Why I love this insane weather. And...giveaway winners!

So Spring is here. And yet, the rain continues. Rain, wind, hail, lightning. Truly wintery, gray, “I-don’t-want-to-go-out-in-this” weather. Complain about it all you like—You are entitled. It’s pretty nasty—but in spite of all that, I love it.

No, maybe it’s because of all that. I love curling up inside with a warm cup of tea, listening to the rain beat against the house. I love walking about in the rain—umbrella or not—and getting that fresh, sharp, cool air into my lungs. I love the smell of the wet earth. I love clouds and rainbows. I love the way we can have spring and winter simultaneously, as though this little corner of the world were a bit bipolar. I love seeing bright pops of color in the brave little flowers that insist upon blooming through the gale. I mean, even if you’re longing for the summer sun, surely the bursts of flowery color can bring you a little cheer.

Bring on those wild weather changes. I’ve got my rainboots, layered clothing, and a cup of tea. I’m ready. Plus, summer will be here all too soon and we’ll be moaning about the ridiculous heat. Let’s enjoy some wet weather while we have it. :)

Thank you all for your comments on our giveaway post via tumblr and facebook. We have selected a winner! celery, for your inspiring, summery post about salad with avocado, you win a dozen banana chocolate chip cookies! Yay! And we will definitely attempt your tropical salad recipe very soon. (Note for summer-loving readers: This salad is quite possibly a cure for the winter-is-too-long-blues, if you’ve got them. Check out the comments section on the last post for a quick taste of island goodness.) And celery, email us at wordsandwhimsy@gmail.com to claim your delicious prize. 

Thanks for participating, folks, and if you didn’t win, don’t worry. We’ll have more giveaways soon. 

--Chelsea

Are you a cook or a baker?

It seems like everyone who likes preparing food is always either a baker or a cook. Rarely both.

We are a perfect example of this dichotomy. Brandie and I both love to eat, and we love to prepare food. We take turns cooking dinner and each bake desserts frequently.

However, we do not have equal talents.

I can bake, and I love it. I can make simple cookies and complicated cakes, triple-layer cheesecakes and delicate tarts. I’m pretty undaunted by any task involving baking. Perhaps the ability stems from my deep love of all sugary foods.

However, get me to cook something as simple as, oh, say, rice, and I blanch. I literally cannot prepare rice. Something in my genetic code renders me helpless when faced with that simple task. Similarly, eggs and I don’t get along either. They end up chewy or slimy or just plain wrong. It’s not that I can’t cook at all or that I don’t enjoy it… it’s just that it takes a lot of work, and often the result is unsatisfactory.

For Brandie, the opposite is true. She looks at a recipe for Irish cream pie and gets a look of disbelief on her face. She has a habit of burning chocolate chip cookies. She can bake, but she doesn’t enjoy it much.

But boy, can she cook! Brandie makes the best breakfast I’ve ever eaten, and she’s great at experimenting with ingredients. Her rice comes out perfectly; her chicken is perfectly moist; her eggs are magically fluffy and creamy at the same time. You can’t teach that kind of perfection. I’m convinced some people are just born with it.

So, which are you? Luckily for us, we’ve figured out how to fill in the gaps for one another. Thank God, because I can’t stand my rice burned, and Brandie loves a perfectly-gooey cookie. :)

Check back tomorrow for one of our favorite easy recipes, Spicy Caribbean Tilapia. It’s always a crowd-pleaser.

Happy Valentine’s Day Eve!

-Chelsea

Experimental cookies and a delicious giveaways

Bananas and chocolate are a perfect pair. Indeed, even the most hard-hearted person melts a little bit at the taste of a chocolate-dipped frozen banana or a slice of fresh-from the oven banana bread with a cup of hot chocolate. And you know that there has got to be a reason that banana split sundaes are so famous.

So, logically, adding a mashed banana to a batch of chocolate chip cookies is the perfect way to jazz up an old favorite. One day we found ourselves with an over-ripe banana that we didn't want to waste, and banana chocolate chip cookies were born.

They're warm, gooey and perfectly sweet. Why didn't we think of this before?

We've experimented a lot with these cookies so far, adding oatmeal for a heartier cookie, adding cinnamon or more banana for a heightened banana-bread-esque taste. The last time we made these, we chopped up chocolate bars instead of using chips. They're really delicious in any variation.

Make these cookies yourself by following our recipe below (or experiment with your own chocolate chip cookie recipe).

And as our last (and regretfully belated) food-month giveaway, WIN a dozen fresh-baked handfuls of experimental perfection. Just comment on this post (tell us about a cooking experiment gone right or wrong) for a chance to win!

1 cup butter, softened

¾ cup brown sugar                                                                 

¾ cup granulated sugar

1-2 mashed ripe bananas

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 ¼ cup flour

1 cup quick oats (optional)

1 or 1 ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and sugars till fluffy. Add banana, eggs and vanilla; beat till smooth.  Add flour, salt, baking soda and mix thoroughly. Stir in chocolate chips and oats.  Drop batter in rounded spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

The first time I heard about these milkshakes, they were featured on a Travel Channel foods show. The description floored me. Could there really be such a thing? Toasted marshmallows are hot. Milkshakes are frozen. Intrigued by the contradiction, I determined instantly to make my own version. Brandie wasn’t so sure. The thought of sipping marshmallows through a straw, frozen, seemed too wrong. But I think I convinced her with this recipe.  Give it a try! You won’t be disappointed.

—-

Toasted Marshmallow Milkshakes

Like the ones from The Stand in NYC

(recipe adapted from this one at Gourmet.com)

One half gallon of high-quality vanilla bean ice cream (you may use more or less than a half gallon)

20 jumbo marshmallows plus more for garnish

One half cup of milk (more or less depending on desired consistency… I like mine super-thick, so I might use a little less)

Whipped cream

Seriously, that’s it!

—-

Toast the marshmallows. You can do this the old-school (and better) way, over an open fire. Or you can toast them in the oven on the broiler setting. Make them a deep golden brown. The toastier they are, the more potent the flavor (but don’t burn them).

Immediately blend the hot, toasted marshmallows in the blender till smooth. Whip them with about half the milk.

Add the vanilla ice cream and whip till blended.

Pour into glasses and garnish with whipped cream and a toasted marshmallow or two on top.

Sip slowly and enjoy!