Homemade Food

I love to cook and try new things.  My kids are always willing to try my experiments into the culinary unknown.  Most things turn out well, but some - like my never-to-be-made-again Tangerine Chicken - are best forgotten.  My cookbook collection is always growing and usually grows a few volumes around the holidays. 

This year's additons:

I've already made several fun recipes.  My favorite has been the Chocolate Cake in a mug from Homemade Winter.  You mix all the ingredients into a mug and microwave it.  Presto... chocolate cake for one.  It does make a bit of a mess and explodes out of the mug and then settles back down.

 

                                             

 

 

It was so much fun, I made one for everyone in the house.  Six mugs full of single serving chocolate cake.  (And yes, my Christmas decorations are still up.  Not letting go... yet)

 

I also made some pumpkin muffins from my favorite baking book, The Village Baker's Wife.  So good that some disappeared while they were cooling. They have completely disappeared now.  I need to make more for breakfast tomorrow, and to start on some croissants for Friday morning's breakfast.

 

 

                                 

 

 

We need something to keep us warm here in San Diego.  The temperature went down to 23 degrees last night.  Tonight will be another wintery evening.  I'm going to put bottled water on the front porch and see if I can make ice.  Will let you know tomorrow.