Winter storm outside = baking inside!

[kambriel]

Pillsbury holiday gingerbread cookie dough, mixed with about half a bag of dried cranberries, and the last bit of some Trader Joe's pumpkin granola ~ all of which I just mixed together by hand.

This is one of my creative running out of nearly everything concoctions... and trying to make something less into something more. They turned out so well, I had to at least "virtually" share them with you :)

~ Kambriel

Comments

[pandorasfox.livejournal.com]

lmao I have a roll of that hanging out in my fridge while I figure out what to do to it too.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Think of it as a blank canvas ~ with some imagination, it's quite versatile! In the past, we've blended it with crystalized candied ginger pieces. I didn't have any of that on hand, so the dried cranberries seemed like they would work well as a substitute... and they did :)

[hyacintheraven.livejournal.com]

Yum yum yum!! I love storms because they force you to be creative inside! Plus, winter storms call for warm creativity....which, as we know, means FOOD!!! :D

[naeelah.livejournal.com]

Mmmm, they do look tasty! I think I'll have to buy some cookies when I go grocery shopping today. I was considering staying in and making a honey pound cake tonight, also due to the storm warning.

[ardiril.livejournal.com]

Those sound soooo good.

... but my doctor put me on a diet.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

I actually think it's some kind of strange magic that I end up making the *best* things when the pantry is nearly bare. I was telling C, it's not unlike my patchwork creations ~ taking all these little odds and ends and finding ways to combine them together in a way that for fabric *looks* good, and for food *tastes* good :)

I wanted to make these more substantial since they were one of the last things on hand at the moment, and with all those cranberries and pumpkin granola, it really worked ~ these would be great "roadtrip food" as well!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Pound cake will surely help you weather the storm ;)

[malice-lab.livejournal.com]

yummy! i have to bake something right now :D

[missmoonlight74.livejournal.com]

yummy!!!! COngrats! ;)

(PS I'm following you on twitter;))

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

There's another dish I like to make with dried cranberries, that would be perfect if you're on a diet. It's spinach, garlic, olive oil, capers, dried cranberries (they turn this beautiful glossy, ruby red shade in this recipe)... It might sound weird at first, but (at least to me) the taste is quite delicious!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Feel free to share a description/photo of what you ended up making if you'd like :)

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Thank you! You can't see it in the photo, but I thought you would appreciate that the background is actually an art nouveau tapestry of Mucha's "Winter" on the wall :)

[missmoonlight74.livejournal.com]

wow! Art nouveau+cookies=perfection! :)

[malice-lab.livejournal.com]

everything you bake is gorgeous, i couldn't compete :D*

[ardiril.livejournal.com]

I had never thought of cranberries and spinach. This could be either a salad or sauted. Thanks!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

You're absolutely right that it could be either! I forgot to mention it before, but the version I make is sauteéd, and based on a Mediterranean "monk's style" spinach :) I think the original used raisins, but I think the cranberries are much nicer ~ both flavour and colour-wise.

[aoi-no-neko.livejournal.com]

Looks quite yummy and your description is so tasty! Creative baking is good. They look like they should be on LJ's food_porn!

[valerian.livejournal.com]

Those look so yummy!!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

I just joined that community ~ the photo you posted of the manju looked delicious! They look a lot like a certain Vietnamese food I grew up eating, yet never knew what they were called... I'll have to seek them out and see if they taste similar too :)

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Were the miles fewer, I'd say to stop by and share a little plateful with me :)

[aoi-no-neko.livejournal.com]

Could be, manju came from China way back when so other Asian cultures also have similar dishes.

Food_porn is a pretty good community. I like that the entries are moderated so don't get hit with spam. Plus there are many active members with a variety of tastes so there is something for everyone. It's just dangerous if one is hungry =)

[victorine.livejournal.com]

Those look delicious and warm and comforting!

[ardithquinne.livejournal.com]

those look amazing!

[miss-adventure.livejournal.com]

Those look delicious. Those and a big mug of chai would be just the thing in this snowy weather.

[thatursula.livejournal.com]

What a glorious photo.

[blueiduna.livejournal.com]

oh yum!!! :D

[http://users.livejournal.com/_nightflower_/]

Nom nom nom!!! :)