Memories of Hawai'i, and so on....

My husband took me to Hawai'i after his deployment.  We relaxed and enjoyed the beauty of the island of Kauai.  There, we ate our fair share of fresh fishes, coffee, cane sugar, chocolate, pineapple, coconut and macadamia nuts.  It was pure bliss.

Macadamia nuts are buttery and meaty.  They pair so well with chewy, sweet coconut and everything benefits from pure vanilla.  I took these flavors and created my Island cookie.  A brown sugar cookie base holds the nuts, coconut and vanilla chips.  It always brings back my Hawai'i memories.  You should experience the island life too.  $8 for one dozen.

In remembering this buttery nut, I also am partial to buttery shortbread cookies.  I decided to toss some Russian Tea Cakes in the oven too.  Also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies, these balls of yummy-ness contain chopped pecans and are rolled in powdered sugar.  You can't eat just one.  And they go so well with tea or coffee!  Grab some for your morning coffee.  $4 for 6 pieces.

I'll be in the DelRay Tower concierge lobby from 6-7pm tonight.  See you there!

Happy Munching!

It's a Dream

Chocolate Air Power Dream, that is!

When my husband taught Air Force ROTC at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at Daytona Beach, Florida, I used to play mom to the 300+ cadets.  That included baking them cookies every week.  They would devour all the goodies I brought in.  They always asked me for these morsels of comfort food to remind them of home.

I was asked to help with one of their many fundraisers.  So I created a new cookie, and they held a contest to name this cookie.  There were many entries, but the winner was Chocolate Air Power Dreams.  After that, I baked this cookie for them quite often, and they always disappeared within a couple of hours. 

Nowadays, when I bake some Dreams, I always think fondly of all my 'kids' and miss them terribly.  By now, most are promising Lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force. 

Happy munching!

For my milk chocolate fans...

Milk Chocolate or Dark Chocolate?  It's a big debate on which is better.  I usually use darker chocolates in my brownies, but I have a sweet recipe for my milk chocolate lovers.  I make it all with milk chocolate from the melted chocolate I start with, to the milk chocolate chips that are dispersed throughout.  One day, I'll do a side-by-side taste-test to tally which version really is the most favorite.

Happy Munching!

Delicious aromas in the kitchen

A good friend is leaving for a new job, so I baked up some of her favorite cookies, my Extreme Peanut Butter Brownies.  So yum, layers of peanut butter goodness.  I will miss her, but I hope she comes back to order these luscious treats.

Meanwhile, I was craving some cinnamon, so I popped some Snickerdoodles in the oven too.

Mmm, happy kitchen.