Happy New Year & Cheers!

2011 has been filled with cakes, pies, cookies, empanadas, donuts, cinnamon rolls...even pie-cakes and cookie in a cookies.  It has been a lot of fun starting this project...having no reason to bake stuff but just doing it just because I love it or because I wanted to take my mind off of work or life or reality...to just escape for a bit...to whisk away a bit.  

Spinach Mushroom Quiche with and without Ham

These are quiche...quiche made for a brunch with good friends over the holidays.  The players...spinach, mushrooms, shallots and cheese.  Then some got ham because not everyone like ham or eats meat.  These quiche were served along side pumpkin spice donuts, brown sugar bacon biscuits, pumpkin gingerbread cinnamon rolls and fruit salad...had to have something healthy.  Oh and lots and lots of mimosas.  

They are delicious...I kind of wish I were eating a few while typing this up, but alas the quiche are gone.  So, basically I am going to keep this simple, if you like quiche give these a try.  Also, you could definitely just make one big quiche and only have to use one pie crust.  Either way Enjoy!

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Last Sunday was Christmas, but before then I drove home...well before driving home, I drove to Columbia, NC.  If you are from North Carolina or have ever lived there, you might be going where the heck is Columbia, NC.  No, I promise this is not a typo...Columbia is approximately 90 minutes East of Greenville and about 45 minutes West of Manteo along a stretch of NC State Highway 64 I have never seen. 

Gingerbread Cupcakes two ways...Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting & Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

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• (Lemon on the left...Cinnamon on the right)
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• How was your weekend?  Mine may or may not have been filled with last minute Christmas shopping, a long run, tomato basil soup (Ina Garten's soup recipe is pretty much amazing), cheddar cheesy crostini, a night drinking with friends...there may or may not have been an incident where water was spewing from the ceiling which resulted in free shots...and a walk around Eastern Market.  It was a fun relaxing weekend.  This is exactly what was necessary before this week that will be super busy, because when is it not super busy around the holidays when you go home.  You try to get everyone in, which can lead to straight craziness. 
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For National Cupcake Day...Devil's Food Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting

So to continue with the holiday themed baking, a suggestion to make these cupcakes was sent my way.     What are they...devil's food cake + peppermint cream cheese frosting + half of a peppermint Joe Joe dipped in chocolate!  Suggestions make my life so much easier, because seriously there are some many recipes I want to try, which sometimes makes it hard to narrow down what to bake.  Well I thought these would be fun and they let me try a new technique with the fun swirl on top.  I also just happened to have brought these in to my office last Thursday which just also happened to be National Cupcake Day!  P.S. Totes easy to do!  I also tried folding in the egg whites as the last step with the hopes of making these cupcakes super light and fluffy.  I will definitely be doing this more often!  They came out super light, moist and fluffy.  If you like peppermint, you should definitely try these.  

Peppermint vs. Ginger...What's your preference?

Okay I admit, I had a cookie Sunday...What is a cookie Sunday?  It is a one where you don't really care to get out of bed, but eventually you drag yourself out.  Then you don't change out of your pjs, instead you put on a movie (it may have been Water for Elephants) and make two different kinds of cookie doughs.  Then while they are hanging out and firming up in the refrigerator, maybe you fold your clothes from the laundry you did yesterday, when you actually felt like being productive.  Maybe you have 2 or 3 cups of coffee and take a minute just to relax...I mean it is Sunday after all.  Then you decide its time to start making these cookies, so you hop in and get your hands dirty, you make a mess...there might be flour everywhere that you will have to clean up later, but these cookies are worth it.  So when you are done cleaning up, you go clean yourself...as your are still in your pjs.  Then you get a bit dressed up and head out to meet your friends to see the Nut Cracker.  You might even stuff some of these cookies in your purse...shhh don't tell.

A Boozy Eggnog Cupcake for the Season

As promised, here are some boozy holiday cupcakes.  Did you know I had never bought eggnog before buying it for these cupcakes?  That might be because I don't actually drink eggnog, but these cupcakes were made on request.  There might have been an email involving a picture that has been floating around Pinterest.  It sort of seemed like a challenge...one that I was most definitely willing to take on.  My thinking being why not?  I love a challenge and baking new things and someone in my office actually wants to eat these.  Or maybe I just really really like baking things for other people.  Is it weird that makes me happy?  Maybe, but I mean whatever. 

Cookie Exchange Time

This is going to be quick and easy.  There will be cookies and cupcakes and other delicious sweets coming that will go to all the wrong places but then the new year will come and we will make resolutions to work them off.  Right? Why you may ask will there be such an onslaught of goodies? Because its time for holiday baking.  These are the first of them; well actually I made these and cupcakes in the same night...eggnog cupcakes to come!  These cookies are a mix of hard and soft, crispy around the edges and soft in the middle.  They are spicy, but the frosting offsets the spicy just enough and the walnuts add just the right amount of crunch.  These are tasty holiday cookies and super easy to make! 

Do you know the muffin man?

So it is officially the countdown to Christmas…December has arrived which means Christmas music is officially okay in my book…Christmas trees and lights bring joy…and the more baking the better.

Well I wish I had some big trip planned to tell you about, but in reality I am just going home to North Carolina to hang out with my friends and family over the holidays.  Then again, I think that’s what it’s really all about.  Catching up, relaxing a bit and enjoying some great food, maybe even throwing a party.