My mom bought me The Barefoot Contessa’s (Ina Garten) latest
cookbook, Foolproof. During last week’s
super chilly weather the recipe for creamy tomato soup with grilled cheese
croutons was calling my name. It was so simple
to make and the flavors were just ridiculously good. I made sure my first taste was the perfect
bite of creamy tomato soup topped with a crisp, buttery grilled cheese
crouton. It was like getting hugged by
your mama. So comforting, eyes-rolling-to-the-back-of-your-head-delicious.
So, I think I may need another vacation. My first day back at work was beyond stressful. All I wanted to do was go home and de-stress by baking up something yummy. For this pound cake I tried Ina Garten's Lemon Yogurt Cake recipe. I substituted the yogurt with cream cheese, omitted the lemon glaze and added about a tablespoon of poppy seeds to the mix. I was a little hesitant about the lemon syrup the recipe calls for. I'm glad I did not skip this step as it really brightens up the flavor of the cake. A nice, healthy sized slice topped with just the right amount of homemade blueberry sauce was the perfect ending to a rather overwhelming Monday.
I prepared these homemade crackers for our cocktail party. How fancy does that sound? Well, it's was way easier than I thought. They can be described as the best Cheez-it you have ever had in your life. Kind of addictive. I served them along side some fig butter from Trader Joe's for the perfect combination of salty and sweet.
