Spiced Brown Sugar Cookies

In my cupboard sits a small container of ground cayenne pepper. It sits and waits and hopes that it's sole purpose in life is not to be part of some cleanse diet.

Never fear, cayenne pepper, I promise to give meaning to your existence by incorporating you into as many brownies, cookies, and cakes as I see fit. Lemon juice and maple syrup, that goes for you too.

I've made peace with the tasty trio. We're all friends again. Now let's talk cookies, shall we?

Julia Child's Croissants (Daring Bakers' Challenge)

Top five mood boosters (baking is a given, it's like breathing):

1) Finding a book that's worthy of filling the void left by it's predecessor.
2) Watching Niles play with the empty boxes that his catnip-filled toys came in.
3) Any "Arrested Development" episode
4) Running, or a wonderfully sweaty hour of Bikram yoga
5) Butter (hence the need for #4)

I panic when I'm down to one stick of butter. Butter deserves to be at the top.

I'm trying to prioritize.

Daring Bakers go retro this month! Thanks to one of our very talented non-blogging members, Sarah, the Daring Bakers were challenged to make Croissants using a recipe from the Queen of French Cooking, none other than Julia Child!

Birthday Banoffe Cupcakes

Scooping issues aside (I never add the right amount of batter to the liners), cupcakes are the good cops of the cake world. They never play half-baked mind games, and unlike some desserts I know, cupcakes won't 'tease' you into believing that all is well up until the eleventh hour (that's right layer cakes, I'm talking about you!).

Cupcakes are my safety net, my comfort zone, the lovingly-worn grey cashmere sweater that I've had since high school.

Cupcake...what an ingenious, to-the-point title. It's a cake that's small enough to fit inside a cup. I've yet to meet a cupcake that I don't like.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Salt & Pepper Cocoa Shortbread

This transitional time of year makes everything feel especially melodramatic, I love it!

Am I the only one who occasionally takes pleasure in listening to melancholy music for hours on end? This seemingly odd wallowing ritual will usually take place on an errant weekend or the tail-end of a long week day. Aside from a great novel and a Baileys infused hot cocoa, my instruments of blissful contemplation vary, but they usually involve Yo-Yo Ma's cello, Yann Tiersen's Good bye, Lenin! soundtrack, and as always, any album by Leonard Cohen. Also included during this brooding sweep...anything rich, chocolaty, and neat enough to eat without the need to leave my peaceful repose to hunt for a napkin.