Cooking Blog

I’m beginning to think that I have an unnatural obsession with brownies. First, I told you about hiding black beans in them. Next, I stuffed zucchini into brownies. This time, I won’t play with ingredients—instead, I will offer a rather undervalued baking method. As it turns out, you can make brownies in your slow cooker. But is it worth it?

A former colleague once made me business cards with the title “Cookie Queen.” I do make my fair share of cookies, and the rave reviews motivate me to keep my “title.” For this reason, I tackled the Cranberry Cookies from The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden-Fresh Cookbook.

This recipe is simple enough to whip up for having scones on hand to grab as you’re running out the door to school or work, yet it’s elegant enough for a fancy brunch or special occasion. The final product has just a hint of lavender that pairs well with honey and a steaming cup of tea.

I admit that I’m the one who put black beans in the brownies, and now . . . zucchini! You’re probably wondering, “Why can’t she just leave the brownies alone?” It’s all about guilt, my friends. If brownies are filled with veggies, they’re healthy, right?! OK, not really, but they are a little more nutritious for you. Plus, a coworker gifted me with an excess of zukes and I can only eat so much zucchini bread and soup.

Anyone who has ever grown or cooked with jalapeños will tell you: wear gloves. I hadn't done either until this past weekend, when a recipe for Mexican Chicken and Bean Soup called for four seeded and chopped jalapeno peppers.

As I pulled out the seeds and chopped the peppers bare-handed, I didn’t think much of it. After all, I was only chopping them, not eating them whole.

This Strawberry Lemonade is sweet but would be a refreshing drink on a hot summer afternoon. It would go nicely with something light, like a salad.

I brought this drink to a party, so I multiplied the recipe by six (to serve 18). Consequently, I needed a lot of lemon juice (6 cups), so I used the bottled type, which worked out fine.