Farmhouse Christmas: A Pretty Book That Left Me Wanting More

 

I have been waiting for Farmhouse Christmas: Recipes and Crafts for a Cozy Homemade Holiday by Melissa Bahen for months, so when it finally arrived, I as genuinely excited to see it. Christmas cookbooks are one of my weaknesses, and a book promising both recipes and crafts sounded right up my alley...And then I opened it.

Farmhouse Christmas is certainly a beautiful book. It is festive from endpaper to endpaper, filled with the cozy, homespun aesthetic you would expect from its title. The photography is lovely, and there are plenty of recipes that made me want to head straight into the kitchen. But I have to admit that the book wasn’t quite what I was expecting, and that left me a little disappointed. 

 The publisher describes the book as containing more than 70 recipes along with 12 holiday crafts and gifts, and that balance is important to know going in. I had expected something closer to an equal partnership between recipes and crafts. Instead, this is overwhelmingly a cookbook, with the crafts functioning more as a small bonus. If you’re picking this up primarily for Christmas crafting and decorating inspiration, you may find yourself wishing there were considerably more of it.

 My other disappointment was the crafts themselves. I didn’t find much that felt particularly fresh or inventive. There are some perfectly pleasant ideas here, but after looking at Christmas crafts for as many years as I have, I was hoping for a few of those Why didn't I think of that? moments. I never quite got them. Fortunately, the recipes go a long way toward redeeming that part of the book. 

 There are recipes here to take you from breakfast through dinner, cocktail hour and dessert, and the photographs make everything look especially inviting. Some of the recipes are familiar territory, but I was pleasantly surprised by how many were new to me. And considering how many cookbooks I review and how many recipes I encounter, coming across something I haven’t seen before is no small accomplishment. Kudos for that. 

 Best of all, most of the recipes look wonderfully approachable. You don’t need to be an accomplished cook to tackle them, which makes this a particularly accessible holiday cookbook.

 Several recipes have already made their way onto my must-try list. I’m especially intrigued by the Chewy Chocolate Meringues, Sugared Gingerbread Muffins, and Kale Salad with Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette. Yes, I have apparently reached the stage of life where I voluntarily put kale on my Christmas menu. Stranger things have happened.

The section devoted to appetizers and party food for New Year’s Eve is another highlight for me. I like being able to open a cookbook to a particular holiday and find a collection of recipes that works for that occasion rather than having to hunt through the entire book. The Baked Cheese and Sweet Onion Dip and Cranberry Salsa with Cream Cheese are both calling my name.

I’ve also recently become a convert to sun-dried tomatoes, so the Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Cheese Spread caught my attention. And then there’s the Spanish Meatballs with Tomato Sauce. I thought I had encountered pretty much every meatball variation known to mankind, but this one was new to me, and I’m eager to give it a try.

 And the drinks! 

The Caramel Apple Cider sounds like exactly what I want on a cold winter afternoon. I can already see myself making a batch, and perhaps adding a shot of applejack to my glass. For medicinal purposes, naturally.

So, where does that leave me?

I like Farmhouse Christmas. I just don’t love it as much as I expected to.

Perhaps that is partly because I had built the book up in my mind during those months of waiting. I was expecting a generous dose of Christmas crafting, along with recipes, decorating ideas and the sort of fresh inspiration that makes you want to drag out the glue gun and immediately start making something. Instead, I found a very pretty, very approachable holiday cookbook with a small collection of crafts tucked inside.

There is another consideration for longtime followers of Melissa Bahen, who is the creator of the Lulu the Baker website. Many of the recipes and projects in Farmhouse Christmas have appeared on her website, so readers already familiar with her work may find less that feels entirely new.  That doesn’t make this a bad book. It simply makes it a different book from the one I thought I was getting.

 If you’re looking for an attractive, approachable Christmas cookbook filled with festive recipes, Farmhouse Christmas has plenty to offer. If you’re buying it primarily because you’re hoping for a craft-filled Christmas extravaganza, I’d temper those expectations. For me, it’s a good book that I expected to be a great one. And perhaps that’s the most disappointing part of all.

My Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3 out of 5 stars) 

 Those interested can order a copy here.

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 Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

Cheesy Chile Rellenos Casserole: Worth Every Bit of the Wait

  

It took me an entire year to make this dish. That, my friends, is dedication. Was it worth it? Yes, it was.

 I’m a big fan of chile rellenos, but making them the traditional Mexican way is a LOT of work. There are peppers to roast and peel, batter to make, and then there’s the whole business of frying them.

 Delicious? Absolutely. A project? Also absolutely.

So when I came across a chile rellenos casserole on Allrecipes, I knew I wanted to give it a try. Naturally, I made a few changes to suit my tastes, especially after reading through the reviews.

There was just one little problem: I couldn’t find fresh poblano peppers anywhere. I couldn’t find them canned, either. So I did what any slightly obsessed food blogger would do. I grew my own. I planted poblano pepper seeds and waited. And waited. And waited. Eventually, just last week, I harvested enough peppers to make this casserole. I roasted and peeled them, and finally, one year after deciding I needed this recipe, I got to make it. That, my friends, is foodie love.

 And here’s the funny thing: once you have the peppers, there’s practically nothing to this casserole. If you use canned peppers, it comes together in minutes.

I made this on a Monday, which made it perfect for Meatless Monday, but I think it would be equally wonderful for brunch, lunch, or as a side dish for dinner. 

 I’ll admit that when you pull it out of the oven, it isn’t going to win any beauty contests. You may even look at it and wonder why you bothered. Then you take a bite. Oh, my. I could not believe how good this was. The roasted poblanos, two kinds of cheese, creamy egg custard, and green enchilada sauce come together into something far more delicious than its humble appearance would suggest. 

 And yes, my homegrown poblanos were spectacular. There’s something especially satisfying about growing an ingredient yourself, harvesting it, cooking it, and then sitting down to eat the finished dish.

 But don’t let the lack of homegrown peppers stop you. Canned whole poblano peppers work beautifully, and canned whole green chiles are a good substitute. If you like things spicy, you can even use canned green jalapeños, just adjust the amount to your taste.

 So no, you don’t need to spend a year growing peppers to make this casserole. I did that part for you.

Chile Rellenos Casserole 

 Inspired by a recipe on Allrecipes.com

2 7-oz. cans whole poblano peppers, drained (see note)

8 oz. Pepper Jack cheese, shredded

8 oz. Cheddar cheese, shredded

3 large eggs

⅔ c. whole milk

2 T. flour

1 10-oz. can green enchilada sauce

 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8” x  8” baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Arrange the poblano peppers from one can evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle half of the Pepper Jack and Cheddar cheeses over the peppers. Top with the remaining poblano peppers.

 In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and flour until smooth. Pour the mixture evenly over the peppers.

Bake for 25 minutes.

 Pour the green enchilada sauce evenly over the top and return the casserole to the oven. Bake for another 15 minutes.

 Turn the broiler to high. Sprinkle the remaining Pepper Jack and Cheddar cheeses over the casserole and place it under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Watch it carefully so the cheese doesn’t burn.

 Let the casserole rest for a few minutes before serving.

 A Note About the Peppers

 Canned poblano peppers can sometimes be found at Mexican markets, and occasionally at larger grocery stores, depending on where you live. You can also find them online.

If you can’t find canned poblanos, fresh roasted poblano peppers are an excellent substitute. Simply roast, peel, and remove the seeds before using them in the casserole.

Canned whole green chile peppers also work well. If you use canned green jalapeños, keep in mind that they’ll add considerably more heat, so adjust the amount according to your taste.

 And if you’re lucky enough to have a garden full of poblanos?

Even better.

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Tom Cruise Cake: The Viral White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake Everyone’s Obsessed With

 

A couple of years ago, my nephew came back from a Christmas party raving about “the Tom Cruise cake.” He’s famously frugal, so when he found out the shipped cake cost $130, he was equal parts impressed and horrified, especially since he didn’t get a bigger slice. That story stuck with me. As a coconut lover who will happily bake a cake any day of the week, I knew I had to try it.

 What I discovered is that this isn’t just any coconut cake, it’s a rich, dense white chocolate coconut Bundt cake from Doan’s Bakery in Woodland Hills, California. Every holiday season, Tom Cruise sends hundreds of these decadent cakes to his inner circle of A-list friends. Well, la di da. Cruise himself reportedly skips it due to his intense training, but the rest of Hollywood can’t get enough.

 It starts with a moist sour cream pound cake base loaded with sweet white chocolate chunks and shredded coconut. Then it’s finished with a thick, tangy cream cheese frosting and generously coated in toasted coconut flakes. The result? A show-stopping dessert that’s somehow both luxurious and comforting.

 While nothing beats the original from Doan’s, the viral popularity has inspired fantastic copycat recipes. This is my own adapted version, tweaked for flavor and texture, and I truly believe it’s every bit as delicious, if not better. I’m not going to lie to you, though, it’s work. On paper it doesn’t look like so much work, in reality, it is. It does serve a lot of people, and it freezes quite well, so that, partially anyway, makes up for it.

Tom Cruise Cake Recipe (Copycat) 

Cake:

3 c. flour

1 3.4-oz. pkg. instant coconut cream pudding mix

½ t. salt

¼ t. baking soda

1½ c. butter, room temperature

2¾ c. sugar

6 large eggs

2 t. vanilla extract

2 T. coconut extract

8 oz. sour cream

1 c. white chocolate chips, chopped*

Cream Cheese Frosting: 

½ c. butter, softened

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 t. vanilla extract

1 t. coconut extract

4 c. powdered sugar

1 8-oz. pkg. shredded coconut

 Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously butter and flour a 15-cup Bundt or tube pan. I used this one.

 Whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

 Cream butter, sugar, vanilla, and coconut extract until light and pale yellow, about 2–3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the bowl as needed.

 Mix in the coconut pudding mix. On low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and sour cream until just combined. Fold in the white chocolate by hand.

 Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes (cover loosely with foil toward the end if browning too quickly). The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

 Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add extracts and powdered sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Spread generously over the cooled cake and press toasted coconut into the frosting.

Slice, serve, and enjoy the compliments—this cake is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

 *I pulsed mine in my mini ninja chopper.

My thoughts:

 This cake was good, very good. I like a tasty pound cake, and this one is very dense, heavy, deeply flavored, and one that deserves the praise it gets. Is it worth $130 shipped? Don’t be ridiculous! Is it worth the trouble? I’m not quite so sure. My favorite coconut cake is the Coco Lopez Cake, a recipe for which I have right here on the blog. It is simple to make, absolutely delicious, freezes beautifully, and always gets raves. So my advice would be to make that one, and just nod at this recipe in passing.

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Perils of Pattie: Kissing the Pavement

 

Every so often I decide it’s time to take better care of myself. I probably should have had that conversation with myself about forty years ago, but better late than never, right? RIGHT?!!

I’d mentioned to my primary care physician that I was struggling with grip strength, numbness in my hands, and the delightful nerve pain that comes as a souvenir from three bouts of cancer. Chemo is great at killing cancer cells. It’s also excellent at destroying the protective coverings on your nerves. You get to choose between death or nerve damage; I picked the latter. My doctor suggested physical therapy. I thought, Fine. I don’t get out much anyway (by choice, thank you very much), so this could be good for me.

I contacted the local rehab center and scheduled an evaluation. Imagine my surprise when they informed me they wanted me there five days a week.

Five. Days. A. Week.

 Clearly these people had never met an introvert.

“No,” I told them. “Three days a week, tops. I have limits.”

To make a long story short, it accomplished absolutely nothing except separating me from both my time and my money. My insurance, despite assurances to the contrary, didn’t cover everything. But that’s a story for another day.

 Now we come to the important part.

 Whenever I leave the house, even if it’s just for the grocery store, the post office, or physical therapy, I make an effort to look nice (I put on lipstick to roll the trash can to the curb. I consider it a public service.). I don’t go out often enough to waste the opportunity. Thank goodness I did. I generally try to keep a low profile, but every once in a while I attract attention in the worst possible way.  When I was young, all I had to do was get dressed and I looked fabulous.  These days I don’t get dressed, I get assembled.

On this particular afternoon, I decided to wear a pair of flats that I knew were just a little too big. They were cute, and since no one could pay me enough to wear heels anymore, they seemed like a reasonable choice. They were not.

As I walked out of the rehab center, those shoes staged a full-scale rebellion.

One second I was walking. The next I was kissing the pavement, arms and legs spread out like a baby bird that had fallen from its nest, except this bird was clearly a pterodactyl.

 A man came running over, all concern and chivalry, asking if I was all right.  

No, kind sir, I am not all right. I am mortified. I am humiliated. Please vacate the premises immediately so I can crawl into my car and disappear. I'll check for compound fractures later.

He was only trying to help, bless him. But all I wanted was to be left alone with my dignity (what was left of it). The surprising part? I popped back up off that pavement faster than I’ve moved in years. Adrenaline is a hell of a drug.

The whole episode did teach me something, though. As much as I hate admitting it, I really do need to take better care of myself. So I decided to return to something I used to do faithfully every morning: yoga. I've always enjoyed Rodney Yee’s yoga routines (despite the fact that Rodney himself is a bit of a scoundrel),  and years ago I could move through them without much trouble.

 Apparently my body has been making executive decisions over the last eighteen months without consulting me.

Getting down on the floor wasn’t too bad. Getting back up?

Let’s just say it was less of a graceful ascent and more of a carefully negotiated treaty with gravity.

I can still get down on the floor. I test this every day just to be sure, because if I can’t, who’s coming to rescue me? The poses, however, nearly killed me.

Everything feels tighter, weaker, and more uncooperative than it used to. Am I going to stop? Absolutely not. I’m going to keep going, even if it’s begrudgingly. I know it’s good for me. I know I’ll be glad I did it. In the meantime, I’d better stock up on Aleve and keep my expectations low.

 Here’s to progress—one wobbly warrior pose at a time.

This story is part of my series Life on Planet Pattie, about the foibles of life, resilience, and the occasional furniture-moving adventure. It appears the first Monday of every month.

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Clean and Presentable, or so I thought.

A Winter-Weathered Miracle Under the Chair

My Dance with the Devil

Nothing Is Ever Simple (Featuring a Refrigerator and My — GASP! — Underwear)

Refrigerator Roulette, Round Two

The Sun’s Sneaky Victory: My “Brilliant” Outdoor Freezer Defrost Debacle

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Sometimes There Isn’t a Body in the Library, The Sugar and Spice Bookshop Bakery Reviewed

 

Confession time. When I see the word “cozy” in a book description, my brain automatically fills in the second word: mystery. Cozy mystery. An amateur sleuth, an eccentric village, a body in the library, and perhaps a cat with an uncanny ability to sniff out clues.

So when I downloaded The Sugar and Spice Bookshop Bakery by Jennifer Page, I somehow managed to skip right over the word 'romance.' Imagine my surprise when, several chapters in, no one had been murdered. Not even a little. Fortunately, by then I was enjoying myself too much to care.

 The story follows Louise Dearnley, who returns to her Yorkshire hometown after walking away from the life she thought she wanted. After years of editing fictional happy endings, she’s suddenly faced with writing a new chapter for herself. It’s a lovely premise, and Jennifer Page handles Louise’s journey with warmth, humor, and just enough emotion to keep it from becoming overly sentimental.

 Now, if you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you know I have a weakness for quaint English villages. Throw in a bakery, a bookshop, the smell of fresh scones and ginger cake, and I’m pretty much sold before chapter two. Applethwaite is exactly the sort of place that makes you wish Google Maps would suddenly announce, “You’ve arrived.”

The townspeople are delightfully quirky, but my absolute favorites were the GMG, the self-appointed “geriatric mean girls.” Every small town seems to have a group like them, although most aren’t nearly as entertaining. They added just the right amount of mischief and made me laugh more than once.

 I also loved the relationships that developed throughout the story. The found-family aspect was beautifully done, especially Louise’s growing relationship with her ex-stepdaughter. Those moments felt genuine and heartfelt and, for me, were every bit as satisfying as the romance.

Speaking of the romance…This is where my opinion wandered off the Hallmark path just a bit. If you're someone who never misses a Hallmark movie, you'll probably adore this book. It has all the ingredients: charming small town, handsome Italian love interest, adorable bakery, second chances, and enough warm fuzzies to knit a sweater. I'm...not exactly Hallmark's target audience. While I liked the romance well enough, I found parts of it a little cheesy and occasionally repetitive. There was also one ongoing story line that seemed to overstay its welcome. You know the one I'm talking about if you've read the book. “Okay...we've been teased enough about this. Tell us what happened.” Even so, those are relatively minor quibbles. The real test for me is always one simple question: Did I want to keep reading? Absolutely. In fact, I was nearly halfway through before I realized how much time had passed. That's usually the best compliment I can give a book. It quietly pulled me in and never let go.

So, while The Sugar and Spice Bookshop Bakery wasn’t the cozy mystery I thought I was picking up, it turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable cozy romance about second chances, finding your footing after life throws you a curveball, and discovering that sometimes home is the very place you thought you’d left behind. And honestly? A bakery and a bookshop under one roof may be almost as irresistible as a good mystery. Almost.

My Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars)

If Hallmark movies are your cup of tea, you’ll probably fall head over heels for this one. If, like me, you’re more inclined toward murder than matchmaking, don’t let that stop you. You might just find yourself pleasantly surprised.

 You can get a copy here.

 Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for providing me with an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Slow Cooker French Onion Soup: The Ultimate Make-Ahead Comfort Classic

 

No matter how you slice it (and yes, the pun is absolutely intended),  French onion soup, GOOD French onion soup takes time. There’s simply no shortcut around developing those deep, rich flavors that make this classic soup so irresistible.

But here’s the good news: your slow cooker can handle most of the heavy lifting. This version delivers deep, rich, caramelized onion flavor with minimal active effort, just a bit of patience and one game-changing overnight rest in the fridge.

 The secret to extraordinary depth? Caramelize the onions the day before. Let them slowly transform into sweet, golden perfection in the slow cooker, then refrigerate overnight. That extra chill time works magic, melding flavors in a way that makes the final soup taste like it simmered for days. The next day, simply add the remaining ingredients and let the slow cooker finish the job.

 Traditionally, French onion soup is served with a toasted slice of baguette floating on top beneath a blanket of melted Gruyère cheese. This recipe, however, is so wonderfully onion-rich that I’ve found you can skip the bread entirely if you’d like. Simply top the soup with the cheese mixture, broil until golden and bubbly, and you’ll still enjoy every bit of that classic French onion soup experience while saving a few calories.

Whether you serve it as a cozy weeknight dinner or as the first course for a special gathering, this soup is well worth the wait.

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

 For the Soup

4 T. butter

3 lbs. Melissa’s yellow onions, thinly sliced

1 Melissa’s red onion, thinly sliced

1 T. sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. smoked paprika

¼ t. Montreal steak seasoning

½ t. freshly ground black pepper

Salt, to taste

½ c. dry sherry

½ c. dry red wine

8 c. beef broth

1 t. sea salt, or to taste

¼ t. dried thyme

1 bay leaf

½ c. flour

Water, enough to make a smooth slurry

½ c. heavy cream

For the Topping 

8 slices French baguette

1 c. shredded Gruyère cheese

⅓ c. shredded Emmental cheese

¼ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

¼ c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Caramelize the Onions

Set a 6-quart slow cooker to Low. Place the  butter in the bottom of the slow cooker and allow it to melt while you slice the onions. (A mandoline makes quick  work of this.) 

Add the onions and garlic to the melted butter. Sprinkle with the Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, steak seasoning, pepper, and sugar. Stir once to combine.

Cover and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours. Stir occasionally if you happen to be nearby, but it's not essential.

During the final two hours, remove the lid to allow excess moisture to evaporate and help the onions deepen in color.

At this point, the caramelized onions can be refrigerated overnight.

Finish the Soup 

Pour the sherry, red wine, and beef broth over the onions. Stir in the sea salt, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or High for 4 to 6 hours.

During the last hour of cooking, whisk the flour with enough water to make a smooth slurry. Stir it into the soup to lightly thicken the broth.

 When the soup is finished cooking, stir in the heavy cream and heat through.

Assemble 

Preheat the broiler and position an oven rack about 8 inches from the heat source.

Toast the baguette slices under the broiler until lightly browned on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Combine the Gruyère, Emmental, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses.

Ladle the soup into oven-safe crocks, filling each about three-quarters full. Float a toasted baguette slice on top, if desired, and generously cover with the cheese mixture.

Broil until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

 Serve immediately.

 NOTES

If you’re serving this soup to company, consider creating a “French onion soup bar.” Set out bowls of hot soup, toasted baguette slices, and the cheese mixture separately so everyone can customize their own bowl. Some guests will want lots of bread, others extra cheese, and a few may skip the bread altogether. Giving everyone the choice makes serving easy and adds a fun, interactive touch to the meal.

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