Living in a Cereal World

Finally the holiday whirlwind is over and I have a minute to myself 😉. I only had enough time for two new cookies this season (plus my mom's standby sugar cookies) and I didn't stop to take pictures of either. Plus I'm still figuring out logistical issues. I'll get to it soon. So this year I went with these  oatmeal cookies --baked for Santa, the elves, and everyone else. I thought oatmeal cookies were in order following the busyness of the move, but these were a little sweeter than I wanted. Everyone else devoured them, though. And speaking of devouring, what screams "Christmas cookie" like a  mint chocolate chip cookie ? The cookie itself tastes like--and I mean this in the best way--you scooped it out of a tube of Pillsbury dough. The mint chocolate chips just take it over the top. I couldn't find the green-and-chocolate Nestle chips as pictured, so I used Hershey's instead (same mint, all one color). These would probably make awesome ice cream...

Or a picture of a pie. It's been a busy week. Actually, more than a week. There's always something to do, things to unpack and put away and sort, etc. I just baked in the new oven for the first time two days ago, not thirty minutes after finding the whisk. This pie, however, was from Thanksgiving. Oh, hey, I just found it online:  Autumn Apple and Pear Lattice Pie . It was sweet and juicy, thanks to the pears. I just want to point that yes, I know how to lattice correctly, but this recipe specifically made it easy for you non-latticers out there. And it's still pretty! Seriously, it was a good-looking pie. I'm looking forward to taking better pictures with the new abundance of natural light. And of course, looking forward to next year's cereals. That doesn't mean I'm wrapping things up for this year. Stay tuned. 😉

Falling behind again but I'll explain why in a minute. First, to the final frosted Shredded Wheat that I need to review. The flavor was awfully familiar. Duh, you say, it's supposed to taste like s'mores. I mean something else. Something burrowed deep in my brain...like  Ice Cream Cones . No, really. That's what my taste buds hit on. Chocolate, vanilla, and uh, cones. My brother loved it, which I was not expecting. I have no idea if the memory of Ice Cream Cones cereal had something to do with it for him, too. I should've asked him. It never hurts to get another opinion. It's not too chocolate-y but I'll be mixing it with other wheats anyway. ******* And now you should know I'm in the process of moving. You probably shouldn't expect another entry for a week at least. You know how things get crazy this time of year 🎄. Now I have a second crazy on top of my regular crazy and ughhh, there's just not enough hours in the day. Thanks for under...

Wow, has it really been two weeks? I guess the holiday season busy-ness has already started. I've been writing blog entries; I just haven't had a chance to post them. So let's start with my birthday cake. Actually, let's go back a second. It all started in early October when I found this year's Thanksgiving apple pie (separate entry to follow😋). I thought it only made sense to serve a pumpkin cake alongside. As you may know, sometimes my birthday falls close to Thanksgiving. And in those years, leftover birthday cake is one of my dessert contributions 😁. So I was all set to make a pumpkin cake until I read the October issue of Better Homes and Gardens and found this  Double Apple Bundt Cake . (Actually, it's mini-Bundt cakes in the magazine, but I wanted a whole cake.) Looking back,  I've   made   several cakes in the apple/pear family, and maybe I should try something else...? But it was worth it, as usual. You can't go wrong with a Dorie Greensp...

I am a chocolate procrastinator. This cereal came out in what, January? And I didn't buy it until July. And then I didn't open it until September. Today I'm finally getting around to reviewing it. To be fair, I had a shaky summer. A lot of things to prioritize, etc. To also be fair, you know chocolate cereals aren't my most favorite thing, so I was probably holding off subconsciously.😁 So why did I even buy this one? I suppose it's because I liked the  other   flavors and didn't think this one would be that chocolatey. And it isn't. The  multigrain flakes have a subtle cocoa powder-ish flavor by virtue of being packed with the actual chocolate elements. The oat clusters also look more chocolatey than they taste. This is not a complaint, though. I'll slowly be eating this cereal mixed with others when I'm in the mood for a hit of chocolate.

Although, if you ask me, they should have gone ahead and called it "Honey Vanilla Almond." I mean, they're right there on the front of the box, prominently sticking out of the flakes. On the other hand, inside the box there's not an overwhelming amount of nuts. Okay, Quaker, point taken. When I tried this the first time I appreciated the understated flavor: a little honey, a little vanilla, but mostly oat-y. As of this morning, I still do. It was a nice base for some blueberries. Now that I've had  both flavors a few times I'm finally getting used to the thick, grainy flakes and not pouring too much. I could use some more clusters but that's a minor quibble. Overall, this gets a 👍.

I know I should be getting back to the cereal reviews but this was right on my tongue and I wanted to share it:  Autumn Sweet Potato and Mushroom Soup . I mean literally, I just ate the leftovers for lunch. A while back I made a Sweet Potato and Quinoa Soup and while I loved it, not everybody *cough*mom*cough* likes the texture of quinoa. So I when I came across this soup I jumped at the chance to try it--yes, even with the blended mushrooms. It sounds weird, but it works. Imagine savory mashed sweet potatoes. Now add vegetable stock and reheat. That's basically it, and it's delicious. I won't lie, it's work to dice those potatoes and later transfer everything to the blender (someday I will get an immersion blender) but it's worth it . 😋 ********* Also one of my least favorite tasks? Grating carrots. Also totally worth it? These muffins: They're called  Oatmeal Muffins with Blueberries , so just don't tell anyone about the carrots. 😉 They're...