Some Things

Upstate after the holiday, Gramercy Tavern's gingerbread (with Guinness), Mark Bittman pickles, and the start of holiday decorating. I love this time of year.

Thanksgiving Pies

Came out great despite my obsesssing. I made a bourbon sweet potato, with graham cracker pecan ginger crust (laying out ingredients to emphasize yumminess), and star anise infused maple pecan rum pie (yes another Melissa Clark recipe). Now the countdown begins to my December plan of 1 cookie recipe per weekend, can't wait!

Totally trying this

How to Be a Girl: Cat Eyes By Magic! from The Hairpin on Vimeo.

Pie Crust Basics

I really like this video from Melissa Clark, she makes pie crust straightforward and manageable. Do not hesitate to make your own tomorrow, it will come together I promise!

Maple Buttermilk Pie

Made this as a dry run for Thursday's pie extravaganza, and it was great. Even better when chilled in the fridge over night. Kind of like a lemony, maple custard.

Lucy Chadwick and the Selby

Simple and lovely

Lemony Olive Oil Banana Bread

I was so excited to make this, it's also from Melissa Clark's new book but Heidi added a lemon twist that was totally intriguing so I used her recipe (and photography) instead. I definitely recommend this one! No butter, made with yogurt, and still super moist. The one thing I would add is walnuts, which I debated and then regretted not tossing them in. Make it and love it!

Ham bone soup, pickles, and an injury

I made this soup from Melissa Clark's new book (after hunting down a ham bone Saturday morning), and let me tell you that it is easy and delicious.

Early Sunday, we went to the New Amsterdam Market Pickle Festival (where Fulton Fish used to be), to sample some pickles - again, an easy and delicious activity. I bought some dense, chewy nordic breads, more than one kimchi dog, and got inspired to get a little crazier with flavors during pickle making.

Lastly, I had an accident. A really un fun accident. While attempting to make these pumpkin coriander falafels. I was using a hand blender to smooth the chickpeas, and when they mucked up the blender end, without thinking I used my thumb to scoop it clean..then pushed the button by accident. Um, ouch. Nine stitches and a fracture later, here I am in the emergency room doped up and novocained out. Please remember to use your brain when you use the hand blender!! And a chopstick for un-mucking.

Sesame Coconut Bars

I really got into cookie bases and crumbles towards the end of the summer, trying to find a healthy recipe with not too much butter. These "healthy" bars from Mark Bittman still use a whole stick, and in my opinion were a bit rich. However. The other member of my household would not let me bring these to work because he proceeded to eat the entire thing over the course of the following week. Soo, apparently they are good. Also, mine did not look like this..

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Color, Nebulas

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Hilarious

Date cake and a visit home

I had a really nice visit home this weekend, seeing my family and spending time in various wooded areas. Their town is still reeling from the freak snow storm last week, and just got power back as I was leaving. Inspired many grateful moments - for my family, talks by the fire, yummy food and wine, sleeping dogs, and beautiful electricity. Then I came home and made this date cake. It's similar to the bean brownies - flowerless, healthy, and delicious. These are my favorite types of desserts, and my favorites types of weekends.

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Cheesy music but crazy birds

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

Lynda Barry

Outside comic circles I think Lynda Barry is relatively unknown, which is a pretty big tragedy. As a side note, I am no longer in "comic circles" and only was slightly for a brief period where I learned about this whole world of indie comics that are beautiful and smart and funny. And so, Lynda Barry, is hilarious. I gave this book to my mom, and another to my sister, and for years I had a little photocopied strip from the book pinned to my bulletin board. She dated Ira Glass like a hundred years ago and makes fun of him in this book for being a basic egomaniac. So if you're looking for a beautiful, smart and funny read, pick this little guy up.

New Album Coming!

Super psyched! And check out those moves!

Riikka Sormunen

Really into these, click through for more interesting and slightly grotesque works

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Mindy Kaling love

I just bought her new book and can't wait to read it, she's so hilarious.

And look at this pic of her as a child, "People think I'm exaggerating when I say that I was a happy child who you could not tell was male or female", amazing.