dried cherry and almond cookies

Earlier this week, I received and email from Food Network that the 12 days of cookies are coming! A friend sent me a link to the promotion last year, and being a lover of cookies, I signed right up. Starting in late November, they email you 1 cookie recipe every day, for 12 days.

Last year, I received the recipe for these dried cherry and almond cookies with vanilla glaze, and they have become one of my favorite cookies. Of all time. Seriously, they're that good.

for coffee and camera lovers

I came across these in my DPS newsletter today and had to share...

Travel coffee mugs disguised as camera lenses! 

(or maybe they are camera lenses disguised as coffee mugs?)

the french press review

 I've had my french press for a little over a week and I'm in love!

 Making coffee in the french press takes a little longer than using a single-serve machines, 

but it's totally worth it. First, you grind the beans...

a new arrival

Last weekend, a terrible tragedy occured in my kitchen.

My coffeemaker died.

For the past few years I had been using one of those single-serve pod machines. Husband doesn't drink coffee (I still can't believe he went through grad school and now teaching without picking up the habit) but I need to have a cup or two in the morning. Hello, my name is Jamie, and I'm a caffeine addict.

lemon scones

I love scones, but they always seemed like a pain to make.

Then I tried making Pioneer Woman's vanilla bean scones...

which didn't work out, but it led to a pretty awesome buttermilk biscuit recipe.

(and of course, I learned you can't substitute buttermilk for cream)

And finally... finally... I came up with a lemon version based off PW's recipe.