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Culinary Challenge Week #26

Featured by Tally Ragsdale, posted in Baking

Welcome back to the culinary cooking challenge! And this week we tackled Sleepy Hallow. Let’s get to it!

I mean it’s creamy and fishy, so yeah it was amazing. Not the best clam chowder ever(that I got while visiting Door County, WI. read here) but still very good.

And it was even better with these ginormous rolls. They were absolutely fantastic!! Like so fluffy and perfect. I will be making these again and again and again.

I mean it was a good spinach salad…. But nothing spectacular or anything. Definitely a pretty salad.

Speaking of spectacular this is probably my new favorite cake. It is extremely sweet and moist. I think ate most of this by myself… *oops*

First off make sure you really, really grease your pans. These babies stick like crazy. They are also amazingly tasty and uniquely different from my normal breakfast go to fare. So yes I liked them. (Tay did too in case you were wondering)

So I botched this recipe(hence why there is no pretty crow on my bread) but it was still a delicious bread. I can’t wait to try this recipe again and do it correctly.

Someone say yay! I love baking scones. Probably next to bread in my favorite things to make. These Pumpkin Scone got better with age and the maple icing was by far the best part.

Autumn Chicken and Roasted Veggies 6 out of 10

So this chicken+veggie sheet meal was not nearly as good as other chicken dishes I have made. Just another run of your mill meal.

Last but not least were theses “okay” gingersnap cookies. I love gingersnap cookies! They’re probably my favorite after snickerdoodle and that’s why these were kinda disappointing. Super cute but in the end lacking.

And that is it! We are out of town this next week, so we will be back with another cooking challenge the week after that. But what did you guys think of our Sleepy Hallow recipes? Let me know in the comments down below.

Lots of love,

Tally

Culinary Challenge Week #25

Featured by Tally Ragsdale, posted in Baking

And welcome back! Or at least welcome back for the next two weeks. After that Tay and I are off on vacation(more on that later) But for this week’s culinary challenge are word was picnic. So basically anything that could get packed in a picnic basket. Here we go!

Not exactly the most healthy potato salad but I mean what potato salads are healthy. (Answer not many) High in calories and bacon, this was not bad. I can’t say I’ll be in a hurry to repeat it. But it wasn’t awful.

So these would have been amazing if I had put holes in all of them. The donut nuggets were not cooked all the way through(pretty much cooked just very slightly underdone) Which was distressing. But the proper donuts were fantastic!

These were buttery and delicious! They were really good two days after and reheated. I will be making these again and again and again.

The first night was definitely the best night for this soup as the noodles absorbed all the broth making it more like chicken and noodles. But of course that was tasty too.

I made my own authentic French puff pastry!!! It took 3 days to make it but oh was it worth it!! These completely homemade hand pies are the bomb. As a friend told me and I quote:

That pastry – the apple one DIVINE! Better than in any bakery I’ve been to or tasted! Truly. Sublime! 🙃☺️
-My Friend

So this salad wasn’t necessarily bad it’s just my Mom makes an absolutely amazing crab salad and this one wasn’t very good compared to it. That being said Tay enjoyed it.

So I did get my crackers thin and crispy enough that they made the cracker crunch. Unfortunately my spices were off just a bit so they weren’t very “tasty”. They didn’t taste bad they just didn’t taste much anything.

Yes we went on a picnic after our traditional long Monday Hike.

And that is it for Picnic Week! We will be back next week for a new week of cooking and baking. Our word is very appropriate for this time of year… Sleepy Hallow. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Lots of love,

Tally

Culinary Challenge Week 24

Featured by Tally Ragsdale, posted in Baking, Lifestyle

Oh man! I knew French cooking would be fantastic, but I didn’t realize how absolutely amazing it was going to be. Without further ado, here is French Week.

Umm this is probably my favorite bread ever- it’s flaky, buttery crescent roll layers just got better and better as the days progressed. It tastes amazing with soup, jam and of course all by itself! (And as you will see later it makes great French Toast as week)

I also think this may be my favorite soup ever! This is absolutely fantastic! I literally could eat it every day and not grow tired of it.

I did it!!!! I made buttery, fluffy, heavenly croissants!!! I laminated the dough and everything! I am so, so, so, so, so proud. And yes they were totally worth the work of two days. And I would do it again in a heart beat.

Not the first time I have made this veggie delight(my mom and I used to make it often) and it will definitely not be the last. I was fortunate to use veggies I bought at the local farmers market. Making to taste infinitely better.

If I was scoring this dish from a technical standpoint I would say I did an amazing job! And while

Yes Deuxie thought the French toast it was good too! Made for a very yummy Monday morning.

These were the perfect balance of nutty goodness and sweetness. I could make madeleines all the time. These delicate French pastries were a huge hit with everyone who tried them.

A very yummy and easy to make salad. Would make again for sure.

And we finished the week off with a very sweet and rich treat one chilly fall night. We both agreed we could get used to finishing everyday with a pipping hot cup of French Hot chocolate.

And that is it! It was a beautiful and delicious week. I am going to say it again… Probably my favorite week so far. (Lol) So I am out of town this next week and therefore will not be cooking. Just digesting and remembering French Week.

Lots of love,

Tally

Culinary Challenge Week #23

Featured by Tally Ragsdale, posted in Baking

Welcome back my lovelies for another soaring week of food! We took the Highlands for our culinary inspiration and came up with some interesting success and surprising disappointments.

These milky buns were truly delicious. Because if their soft taste I could easily see why they are favored by the Scott’s at breakfast. Though they’re good any time of day if you ask me.

This soup was yummy but not earth shattering, which was kind of disappointing. It’s been a while since we’ve had a soup knock it out of the ball park.

This harvest salad however was the bomb. I had no idea what farro was but I have quickly decided I love it. and can’t wait to have it again.

Speaking of something Tay and I can’t wait to have again is a Hot Totty. It definitely warms you up from the inside out and it was perfect for a chilly fall evening.

Oh okay why do we not have these as mainstream in a America?!? It’s an egg, surrounded in sausage and deep fried. It sounds exactly like something we would eat. I highly HIGHLY recommend.

So these were disgusting. In my personal opinion. As Tay described, “They were too sweet. Too naturally sweet.” So yeah… Yuck!

However this was spectacular! Taylor said it was one of her favorite things we have made yet. Which is high praise indeed. She’s still stuck on Italian week when we made homemade Shrimp Scampi.

You can’t have a pot pie without potatoes and these creamy version there of were pretty good. Not bad at all.

This however was bad. Just bland as all get out. We did not enjoy it. Like at all. I’m not sure if I made it wrong or what.

And that is it! So yeah it was kinda a mixed bag week. But this coming week… We’ll let’s just say I have been looking forward to it since we started this crazy adventure. That’s right it’s finally French week! (Swoon)

Lots of love,

Tally

Culinary Challenge Week #22

Featured by Tally Ragsdale, posted in Baking

Welcome back to ole blog. I hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend and are ready for fall. I personally have been ready for the last month or so. But now I no longer look like a crazy person with her pumpkins out in August. Now I am perfectly normal again. (She said sarcastically)

Our word this week was Swedish and it was very yummy. Let’s jump into it!

So at first I disliked this Sourdough(though I ended up making it a fake sourdough) loaf. I mean it smelled absolutely fantastic, but it was a lot of work(it had to rise all freaking day). However this bread gets better as it gets older. Both Tay and I agreed that by the third day it was at its peak.

Buttery, boiled potatoes with a turnip? Yes please!

I. Am. Never. Making these again. The construction and frying of meatballs is an absolute pain! It is so much easier to buy the meatballs frozen. That being said these tasted like Swedish meatball perfection.

Oh my gosh!! These were fantastic! So do you guys know those ginormous tins of short beard cookies sold at Sam’s Club around Christmas? The pretzel looking ones? So these cookies are like those but infinitely better. Like a thousand percent better.

I really loved this soup. Tay not so much. It wasn’t the best soup we’ve made during this challenge, but it made for a week of yummy lunches.

This salad literally needs to be eaten the day it is made. It does not keep well at all. It wasn’t bad tasting though. Basically a vinegar bath with dill. So very light.

A spicy, heart warming drink- Yum! It was nice to have a different drink than apple cider, which I would drink on continuum if ya know… that was healthy.

And that is all we were able to cook this week with the holiday. Do any of these Swedish delicacies look yummy to you? Our next word(which Tay is super excited about) is Scottish. Look out Highlands here we come!

Lots of love,

Tally

Culinary Challenge Week #21

Featured by Tally Ragsdale, posted in Baking

Welcome back! Hope you guys are hungry this week, because Pizza week was a tremendous success. Everything was delicious and not one thing went sideways on me. (Lol)

Umm so this bacon and egg Keto, Gluten free breakfast pizza was probably the most delicious thing ever! I would make this/eat this again in a heart beat.

Pizza Soup with homemade croutons 10 out of 10

An interesting concept, when I looked for this recipe, but oh my if it isn’t amazing! Like the perfect marriage of tomato soup and pizza sauce drowned in cheese and topped with absolutely delectable homemade croutons. Frankly I don’t think I’ll ever be able to have store bought croutons again. They have gone the way of Pumpkin Pie. (I can not stand store bought pumpkin pie after making homemade last year- so gross!)

Yeah this unfortunately was too good and way too easy to make. Graham cracker cookie crust and a s’mores topping… Yummy!

And of course homemade Pizza 10 out of 10

Our next word is Swedish. Until next time…

Lots of love,

Tally

Culinary Challenge Week #20

Featured by Tally Ragsdale, posted in Baking

Welcome to a very special edition of the Culinary Cooking Challenge! Over twenty weeks ago(read here) my sister and I started on a grand adventure of cooking. And while we have missed a week here or there for various reasons for the most part we have stayed on task and created some amazing dishes!

With this being a milestone of epic proportions!(I mean come on! Twenty weeks is pretty impressive) We both decided to do something extra special and have Tay do the cooking. But before we get to Tay’s creations let’s do a brief recap of our weeks so far…

The countdown…

I’m not saying that’s a crap ton of food- but it is… It really is. And now for the recap of-

Week Twenty!

Taylor is the unofficial queen of mixing nonalcoholic drinks. Remember Caribbean week(here)? Anyway these shirleys were no exception. Very yummy.

Okay so in all honesty I made these- it has been a crappy week here and I needed baking release. So this streusel muffins were a necessity.

If you could only smell it! Steak strips, yeast rolls and steamed broccoli. All the things that make me happy. Tay’s meal for the week was very delicious.

Again I made the bread because that was thing Tay was not comfortable attempting.

Yeah so this was an epic cookie fail. Don’t let looks deceive you these chocolate chip cookies were actually… not the greatest. But In her defense she’d had a wonky evening and is super stressed about college starting up when she made these, so I think she did pretty darn well.

Our next word is Pizza!

Lots of love,

Tally

By the by Tay tried again and rocked these cookies!! 10 out of 10

Culinary Challenge Week #19

Featured by Tally Ragsdale, posted in Baking

So first off I want to apologize that my regular content has been lacking this month. It has been a crazy couple of weeks and my hands are up in the air as to what will happen next as far as life goes. (Anyone’s guess at this point) But hopefully I can get my content back up to scratch. Again super big apologize.

Anyway we are getting super close to the twentieth week of the culinary challenge and we are so excited for the extra special week! But more on that later for now let’s get to the blueberry inspired food.

At first I was on the fence about this salad, but seeing as how I practically ate all of it in four days I don’t think I can claim indifference. A very simple and delicious dish.

Focaccia Blueberry+Feta Bread 8 out of 10

So not as good as the Rosemary Focaccia we had back in Italian Week. But I mean with focaccia I feel like you can’t ever you dislike it.

Umm these ribs were amazing! Like I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to have bbq ribs any other way but smothered in blueberries. This is something I could see making again and again.

Speaking of something I would most certainly make again this cheesecake is fantastic. Taken from a recipe by Half-baked Harvest(one of my fav culinary queens) I highly recommend this deliciousness! In fact it desires another pic.

I forgot how messy it is to make biscuits. I haven’t made them since week four(here) My hands were covered in flour, batter and dyed blue by the berries. It was all worth the fuss and mess as these were so lovely warm covered in honey.

This was almost a perfect, 10-for-10 week and it was crazy delicious! I probably gained like five billion pounds.

And now for the moment we’ve all been waiting for! For our twentieth week Taylor is doing the COOKING!!! Everyone get excited. Until next time…

Lots of love,

Tally

Culinary Challenge Week #18

Featured by Tally Ragsdale, posted in Baking

Oh my gosh we are two weeks away from the 20th week!!! We might have to do something special when we get there… Until then here(a day late) is a bunch of very delicious Hungarian food!

This was probably my favorite thing of the week! Salted cucumbers covered in sour cream, chives, hot pepper and paprika. All the good things in life.

Sour Cream, Cabbage + Pork Casserole 8 out of 10

Oh look my second favorite dish of the week. I mean baked sour cream, how can you go wrong?

Lagos(Hungarian Fried Bread) 7 out of 10

Not as good as the Icelandic Donuts a few weeks back, but these deep fried cakes were definitely interesting. I can see why they’re a staple street food in Hungary.

So much like the cinnamon rolls I made(again Iceland week) but less sweet and more breakfast-y. This particular recipe made four(yes four!) loaves and thus a few of my friends and family were gifted rolls.

Not pictured this week are the crepes that I tried to make one morning… I have made French crepes before, which one would think would not be too different from Hungarian crepes. However the recipe for Hungarian crepes was no good and we ended up with uneatable, burnt goo patties. Yuck!

Kolaches(blueberry, apricot and ricotta cheese) 10 out of 10

We used to have these every Christmas(my elder sister is the queen of Kolaches) And these were fantastic as all ways!

You’re lucky I took a picture of this before we threw it away. This was the worst. Plain and simple.

After our failed crepe episode we had Lagos and fruit instead.

As you can tell Hungarian week was a pretty even mix of really good food and just the worst. A very interesting experience to say the least. From here we leave globe trotting as our next word is ingredient based. Everybody get ready for BLUEBERRY week!

Lots of love,

Tally

Culinary Challenge Week #17

Featured by Tally Ragsdale, posted in Baking

So my week of “leftovers” (a.k.a. a week I wasn’t supposed to cook) turned into a very heavy baking week. Who am I kidding I am an obsessive baker and cook at this point.

Above is a very yummy French toast bake I made. Mainly because we had a whole loaf of gluten free bread that no one was going to eat. But as I have learned you put sugar on it and they will eat it.

For the more… adult eaters(those who are willing to try new things) I added strawberries- Delicious!

My garden tomatoes all became ripe at the same time so I made fresh salsa. Everything except the onion was from my garden.

So for her birthday, Tay requested homemade Mac’n cheese. I didn’t have time to actually make that for her birthday, but this week I did. This was my second time attempting homemade noodles and it was so much better than the first time.

And this Parmesan based mac’n cheese was very good. Even to me and I am not a great lover of the staple comfort food.

These homemade oatmeal creams however were the bomb. It was a rainy afternoon and the twins wanted to bake something, so we went a little crazy and made like twenty of these massive sandwiches. Do I regret it? No… no I do not.

I also cooked breakfast for Tay one morning: eggs, sausage links, homemade white bread(that I had frozen and thawed in the fridge- which worked perfectly) and of course fresh salsa.

As you can see I didn’t cook at all this week and I am super, super proud of myself- LOL Make sure to check back next week, when I am going Hungarian and actually cooking.

Lots of love,

Tally