Honey Tea Bread

This is a recipe for a wonderful tea bread that I found in my Bob's Red Mill Baking Book, and it is full of healthy ingredients and good taste. It has a nutty flavor from wheat germ, a richness from Irish breakfast tea, and a gentle sweetness from honey.

You're Invited!

When a person enjoys blogging as much as I do, 

the only thing that could be better 

than having a blog to write is having two blogs. 

In addition to the usual recipes, crafts, and home organization 

that I blog about at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen, 

I have recently started blogging 

about children and issues related to the family 

at The Family Dance. 

This forum also gives me a place to write 

about issues of concern to myself, 

like where my memory has gone 

in the post "Beware the Sweet Potato Thief". 

All my blogging friends are invited to come on over 

and check out the new site, 

and if you are interested in children, parenting, education,

or other family matters,

I'd love for you to sign up

by email or by GFC.

Banana Coconut Pecan Muffins

This is one of the best breakfast muffin recipes I have come across in a while. These muffins are made with healthy ingredients, and the taste is wonderful! I know not everyone is a banana fan, but I think there will be some quick banana converts if they try these moist, delicious muffins made with demerara sugar and coconut milk.

Recipe adapted from: http://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/recipes

Playing With My Food

During the past week I have been away from home and learning some new things about cooking. First of all, my sister gave me a lesson at her house on decorating sugar cookies with royal icing. There are so many possibilities for using the techniques that I learned from her, and of course, I had to buy some new cookie cutters in anticipation of future cookies I want to make. I have already made and decorated another batch of sugar cookies since I have been back home.

The second adventure of the week was attending a cooking class. After playing in the cookie dough and icing for a couple of days, my sister and I went to the Viking Cooking School at The Woodlands, Texas, to learn about pizza cooking. I had attended a Viking class once before on baking Artisan Bread, so I was excited to be able to go to another one of their classes. I was not disappointed with the tips I picked up there.

The class was a three hour hands-on workshop, and we baked several different varieties of pizza, including dessert pizza.

Learning to Decorate Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

I've been in awe for some time of the ability of the decorators who create the beautiful cookies with royal icing. Bridget of Bake at 350 is one of those awesome cookie decorators, and my sister Helen is another one. This weekend I visited my sister at her home in Texas, and she gave me a hands-on cookie decorating lesson. Since it was my first time to work with the techniques of outlining and flooding the icing, it took a little practice to get the hang of it, but I got a batch of cookies decorated.

The cookie recipe we used is the one that Bridget recommends for basic decorated cookies, and it is a very tasty sugar cookie recipe.

A "Girly" Fleece Scarf

I suppose you could call me cold-blooded when it comes to my reaction to winter weather. I always long for sunshine and springtime throughout the cold winter season. One thing that helps me cope with the cold, windy weather here in northern Arkansas during January is a nice cuddly fleece scarf. I made one today that even someone with little sewing experience could make with success.

Quick and Easy Brioche

It's a yeast bread, but brioche is so light you'll almost think you're eating cake when you bite into this rich butter and egg loaf. This recipe is one that I learned to make when I went to the Viking Cooking School in Franklin, Tennessee, and took their Artisan Bread class. This brioche is a quick version to make with little fuss, and it does not take the usual 4 hours for refrigeration of the dough that most other brioche recipes require. The recipe was adapted for the class from The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri.

A January Wreath

When it's time to take the Christmas wreath off the front door I always feel a bit let down, and I can't help but imagine the poor door shivering naked in the cold winter air.

I know the stores immediately restocked all the Christmas shelves with new goodies in anticipation of that sweetheart of a February holiday, but it's still too early to hang a Valentine wreath on my door. It's also too early for springtime florals, even though I'd love to see something in bloom.

Will Life Hand Me Lemons in 2013?

In the past, I had always assumed that when life handed someone lemons, as in the cliche, it must be a negative thing, but gardening has changed my view of life and lemons. I'm actually hoping, very much, that life will be handing me lemons this year.