use real butter

Recipe: chocolate macarons

My overhauled website is up! The gallery is not up. That will probably have to wait until after Chinese New Year because I am a paranoid Good Chinese Daughter. If you happen to find errors or broken links, please let me know via email. I got tired of proof-reading it after several hours. Sometimes I think I should just shut up.

I looked across to the Continental Divide this morning when I let Kaweah out into the yard. Cooler weather is coming back. There is a formidable bank of dark, angry clouds sitting over the mountains, screaming past overhead. The winds are up. They sound and feel violent. I love weather.

Just yesterday I was skiing in a short-sleeve shirt and a thin, hard-shell jacket, gliding down the mountain with my ladies in the sunshine. It was 50°F. Too hot for goggles, I pulled out my sunnies. Felt like spring. But anytime is a good time to offer your friends a box of chocolate macarons. Nothing works up your appetite like a morning of tele, and these betties earned it.

Recipe: artichoke dip

you know what’s coming
We have a new president. A shiny, new, intelligent, thoughtful, gracious, handsome president. I was in good spirits this morning listening to my public radio feed flood the kitchen and great room with coverage of the inauguration. As I whipped meringue and ground almonds, I listened to Mr. Obama take the oath of office. And suddenly I stopped, stood there, and wept into my apron. Tears of joy. It means so many different things to so many people. I can’t even begin to list what it means to me. As tired as it may sound, I have hope. Not sure what hope may mean to you, but for me, hope coupled with realism and determination gets me through life. Well, I suppose I should say they helped me wade through the emotional and physical mess of cancer. I don’t get through life, I live it whole hog. But now I’m living it with a big ass smile on my face.

are you shittin’ me?
So I’m scanning my blog feeds this morning and I see that Susan of Wild Yeast is a finalist for the Well Fed Network Food Blog Awards in the Best Food Blog – Theme category. How awesome! I clicked on the link to see what other favorite blogs of mine made it to the finals. I always hope my favorites plaster the awards. I saw Jaden and Helen and Bea and Aran and Michelle and whoa! Use Real Butter?!?! In the Best Food Blog – Overall category?!

***Are you shittin’ me?!***

**Jump for more butter**

Recipe: chinese stir-fried rice cakes

Congratulations to Jenny Williams! She won the raffle prize I offered for the Menu for Hope fundraiser. Jenny, I’ll be emailing you shortly to find out which photo you’d like. The entire effort raised over $62,000. A big thanks to all who participated.

This week, I baked a birthday cake for someone’s surprise 50th birthday party. The original plan was to bring a bunch of macarons, but the day before the party, I thought I should ask her husband if he had arranged for a cake. I normally wouldn’t volunteer during such a busy time, but I have a soft spot for guys who are so sweet on their partners. He was cooking dinner for 30 people, so I said I could handle the cake. I doubled this chocolate espresso fudge cake with beautiful results. Probably the most nerve-wracking part was driving it down Boulder Canyon, but the structural integrity of this cake is rock solid. Love that Marcel Desaulniers.

**Jump for more butter**