No Denying My Baking Genes
As you probably know by now, baking is in my genes. This is a picture of my grandmother and her sister showing off a layer cake they had made in their San Diego home. In 1979, I visited the Betty Crocker test kitchens in Minneapolis and still remember how exciting it was watching cakes and...
Booboo’s Sweet Potato Pies Bring a Taste of Home to Southern California
The Southern staple of sweet potato pie brings more to the table than pumpkin pie. And not just at Thanksgiving in San Diego. The sign, Booboo’s Sweet Potato Pies, caught my eye at the farmer’s market. Humm, sweet potato pies in Southern California? My interest was piqued, and I decided to find out more. ...
The Cookie I Discovered On My Visit To New Mexico
The shape and design of the cookie immediately caught my attention. After just one bite, I was even more intrigued because it was like no other cookie I’d ever tasted before. I was in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and this biscochito cookie just happens to be the state’s official cookie. Biscochito cookies are a long-time tradition...
The Good and The So-So Baking Results During Quarantine
More quarantine baking with many delicious baked goods and a few which I thought needed improvement. Let’s start with this eye appealing and stunning dessert- Summer is fresh peaches and plums in abundance. Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa) to the rescue with her Peach and Blueberry Crumbles recipe. I used peaches and plums and followed...
Scrumptious Homemade Ice Creams for Summer and Fall
My ice cream maker has been working overtime and the results were very delicious! I made many different varieties and each with their own personality. Lemon is refreshing on hot days and Super Lemon ice cream is made sweet and tart by using home grown lemon juice and zest. Creamy and lemony makes a delightful...
Inspiration and Memorials in San Diego’s Balboa Park
Inspiration Point in Balboa Park is next to the old Naval Hospital administration building. It’s a place of tranquility with walking paths and benches to reflect at the pond. During WWll, San Diego’s navy hospital had 10,449 beds and now the admin building belongs to the city parks. I found Inspiration Point to be...
The Girl Scout Headquarters and Thin Mint Cookies
I saved my Brownie and Girl Scout uniforms plus the books and decided to go down memory lane from years ago. I can’t believe I was small enough to wear the uniforms! I remembered the days of selling Girl Scout cookies. I’d go door to door selling cookies and not stop until I sold them...
Fresh From The Oven During Quarantine
My many indulgent uses for cocoa from Samoa! I was pleasantly surprised how rich and chocolatey Koko Loa Samoa premium cocoa was for coffee mocha and baked goods. I baked the cake and cookie recipes from the cocoa’s website, Wilex Samoa. Dark cocoa and moist baked goods. Thanks to my niece, Emma for giving me...
Dolls and Desserts
Strawberries are plentiful this season, sweet and juicy. I made shortcake biscuits for traditional strawberry shortcake. Its an easy recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction and is delicious. Must have whipped cream, of course! Do you remember the Strawberry Shortcake doll? Raggedy Ann is the popular rag doll from the early 1900’s. She was created with...
Bread and Records from the Past
The good ole days of department store restaurants is a lost treasure. This old box from May Co reminded me of lunching in The Mission Room in the Mission Valley store. Driving through Mission Valley, you can still see where the restaurant had been with the windows facing the freeway. Their strawberry pie was famous...
Spring and Sweet Baking
My post about breads and cookies for spring is a bit late, but still worth a read. In fact, the baked goods can be made year round! Challah bread always seemed intimidating to make when I first began baking bread. In 1986, a friend wrote this detailed recipe and reminded me it wasn’t difficult to...
Snoopy, Pillsbury and M&M’s
Going back to the 70’s with Snoopy and Woodstock telephone and carrot cake. I remember the discussions about the original carrot cake recipe and if you added crushed pineapple that was just not right. My hand-me-down recipe is simple with flour, sugar, eggs, oil, grated carrots and cinnamon. And the cream cheese frosting is the...
