
Prior to 2008, to say I was not a fan of coconut would’ve been a supreme understatement. A more accurate way of phrasing it would be to say that I despised coconut with the intensity of a thousand burning suns… yup… that was pretty accurate alright. Then something happened. I don’t know what or why or how but sometime during the first quarter of 2008 I began to like coconut. Then about a year later I began to LOVE coconut and now I can’t seem to get enough of the stuff. Maybe it’s because I now bake coconut things myself instead of buying them from the store? No clue. The past couple/three weeks I’ve had a hankerin for coconut cake and came across a recipe from Paula Deen. It looked rather promising. You could say it piqued my interest. But as soon as I thought to add pineapple filling… my stomach shouted “hang a tag on that baby and consider it sold!”
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Posted in cake | 20 Comments »

Carrot cake is one of those traditional desserts that people hold near to their hearts. Seems that everyone I’ve talked to about it has a definite opinion about what makes a carrot cake “good”. Some like it with walnuts… some like it with coconut… some like it with pineapple… some like it with raisins. I like mine rather plain… without nuts or raisins… definitely with lots of spices… and standing mile-high with just a fringe of toasted coconut. Whatever your preference, it all starts with a good recipe… and that’s where I can help you out!
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Posted in alton brown, cake | 23 Comments »

Quick breads are wonderful to make. They work out great for a variety of occasions… quick breakfast… afternoon tea… last night snack… or even “just because”. They great to eat by yourself and even better to eat with others. Fruity or nutty… sweet, savory or plain… quick breads are terrific. Last weekend I had some ready-to-bake-with bananas and went in search of something other than the standard banana bread. Hey… not that there’s anything wrong with standard banana bread, mind you, I just wanted to bake something different. Am I ever glad I made this recipe because as far as I’m concerned any quick bread that is just as fresh and moist on day 7 as it was on day 2, well, that recipe is definitely a keeper!
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Posted in Chocolate, bread, cinnamon, fruit | 15 Comments »