Joy Wilson's Blog, page 89

Let It Be Sunday, 147!

Hello sweet friends!  

Tell me you’re deep into this weekend feeling your finest!  I’ve indulgently got the heater running, and so far have the Christmas lights up on my tree.  It’s been one of those weekends with lots of joy and gathering, some chores and some sorrow, but here we are greeting another day with gratitude.  

Here’s some of the links that struck me this week.  I hope you find a handful of food reads: 

•  All the garbage comes and goes but be happy, be thankful – getting old helps.

Continue reading Let It Be Sunday, 147! at Joy the Baker.

Turkey Gravy Salted Caramels

This is me, creepin up behind you while you’re whisking together your Thanksgiving gravy tomorrow.  This is me, whispering in your ear as you’re pouring gravy into the gravy boat.  This is me, asking to lick the gravy spoon.  This is me, encouraging you to set aside (hide, really) some Thanksgiving gravy to transform into salty-sweet caramels this coming weekend.  

WHAT?  

Yes.  

Turkey gravy, in all of its savory saltiness, in a CANDY.  It’s possible, it’s delightful, it’s inspired by the Detroit ladies of BonBon Chocolate.  

Think about it.  You love a salted caramel.

Continue reading Turkey Gravy Salted Caramels at Joy the Baker.

Pumpkin Spice Tiramisu

I’ll tell you now that, as a former bakery counter girl at The Cheesecake Factory (heeeelllppp), I know my way around a tiramisu.  When I say I know my way around a tiramisu, please know that I mean, I would happily thaw out a tray of their frozen tiramisu and take the first, freshest slice all for myself.  No shame in the game. Listen… if you’re going to make me wear those awful white jeans and long white apron… expect that there are consequences by way of me eating all of your desserts at my whim. 

This week I’m offering a no-bake take on pumpkin dessert at my Thanksgiving table inspired by my sneaky bites of tiramisu from years past.  

Lady finger cookies are soaked to soft in very strong coffee that’s been spiked with bourbon.

Continue reading Pumpkin Spice Tiramisu at Joy the Baker.

Let It Be Sunday, 146!

Hello sweet friends! 

Do you already have your Thanksgiving turkey?  Are you making some sort of vegan turducken with eight different kinds of squash?  I’ve been looking forward to this holiday moment for months and here I am feeling like it snuck up on me. This might just be anticipatory anxiety and I’m here (shoveling candy corn in my mouth) to tell you this is something we can work through. 

I hope this day treats you well.

Continue reading Let It Be Sunday, 146! at Joy the Baker.

Crepe Paper Poinsettia Tutorial

Hello friends!

One of the most satisfying hobbies I’ve taken up this year is making paper flowers.  If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll see them speckled throughout my life.  I’m playing with everything form dainty tissue paper roses to grand and sculptural magnolia flowers.  

Most recently I’m making crepe paper poinsettia flowers to decorate my Christmas tree.  Poinsettias naturally come in a surprising array of pinks, creams, and salmons that feel more fresh and have more depth and variation than the traditional red flower.  

Together with my personal paper flower guru, Suzonne Stirling, we’ve put together a crepe paper poinsettia tutorial for you.  

Here are some things to keep in mind if this is your first dip into the paper flower craft: 

•  it’s addictive- making something so beautiful from humble paper

•  like anything new, paper flower making feels foreign and daunting at times- but anything beautiful is worth working through. 

•  don’t feel like you have to buy every paper on the list below.  One or two colors for the bracts (these are what poinsettia petals are called) and two colors for the center 

•  get a friend in on this hobby too!  It’s great to share supplies and spend time doing something new together! 

Here’s how this tutorial goes: 

First we’ll gather our materials
We’ll prep our paper by speckling or striping it with alcohol ink (optional)
We’ll make the flower centers
We’ll cut, glue, wire and assemble our bracts 
We’ll assemble the flower
We’ll celebrate our new talents

Materials:

180 gram crepe paper in desired color palette* – see links just below

22 and 24-gauge, white cloth-covered floral wire

18-gauge, green cloth-covered floral wire

Sharp scissors

Aleene’s Tacky Glue

Self-adhesive floral tape in light or moss green

Wire cutters (or old scissors you don’t mind dulling)

Optional Materials:

Alcohol Ink in Watermelon for speckled paper, Watermelon and Peach Bellini or Salmon for striped paper 

Rubbing Alcohol

Alcohol Ink Blender

Small spray bottle

Plastic garbage bag

Paper towels

*Good colors for our palette – choose a few colors you like.

Continue reading Crepe Paper Poinsettia Tutorial at Joy the Baker.

Let It Be Sunday, 145!

Hello my friends! Happy Sunday! 

How are you doing?  How are we doing?  How many men have told you to smile this week?  I’m at 2.  Thank you for the feedback, gentlemen.  Do me a quick favor and mind your own business FOREVER AND EVER.  It has felt like, these past few weeks, the flood gates of sexual misconduct have opened wide.  What is there to say?  I mean… yea.  I feel grateful that the lights are shining on this issue.  I feel frustrated that this is even an issue.  I feel exhausted by my own experience with this garbage.  I see who the President is.  And then the whole cycle of emotions starts over with another news revelation.  

Maybe that’s why I spend my free brainspace thinking about my upcoming Christmas decorations.  

This past week felt like it lasted a year.  Here are some of the things that reached me: 

•  Again.  How To Reduce Shootings.  It’s not black and white.

Continue reading Let It Be Sunday, 145! at Joy the Baker.

Beer Cheddar Sauce for Pretzels and Other Carbs

I’ll tell you what, there aren’t many problems that can’t be solved with a hearty bowl of warm cheese sauce.  At least that’s what I’m telling myself lately.  

I made this cheese sauce for a big ol’ pretzel party I held at The Bakehouse a few weeks back.  We went through it.  I can’t be sure some people didn’t double dip but really, could you blame them? 

The pretzels you might recognize from these Sourdough Everything Pretzel.  It’s by go-to recipe but that’s mostly because I try to keep a sourdough starter in my fridge.  If you want to get at some soft pretzel action, here’s another recipe that doesn’t require a starter.  

Whatever you do… cheese sauce.  Mmmmkay, let’s play. 

Ok here’s what you’ll need:

 lots of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
butter and flour, for a thickening roux
whole milk
and beer!  It is beer sauce, afterall.  A light beer will be best, a pilsner. 
whole grain mustard and Worchestershire sauce
salt and coarse black pepper + chili powder and garlic powder.

Continue reading Beer Cheddar Sauce for Pretzels and Other Carbs at Joy the Baker.

Carrot Coconut Red Curry Soup

There’s a certain type of autopilot I have to go on in the grocery store in order to not buy every eight dollar juice and bag of dark chocolate that my grumbling belly is asking for.  My autopilot leads me past the avocados for a squeeze test, past the onions and garlic with a grab for both, and inevitably I end up strolling past the carrots and placing a bag in my shopping cart. 

Honestly, I don’t know why I buy so many carrots.  I definitely don’t need all these carrots.  My produce drawer runneth over.  

SO!

Continue reading Carrot Coconut Red Curry Soup at Joy the Baker.

Let It Be Sunday ,144!

Hey it’s Sunday, let’s have some cake. 

Along with the extra hour that we get today as a bribe for having the deal with months of short days and Winter darkness… let’s just go ahead and eat cake too.  This Pear and Pecan Skillet Cake is a riff on the Fig and Almond Breakfast Cake I made a few years back.  Obviously what I’m trying to tell you is, pick a fruit and a nut and just go for it.  Cake is very approachable.

Continue reading Let It Be Sunday ,144! at Joy the Baker.

Peanut Butter, Bacon, and Banana French Toast Sandwiches

I’ve always thought of myself as a pretty standard breakfast person… you know, a scrambled egg, toast, and orange juice sort of situation.  Simple. Satisfying.

But as morning turns into late morning and hunger persists, my breakfast cravings get a little more OUT THERE- aka, I start to crave everything in the pantry.  See: peanut butter, bacon, and bananas in a breakfast sandwich.  It’s bonkers. It’s totally over the top.  But listen… we’re going into the weekend and this seems like as good a time as any to get a little nutty with breakfast.  Would now be a good time to mention that if you don’t yet have my brunch book, Over Easy, now is an excellent moment to add that to your collection.

Continue reading Peanut Butter, Bacon, and Banana French Toast Sandwiches at Joy the Baker.