use real butter

Recipe: fried lemon slices with aioli

I am feeling particularly energized lately! So many things are converging to put me in a great frame of mind these days. My cold is kicked, the longer daylight hours are fantastic, I am making some professional inroads, tons of interactions with friends – old and new, and feeling like I can tackle just about anything. That’s huge. Lots of opportunities in motion and I’m stepping ahead into new territory. Even our unbelievably warm, sunshiny days have put an extra spring in my step as I rush around keeping busy (which I love) and out of trouble.

untouched corduroy

**Jump for more butter**

Recipe: tuiles

Yo, baby! Did I ever mention that *I* am a Daring Baker? Well, I am. And it’s time. Time for another fanfrickingtabulous Daring Bakers challenge!

daring bakers: we knead to bake!

I need to give a shout out to my lovely, wonderful, sexy, smart, and talented founders: Lis of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice, and a huge thanks to our equally lovely, wonderful, sexy, smart, and talented hosts for this month. Here’s the official line:

This month’s challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.

Of course, one of the reasons I am so happy about January’s challenge is that we had the option to go savory – which you know I love – based on Thomas Keller’s cornet recipe from The French Laundry Cookbook.

how apropos – we use real butter *snort*

**Jump for more butter**

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**