use real butter

Recipe: chocolate pistachio biscotti

There is much to catch up on, but now I can finally catch up!

I saw my honey off yesterday at noon (conference), and then had a lovely and relaxing lunch with my friend in Boulder at Sushi Zanmai while it was freezing ass cold outside (1°F – you could call it a little cold snap) before sending her on her way to the airport. Despite the 51 hour visit, we packed a lot in and had a grand time of it! It snowed Saturday night, so we had fresh powder on the hill Sunday morning. It was also 0°F in the parking lot.

brrrrrrrr!

**Jump for more butter**

There is much to be happy about this weekend. First off, I am done with my baking and candy making hell. I gave all of the goodies out to folks on my distribution list. And most of all, my buddy is visiting from out of town! She just finished one hell of a semester (she is a young superstar professor), as did Jeremy – so we are celebrating by pampering the hell out of her.

i picked up some succulent scallops from whole foods

we had awesome sushi for lunch

**Jump for more butter**

Recipe: caramel cake with caramelized butter frosting

“…and try not to chew caramel.”

That is what the dental assistant told me after she cemented my temporary crown onto my molar. I smiled while my eyes darted about the room nervously – how did she know that caramel was front and center in this month’s Daring Baker’s challenge?

daring bakers: we knead to bake!

After all of the cooking and baking for this holiday, here we are slapped into sugar coma with the latest Daring Baker cake: Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting by Shuna Fish Lydon, as published on Bay Area Bites. A huge thanks to our wonderful hosts this month: Dolores of Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity, ably assisted by Alex of Blondie and Brownie, Jenny of Foray into Food, and the always amazing Natalie of Gluten-a-Go-Go for the alternative bakers. I also want to thank our lovable Daring Baker founders: Lis and Ivonne, who continue to inspire and keep us in line!

adding water to the caramelized sugar

**Jump for more butter**