greek meatballs with tzatziki

Um, I don’t know if you know this, but in two days it will be a new year.  As in 2012.  Yikes.

According to my rarely-updated journal, I have accomplished exactly three things on my “Aspirations for 2011″ list.  And, yet, somehow I think Monthly Pedicures, Drink More Water, and Try Yoga So You Know What Downward Facing Dog Means hardly count as real “aspirations.”  ”Goals,” maybe, or “Everyone Else is Doing It, So Why Not”s, but certainly not “Aspirations.”

So, this year, my goal is to quit making lists of goals.  Too much pressure.

Instead, I’m just going to keep on keepin’ on.  You know, cooking, baking, crocheting, working, loud-mouthing, back-talking, ridiculous-dancing, inappropriate-joking, and sleeping.  My stand-bys.

And while we’re on the topic of stand-bys, please let these recipes for Greek Meatballs and Tzatziki from Skinny Taste become your stand-bys.  They are really, really delicious, in a way that will make you scoff at the thought that they are diet-friendly.  Scoff, I tell you!  Because, though absolutely friendly to your hips, this meal will make you will swear you’re chowing down on some high-caloric comfort food.  Except you’re not.  Tricky, right?

Well, with that, I’m officially off until 2012.  HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

cranberry bliss bars

Merry belated Christmas everyone!  I hope Santa was good to all of you, and that you had the opportunity to eat piles of turkey and ham and mashed potatoes and mountains of desserts.

In true Condo Far, Far Away fashion, I baked and ate an army’s share of food.  My kitchen reassembled the Keebler elves’ tree factory, what with the overload of sweets and the presence of yours truly, who stands shoulder to shoulder with your average elf.  It was wonderful.

One of my favorite creations of the season? A near-perfect copy of Starbucks’ Cranberry Bliss Bars.

If you’ve already tried this treat at your local Starbucks, then I know I don’t have any explaining to do.  You will make these bars and you will love them.  For those of you that haven’t had the pleasure, let me break it down for you: yellow cake filled with bits of candied ginger, dried cranberries, and white chocolate chips.  Coated in cream cheese frosting.  Sprinkled with dried cranberries.  Drizzled with melted white chocolate.

They’re practically the definition of decadence, and are oh, so worth the calories.  Better still, Starbucks may stop selling these when the new year rolls around, but your can make them all year long.  Score one for the little guy!  (Yes, I’m still talking about elves.)

cookie plate 2011

Oh, friends, here we are again.  It’s just a handful of days before Christmas, and if you’re anything like me, your oven is firing on all cylinders.  (And please don’t worry–I may not be very mechanically savvy, but I do know that ovens don’t actually have cylinders.  They have tiny, magical elves that cook your food perfectly when they’re having a good day, and burn it to a crisp when they’re feeling surly or contrary, or have had to wait in a long line at Target.  Duh.)

So tonight I bring you my contribution to the season: Cookie Plate 2011.  Or Cookie Plate 2.0, which was my first name for it, until Nate groaned and told me that only the out-of-touch still say “2.0″ after things.  Message received.

Cookie Plate 2011 contains two new treats and an oldie (but SUCH a goodie).  They are, in no particular order, Martha Stewart’s Snickerdoodles (adapted by Smitten Kitchen here) and Chocolate Brownie Cookies (thank you, Joy/King Arthur Flour!).  The oldie, of course, is Alton Brown’s “The Chewy.“

What made these two new editions so notable?  I’d say the inability to mess them up and the awesomeness of the end result.  The Snickerdoodle recipe was spot-on timing-wise (at least for my oven, which I think runs pretty true to temp), and the finished product was soft, cakey, and perfectly cinnamony.

And what more could you ask for than a Chocolate Brownie Cookie?  They’re chewy and gooey, like a brownie, but so much easier to eat.  I went ahead and added in the bittersweet chocolate chips to the dough, and I have to tell you that they shouldn’t be missed.  Spectacular.

So from my condo to yours (or, you know, whatever kind of abode you reside in), HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

*Looking for some more cookie inspiration?  Check out the very first Cookie Plate!

pumpkin gooey cake

I have a confession to make.  And it’s certainly not one I’m proud to share.  It’s embarrassing, really, and something that I try to hide from everyone–even Nate.  But, here goes: I’ve been stock piling canned pumpkin.  And it isn’t pretty.

My problem started back during the great pumpkin shortage of 2008.  At the time, I pshawed the people on TV telling me to grab my cans of Libby’s now, before it’s too late.  I thought it was all phooey.  Then I went to buy a can of pumpkin for my yearly contribution to the Thanksgiving meal–Pumpkin Gooey Cake.  And all that was left was a can of organic pumpkin mush that had the consistency of a slushy (just not chilled).  Which lead to a near-disaster in my oven, due to the excess water content of the organic junk.  Sure, it tasted okay, but it was no substitute for the Libby’s.

So last year, when I saw the cans of Libby’s sitting on their low-level shelf at my Harris Teeter, I grabbed three, figuring I’d make my cake and few other pumpkin-y treats.  This year, I saw significantly fewer Libby’s on display and took them–all six of them–lest I run into a pumpkin emergency.  Awful, I know.  But I panicked, thinking that it might be my last chance to get a few cans of the good stuff.

Now I have a tower of canned pumpkin in my pantry.  And to make the pumpkin gods and my conscience happy, I’ve been using it in anything I can think of, from this cake to pumpkin bread to my morning oatmeal.  Still, the tower remains.

And yet, the thought of giving cans away makes me all twitchy and sweaty.  I told you it’s a problem.

I guess I’ll just have to make five more Pumpkin Gooey Cakes.  A buttery, pumpkin-y, cheesecake-y concoction, this cake is always a crowd favorite.  Even among the pumpkin-indifferent.

broccoli salad with raisins and bacon

Sometimes I’m accused of being a nerd.  Usually the accuser is me.

You see, I embrace my inner dorkiness.  I like The Twilight Zone.  I follow websites dedicated to errors in English usage.  I have a Simpsons quote for every  occasion.  And sometimes I start sentences with, “If this were a movie instead of real life…”

Incredibly.  Huge.  Dork.

Which may also explain my love for this salad.  I mean, what’s dorkier than broccoli?  Lima beans, maybe.  Or brussel sprouts.  But broccoli is way up there.

So, since we’ve been friends since way, way back, could you just trust me on this one?  This salad is really delicious and I’ve made more than a few broccoli converts with this recipe.

You start by chopping the florets off of a few heads of broccoli.  Mix them with bacon bits and raisins.  Toss the whole she-bang with the mayonnaise-red wine vinegar-sugar dressing, let it sit for an hour, then enjoy.  Heartily.

This is a really great side for a big meal.  No one at your dinner table will be disappointed.

Broccoli Salad with Raisins and Bacon

• 3 to 4 heads broccoli, trimmed
• 1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup raisins
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

Combine trimmed broccoli, bacon, and raisins in a serving bowl.  Whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, and red wine vinegar.  Pour over salad (start with half–this makes A LOT of dressing) and toss about 1 hour before serving.

sugar and spice candied pecans

A little under a year ago, I resolved to be better at self-control.  And for nearly 12 months, I have eaten less, bought less, and worried less (though perhaps only incrementally so).  But still, there are things for which self-control is completely impossible.  These things are (in no particular order):

-Glitter nail polish

-Coconut OR almond OR coconut-almond lotions

-Candles that smell like baked goods

-Pens of any color

-Cute greeting cards

-Candied nuts

Clearly I’m writing this afternoon about that last item on my list: candied nuts.  Specifically, sweet and spicy candied pecans.

Is there anything more wonderful than pecans (or almonds or cashews) sprinkled with brown sugar and a little cayenne, and then baked until the sugar caramelizes and every nut is covered in a sweet, crunchy shell of awesomeness?  I think not.

What I love about these treats is not only their deliciousness, but also their easy-peasy-ness.  I mean, there are few recipes that are more versatile and yummy than candied pecans.  They are great hostess gifts, wonderful in the snack bowl at your next party, and perfect goodies to add to your plate of Christmas cookies.  Really, you can’t go wrong.