May 2014 Wrap-up

I know it’s such a boring and cliche thing to say, but seriously?!  I cannot believe May is over.  This entire year has flown by me way too quickly.

I think it means I need to actually get more done, instead of lazing around, waiting for the days to pass me by.

And you know me, I love remembering where I’ve been as much as I love planning where I’m going, which means it’s time for another monthly wrap-up post.

May was actually a really fun month for me, food-wise.  I participated in Brunch Week, which was enough incentive for me to finally learn to make homemade Pumpernickel Bagels, which is something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.  I also had my friend Diane share her tried and true royal icing recipe with you.

And, there was Raspberry Sorbet.  This is honestly one of my favorite recipes ever, and I suspect I’ll be making it all summer long.

All in all, while I’m not exactly anxious to move into June (slow down, time!), I am looking forward to sharing my June recipes with you!

	Pumpernickel Bagels I adore pumpernickel bread, so these pumpernickel bagels were a perfect choice for Brunch Week!  They are really tasty fresh, with a rich rye and molasses flavor.
	Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins This is one of the recipes I am most proud of.  This flavorful muffin has a great texture, thanks to oats, and a sweet side, thanks to chunks of bittersweet chocolate.
	Cinnamon Coffee Cake This coffee cake is warm and comforting, a great way to start your day!  The generous amount of crumb topping might be my favorite part.
	Double Chocolate Cookies These rich chocolate cookies are lightly spiced for an interesting depth of flavor.  The chocolate chips could also be substituted with white chocolate chips.
	Royal Icing Diane from Created by Diane shared this easy and reliable recipe for royal icing with us.  It’s a great way to make cute customized cookies and cupcakes!
	Toasted Coconut Popcorn Popcorn and toasted coconut with a sweet buttery glaze makes a great weekend snack.  Quick and easy to make, this recipe feeds a crowd!
	Raspberry Sorbet Fresh raspberries + 4 more common ingredients is all you need to make this refreshing sorbet.  Not too tart, not too sweet, it’s a great alternative to ice cream.
	S’mores Cookies These graham cracker chocolate chip cookies with toasted marshmallow frosting were a gift for my nephew for his birthday.  I think I want some for my birthday too!

In other news, I decided to roast some bananas this month.  I turned them into a Roasted Banana Cake with Brown Butter Cinnamon Frosting, which I had trouble keeping my fingers out of, and which I shared with My Cooking Spot this month.

I started a new Pinterest board, this one filled with all kinds of great food from high-quality food blogs.  Follow Food Blog Favorites here.

I also decided that since I make desserts with buttermilk so frequently, I would collect them all in one place for you.  After all, who uses the entire carton of buttermilk in one recipe?  There’s always buttermilk to spare.  Figure out what to make with your leftover buttermilk here.

Want to know what’s coming up in June?  Well, I can’t tell you everything, but I can give you this one hint… Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Lots and lots and lots of chocolate chip cookies.

As always, send your questions, comments, and suggestions to me at: jen@jensfavoritecookies.com.  See you in June, my friends!