Blueberry Blogger Contest Results!

Click here: Recipes: Blueberry Walnut Empanadas US Highbush Blueberry Council

At the start of summer I noticed a blueberry blogger contest posted on of all places-Face book. I entered my recipe for blueberry walnut empanadas.
It's something I created on the spot during a baking demonstration I did last November. Why not enter? I had nothing to lose.
I won second place and the recipe is now posted on their website-the prize was $600!
That's a lot of blueberries!

Vacations, Cookies & Shelburne Falls!

I just delivered Dreamy Island Cookies to the farm. I thought I was about to 'bake' myself having to turn my oven on today in this heat but I am glad I did.
There was not a crumb left, so to speak, after returning from our little vacation. Lots of slices of lemon cake and cookies sold while we were away.
After Labor Day, I won't be baking for the farm again this season because my teaching schedule will start again not to mention the farm will be slowing down and then closing for the season.
As for our vacation we traveled all over MA in a very short period of time. We drove from Falmouth to North Adams then Williamstown to Charlemont then Shelburne Falls. From there we went across the Northern part of MA east into New Hampshire. I loved Historic Downtown Portsmouth-very cool! We ate dinner one night at the Portsmouth Brewing Company and our hotel room overlooked the water. The zipline was a blast and of course the kids loved water country.
As for Shelburne Falls, I hadn't been there in years. It's an adorable village in the Berkshires. There are great shops and food. But you can also check out the Galatial Potholes and the Garden walk. Going there brought back lots of memories. Bella turned thirteen this past July and I remember being pregnant with her the last time I was there.
Time Flies!
I hope you've had a chance to stop by Paper Tyger or the Farm to check out my recipe book.

Stay Cool and as always, Happy Baking!

Lemon Cake, Paper Tyger & Zipline!

I have lemon cakes ready to bring to the farm this morning. We leave on a mini family adventure early in the morning and I'd like to go knowing there are baked goods available.

Then I'll deliver copies of Meet Me in My Cape Cod Kitchen to the Paper Tyger. It's a sweet stationary store at Queens Buyway in Falmouth. If you haven't been go check it out. There are some really cute things and you can take a look at my recipe book while there.

A woman wrote yesterday asking for my coconut pound cake recipe. It had recently been published in a local paper and she misplaced it. I hope she likes it as much as I do. I call it Incredible Coconut Pound Cake.

I don't make that particular cake for myself very often because I always slice myself the biggest piece. I love all things coconut.

As for the zipline-we've decided to pick a vacation this year even my teens might get excited about. We're also heading to Water Country. The zipline is in Western, MA. If curious about it go to http://www.zoaroutdoor.com/ and watch the little video.

In the meantime, Happy Baking!

Update on Cookbook, Cookies & Sandy Neck!

What an amazing beach day we spent with friends and family out on Sandy Neck this past weekend! On a scale of 1 to 10 it was an 11 kind of beach day!

I had a feeling my baking table was empty this morning after a busy weekend here on the Cape so first thing when I woke today I turned my oven on and baked some cookies.

When I brought them for delivery to the farm earlier I noticed my cookbooks had already been sold out and the store keeper mentioned that someone came in looking to buy one. I will bring more cookbooks by the end of the week. I hope whoever it was is able to get one.

In the meantime, although summer is coming to an end soon I hope we get a bunch more beautiful days out on Sandy Neck before every one heads back to school.

I want to go to Italy!

I am not sure if it's the recent hosting of the limoncello party or that in my creative writing time my thoughts keep wandering back to a story about three girls who embark on a journey to Italy together but lately all I can think about is how am I going to get myself there?

I mentioned my desire to someone the other day and he went on and on about a wonderful trip he took to Florence years back.

As a baker and someone who loves to cook I know I am drawn to the food there but it's also the pictures of the gorgeous land that I want to touch and feel up close.

I am also drawn to the strong sense of family and the art. Imagine actually walking around the Pitti Palace and Gardens?

I want to see the back streets. I want a restaurant owner to invite me into his cellar and let me try his limoncello. I want him and his wife to tell me about wonderful family stories. Even if I can only understand their tales through expressions and gestures because my Italian won't be very good --just a few phrases I'll have picked up here and there.

I suppose getting myself to Italy is as simple as setting a date and a goal for myself. I've done it before--with my baking business and the finishing of my recipe book!

In the meantime, I have Dreamy Island Cookies and Lemon Cake for sale at the farm alongside my recipe book. Do pick it up and take a look!

Ciao!

Blueberry & Walnut Empanada!

Here is a super scrumptious recipe for using the abundance of all those fresh plump blueberries.

Empanada's are so much easier to make than people realize and they freeze great for later use.

Empanada's are a Latin inspired puff pastry-you can use traditional empanada dough or just as easily substitute pre-made refrigerated pie crust. They are nice for an afternoon snack with tea or as a breakfast treat with a cup of coffee.

Rolled out refrigerated pie crust, cut into 5 in. circles
Cup fresh (or frozen) blueberries
3 Tbsp. cream cheese
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
Tbsp (or more) brown sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten, to brush top

Place cut out circles of dough on clean work surface. Drop a few fresh blueberries, 1/2 tsp. of cream cheese, sprinkle of chopped walnuts and brown sugar in center of each circle. Fold over one edge to meet the other side of dough and crimp around edges with a fork to seal. Brush a bit of egg on top of pastry to glaze. Place empanada's on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for about fifteen minutes or until pastry starts to slightly brown. Let cool slightly. Enjoy!
Yield: 1/2 dozen or so

Meet Me in My Cape Cod Kitchen

Meet Me in My Cape Cod Kitchen: Recipes from West Falmouth Baking Company is complete and ready for sale for $12.95. It includes (among other things) my recipes for Dreamy Island Cookies, Lemon Cake and Cranberry Biscotti.

A local food writer has planned to write a review of the book in the Falmouth paper in a couple of weeks. She sent a note earlier today to say she really liked the book.

I will also have copies of it for sale at the Coonamessett Farm store, include it as an option in my gift baskets and if people prefer they (for now) could send me an email to order a copy. You can probably pay by pay pal and I'd be happy to ship one out to you.

It's been fun to think up a creative project (like putting together a collection of my best recipes) then seeing it through to completion.

The Limoncello Girls!

On Sunday, my girlfriends and I hosted a sweet summer backyard barbecue by the water-a celebration of the summer of sorts!
We kicked the party off with a homemade Limoncello tasting. Guests took sips and were asked to come up with fancy names for our versions of the delightful Italian liqueur.
The names were read and guests voted on their favorites. A prize was offered to the best name.
The Limoncello girls first gathered last fall. We brewed up this idea to make our own Limoncello at my birthday party. We got together about a month later for evening lemon zesting and girl talk.
While making that first batch we gathered three times-each time became a mini party among friends. Then we shared homemade Limoncello with friends and family last Christmas.
In February, we met up again at one of the Limoncello Girls' book signings and chatted about our desire to get together and make some more. We did.
The party became a celebration of The Limoncello Girls and our desire to have fun and throw fabulous parties.
Lots of guests arrived in fancy yellow attire and we served them my lemon cakes and a friends delicious lemon squares for desert! One guest even arrived by boat and docked right at the house. Another guest offered her incredible home made fudge and the chocolate became the best accompaniment to the tart lemon treats.

Summer Parties & Having Teens in the House

I am pretty sure that Sophia's fifth birthday was a hit! Here's a quick snapshot of her helping me bake the pony shaped sugar cookies we served as guests arrived.
I feel so lucky that she enjoys baking with me.

As for teens in the house, it doesn't feel quite as effortless. They seem to only want my time to drive them around town and as much cash as I am willing or able to shell out.

As for other summer parties-this weekend is our Homemade Limoncello Tasting and Barbecue.

It's been very strange on Cape Cod lately. We will be blessed with one gorgeous summer sunny day and then have five or six straight days of either rain, clouds or cooler temperatures!

This doesn't seem possible but we haven't even spent a day at the beach this season yet.

Chocolate Decadence Cake and Pony's!

On Friday I made a chocolate decadence cake with sweet cream for a friend's mother's 80Th birthday! It's a cake that you really can't go wrong with it. You start by melting chocolate and whip it into softened butter and white sugar.
I topped it with a mini whale shaped cake dipped in white chocolate for decorative effect. She called to say they LOVED it!
As for pony's-my youngest turns five this month. She and I have been planning her birthday party and a pony is set to arrive at our house. I also found a pony pinata and a pony craft too.
Naturally, as a baker I searched for and found pony shaped cookie cutters.
If you know Sophia you will understand why we chose purple and pink colored sugar to dip the pony cookies.