Oreo cookies meet chocolate chip!

Cookies with crushed oreo mixed in - delicious!

Yesterday I celebrated 25yrs of living in the UK. I moved here from the USA when I was 8 and though I no longer have a trace of an accent (indeed most people are shocked when they learn I'm not a fully fledged Brit!) I still miss home and I console myself by baking and eating the food from my homeland.

What could be more American than a chocolate chip cookie? I've mentioned before that I've found a cookie recipe I really like and it adapts well to any sort of mix-in whether it be chocolate chips, cookies, raisins, nuts etc. The key to making these cookies is to chill the dough or else your cookies will spread too much whilst baking and the cookie will become too thin and crisp.

Review Douwe Egberts flavoured coffees

New flavoured coffees at Tesco

There's a revolution happening in our supermarkets. With every aisle comes the introduction of a new product that seems to have a hint of 'America' about it. As a US expat, this thrills me to bits! I mean, it's easy enough to get hold of real American products nowadays but the price tag is usually high and I normally reserve my orders for special occasions.

One of my biggest cravings is for flavoured coffees. Anyone that knows me knows I'm not a big fan of hot drinks, indeed I love my cold coffee! But NOTHING beats a good Dunkin Donuts vanilla or hazelnut coffee - this is the drink of my people (by people read 'family'...)

Dough! It's time to try my hand at bread

My baking portfolio falls short. There is one aspect of baking that I have never been able to turn my hand to...making bread. Dear blog reader, please believe me when I say I HAVE tried; but it seems I am seriously lacking the patience that it requires to make a decent loaf.

But, I'm not one to walk away from a challenge. I came across a great artisan cooking school which is tantalisingly close to me in Nottinghamshire and all of their courses look soooo good so I hope to save some funds and attend a course next year (it'll take me that long to save up AND choose a course!).

Dinner time cowboy style

Oh yes, I made this picture big to taunt you with their deliciousness!!

I love the internet. Seriously, if you ever need a recipe you can guarantee you'll find something within minutes of Googling it. I mean, nothing beats sitting with a stack of cake books and pouring over the pages for the 'perfect' vanilla cupcake recipe but when it comes to dinner - I offer myself to the internet dinner gods.

Coconut cake recipe and photos

Coconut cake with chocolate buttercream

I'm a little under the weather at the moment but I wanted to share a recipe and some photos with you from a cake I made last week. The photos are working their magic is making me feel better as the cake itself was sooo good and definitely worth remembering!

Afternoon tea at Stapleford Park

Stapleford Park

This might be hard to believe but I have never been to a 'true' afternoon tea *shock horror*. Last week, this wrong was righted by taking tea at Stapleford Park after a particularly spiffing day out.

The grounds at Stapleford are lovely and the hall itself greeted us with a warm roaring fire which was amazing! The hall is kept rotted in olden day charm and I really felt at least 3 grades posher than I did upon entry.

Airbrushing with DinkyDoodle

DinkyDoodle Airbrush box featuring Dawn's cakes

I'm like a kid at Christmas - today is the day I get to break open my new airbrush and learn how to make cakey magic with it! Ok so that *might* be an over exaggeration but I'm still darn excited to be adding another cake skill to my portfolio.

A few months back the lovely Dawn at Dinkydoodle Designs very generously gifted me a brand new airbrush hot off the press. Any Nottingham based baker will tell you how generous is with her time and skills and I was so chuffed to be the new owner of one of her branded products.

My boys

“Sometimes,' said Pooh, 'the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” 
― A.A. Milne (Winnie the Pooh)