Taste & See at The Gallery, scheduled for Saturday, July 24th, will showcase two of my passions -- Art and Baking!  This event will be held at the College Town Renaissance Center (CTRC) in Arlington, TX.   The CTRC gallery houses some wonderful works of art by renowned  and emerging African and African American artists, including Elizabeth Catlett, LeRoy Clarke, Karla Reid, and many others.  CTRC also has works of art available for purchase, for those of you hoping to add to your art collection.  In partnership with CTRC, Claire's Bakehouse will present a tasting of small desserts and savory bites to be enjoyed while viewing the art.  It promises to be an enjoyable evening for all.   Come Taste & See!

​​A couple years ago, my uncle was visiting with me and asked the “secret” to my baking.
I paused, …looked him in the eye, …and told him plainly, “I put a little bit of love in it.” 
He shook his head affirmatively, as if he already knew.
 
Since that time, I received a plaque as a gift from a friend, that tells everyone who enters my kitchen that “Love is the Secret Ingredient.”  A Love for family, friends, and anyone who enters my humble abode birthed Claire’s Bakehouse, and it is Love that keeps this little business going, and will nurture it, and help it grow. 
 
So this week, with a little bit of Love in the mix, I made more than 200 Valentine’s Day cookies.  Normally, baking cookies is a no-brainer, but when I’m making heart-shaped cookies specifically for Valentine’s Day I give each one not only a little bit of Love, but a lot of extra attention.   Each cookie was adorned carefully with marbled royal icing, sprinkles, edible gold leaf, and more sprinkles!  It was truly a labor of LOVE.  No two cookies were the same.  In fact, in my mind, they were  all little works of art – little Love letters, letting each recipient know that they are truly loved.
 
And that’s what Valentine’s Day is all about.  So don’t forget to put a little bit of love in the mix today, and let everyone you Love know it.

When I make homemade Dinner Rolls, that yeasty, fresh bread smell that fills the house is everything!  And for me, that intoxicating smell feels like a welcome home hug.   Like me, my Grandmother and my Aunt Marie loved to grace the table with fresh bread as well.  In fact, my   Aunt Marie was so famous for her  Hot Rolls that her recipe was published on the back page of her obituary!   

Homemade rolls are simple to make -- they just take a  little time and a whole lot of love!

First, and for the record, those of you who know understand that there is never, and will never be a competition between Sweet Potato Pie and pumpkin pie!    I repeat -- There is no competition.

When I was 17 years old, I attended the funeral of  a friend, which was followed by a repast at their home. I  can vividly recall a sliver of joy entering the room in the midst of the sorrow, when a lovely family friend arrived with a pie case filled with freshly homemade Sweet Potato Pies.   There was laughter, and  "let  me get a plate," and "cut me a big slice," and "she makes the best pie," followed by a soft, comforting silence as the pies  were enjoyed by all.

Sweet Potato Pie when made with loving and experienced hands is magical.  I have witnessed (and even made) the magic of Sweet Potato Pie on occasion!  And trust me, if there is Sweet Potato Pie in the room, there is an occasion taking place. 

Whether served at the end of a Sunday  Family Meal, a celebratory Holiday Dinner, or a Repast, the aromatic scent, smooth texture, and refined taste of well-made Sweet Potato Pie has the ability to  evoke joy,  inspire song, yield spontaneous dancing, renew friendships, hit replay on a  fond memory, and even soothe a sorrowful heart.

During this 2020 Holiday Season, I'm going to share some Sweet Potato Pie with those I hold near and dear.  

,I bet you thought this was Chocolate Cake, didn't you?  ...Well, in my household this Deep, Dark, and Rich GINGERBREAD CAKE wins every time!  The richness of the molasses combined with layers of ginger and other warm spices have made this the celebration cake of choice on many, many occasions.  Here, it's topped with a spoonful of freshly whipped vanilla cream and crystallized ginger, but this cake is a smash hit, over the top, when paired with Homemade Caramel Sauce and ice cream!  Oooooh, yummy!! ...  If you're ever in my neck of the woods, I'll be sure to whip up this tried and true Gingerbread Cake, and have it waiting on the table in celebration of you!

How do I begin to express my Love for Biscuits??  From the time I was a child, the thought of having biscuits with breakfast would excite me beyond what was normal! lol It was an opportunity to have this yummy, warm morsel of bread that carried loads of butter and jam melting and oozing, with no judgment!  

I grew up when biscuits in the can, that you popped open by striking on the edge of the kitchen counter, were were quick and new, and tasted somewhat like the real thing.  Then I graduated to the Hungry Jack flakey biscuits that had layers!  Layers in my biscuits meant just one thing to me -- more room for butter!  

And finally, I learned that Biscuits were really simple to make from scratch, and gave the impression that I really slaved in the kitchen (which for some reason, made everyone believe I loved them more!  Go figure.)  Layered with love and care, everyone that comes to visit me knows that if I say I'm making breakfast, these biscuits will be there on the table.  Just thinking of them makes my mouth water!  

​The biscuits pictured are my Cheddar Cheese Buttermilk Biscuits.  I have perfected this Biscuit recipe and they bring JOY to every table they grace.  

Snickerdoodles were the very first cookies I was taught to bake from "scratch," by my Aunt Marie.  When I was a child, the refrigerated, slice and bake rolls of cookie dough were all the rage and the closest most of got to homemade cookies.  They didn't taste terrible then, but nothing rivals baking from scratch.  

In my mind's eye, I can still see little me in the kitchen with my Aunt.  I remember feeling as if she was teaching me precious secrets in the kitchen as we baked.  And she was.  She taught me that baking was more than following a recipe -- it's using all your senses, and putting a little bit of your heart in too!  I can see her hands quickly showing me how to shape the dough, as she explained each step.  I loved that time with Aunt Marie.

Snickerdoodles were the only cookie I baked for years after.  And decades later, this is still my all-time favorite cookie to bake. Sharing it with others is like sharing part of my childhood.  

Sticky Buns bring back memories of my childhood.  On every visit to Philadelphia, my mother would stop at Horn & Hardart to purchase yummy sticky buns, just like these.  The buns were so light and airy, the pecans always perfectly toasted, with just the right amount of ooey, gooey goodness to satisfy my sweet tooth.  ...I made these today to give to my mother.  They were a labor of love as they take some effort and planning to make, but they are oh-so-worth-it.  What a treat!

You either love it or you hate it!  But most of us remember when some distant relative or employer gave your family a fruitcake in a tin for Christmas every year.  It was always set aside, left untouched, except by maybe your Grandmother.  ...The love of Fruitcake may be an acquired taste, but Fruitcakes definitely deserve another try.  There are so many variations of this old-fashioned treat.  Today, fruitcakes can be customized to your liking, with pecans, walnuts, raisins, cherries, apricots, pineapple, ginger, prunes, or dates.  Even the ratio of fruit to cake can be tweaked to meet your taste and texture requirements.  Fresh, homemade fruitcakes laden with fruits and/or nuts of your choice, can be show-stopping palate pleasers.  Think about giving fruitcake another chance.

Until two months ago, I had no idea how yummy blondies are!  I came across a recipe that looked interesting, tried it and tweaked it, and my life, and the lives of several of my relatives have been forever changed!  This tasty square, filled with butter, butter, more butter, and brown sugar should be renamed, Brown Sugar Butter Brownie.  It's got all the chewy, gooey-ness of a brownie, but with a more pronounced buttery taste and smell.  And trust me, you don't even miss the chocolate!  And the great thing about these blondies is, you can add pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, raisins, cranberries, cherries, toffee, caramel chips, or even chocolate chips to bring in other flavors that you love!