Friday Favorites – Episode 120

For the first week in quite a while, I spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen this week.  It was a nice change, and I enjoyed having some time to be elbow deep in bread flour and butter.  I’m sure by the time next week rolls around, I’ll be busy again… But, for now I’m just enjoying my time in the kitchen!

I also managed to keep up with my RSS reader this week… And, there were a lot of great blog posts to be read, along with some pretty awesome recipes. Here are a few I thought you might enjoy…

• It may be hard to believe, but lately I’ve been craving healthier dishes and less sweets. It’s true… And, this Spaghetti with Kale and Tomato Sauce from bell’alimento is at the top of my list. I should also mention that the photos are absolutely gorgeous.
• I’ve also been baking quite a bit of homemade bread… I think maybe it’s the cold weather that just gets me in a baking mood. Next week, I think I need to make time to try this Focaccia Bread from Brown Eyed Baker. It looks pretty phenomenal, if you ask me!
• I’m a firm believer in baking with pumpkin all year round… Each year I make homemade puree and keep a stock of it in the freezer. And, now I know what to do with some of it. I can’t wait to try this Pumpkin Streussel Coffee Cake from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures!
• I love Mexican food… I am a big fan of bold flavors.  So, when I saw this recipe for Potatoes and Chorizo from Handle the Heat, I couldn’t believe that I’d never made it before. I’ll be remedying that very soon.
• This winter I’ve become somewhat obsessed with Chai tea… So, I can’t wait to make these Chai Pancakes from Sugarcrafter. There’s snow in the forecast here on Saturday, so I’m thinking we might have to celebrate with a big pancake breakfast!