Beer Fruit Cocktail Sangria inspired by Warm Bodies

Let's talk zombie fiction in the form of the movie Warm Bodies today. There are two types of zombies in Warm Bodies, and neither are your typical brain-dead roamers. First we have what seem like the typical slow-moving, grunt-to-communicate zombies, but via the magic of the voice-over, we find out that there really are thoughts going on inside their heads (or at least in the head of our main character, "R"). However, they've sort of accepted their station and rove around in packs looking for food (aka humans) outside of the airport where they've taken up residence.

When these zombies consume the brains of their victims, they absorb their memories. "R" enjoys eating brains because through these memories, he actually feels more alive. One day his group runs into a group of humans and actually feels the human emotion of attraction for the first time since the zombie apocalypse began. During the fight between R's hoard and the group of humans, he unknowingly kills the boyfriend of Julie (the one that caught his clouded eye), and as he's eating his brain, gets glimpses with her in them.

Ambrosia Salad | Edward Scissorhands #Burtoween

It's October, which means it's time for all things spooky and kookie. In that spirit, the Fandom Foodies group theme for the month is #Burtoween! Carrie at Witchy Kitchen is our host and she has invited everybody to participate in this spooktacular feast by creating recipes pulled from or inspired by Tim Burton films. Whether he wrote, directed, produced, or did the art work—they are fair game! For more info on how to participate, visit #Burtoween at Witchy Kitchen!

I'd been meaning to do a dish inspired by Edward Scissorhands for months, so this was the perfect opportunity for me to cross that off my list! I didn't go creepy (I know, boring), but who could resist the allure of a retro dish that is somewhat quirky? Not I.

Triple Cherry Pie inspired by Twin Peaks | #FridayPieDay

About one month ago, I finally watched Twin Peaks. The first episode originally aired when I was a freshman in high school. I vaguely remember it coming out, but I think I was too young to be on the in where it was concerned. I've thought about watching it here and there over the years, but there were two things that really made me decide that now was the time to watch it.

The first being that there is a 25-year special coming out sometime soon—this year I believe. I wanted to be ready for that. But the real push actually came from a podcast that I recently discovered called Fiction Kitchen Podcast. I listened to a few minutes of their Twin Peaks episode before deciding that I really wanted to know what they were talking about...so I hit stop and binge-watched Twin Peaks before coming back to listen to that (or any other) episode.

Cherry Buttermilk Popsicles

Did you know that there is actually an "official" time period for the dog days of summer? I've always considered them to be the hottest, stickiest days of the season and for the most part, I was right. But according to infoplease:

"Dog Days is the name for the most sultry period of summer, from about July 3 to Aug. 11. Named in early times by observers in countries bordering the Mediterranean, the period was reckoned as extending from 20 days before to 20 days after the conjunction of Sirius (the dog star) and the sun."

Kinda cool, right? It also says that the days can vary a bit due to a difference in latitude since the movement of the equinoxes changes gradually over long periods of time. So, give or take. I always feel like they extend well into August in these parts.

Red Fruit Salad

Red. The color of love and passion. It's bold. It's exciting. It draws the most eyes in any crowd. It disappears first in any candy jar. So, while it's important to eat the rainbow in order to get the best variety of nutrients and antioxidants, sometimes you just have to throw caution to the wind and embrace the intensity that is RED!

Who doesn't go crazy for sweet, juicy red fruit and berries at their peak? Who else has to purchase an extra pint of wild strawberries from the farmers market...just so that you'll actually have some left by the time you get home?

I've probably mentioned it a time or five before—for me, there's no season like cherry season. Is it wrong to eat one's weight in cherries? I think not.

Cherry Crunch Pie

It's the last Friday of the month, and that means...PIE! My visions for #fridaypieday included not only posts that included new pie recipes, but also some that featured different techniques, pie making tool reviews and recommendations, the occasional pie shop review, and some pie-centered cookbook reviews. So, when I was offered a copy of The Norske Nook Book of Pies and Other Recipes, I accepted.

So, first a little history. The Norske Nook is actually a small-town café that was founded in 1973 in Osseo, Wisconsin by Helen Myhre. Her hard work ethic and sense of family made the farm-style meals and pies attract media attention, which in turn brought tourism to the small town. Jerry Bechard bought the café from Myhre in the late 80's, when she decided it was time to retire and write a cookbook.

The heartwarming story of the start of Norske Nook and the change of hands, and how it grew to its now four Wisconsin locations—the café in Osseo, plus three others in Rice Lake, Eau Claire, and Hayward—is found in the 9 page introduction written by Bechard. I recommend taking some time to sit down and read this intro before you dive into the reicpes. (I think) the insight will put you into the right frame of mind, as well as make Wisconsin a travel destination in your very near future.

Cream Cheese and Cherry Buns

It's that time again; time to share our monthly bread baked for the #TwelveLoaves group. With this month's theme being cheese, I naturally gravitated towards a savory loaf. As a matter of fact, I'd even mixed up rye starter than had just started bubbling and smelling reminiscent of cider mill, with plans of making Bauernbrot mit Käse (a German farmers loaf that I was going to work some Aged Havarti into). But that changed once I spied a copy of Make Ahead Bread: 100 Recipes for Melt-in-Your-Mouth Fresh Bread Every Day at the library.

Why, you ask? Well, this book is written by fellow blogger (and #TwelveLoaves member) Donna Currie of Cookistry, and I'd been meaning to get my hands on a copy ever since it was released last November.  As I flipped through the pages, a photo of Blueberry and Cream Cheese Buns with Lemon Zest caught my eye. If you know me, then you know I'm a sucker for sweet buns. These buns happened to have (cream) cheese in them. After asking Donna if she minded me sharing the recipe, visions of a sweet bun with breakfast made me put that savory loaf on hold.

I only adapted slightly. Donna mentions switching out the dried blueberries for cherries, and I did that. I actually really wanted to use blueberries, but I didn't have any in the pantry, and the closest markets didn't have any either. I wanted them, but I was too lazy to drive around looking for them. So, cherries it was. Since cherry and almond go hand-in-hand, I subbed almond extract for the vanilla extract originally called for in the dough. Other than that, I kept ingredients and amounts the same. If you have a digital kitchen scale, weighing the flour will give you the perfect amount, no need to adjust (and if you don't - GO BUY ONE!).

One-Pan Sausage, Squash, and Onion Roast + 46 more Winter Squash Recipes

Aaaaaaaah, best intentions. Sometimes they just don't work out the way we planned. You may remember back in November when I kicked-off the Twelve Weeks of Winter Squash with this Sesame and Chile Roasted Butternut Squash. I was excited for another year of delving deeper into the world of winter squash. I was determined to find new ways to use them, and to use the ones I use less often. Alas, I did really well for the first six weeks—and then I dropped the ball.

Life started moving at a dizzying pace, the end of the year was upon us (which I know is supposed to be a joyous time, but for me, it's always the most stressful). Winter squash sat on my counter, neglected. I kept thinking I'd get to a recipe later, and squeak in towards the end of the week. Before I knew it, it was the next week, and I'd be saying the same thing. I did manage to complete one winter squash recipe in the final six weeks. Lame.

A few of my winter squash compatriots actually did manage to delve deeper, and post all twelve weeks, though—to them I take my hat off. So today, I'm sharing a simple one-pan recipe featuring Acorn squash, but I'm also sharing the entire list of recipes made by the Twelve Weeks of Winter Squash group throughout our event this year.

Cherry Cream Cheese Danish

I may have mentioned once or twice or fifteen times that I adore cherries. That may have something to do with the fact that I grew up in Michigan, where cherry trees are a-plenty! I've told stories of teetering human towers that were made in pursuit of reaching those orbs dangling from high branches. I've regaled you with tales of hands stained red for days and the sweet juice dribbling down the chins of young and old alike on the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan.

Cherry pies, cherry cobblers, cherry jam. Red cherries, black cherries, yellow-marbled cherries, and those fleeting tart cherries that horde like I've got issues when they are ready for picking in mid-July.

Yes, I love me some cherries.