Pecan Joy Cookies

"When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions." Hamlet (act 4, scene 5)

So true. Although in this case, it's less sorrow, more stress. Last week I chipped a tooth on a rogue popcorn kernel (luckily the chip was located on one of the shy, out-of-sight back teeth). Once that was taken care of, my car started making odd noises which I can only describe as that hissing, angry sound coffee pots make when you cram 16 Tablespoons of grounds into an undersized "gold" filter. Adding salt to the chip and hissing, Niles, my cat, may need to have a tooth extracted. Who knew cats could have dental problems?

This month may be a little bit slim, as far as posting is concerned, but I promise to get back on top of baking and picture taking as soon as things return to my neurotically structured version of normal.

I do, however, have these spectacular cookies to share with everyone!

Chocolate Macaroon Bars

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend! It certainly doesn't feel like a Monday, and I'm perfectly okay with that. I'm also at peace with a few more days of indulgence. This is one of the few times when it actually feels "normal" to bake a ridiculous amount of...everything.

Coconut Ginger Cake

When it comes to baking layer cakes, my oven refuses to cooperate. If it were human, my oven would be a spiteful curmudgeon; the stubborn sort who'd make a face and press their lips together when you try to be nice by offering him a bite of something delicious. But it's also quite wily and takes great pleasure in throwing last-minute curve balls. I tried to pull a fast one by pretending to prepare a sheet cake instead of a layer cake. Apparently, even when I don't make direct eye contact, my oven still knows what I'm doing.

The cake is sitting pretty in the photos, but it's all thanks to a clever little photo trick known as 'cropping.' In reality, some of the cake clung to the pan like gum to a shoe. But it was amazing... beyond delicious and in the end that's all that truly matters, right?

Dark Chocolate Macaroon Cake

I made this on a whim, promise. Part of me believed that it would be a disaster (the other had her eyes shut tight and all her fingers crossed)

Coconut Cupcakes

Does anyone else get stage-fright when it's their turn in line at a coffee shop? As soon as I'm up, I can't remember the name or size of the drink I wanted, even though I had it all rehearsed as I was waiting. There is always a pregnant pause when I'm asked for my order, and I always end up saying something stupid by using ambiguous adjectives like 'medium', and 'cappuccino'. What makes it even worse is knowing that I used to work in a coffee shop. I'm guessing it's empathy pains, or karma.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Lot's of ways Banana Cake

Is it crazy to be obsessed with a baking pan? A mini bundt cake pan to be exact. Seriously, if I could make cookies, pies, pasta, and salad in this thing, I would. Everything goes into it's softly rounded contours, come out so beautifully.

Mini Toasted-Coconut Lime Custard Tart (TWD)

Rum, coconut custard, and fluffy whipped cream. All that was missing was the lime and private cove from a Maxfield Parrish painting. The lime was easy to incorporate. The weather here is wet, slushy, and muddy so the sea side sunset wish would have required a lot more rum than I was willing to ingest.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

You were warned that there would be more of these. Chocolate chip cookie recipes are going to be popping up at random on my blog like delectable, edible weeds.