Words Left Unsaid

When I sit at my computer and my fingers wont type no matter how long I stare at the screen, this is the result. Words left unsaid and posts hidden away in the depths of an overcrowded hard drive. Is it just my blog or a metaphor for life in general? I tend to leave a lot unsaid. Not because I’m not thinking about it though, I’m a daydreamer. Perhaps daydreamer isn’t the right word as I feel like it has optimistic undertones and optimistic is not a word used to describe me. (If at this point you would like to tell me, as many others have, that a sunny outlook improves everything, I urge you not to waste your time as I’m more leopard than chameleon and these spots aren’t changing).

Maybe instead of a daydreamer I’m a thinker, an analyzer, an over-analyzer. I’m constantly rethinking past situations and envisioning future situations. Some are real and some fictional, some potential and others completely improbable. I’m convinced that if you listened carefully, in the quiet of nighttime, you could hear the whirring of my brain like a hamster wheel that’s constantly spinning. And the effort to keep that wheel going is tiring, even if like the wheel, I’m simply turning in circles and not going anywhere. That’s the frustrating part, lack of accomplishment or resolution. Thoughts left unspoken. And sometimes I need to write just to free up some space in my cluttered mind. Most often that kind of writing never makes it anywhere near a “post” or “send” button. Then there are days like today where I’ve decided that I’m not going to bed until I get something posted and this is the result. Despite my ramblings, this is still a food blog and I’ll at least deliver on that aspect even if I took a rather roundabout way of getting to the food.

If you think I’ve whipped up all these goodies recently, you would be mistaken… The butterfly sugar cookies were made way back in March. In fact, I even commented on a post of Ivonne’s when she made butterfly cookies, telling her I had made similar cookies a month earlier and still had yet to post about them. It’s months later and still no cookies, how did that happen? I would have forgotten all about them, (not because they’re forgettable but because I’m forgetful) but in my need to declutter I sometimes make lists and one of these lists is called “Stuff Left to Post”. I found the butterfly sugar cookies, (which are actually called Grandma’s All Occasion Sugar Cookies) on that list along with seven other Dorie Greenspan recipes that were completed sometime in the past six months.

It was at that point that I realized it’s been way too long since my last Dorie post. Hopefully though, with the creation of Tuesdays with Dorie, you’ve been seeing her wonderful recipes all over the blogosphere. I would love to join this group of intrepid bakers but I know I can’t actually commit to making a particular recipe in time to post along with the group every Tuesday, (but I do enjoy reading their posts). That being said, I haven’t stopped baking from Baking From My Home to Yours, (aka the baking bible) I just haven’t been quick to post my progress.

A few notes on the recipes…

Cornmeal and Fruit Loaf: It was moist and soft and best cut into thick slices, (as Dorie suggests doing) and was another opportunity for me to use cornmeal in my baking which I had never done before Dorie suggested it, (but which I quite enjoy).

Real Butterscotch Pudding: I never grew up on boxed pudding so I don’t pine for it the way some people do. That being said, maybe this makes me more appreciative of a pudding done right and made from scratch. And as I’m never one to shy away from alcohol in desserts, this Real Butterscotch Pudding was right up my alley. I also opted to top the pudding with cacao nibs.

Grandma’s All Occasion Sugar Cookies: As you can see, they roll out easily to whatever shape you decide to make them. My only complaint about them was my decision to ice them. I don’t have the patience for icing little cookies, especially not two dozen of them. Ugh.

Snickery Squares: These were a big hit and really, how could they not be? They’ve got the chocolate, caramel and peanuts of a Snickers bar but are on a shortbread base and made with a love like no Snickers bar has ever received.

Drunken Fruit Rice Pudding: This is one of the Playing Around options for the Arborio Rice Pudding and like I mentioned above, I like desserts with alcohol, but especially ones where the alcohol is combined with fruit.

Toasted Almond Scones: I once believed I wasn’t a fan of scones, but after making Dorie’s Apple Cheddar Scones I realized that it wasn’t all scones that I didn’t like, but just poorly made ones. The Apple Cheddar Scones were delicious and set me on a scone making rampage that included these Toasted Almond Scones as well as some Dried Strawberry and Lime Scones, (that I have yet to post about and may never get around to).

Orange Cup Custard: This is another Playing Around option, this time for the Lemon Cup Custards. I used to think I didn’t really like custard either, but I think it’s just the name I don’t like, kind of like curd. Perhaps these should be renamed Delicious Cups and then everyone would want to make them.

Chocolate Pots De Crème: Do I really need to add any notes to this? It’s chocolate in a cup and that’s got to be good, especially if topped with whipped cream and additional chocolate shavings.

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Dorie Greenspan + Baking + Scones + Pudding + Custard + Cookies