annie blog

Delicious Pecans

I love nuts. They satisfy something — I don’t know what — unlike sweets or even (shall I say it?) chocolate. These are so yummy. They are easy. They are buttery, roasted goodness and you should totally try them.

Note that I give the recipe for 4 cups of pecans, but you should know that I never make a whole recipe — most of the time I actually halve or even fourth it. Because, I don’t need 4 cups of delicious pecans in my house. The implications would not be good for the jeans, y’all.

Yummola Pecans

4 cups pecans
4 T. butter, melted
1/2 t. salt
1 T. brown sugar
sprinkle of cayenne (optional)

Heat oven to 325. In a shallow pan with sides (jellyroll pan, pyrex, whatever) place the pecans. Pour the melted butter over. (Or do it the Annie way and stick the butter in the pan in the oven while it heats so that you don’t have to melt it separately. Take out pan, pour in pecans, toss to coat, return pan to oven.) Now, that you’ve tossed the pecans in butter one way or the other, leave the pecans in the oven for about 15 minutes. Mix the salt, sugar and cayenne (if using) in a medium bowl. Take the pecans out of the oven and toss them with the sugar/salt mixture. Return them to the pan and oven for 3 more minutes so that the sugar will melt.

Now, try not to eat them all. 🙂

The Folks That I Play Bananagrams With
do stuff like this

just for fun.

Guess who plays but almost never gets to say “PEEL!”?

Pity me, y’all.

And, happy Tuesday.

The Folks That I Play Bananagrams With
do stuff like this

just for fun.

Guess who plays but almost never gets to say “PEEL!”?

Pity me, y’all.

And, happy Tuesday.

The Folks That I Play Bananagrams With
do stuff like this

just for fun.

Guess who plays but almost never gets to say “PEEL!”?

Pity me, y’all.

And, happy Tuesday.

A Song for Your Monday

Well, I’m attempting to hit the ground running today and so only have a minute to tell y’all that if you, like me, need some waking up today, why don’t you click on this link to hear the song Colors by April Smith and the Great Picture Show. It was the song of the day on NPR a few Fridays ago and is just a really spunky, spirited song with some good lyrics, to boot. Jon and I saw the band about a month ago when they opened for Langhorne Slim. It was great, great concert and I fully intend to blog more about it as soon as I can grab a minute.

Onward, y’all.

A Song for Your Monday

Well, I’m attempting to hit the ground running today and so only have a minute to tell y’all that if you, like me, need some waking up today, why don’t you click on this link to hear the song Colors by April Smith and the Great Picture Show. It was the song of the day on NPR a few Fridays ago and is just a really spunky, spirited song with some good lyrics, to boot. Jon and I saw the band about a month ago when they opened for Langhorne Slim. It was great, great concert and I fully intend to blog more about it as soon as I can grab a minute.

Onward, y’all.

A Song for Your Monday

Well, I’m attempting to hit the ground running today and so only have a minute to tell y’all that if you, like me, need some waking up today, why don’t you click on this link to hear the song Colors by April Smith and the Great Picture Show. It was the song of the day on NPR a few Fridays ago and is just a really spunky, spirited song with some good lyrics, to boot. Jon and I saw the band about a month ago when they opened for Langhorne Slim. It was great, great concert and I fully intend to blog more about it as soon as I can grab a minute.

Onward, y’all.

To Bake or Not to Bake
isn’t even a question, with me.

First off, I must point out to you that Smitten Kitchen has a recipe for St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake on her site. I can’t wait to try it out. It is a version which doesn’t call for cake mix but starts with a yeasted cake, instead. So I’m excited to see how that tastes. She was raving about it, so it has to be good. I trust Smitten Kitchen. She’s never steered me wrong, yet.

Secondly, these chocolate chunk muffins are really good. I made them for the second time yesterday. I took some to a friend and left a few here. What do you know, they disappeared and I do not have an image to share with y’all. Baked goods just get inhaled around here. You might want to give them a try. They are very chocolatey but not very sweet. Here’s my version of the recipe:

Chocolate Chip Muffins

6 T. butter, melted
2/3 cup chocolate chips, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon (or to taste — I like cinnamon so I put 2 t.)
1 large egg
2 t. vanilla

375 degrees oven and put the rack in the center. Butter or spray muffin pan or use paper cups.
Melt the butter with 1/3 cup of the chocolate chips in a microwave on 1/2 power in 1 minute increments, stirring after each minute.
Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Combine the liquid ingredients together. Pour the liquid ingredients and the melted chocolate/butter mixture over the dry and stir gently but quickly to mix. Don’t worry about small lumps. Stir in the reserved 1/3 cup chocolate chips. Divide between the muffin cups (I get 16 out of this recipe) and bake for 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in the tins before turning out to cool completely.

To Bake or Not to Bake
isn’t even a question, with me.

First off, I must point out to you that Smitten Kitchen has a recipe for St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake on her site. I can’t wait to try it out. It is a version which doesn’t call for cake mix but starts with a yeasted cake, instead. So I’m excited to see how that tastes. She was raving about it, so it has to be good. I trust Smitten Kitchen. She’s never steered me wrong, yet.

Secondly, these chocolate chunk muffins are really good. I made them for the second time yesterday. I took some to a friend and left a few here. What do you know, they disappeared and I do not have an image to share with y’all. Baked goods just get inhaled around here. You might want to give them a try. They are very chocolatey but not very sweet. Here’s my version of the recipe:

Chocolate Chip Muffins

6 T. butter, melted
2/3 cup chocolate chips, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon (or to taste — I like cinnamon so I put 2 t.)
1 large egg
2 t. vanilla

375 degrees oven and put the rack in the center. Butter or spray muffin pan or use paper cups.
Melt the butter with 1/3 cup of the chocolate chips in a microwave on 1/2 power in 1 minute increments, stirring after each minute.
Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Combine the liquid ingredients together. Pour the liquid ingredients and the melted chocolate/butter mixture over the dry and stir gently but quickly to mix. Don’t worry about small lumps. Stir in the reserved 1/3 cup chocolate chips. Divide between the muffin cups (I get 16 out of this recipe) and bake for 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in the tins before turning out to cool completely.

To Bake or Not to Bake
isn’t even a question, with me.

First off, I must point out to you that Smitten Kitchen has a recipe for St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake on her site. I can’t wait to try it out. It is a version which doesn’t call for cake mix but starts with a yeasted cake, instead. So I’m excited to see how that tastes. She was raving about it, so it has to be good. I trust Smitten Kitchen. She’s never steered me wrong, yet.

Secondly, these chocolate chunk muffins are really good. I made them for the second time yesterday. I took some to a friend and left a few here. What do you know, they disappeared and I do not have an image to share with y’all. Baked goods just get inhaled around here. You might want to give them a try. They are very chocolatey but not very sweet. Here’s my version of the recipe:

Chocolate Chip Muffins

6 T. butter, melted
2/3 cup chocolate chips, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon (or to taste — I like cinnamon so I put 2 t.)
1 large egg
2 t. vanilla

375 degrees oven and put the rack in the center. Butter or spray muffin pan or use paper cups.
Melt the butter with 1/3 cup of the chocolate chips in a microwave on 1/2 power in 1 minute increments, stirring after each minute.
Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Combine the liquid ingredients together. Pour the liquid ingredients and the melted chocolate/butter mixture over the dry and stir gently but quickly to mix. Don’t worry about small lumps. Stir in the reserved 1/3 cup chocolate chips. Divide between the muffin cups (I get 16 out of this recipe) and bake for 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in the tins before turning out to cool completely.