Comfort Foods and Indulgences

bacondip.jpg I subscribe to a lot of magazines, probably at least fifty. I love reading publications about cooking, wine and design. I am never without a large pile of them on the coffee table.

In many magazines this month, I kept seeing this recipe on an advertisement page for Daisy Sour Cream. It was haunting me. Of course my eyes gravitated and fixated on the words "bacon", "dip" and "warm" every time I came to a page with this recipe printed on it. Not only was it haunting me, it was calling to me. However, I know I've said it here before, I believe "dip" should be it's own food group, and I can rarely pass one up, but the list of ingredients included bacon bits, something I don't normally buy. So I kept looking away.

Then it happened, I found bacon bits in my pantry. I do not even remember buying them. I went digging through the magazines in the recycle bin to find this recipe and now all is right with the world. What a mouthful of bacon in every bite. What could be better.

This is one of those "deadly dips" that can be polished off before you even know what happened. Don't ask me how I know that. Gah!

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brownies.adhocLevi has been begging for brownies. I had to honor his wish. Upon walking up to my large bookcase that holds my vast collection of cook books, it was Ad Hoc at Home that jumped out at me. I turned to the back of the book and I instantly opened the page to the brownies.  I had no choice. Along with laundry, preparing my meals for the week, brownies had become part of my Sunday morning routine.

Brownies are effortless. One bowl, few ingredients, a pan of some sort, and a short baking time. Unlike cookies, where every seven minutes you have to rotate the sheets, scoop and drop your batter, brownies are the equivalent to a one pot dish.

I have made a lot of brownies in my day, but these are not only super moist, but light and fudgy all at the same time.  So, I say thank you to Levi for making me cook from this book that I don’t nearly use enough and for sharing your smile when you walked into the kitchen that morning, bed hair and all!

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Noble-Pig-Guilt-Free-Chocolate-Banana-MuffinsWhat is a guilt-free muffin anyway? I guess that means something different to everyone. Let's face it, muffins do not usually equal health food, but there are ways to make them better for you. A healthier muffin to me means, a little protein and fiber, with a lot less cholesterol causing ingredients and lower in calories.

I am literally shocked at how good this muffin tastes with just a few little ingredient changes. There is no oil or butter in these muffins! And they are satisfying and sweet; dense, but in a good way. They are also completely moist, even after four days. 

I used my tips and tricks for the Best Banana Nut Muffin and applied them to this recipe. The two-cup method does work when it comes to creating a banana muffin you will love.

Consider it the perfect gateway snack in between meals, with a cup of black coffee of course.

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spanishtoastTorrijas, a cross between French Toast and bread pudding, can be found throughout the year in Spain, but they are particularly popular for dessert around the Easter holiday. The tradition of reviving stale bread with eggs and milk dates back to Roman times, and most countries have their own particular version.

I first tried this dish at the Palace Hotel in Madrid and was impressed with the subtle flavors of cinnamon, lemon and honey. There are many variations of this treat – some soften the stale bread by soaking it in a sweet wine, while other variations use milk, and honey. The chef at the Palace was kind enough to share his recipe, which I think is just about perfect.

In Spain, it’s served cool or at room temperature (frankly almost everything in Spain is served at room temperature) and drizzled with honey syrup.

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raspcoffeecakeI don't think I have to convince anyone how good coffee cake always seems to taste. Whether you eat it in the morning with coffee or in the afternoon with hot tea....it's just always so dang good!  This recipe is no exception. It was our little treat today.

Anytime I'm at Costco and they have great looking berries, I grab them and throw them in the freezer for when inspiration hits.  Why buy a coffee cake when they are so easy to make? I threw this one together while I was getting the boy's breakfasts made and making their lunches for school.  I am the ultimate multitasker.

Anyway, next time you see some beautiful raspberries, pick them up and give this a whirl. No mixer needed!

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