Recipes & Food-Related Ramblings
I’m not going to lie to you. This Winter Wonderland Battenburg Cake nearly stole my sanity. It took a few cracks to get it just right because, girl, this cake is fin-nick-y! Now, if you’re a detail-oriented, seasoned baker I’m sure you’ll barely break a sweat. But if you’re a mere mortal like me, usher any nearby children out of the house because they’re will be f-bombs abound.
In my household, December is not for the faint of heart. Both Bae and I have birthdays in December and they are less than a week apart. My sister and father both have birthdays this month as well. And, as I’m sure I’ve mentioned elsewhere, Bae is Jewish and I am not. That means we celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah. Gosh! I feel tired just writing this. Yes, our December is definitely a marathon and the whole thing kicks off this Sunday with the first night of Hanukkah. So, how am I feeling? A little underprepared, exhausted in anticipation, and beside myself excited about latkes and this Red Wine Braised Brisket. It’s a medley of emotions.
Okay, I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned somewhere on this blog that I am no fan of turkey. I mean, I get that it’s large, grand and it feeds a crowd. But, my gosh, you have to do so much to it to make it edible. You’ve gotta brine it, stuff butter under its skin and baste the crap out of it. And, as I mentioned, turkeys are large. That means they are difficult to maneuver into and out of the brine to the oven an onwards to the table. And if you aren’t feeding a small army, you will be eating leftovers for the rest of time. So, with my anti-turkey stance firmly established, I would like to throw my weight behind these Pomegranate Lacquered Cornish Hens with Jeweled Saffron Rice. If you have a small family who’s interested in moist, flavorful poultry meat, these hens have got your back.
Okay, guys, hold onto your hats! The gratin I posted the other day served as the official start of the holiday season on this here blog. We’ve got two Thanksgivings, a Halloween and Christmas/Hanukkah (Bae is Jewish) to contend with. So, limit your mindless grazing and ramp up your weekly km because things are about to get decadent ’round here. Case in point: this Molasses Apple Cake with Whisky Caramel and Cinnamon Marshmallows. Now, if you’re thinking that just sounds like three desserts stacked on top of each other, well, you’re *very right. It’s a delicious hot mess of a cake and you should take it as a warning. The next few months are going to be a little dicey.