Goodbye old friend, ...

Well, the day has finally come to say goodbye to my Cuisinart DLC-7E. We’ve been friends ever since we met on Christmas Day, 1981. Santa left you under my tree along with Erika’s first Christmas presents that year. It’s hard to believe all the wonderful things we’ve done over these past 30 years!

You helped me struggle with making pie crusts. You held up beautifully with all the watermelon granita I kept making, and all those frozen pieces of melon banging against your lexan workbowl #1. After a while after all the “ice”, I had to buy a new workbowl#2 for the powerful motor, that would allow me to cut up tons of veggies, chop chocolate, pecans, and my favorite making scones, scones, and more scones. Nothing blends cold butter into flour like you, my friend. 

Alas, your workbowl has broken in places that will not allow it stay attached to the base, and the electrical connection isn’t as tight as it used to be when you were younger. I tried to find a replacement workbowl #3, feed tube, sleeve and new metal blade, but alas, for $154, it’s time for us to part ways. 

You have served me well, and I have a feeling the new friend is not going to last me another 30 years like you did. We made one last batch of scones together. Your parts although broken and worn are washed and ready to go; it’s time to take a rest. You will be missed. 

Erika's 30th Birthday Cake!

It's amazing that I was able to complete this cake! I miscalculated the amount of buttercream I needed and had to make 2 batches. I wasn't working with a turntable so the cake had a bit of a tumble and needed to be righted. All in all, it finally was completed in the wee hours of the morning and settled into the fridge.

It was a 6 layer dark chocolate cake...with Grand Marnier syrup to keep the layers moist, with Maman framboise preserves and TONs of fresh raspberries with vanilla orange meringue buttercream...just as the birthday girl requested.

Hope to be baking soon...stay tuned for more goodies, soon!

I sound like skipping CD...yes, I am still baking!

Yes, I am still here and still baking. I don't get to bake very often any more, since circumstances have changed AND it's a HUGE challenge to bake where I am for now...This wonderful FALL weather has me cooking comfort foods, like the PERFECT roast chicken...a 7-pounder that is easily enough for 2 meals.

So what to do? Make pot pies! Make a velouté, which is just chicken stock thickened with a roux (butter and flour) with some seasonings- a little salt, a little pepper, some thyme and parsley. Toss with braised leeks and sauteéd mushroom, and the diced chicken. Top off with REAL puff pastry, you know the kind, it's only made with butter, flour, salt and a bit of water.
Bake at 400° F for 30-35 minutes or till golden brown. YUM...
You can add any type of veggies you like...but since Hub is allergic to Vit C, we avoid potatoes since they are like 45% C, thanks to Mother Nature.

Fall baking also includes pecans...apples...cranberries. Well, at least this day it was pecans. The pecan tart is like having a small piece of pecan pie, just a bit less complicated. Oooey, gooey, butter pecan caramel goodness poured into a buttery crispy crunchy shortbread crust. Trust me, a little goes a LONG way!

Baking this week made me happy and creative. I have missed that, and will need to figure out what to bake this coming week. Hmm, what should I make next?