Toasted Almond Cookies with Dried Fig Filling

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Toasted Almond Cookies with Dried Fig Filling

Toasted Almond Cookies with Dried Fig Filling

I made these cookies for my sweetheart. Whenever I create a flour storm in the kitchen, he keeps his mouth quiet, pretending as if the counter tops were not strewn with powdered sugar and there was not a pile of dishes in the sink stacked so precariously it could rival the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Rarely a peep is heard as I run around taking pictures and get crumbs all over the living room floor. Though he is always willing to give whatever comes out of the oven a fair try (even if he might need a little push), his favorite "experiments" to taste are, hands down, the cookies.

You could say that I am dating a cookie man.

Toasted Almond Cookies with Dried Fig Filling Toasted Almond Cookies with Dried Fig Filling

It was our third anniversary of being together this past month. Worse than a television sitcom where the clueless husband forgets an important anniversary, we both completely spaced out the date, remembering two weeks later as the calendar was flipped over to a new month. I wonder if this is how an old married couple feels, forgetting the important dates as their time together grows. Is simply being around one another enough of a celebration? With the date so far past gone and Valentine's Day right around the corner, it just seems silly to go back and observe the much belated anniversary.

Perhaps I should circle the date with a big red marker on the calendar for next year.

Toasted Almond Cookies with Dried Fig Filling

Even though there was no fanfare, fancy dinner, or real recognition of the special day, there were these Toasted Almond Cookies. Cut out with hearts and filled with honey sweetened figs, they rested in the cookie jar on the counter top, unknowingly appropriate and deliciously celebratory. During the few days that these cookies lasted, the boy and I would sneak them when we thought the other was not looking, trying to hide the fact that we were eating a couple more cookies than we should.

I may be dishearteningly forgetful, but there may be something to be said about a baker's intuition.

Toasted Almond Cookies with Dried Fig Filling Toasted Almond Cookies with Dried Fig Filling

Toasted Almond Cookies with Dried Fig Filling are a twist on the traditional linzer cookie. Almonds are toasted before being ground and turned into cookies. With a dash of cinnamon, the cookies have a bold, beautiful intensity. When sandwiched together with a filling made from dried figs, honey, and brown sugar, a truly unique flavor emerges. The cookies are firm on the first day and soften on the second, providing a range of textures to enjoy.

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Pomegranate White Wine Panna Cotta

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Pomegranate White Wine Panna Cotta

Pomegranate White Wine Panna Cotta

In many aspects of my life, I am a sipper. I hold a wine glass filled with hopes, dreams, thoughtfulness, silliness, adventure, and love—the components that make a life whole. I drink from my glass slowly, appreciating each mouthful, taking a sip only when I can feel the energy draining from my spirit. I am frugal with my glass of wine; so eager to savor my glass, to keep it full, I would rather swirl the liquid around the cup and look at my potential than experience what is inside. I want to take a sip, to drink the glass, to down a bottle, but fear whispers in my ear and I set my glass down on the table.

Sometimes I forget that when the bottle of life runs dry, it is okay to pop the cork on another one.

Pomegranate White Wine Panna Cotta

I have been doing a lot of slow sipping lately, taking in just enough of life to keep myself from feeling bogged down. I may be content, but I am not always satisfied, the routine of daily life trumping adventure and new experiences. I have a tendency to get caught up in work and responsibilities, turning my weekends into just another weekday. While I realize I cannot always drink a full glass of life, I seem to forget that I can still take a few mouthfuls. It is a work in progress for me.

I am learning how to adjust, to remind myself it is okay to take a little break every now and then, to drink the glass instead of admiring the liquid swirling around in the light.

Pomegranate White Wine Panna Cotta

When I am not drinking life out of wine glasses, I like to enjoy eating desserts out of them. The ability to layer and present a dessert in a new and interesting way appeals to me, especially when serving them to someone special. These Pomegranate White Wine Panna Cottas were originally an idea at the tail end of December, but I envisioned them as a dessert for Valentine's Day. The vanilla panna cotta contrasted against the pinks and reds of the pomegranate seeds seem like a colorful match. With a little white wine, these desserts make it hard to go wrong.

These desserts can be made a day ahead of time, so if you are planning a fancy evening or a dinner party, you can cross off the desserts well ahead of time.

Pomegranate White Wine Panna Cotta

Pomegranate White Wine Panna Cotta is a flirtatious little dessert. A rich vanilla panna cotta is topped with a white wine reduction and a handful of pomegranate seeds. The pomegranate seeds add a crunch to an ordinarily smooth dessert. For a smoother texture, you could certainly substitute the pomegranate seeds for raspberries or softened strawberries. This is a sweet dessert to share with a dear friend or special someone.

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Bacon & Chive Beer Bread

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Bacon & Chive Beer Bread

Bacon & Chive Beer Bread

Since moving out on my own, the little holiday traditions I would share with my family or friends have changed. The rituals I enjoyed are evolving and taking on new forms. I am learning to rediscover these holidays, to make them my own in a small way. When I was younger, I imagined how the holidays would change as I grew older with my own family, but this middle ground, where I am neither a child nor a grown adult, has proven an adventure. A good adventure, but an adventure all the same.

Usually these little holidays make for a good excuse to raid the candy aisle, I've found.

Bacon & Chive Beer Bread Bacon & Chive Beer Bread

The Super Bowl was one of those small celebrations my family shared together. Even though none of us cared much for football (we were lucky to catch a single game in a year's time), we made a big deal out of it just the same, turning an ordinary Sunday into something a little special. My mother would make mini sausages and a large pot of chili, leaving them to simmer on the stove until the smell drove us to the kitchen brandishing bowls and spoons. The game would be on in the background, secondary to the time we spent with one another. It was a simple tradition we shared together, but it was one I looked forward to as each new year approached.

In trying to find my own way to celebrate the Super Bowl this year, I've already stashed half a loaf of this Bacon & Chive Beer Bread into the freezer to emerge on game day. Paired with a hearty chili, I believe this will make for a good start for my own tradition. I may not know who is playing, or who will entertain at the half-time show, but there is no way that chili-soaked beer bread could ever be a let-down.

Bacon & Chive Beer Bread

If you are looking for more Super Bowl party dishes for the big day, check these out:

Bacon & Chive Beer Bread

Bacon & Chive Beer Bread is exceptionally simple to make, requiring only a bowl, spoon, and five minutes of your time. The bread is infused with bacon and chives, which elevates the classic beer bread to a new level. Melted butter is poured over the loaf before baking, which soaks deep into the bread and gives it a wonderfully buttery crust. I suggest using your favorite beer for the loaf because the flavor will be quite pronounced; that said, I would shy away from sweet or fruity beers because it would fight the saltiness of the rest of ingredients.

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