I have mentioned this before, but I will mention it again, when making French Macarons, it is imperative to measure your ingredients. This digital kitchen scale by Eat Smart does an AWESOME job. It weighs up to 11 pounds so I can easily place a bowl on top, tare it, and than measure my ingredients…
Date Night and Salted Caramel Butterscotch Pudding
After having just finished a way too loaded semester full of ridiculous papers, nuclear weapons free simulations, and redesigning the United States Welfare system, I feel as if I need to reconnect with everyone in my life. I kind of feel like Paige from The Vow, but instead of my memory being erased by an…
Winner of the Giada Cookbook
Well, considering the whopping amount of participants that I had in this giveaway, I put each person’s name on a sheet and let my lovely 4 year old assistant draw a name…. And the winner is…. Lisa! Please email me at theseasidebaker@gmail.com with your shipping information.
Sea Salt Caramel Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
At the end of every semester I feel really guilty. Come finals week, I usually only have condiments and expired milk in the fridge. My children’s vegetable intake consists of ketchup and tater tots, and they have to fish through a couch full of clean laundry to find a clean sock. Once I finally come…
Pasta With Peas, Please
This was always a staple in my home growing up. Despite the fact that I absolutely HATE peas, this has always been one of my favorite dishes….explain that one to me? This is a great simple meal perfect for a weeknight, with an elegant dinner party taste. The best part is that it is extremely inexpensive…
And More Blueberries
Around this time every year, my daughter and I make the quick trip up north to Temecula to harvest blueberries at a berry farm. Even though it is always unbearably hot, we always have a great time. It always amazes me at just how many blueberries she can eat. But hey it’s fruit right…so no…
Mother’s Day Lemon-Bluberry Ricotta Muffins
Mother’s Day is fast approaching. Hopefully everyone has their reservations made or their menu planned. This is one of the most important days in my book, as nothing can compare to a mother’s work…at least this is what I tell my husband and children. It is the one day per year where my husband actually…
A Giada de Laurentiis Giveaway!!!
I have a love-hate relationship with Giada. I absolutely love her, but hate her because of her AMAZING body. I mean seriously, how does some one cook and bake so well and not have an ounce of fat on them??? Today my daughter and I had the pleasure of meeting her at the Williams-Sonoma book…
Purple Carrot- Carrot Cake
As some of you may be able to tell, I love color. My kitchen is bright red, my living room is aqua, and my children’s bedroom is yellow. However, these colors are constantly changing. It is funny though, because I only seem to own black clothes. I get absolutely giddy when I eat something colorful,…
Friday Pizza Night
My children have deemed Fridays “Friday Family Movie Night”. We rent a movie, make pizza, and eat popcorn and dessert. They have come to love this tradition and look forward to it weekly. I love it too because pizza is extremely easy to make. I usually just pick up two dough balls from my local…
Zumba and Pound Cake
After a couple of months of having a baking blog, combined with a summer trip to Hawaii, I have been forced to do the impossible….exercise. Now I am one of those people who hate going to the gym. I find it incredibly boring and all I can think about while on the machines is what…
World Peace Cookies and The Dalai Lama
“It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short-term and the long-term for both yourself and others will come.” -Dalai Lama Last week I had the honor of attending a lecture given by the 14th Dalai Lama. Not only is he…
Double Chocolate Chip Cookie and Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches
Today has been one of those days that you just can’t wait to get over with. I pulled a very late nighter last night studying for my International Security and Conflict Resolution in the Nuclear Age class . I was abruptly awakened by my obnoxious alarm this morning at 5 am, so that I could…
Italian Comfort Food
This weekend we had a whirlwind of weather. We had thunderstorms and what felt like hurricane worthy wind on Friday, rain and freezing cold temperatures (57 degrees, yes, this is cold for us San Diegans) on Saturday, and a beach worthy Sunday. As much as I love rainy days in November and December, I am…
Easter Feast
Happy belated Easter! I was too busy yesterday enjoying an amazing lunch and drinking good beer to post, so I decided to do a quick recap today. We feasted on some delicious lamb, apricot Dijon glazed mustard ham, potatoes, salad, and my grandmother’s famous rice and broccoli dish. We had an array of appetizers too, but…
The Peanut Butter Addiction
*Disclaimer- This is not for the weak stomach Growing up, there was a permanent condiment on our kitchen table during every meal. My dad would find a use for it no matter what we were eating. You would probably never guess it, but that condiment was peanut butter. He would put it on everything (and…
Psychedelic 7 Layer Italian Cookies
Traditionally, these cookies are the colors of the Italian flag: red, white and green, and coated on top and bottom with luscious chocolate ganache. Well, I am a mother of 3 and rarely get a night out, therefore I live vicariously through my food. While making these, I had the music blaring, and a nice…
Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes
When Sprinkles Cupcakes opened in La Jolla (a mere 15 minute drive from my house) a year and a half ago, I was elated. I was one of the insane people who waited in line for 2 hours (with a toddler) and bought every flavor. I am still, to this day, trying to work of…
Tequila Coconut Lime Cream Bars
Spring has officially begun, thank goodness. You know, those 2 days out of the year that San Diego gets rain is overwhelming, and the three months out of the year that we have to endure harsh 60 degree weather is depressing. Don’t get too jealous, we Californians pay a hell of a “sunshine tax”. So…
Cupcakes In A Jar- The Only Way To Eat Um
There is a certain magic about eating a cupcake out of a jar. You don’t have to worry about the frosting mustache or crumbs all over your shirt. The best part is, you get an extra layer of filling. Being encompassed around glass, the cupcakes guard their moisture and freshness for days. They also freeze…