Joy Wilson's Blog, page 65

Spiced Pumpkin and Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding

If there is something in my house that I can eat while standing at the kitchen counter, I can guarantee I’ll try my best to eat enough to make it a meal.  I speak specifically of hummus and crackers, hummus and pretzels, hummus and a hastily chopped vegetable, hummus and a spoon – it’s almost a problem. No… it’s clearly sounding like a problem.  

I’ve even been known to have a hummus dinner WHILE my actual dinner cooks on the stove.

Continue reading Spiced Pumpkin and Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding at Joy the Baker.

Let It Be Sunday, 252!

Hello sweet friends! 

Can you believe?  Can you believe we’re settling into another year and another decade? Feels good. Feels very much like a privilege.  

I’ve been taking it slow and steady through this holiday season. Taking time to be reflective. Taking time to have important conversations that I might have let fall to the wayside. Trying to be generous and gentle with myself. I have a lot of goals for the coming years.

Continue reading Let It Be Sunday, 252! at Joy the Baker.

Breakfast Jambalaya

Hello my dears!  

Are you enjoying this extended slow space between Christmas and the new year?  It feels like a luxurious amount of space.  Enough time to stretch and be lazy.  Enough time to put off taking down the Christmas tree.  Enough time for me to figure out how to incorporate the oranges I handmade for my tree (like a maniac) into a Mardi Gras headpiece.  Enough time to sit still and realize that Mardi Gras is basically tomorrow.

Continue reading Breakfast Jambalaya at Joy the Baker.

Let It Be Sunday, 251!

Hello friends! 

I just realized this is the last Let It Be Sunday of the year!  It’s actually the last Let It Be Sunday of the decade. Honestly that’s far too much pressure to acknowledge further.  I’m not ready to sum of the year, let alone the decade.  What is wild is that I’ve been Joy the Baker for this entire decade.  This decade, plus some. That’s pretty cool.  I’ll give myself a congratulatory handshake over that.  It’s more official than a pat on the back. 

I hope you’ve had a restful holiday.

Continue reading Let It Be Sunday, 251! at Joy the Baker.

Quick Cranberry Cream Cheese Breakfast Rolls

I swear, the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas goes by in the blink of an eye.  With so much many people to see, so many halls to deck, so many little gifts to re-gift, so many cookies to bake, … listen, we really have to concentrate. It’s really one of my favorite times of year. It feels reflective and celebratory and there’s food… everywhere.  

How many baked goods, how many cranberry things, how many glasses of champagne can we get in between now and our New Years (or for us down here in New Orleans, Ash Wednesday) Resolutions?  The answer?

Continue reading Quick Cranberry Cream Cheese Breakfast Rolls at Joy the Baker.

Spiced Mulled Wine Fruit Bars

Friends!  Here’s one late addition to our holiday cookie table!  

Last week I told you about my holiday cookie swap. It’s this coming Saturday which means I’ve had my nose firmly planted in Dorie Greenspan’s cookie book for the last week straight.  Dorie has a recipe for a mulled wine jam cookie topped with a cornmeal crumble that stopped me mid page turn. The math is this:  red wine + warming spices + buttery cookie + cornmeal topping + loads of dried fruit.  It’s mulled wine meets fruit cake, in a sweet little square with crumble topping.

Continue reading Spiced Mulled Wine Fruit Bars at Joy the Baker.

Let It Be Sunday, 250!

Hello friends, Happy Holidays! 

It’s Sunday. We’re here. We’re in it. It’s not Christmas just yet. We’re all ok, I promise. 

There’s a frenetic energy this time of year – a buy, buy, buy encouragement that I’ve mostly just observed from a distance this year.  I’ve spent this week writing towards a 2020 project, drinking wine and coffee sometimes at the same time. Writing is really just long stretches of time sitting, thinking, staying off the Internet, and drinking various beverages.

Continue reading Let It Be Sunday, 250! at Joy the Baker.

Sweet Little Pastry Cream Pumpkin Buns

I’ve got a little baking adventure for you!  It involves yeast, pumpkin and spice, and pastry cream.  Cranberries get all the glory come December but I’m not done with pumpkin just because pumpkin pie season is a few weeks past.  

This is a weekend recipe. The sort you bake up on a late Sunday morning with an extra cup of coffee.  There are plenty of steps to this recipe, and a good amount of whisking – but built in is also an hour or so on the couch to watch half of a Christmas movie while the dough rises.  

Have I planned out your Sunday?

Continue reading Sweet Little Pastry Cream Pumpkin Buns at Joy the Baker.

The Cookie Swap

Y’all. I’m not doing a gift guide this year.  There are enough people on the internet telling you to buy a lavender stand mixer or a set of rocks glasses for your father in law.  Enough is enough.  I’m taking it easy in the gifting department and leaning full body into cookies. 

The Bakehouse is quiet this month.  I decided not to hold any workshops and instead, take it a little slower this holiday season to leave room for reflection and ya know….

Continue reading The Cookie Swap at Joy the Baker.

Butter Braised French Onion White Bean Dip

I’ve got a lot of things on my mind this time of year: 

How can I keep my cat from climbing the Christmas tree in the middle of the night? 
Do I have enough wrapping paper and ribbon and why do I always forget to buy tape?
Can I just tear open my entire advent calendar because I have no patience at all?
Ok should I make my house smell like citrus and spices for this party or buttery cooked onions?

Continue reading Butter Braised French Onion White Bean Dip at Joy the Baker.