Dunk & Crumble

mollygilbert520

I Think Thursday 12.7.17

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Hi, friends!  Happy Thursday.  Has the country just spontaneously gone up into flames yet?  No?  Great.  I’m keeping myself (mostly) distracted from current events with thoughts of seeing friends and family this weekend, and also eating a boatload of holiday cookies.

Here, some links for you!

  1. Hannukah is next week! Let’s make LATKES!
  2. This made me lol.
  3. How to throw a dinner party without a kitchen table.
  4. These Onion headlines are just writing themselves these days, aren’t they?
  5. I mean I don’t NOT feel like this one is directed squarely at me? 😂
  6. Women aren’t ruining food.
  7. “Disastrous consequences for public health” in exchange for lower taxes for private airplane owners doesn’t seem fair to me.  You?
  8. Yuuuuuum!
  9. Do you follow @zoebakes? I’ve been loving her IG stories lately!

Cookie Swap

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Did you know that yesterday was National Cookie Day?

Yeah, neither did I, but Instagram is really good at reminding me of these things (although according to the official “day calendar,” today is National Sacher Torte day, and I don’t see that many people lighting up their feeds with sacher tortes, so… I’m just saying.)

In that light, I thought you might like a roundup of some of my favorite cookies for the holiday season:

Chocolate Candy Cane Crackles!  Extra chocolate-y.  Extra festive.

Classic Gingerbread Cookies – the most classic.  Need I say more?

Chewy Gingerbread Chocolate Chunkers.  For when you need chocolate and gingerbread in a single bite.

Salty Rosemary Toffee Crunch!  Not technically a cookie, but so completely addicting I have a feeling you’ll let it slide.

Pistachio Shortbread Cookies!  Buttery, nutty, crumbly, YUM.

Spicy Molasses & Brown Sugar Cookies!  Crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle, and packed with deep, wintery, molasses/brown sugar flavor.  These are a favorite of mine.

Dorie’s World Peace Cookies.  Peace through chocolate sounds pretty good right about now.

It seems to me that, especially in December, every day is cookie day.  So let’s get to baking, shall we?

I Think Thursday 11.30.17

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So, how was it?  The turkey and the stuffing and the family hugging/bickering?  Ours was big and loud and delicious, as per usual.  My team lost the family football game but I tried out a new pie recipe (and added toasted meringue) so, at the end of the day, everyone won.

Have you moved on to Christmas/Hannukah yet?  I admit I’ve been blasting the “happy holidays” Spotify station, and this weekend we’re planning to get our tree and dust off the ole menorah.  For now, here are some links for your day:

  1. It’s cookie season! Try these White Chocolate Gingerbread Blondies on for size.
  2. Must be some pretty good chicken.
  3. What do we do with the art of monstrous men?
  4. What every CEO knows but won’t tell you about the proposed tax bill.
  5. Most amazing pie artist of all time!
  6. Do you use Ebates? I’m finding it helpful, especially around the holidays. Free money!
  7. I’m thinking of giving this meal plan a try post-holidays – has anyone else tried it?
  8. Hahaha yes.

Toasty Pumpkin Granola

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BOY am I glad it’s Friday!  As Calder might say, “awesome, wow!” (we’ve been listening to a lot of the Hamilton soundtrack lately).  So yes, FRIDAY!

This particular Friday means two things: one – I’m on a flight east to start some early Thanksgiving celebrations with my family (hooray!) and two – weekend baking!  Double hooray!!

This weekend, I challenge you to make your own granola.  It’s easy (the measurements below aren’t set in stone, so take any liberties you like), satisfying, and this pumpkin version in particular will make your house smell like the tiny fairies of Autumn sneezed warm spices everywhere (and I say that with the utmost respect/admiration for those guys).

One batch of this stuff will yield you a healthy, delicious and très seasonal breakfast (either with milk, yogurt, or sprinkled over a warm bowl of oatmeal) for the upcoming week and beyond.  It makes a great gift, and also freezes nicely for future breakfasting/snacking.

Happy Friday, everyone! Let’s get to baking!

Toasty Pumpkin Granola…

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I Think Thursday 11.16.17

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The big (turkey) day is just one week away!  If you’re stressed about what to make, maybe check out link number one?  It’s a bundle of all the best bits.  And here, some more links for your weekend:

  1. Sheet Pan Turkey Roulade takes care of (almost) all of your Thanksgiving menu, and on one pan no less.
  2. Egg salad for breakfast? I’d do it.
  3. Remind me to never, ever swim in the ocean again.  Cool.
  4. 100% no brainer.
  5. What is this magic? Do I need to add it to my Thanksgiving lineup?
  6. Cards Against Humanity, yes.
  7. I can’t believe people have to even do this, but there it is.
  8. Related…
  9. I’m not in charge of the turkey this year, but if I were I’d consider this recipe.
  10. Haha.

Simple Turkey Bolognese

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With the whole family about to descend for Thanksgiving, you might be in the market for simple, hearty fare to fill everyone up — not for the Big Meal itself, which is something else all together, but for all those in betweeners — easy breakfasts, lunches and dinners to have on hand to feed the masses.

Breakfast in our house is usually either just bowls of cereal or Wawa doughnuts (Philadelphia, represent), and people are usually out and about for lunch, but having this easy Turkey Bolognese on hand (in the fridge or freezer) means that a warm and filling dinner is within arms reach, any night of the week.  Which is good, because I’ve got other things (i.e. stuffing, sweet potatoes, pie, etc. etc. etc.) to focus on.

(Also yes, I realize serving turkey bolognese the same week as a massive turkey dinner might sound like a lot of turkey.  But the sauce is just good, okay?  And worlds different than traditional Thanksgiving fare.  But if it really offends you, swap out ground beef or lamb instead. And then get off my back about it, okay? Love you.)

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(One Pan & Done!) Artichoke Gratin

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The holidays are upon us!?  How is it that they sneak up on us every year?  Have you seen this cartoon yet?  It is both ridiculous and accurate.

If you’re looking for a rich and warming dish to dive into in the coming months (either to help celebrate the holidays or to help stress-eat your feelings this season), I think you might like to know about this artichoke gratin.

It’s a gratin!  Grah-tin?  Grah-TEH?  Cheese-filled skillet of indulgence?  Yep, that’s the one.

It’s from my most recent cookbook, One Pan & Done, so it promises to be quick and easy to pull together, and packed with rich, cheesy flavor (plus some tang from the artichokes and garlic).  It’s awesome served with crisp apple slices to balance out the richness, although crackers and chips are always a good move.

Happy Gratin Season!

(photos in this post by the amazing Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle Et Vanille)…

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A Plan for Thanksgiving!

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Halloween was cute and all, but it’s November now, which means the Super Bowl of food holidays is on the horizon – Thanksgiving, here we come!

I’m just here with a friendly reminder that, if you’re hosting or cooking this year, there are things you can do now to make your life easier in a few weeks.  If you have the time and freezer space, here are some things to get done this weekend:

  1. Make cranberry sauce!  Let it cool and then freeze it in a zip top bag.
  2. Pump out some pie dough!  Then form it into discs (or you can even roll it into 1/2-inch thin circles), wrap it tightly and freeze.  Even if you don’t know what kind(s) of pie you’ll make this year, you’ll be thankful the dough is donezo. (Although let’s be honest, it’ll probably be this and this. #classics)
  3. Make a batch of chicken or turkey stock.  Freeze in zip top bags or quart containers.  (You can use this to moisten your stuffing or to turn out a beautiful batch of Pumpkin Leek Soup.)

When you can break up all the beautiful work that is PFT (sorry, Planning For Thanksgiving), it doesn’t feel so much like work.  The point is to leave plenty of time to ENJOY the holiday.  We can do this!  Thanksgiving 2017!

I’ll check in a few times this month with more turkey day tips and tricks.  HAPPY NOVEMBER!

xox,

Molly