From Brooklyn to the Catskills, the latest and greatest to inspire your week.
Bundt Up the Volume with this Chocolate Almond Cake
A chance glimpse of a stunning bundt pan lead to a months-long adventure to find and then bake the perfect bundt cake. The Chocolate Almond Bundt cake is a wonderful combination of moist, rich cake with a crunchy almond surprise.
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5 Best Places to Stay in the Catskills
When people find out I spend a lot of time in the Catskills one of the first questions they always ask is “I want to visit, where should I stay?” My standard response is “with me!” because I love having guests, but that’s not always practical (especially when I’ve just met the person!) When we first started visiting the Catskills many years ago we’d always do a trip in day which, looking back on it, was pretty insane. But we were in the process of exploring different areas and didn’t want to have to commit to staying somewhere without having an idea of what it was like first. Now that we have been going to the Catskills for several years we actually have ideas on where to stay when someone asks us. With that I am launching this Where to Stay in the Sullivan Catskills Guide featuring places a few of of my favorite towns and will be adding to the list over time. If you’re looking to come visit the Catskills check out the recommendations below to find the perfect place to stay.
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Molasses Ginger Cookies Are Your January Treat
A special request for Molasses Ginger cookies resulted in a bit of a panic over an unfamiliar recipe. But don’t worry, the recipe turned out to be super easy and the cookies are an absolute delight! Rich molasses and spicy ginger combine to form a special treat with a chewy center and crisp-edged cookie. This is not your typical sweet cookie with it’s bold flavor, and goes nicely with a bowl of ice cream or a cup of tea. Best of all this is a super easy cookie to make, and since you make little balls this is a fun/easy one for the kids to do.
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Pumpkin Stack Cake for Your Cozy Winter Weekend
At my house we all love pumpkin desserts but usually only eat them in the fall when I bake pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie. It really is crazy to limit eating pumpkin to 2-3 months out of the year because it is so easy to work with and makes such a rich, moist treat. But perhaps pumpkin still feels too fall for you to consider for a winter dessert? Well this Pumpkin Stack Cake features a maple infused whipped cream that nicely compliments the pumpkin and helps it transition seamlessly from fall into winter, making it ideal for a trapped-in-the-house-want-something-sweet weekend.
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Pasta with Caramelized Onions, A Delicious Transition into Fall
Pasta with Caramelized Onions is the perfect transition dish to keep you going while you wait for the cold to set in this Fall. Onions on their own are quite light but caramelization process transforms them into a rich, hearty accent that is perfect for the next not cold/not hot night, especially if you accompany it with a nice glass of wine. The Caramelized Onions can be made in advance (up to a month if you freeze them) and then the pasta dish itself comes together in a matter of minutes.
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Giant Pumpkin Party: Your Catskills Weekend Planner
I am not exaggerating when I say that the Giant Pumpkin Party is epic. This is our no-hold-barred absolute favorite event of the year, with literally giant pumpkins on display competing for prizes. And that’s just the beginning! There is a hay bale throwing contest (with separate categories for men and women), fresh apple cider donuts, a HAY MAZE, music, a costume march and that’s just the beginning! Here are just a few of the events and activities you’ll find this weekend:
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Oktoberfest in Trout Town: Your Catskills Weekend Planner
What can you expect to find at Oktoberfest? Well, in addition to lots of beer (including something that has to be tried called “Troutoberfest”) and traditional German food, there will also be a hay maze, pumpkin carving, a costume contest, live wood carvings, carriage hay rides, hot cider and donuts, and live music! It will literally be a day packed with fun for everyone!
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Honeybee Fest: Your Catskills Weekend Planner
If there is one thing you do this weekend it has got to be going to the Honeybee Fest in Narrowsburg. Narrowsburg is a lovely little down nestled right next to the Delaware River and is deserving of a visit on its own accord, but this weekend’s Honeybee Fest makes it a must-see.
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Chocolate Chip Cookie, Oh How We Love You
Do you know anyone who doesn’t love a chocolate chip cookie? There are many schools of thought on what makes a perfect chocolate chip cookie, whether oversized, bite-sized, with nuts or without. Personally I like to make the recipe on the back of the bag of Nestle’s chocolate chips, which generally makes a smallish-sized cookie (so you can have more than one) with a good combination of crunchy on the edges and chewy in the center. Within my family we have conflict around the inclusion of walnuts so I’ll generally split the batch and include half with/half without, and sometimes I’ll even throw in a handful of raisins just for fun. The quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie is one thing that we can all agree on, that it should be pursued relentlessly, leaving no new recipe untested.
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Your Catskills Weekend Planner: The Big Eddy Film Festival and Von Steubenfest
This weekend the Catskills has a couple of diverse options to chose from – or be an achiever and do them both! First up is the annual Big Eddy Film Festival, a three-day event held in the beautiful little town of Narrowsburg. So get out your phone, call your significant other, and start planning your weekend in the Catskills!
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