I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: this man loves chocolate and peanut butter. Nick sneaks spoonfuls of peanut butter straight from the jar, and peanut butter cups don’t stand a chance in our candy bowl. But he is particular about his peanut butter kiss cookies. He prefers fluffy to flat, and so I put him in charge... Read more
Sugar cookies are a holiday staple in my family, and snickerdoodles are a tradition in Nick’s. Nobody makes them quite like his grandmother, but we gave it a shot this year. Grandma’s snickerdoodles are crackly on top, slightly crisp, and just a little chewy on the inside. And they pair nicely with a (snowman) mug of hot tea. Do you... Read more
While Julia Child’s bouef bourguinon was simmering on Saturday afternoon, we rolled up our sleeves and pulled Grandma Motz’s sugar cookie dough out of the refrigerator. Grandma Motz may not have been fancy or French like Julia Child, but the woman knew how to make a sugar cookie. This recipe has been passed down through five generations of Rowlands, and... Read more
This weekend I channeled my inner Julia Child and tackled a dish from my must make list. Mastering the Art of French Cooking has been sitting pretty on our shelf for almost a year, and while I have thumbed through it, this is the first recipe I’ve made from the classic cookbook. Why? Because Julia Child is a legend. And... Read more
This year we mailed Christmas cards to California and Germany and many places in between. And with each card, we included a recipe for our new favorite cookies: pumpkin oatmeal with white chocolate chips and dried cherries. Thanks to Kate for hosting the Minted giveaway and to Philip Mackenzie for the festive fall photos! Happy holidays from our kitchen to... Read more
I love beer and bread. One reason is because the use of yeast in these products is perhaps the oldest form of biotechnology. Another reason is that they both taste so darn good! The problem with both, however, is that they require patience — a virtue I usually lack. Nonetheless, my intrigue for bread took me to the Open Kitchen... Read more
December dinners tends to be hearty and heavy. In a good way. I need chicken and dumplings and sausage and potatoes to keep me warm under turtleneck sweaters and snow boots. Sometimes, though, I need a break from weighty winter food. Enter roasted butternut squash orzo with wilted spinach and dried cranberries. We eat a lot of butternut squash during... Read more
Think truffles are all fancy and complicated? Well, I’m here to prove otherwise. All you need is a bag of Oreos and a block of cream cheese. Oh, you’ll need a food processor, too. Add the Oreos and room temperature cream cheese to the food processor, and pulse until the mixture is sticky and shiny. It should take 2-3 minutes.... Read more
We don’t mind the quaintness of our hometown’s hills, railroads, cow pastures, and corn fields. But it is nice to spend an occasional Saturday in a city with more than three stoplights and more than one decent restaurant. Late Friday night, following Nick’s district holiday party in western Pennsylvania, we drove across three rivers and into Pittsburgh. Thanks to Priceline... Read more
How quickly the brilliant November sunsets turned to snowy December skies. It has been snowing here in central Pennsylvania since Sunday. It hasn’t accumulated to much, but it’s enough to require snow brushes and scrapers and boots. We’ve kept warm this week with chicken and dumplings and the light of our Christmas tree. (Yes, that’s a cow bell on our... Read more