Mom, the Lunch Lady

Chewy, buttery and creamy, these blondies are spiked with Irish Cream whiskey and swirled with slightly tart raspberry jam. What are blondies? Basically they are similar to brownies, but made with brown sugar and butter, rather than cocoa powder. They are just as deliciously chewy and addictive as brownies, but are not chocolatey in any way. My mom would make blondies for us often when we were growing up; calling them butterscotch brownies. I always seem to forget about blondies when thinking about baking, but I remembered these little gems when trying to think of a fun St.Patrick's Day recipe.  We always have Baileys Irish Cream Whiskey on hand over the holidays. I am not a coffee drinker, so I never really drink it. The only time I've had Baileys, has been in food. Recipes like my Baileys Sugar Fudge and an amazing cheesecake one of my girlfriends has treated us to in the past. I'll also admit that I'm not a huge drinker, so the spirits we buy over the holidays usual...

 This traditional Irish cake, has beautifully tender crumb and is studded with slightly tart apples. The warm spices and clove make this an intoxicating dessert, perfectly paired with a cup of tea, or coffee. Being a food blogger, it seems like you need to be on top of every single food trend, or holiday, or be left in the dust. Many blogs have been posting St. Patrick's Day recipes for weeks, but I haven't really thought about it until last week. I figured I should get at least a few recipes up, for this time of year. It seems like every single blogger out there is posting some fun, imaginative, creative and unique St. Patrick's Day recipe. It's hard to post a recipe, without somebody somewhere thinking their idea has been copied. So, I decided to stick to more traditional recipes that you might possibly find in Ireland. Like this Irish Apple Cake. Simple yet delicious recipes such as this one, have been passed down through generations in Ireland. Said to have been pri...

Sucre a la Creme, Sugar Fudge, or Penuche is similar to fudge but has a distinctly different grainy and crumbly texture. The addition of Bailey's Irish Creme liqueur make this perfect for St. Patrick's Day! For years, my mom has visited several times per year, for a week or so. It was a great time for us to enjoy each other's company and a nice little break for my Dad. But seriously, it was usually when my Dad would go away on hunting excursions. Since the pandemic, we haven't been able to visit much and I miss both my parents terribly. When mom can come and visit, I love having her here! Not only is it nice to have someone to chat with,  and it's great to have another adult that appreciates the new recipes I'm always trying. Rather than hearing negative comments and refusals to eat dinner, Mom is always happy to dig into anything I create. When she visits, we always brainstorm recipes and late one night, I mentioned making Sucre a la Creme. Mom learned h...