Friday Things #389
1. We have one full week of virtual school under our belt and it has gone far better than we expected. I have nothing but insane respect for the teachers and administrators that are making this happen and making it happen so well.
2. The kids have been obsessed with watering the plants outside for the last week. They water everything – the flowers, plants, bushes, weeds… 😂 Hopefully, they develop a green thumb because mine is most definitely brown!
3. My aunt got Isabelle a Cabbage Patch doll for her birthday and Isabelle LOVES it. She has it with her always, including on walks, where she periodically checks the baby’s diaper, ha! She also insists on wearing some type of racing hat every time she leaves the house lol.
4. So excited for Ina’s new cookbook, Modern Comfort Food. Perfect for this time of year!
5. This is an old news story, but I just read it for the first time. What a wonderfully generous gesture this man made.
6. It’s the middle of September and my very favorite apple crisp recipe is calling my name!
7. Okay, take a look at the chart below and tell me which cookie you would get rid of:
Me? I’d knock out the oatmeal raisin, for sure!
8. I’m taking suggestions for November and December BEB Bake-Along recipes… what do you want to tackle for our monthly bakes during the holiday months?
9. I talked about The Home Edit Instagram account years ago (such pretty organization!) and since then, they have released a book and now they have a series on Netflix. Have you watched it? I haven’t yet!
10. TGIF! Girls cuddle time on the couch 💖
I would get rid of the frosted sugar cookie.
I’d get rid of the snickerdoodle. Never liked them. If you take out the raisins in the oatmeal and add butterscotch chips, that’s a winner! One of my favorite things to make and eat is the Italian Rainbow Bars!! So good!
I would get rid of the frosted sugar cookie only because it is my least fave…but I still do like even those here and there. It’s still a cookie lol.
Love your beautiful pics yet again. I can’t get over Isabelle’s pretty curls and such a pretty color of baby hair. Dominic and Isabelle look so cute watering together. And wow to that amazing driveway and view. Amazingly beautiful.
For bakealong would enjoy seeing a chocolate bread pudding or any kind of bread pudding recipe besides one w raisins or booze. I’d never had bread pudding until later in life and when its done right boy is it amazing. I had an amazing one on a cruise ship and my sister mastered a chocolate bread pudding recipe. I actually do enjoy raisins in a few things..oatmeal raisin cookies I love, and I’ll put raisins in my salad sometimes…but not in bread pudding or any cakes or breads. I don’t like any boozy desserts. Funny how our tastes can be fussy that way.
We are finally cooling down next week in CA. We were at 95 yesterday and this last week so cooking and baking are not as great when it’s been so hot.
Hi Macy, I have a chocolate bread pudding recipe for you! :) >> https://www.browneyedbaker.com/chocolate-bread-pudding/
snickerdoodle
The frosted sugar cookie-for sure!!
I would get rid of the Frosted Sugar Cookie. I would like to learn Macarons also.
Little kids are so funny with what they insist on taking with them! At least she is taking a hat to wear – slightly more practical than dress up clothes :)
I would also take out the oatmeal raisin cookies – why oh why would anyone ruin a good cookie by putting in a raisin? Those should be chocolate chips!
Be grateful for your clean air, I’m on the west coast and we haven’t been able to open our windows, much less take a walk for too long! This past week, our outdoor air quality was marked the most hazardous in the world and everyone was being told to stay home. Sofa snuggles are the best!
I hope those fires clear up soon and you’re able to enjoy the outdoors again!! xo
I’d ditch the frosted sugar cookies. I love the crisp sugar cookies just sprinkled with sugar but the frosted one’s get moist and to my taste are too sweet.
How about a flourless chocolate cake (Julia Child has a great recipe. ) It has lots of steps but they are all easy and it is my most requested dessert.
Ooooh I did a flourless chocolate cake earlier this year! So good! >> https://www.browneyedbaker.com/flourless-chocolate-cake/
No….I love oatmeal raisin….don’t ditch that one! Get rid of the frosted sugar cookie. I know it is very holiday-ish with the frosting and sprinkles and all, but I am just not a frosting gal. That and it will never be as good as the Christmas cookies that the woman who cleaned our house when I was a child made for us full of colored sprinkles. Nothing has ever come close to the taste of those in my memory!
Yay for a good first week of school! I’d let the Snickerdookles go. That story about the man from Iowa was so sweet it made me cry! Thanks for sharing!
Do you have a recipe for Pumpkin Chiffon Pie? It’s a family favorite & I just use an old Betty Crocker recipe & was curious if there may be an even better one out there?
Oooh I do not! Sounds amazing, though!
Oatmeal raisin for sure!! Yuck!!!
A great post. Yes to Ina’s cookbook and your Apple Crisp recipe! I’ve never heard of boiled cider but I think I must buy that for making your recipe. It sounds wonderful. The story of the man funding college tuitions made me teary. What a beautiful thing to do. And, without hesitation, the cookie to be eliminated is double chocolate!
Definitely oatmeal raisin.
The oatmeal raisin would have to go. Those cookies are the reason I have trust issues (raisins look a little like chocolate chips). LOL!
Not exactly a “baking” challenge but what about crepes? I still need to catch up and make croissants!
Ok this was funny!
Love the suggestion! I’ve actually never made crepes even though I LOVE to eat them! ;-)
I would get rid of either the peanut butter or sugar cookie How about stolen for bake along. Thank you and love your recipes.
You’re absolutely right Michelle,
The oatmeal raisin chip cookie must be sacrificed! Lol!
Oatmeal raisin is an easy goodbye!
I’d get rid of the frosted sugar cookies! I think you should do cuccidati for the Dec baking challenge!
Ooooh I have an old recipe for cucidati on the site (https://www.browneyedbaker.com/cucidati-italian-fig-cookies/) but it definitely needs a little TLC!
Hi Michelle, I would like to make bread. I have not made any because I can’t seem to find yeast. I like any cookie and dessert recipes. I can’t believe how the kids have grown. They are so cute. I love your blog about the family and all the recipes. I have made some.
Take care and be safe. I am not crazy about sugar cookies.
Hi Gina, try sourdough bread…no yeast required! I’ve made 3 loaves so far and all have turned out! Go to Bake With Jack. He has the simplest instructions. Good luck!
You can buy yeast online as well.
I would give the frosted sugar cookie the boot!
For the bakealong:
Boche de Noel?
Linzer Torte?
Frosted Sugar is OUTTA HERE! I myself prefer a good peanut butter cookie, crispy around the edges and chewy in the middle.
I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your babies with us (and of course your recipes too!). I suspect my “babies” are older than you…one Pediatrician and one Landscape Designer. I remember the Cabbage Patch Doll Christmas debacle. Not a doll anywhere and I needed TWO. I actually had someone make dolls but they weren’t “the real thing”😟. I went through the same thing at Pound Puppy Christmas! Now as I look back at those days (single mom here) I realize, and actually knew then, that everyday and age with our children is the best! They may be 43 and 45 but I still never want their feelings hurt or to feel disappointment…if they cry then I do too. Trust me…it just keeps getting better and better.
Again, thank you for sharing and give them each a hug from a far away granny💕
P.S. I vote to skip-oatmeal-raisin cookies too!
Thank you for the sweet comment, xo… And I totally remember Pound Puppies as well! :)
I’m with you. Get rid of the oatmeal raisin!
I would let the snickerdoodles go.
I’d toss the snickerdoodles.
Oh my gosh, that story made me tear up…what a wonderful man he was . I love that the 33 tuition recipients get together to honor him.
I would get rid of the frosted sugar cookies but even that would be hard.
Have a great weekend!!
Cookies! If you’re talking about those thick, soft, frosted sugar cookies at the grocery store (like the ones pictured), then they would need to go. But if you’re talking about the thinner kind of sugar cookies that you chill first and then roll out into shapes (which tend to be crisper), then I’d probably toss the peanut butter.
E – Frosted sugar cookie – that frosting is gross! I’ve never been a fan.
Could Isabelle be any cuter???? Love, love, love the hat and glasses – not to mention the dolly! Please can we make Polish nut bread rolls in November or December? Always a tradition in my family for Christmas but everyone who knew how to make them has passed away and everyone in my generation and lower has not been able to master the dough. My family made walnut and poppy seed loaves. I can eat all the walnut loaves that I can get. The poppy was never a favorite until I accidentally left out the lemon and guess what? I finally liked it and everyone else thought it was better. It would be great to feel like I have friends in the kitchen figuring this out together.
Aww, thank you Linda!
As for the nut roll, I do have a walnut roll recipe that I’ve made forever: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/nut-roll-recipe/ Let me know if it’s what you’re thinking of!
the best thing on Friday!! walk around with family, with children. Spend time with children too.
So exciting :)
thanks for sharing your friday things
Frosted sugar cookie would go if it were my choice
Frosted Sugar Cookies would be my first choice, followed by peanut butter.
We used to make a version of Irish Christmas cake which did not have all that candied fruit in it – really nice. Ours came from the Mystic Seaport Christmas cookbook, but there are lots of versions to play with online.
I’d like to see a modernized version of a fruitcake. I tried doing that a couple years back but I don’t have your resources for product and info. Can you do that? I remember that the last fruitcake that I had that was fantastic was from Hickory Farms. So good! I would love to know the secret to great fruitcake! Thanks. Keep up the good work! Lee Hoy
Oh, yes.. C would go for me.
Hi Lee! I did a spin on fruitcake about five years ago, have a look and see if it’s what you’re thinking of: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/christmas-cake/
For the BEB bake along I’d love to learn to make macarons, I’ve tried it on my own and can’t seem to get the hang of it!
Precious family! Love Isabelle’s Cabbage Patch doll. I have several Cabbage Patch dolls but they are all vintage. I enjoy your Friday posts most of all.
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The frosted sugar cookie would be the one to go for me. I love oatmeal raisin cookies and it there’s a little bit of icing drizzled over them, all the better!
I’d get rid of the Snickerdoodles! For your November and December BEB Bake-Along recipes, how about a Pumpkin Roll and a recipe for Nut Roll? I’m really missing my Mom’s Nut Roll. She passed away a few years ago, and she made the best Nut Roll, so I’d really love a lesson on how to make that. Have a great weekend, Michelle and family!!!
Hi Valerie, I actually did pumpkin roll last November and you can find it here: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/pumpkin-roll-recipe/.
And I do have a family nut roll recipe on the site, too! :) https://www.browneyedbaker.com/nut-roll-recipe/
Peanut Butter cookies GONE
B for sure!
Hi! I would definitely get rid of the frosted sugar cookie. I love a good chewy oatmeal cookie with nuts and dried cherries in place of the raisins!
I could go the rest of my life without a frosted sugar cookie.
That Apple Crisp looks amazing!
Have a great weekend.
Snickerdoodle gone for sure!
I would remove the Frosted Sugar Cookie. I love Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Or just do a sugar cookie without the frosting those are better
November/December would be a great time for a savory baking project. It’s easy tote sugar overload that time of year. Bonus if it’s an app or entree you could make ahead and freeze for a busy time later. Homemade hot pockets for example.
E. Those frosted sugar cookies my kids seem to love from the store can go. I think they taste like sand. Yuk!
Love the cabbage patch doll. I remember the first one I got and should have kept it. Things always come back around! Happy Friday
that’s great weekend
Hi Michelle
OMG The Home Edit is amazing! I wish they could come to South Africa and do my entire house :-)
It is so inspiring to watch and you learn a helluva lot.
I finished the entire series and I loved it, I mostly enjoyed watching when they did the celebrities closets :-)
Hope you get time to watch it