ounces raspberry jam
2/3 c granola sans dried fruit
1/4 cup almonds

Preheat oven to 350.  Put the butter and sugar on a mixer until combined.  Add vanilla.  Add the fleur and salt and mix until It makes a ball.  Put 2/3 of the dough in a 9" pan.  Add the jelly.  Then mix granola in the rest of the dough.  Squeeze it into crumbles and put it on top of the raspberry jelly.  Put the slivered almonds on top and pop it in the oven for 45 minutes.

And yes, I really made a tray and tea.  Sad, I know.

orange item of the week

While in new York a few years back, winter was so bad my skin completely dried out.  And the itching...oy the itching.  I walked into Bigelow pharmacy on 6th and ninth and announced I needed portion.  I did not care about the cost, if bit gave my unborn children six heads or if it was made out of panda hair.  The gave me yu-be cream.  It got rid of the dreaded itch and I have been a fan ever since.  And no worries...the pandas are safe.

kitty hat

I just realized I never posted avoid of the coolest birthday present ever, my kitty hat. Since winter is not leaving and we got like two feet of snow over the weekend, I am holding onto whatever is hood about winter.