banana macadamia pancakes with orange butter

One of the things I felt obligated to do (and wanted to do) when my parents were out to visit was take them to a few of the popular tourist attractions. I've already told you about our excursions to Pike Place Market, the Dahlia Lounge (though I certainly wouldn't define it as "touristy"), and the Space Needle, but we also took half-day trips to Snohomish for antiquing, and to Snoqualmie Falls to see, well, the falls. I'm not really an outdoorsy person. Camping and hiking don't interest me much because, though I certainly appreciate the opportunity to admire nature's grandeur, I don't feel the need to hang out in it for extended periods of time. Snoqualmie Falls, however, welcomes impatient visitors like me. When you arrive, you can park your car and then walk just 50 yards to a large covered deck that overlooks the waterfall. If you're feeling particularly motivated, you can also hike one-half mile down to the base of the falls. If not, you can go back to the car (stopping at the gift shop on your way) or walk just another 50 yards to the lovely Salish Lodge and Spa for one of their famous country breakfasts. This, friends, is my kind of outdoorsy experience.

whole-wheat banana nut bread

My refrigerator is empty. That can mean only one of two things: either I have lost my interest in cooking, or I'm so wrapped up in other things that I haven't had a chance to do anything more in my kitchen than make a bowl of cereal or heat up a can of soup. I think we all know it isn't the former. However, since most of those other things that are keeping me busy are good things, I can't really complain. (Except about that soup, which was terrible.) I really thought about cooking something a little more ambitious this weekend, but life got in the way then, too. In fact, the only reason I was able to make banana bread today is because I bought the bananas -- lime green at the time -- over a week ago. They were starting to reach the use-'em-or-lose-'em stage, so I put down the stack of resumes I was pouring over and mashed up the bananas for my favorite quick bread.

polentina with bananas & maple syrup

Ever since I picked up Anna Karenina again (almost done!), I've been thinking a lot about books -- the books I read as a child, bestsellers I want to read, and classic novels I haven't made it to yet. It seems other people are on a book kick now as well. The Kitchn has a series of posts called The Hungry Reader, which focus on food and culinary topics in literature, and I recently received an invitation to a baby shower where the mom-to-be wants to start her baby off with a personalized library. To that end, she is asking everyone to bring a children's book for the new baby in lieu of cards. I think this is a great idea. What do people do with all the cards they receive anyway?

dutch baby pancake

I have been wanting to make a Dutch baby for quite some time -- the idea of a breakfast food that puffs up spectacularly in the oven is just too much for me to resist. However, I try to keep caloriffic pancakes out of my regular baking repertoire, so this recipe has been sitting in my file for a while, just waiting for a special occasion for me to make it. And what better occasion than Easter? I'm sure Jesus would have totally been down with the warm, custardy center and cinnamony goodness of a Dutch baby, especially after spending three days in a tomb.

vegetable frittata with cilantro chile sauce

I love breakfast. Though I seldom eat it (I know, shame on me), it's my favorite meal of the day. Growing up, Saturday morning was the only day my family ate breakfast together. It was always the same thing: scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, and biscuits or toast. (Someday, if I'm feeling very, very generous, maybe I'll post the recipe for our homemade grape jelly. Best I've ever had. Period.) Perhaps, though the menu was always the same, that's where my fascination began. There was nothing quite like waking up on a crisp fall Saturday to the smell of bacon frying in the kitchen. I seldom make scrambled eggs anymore, but I do have a tendency to occasionally view my net worth as a cook by the depth of my breakfast repertoire. Who cares if I've never made beef wellington from scratch? If I can turn out an unbeatable scone, I must be worth my salt.

scones, one hundred ways

I love to make things like muffins, quick breads, and scones because once you find a good basic recipe, you can endlessly modify it to make variations for every mood or season. Fresh blueberry muffins in July, apple cinnamon muffins in October -- same recipe, minor fruit and spice adjustment. The food services department at Notre Dame made great scones (don't laugh - their dining halls are regularly ranked among the best in the country), but I haven't made or purchased a decent one since I left. Tully's and Starbuck's were dry and tasteless. Even the one I bought from a boutique bakery at Pike Place was more puck-like than pleasing. (And if you're in need of stones for an upcoming landscaping project, this recipe should do the trick.)