Thingies Thursday and Cranberry and Brown Sugar Pinwheels

Is it just me, or is this year flying by? I nearly forgot about September's Daring Bakers challenge, and when I remembered, it was too late to bake the crackers. (I'm posting this a bit early because I know I won't have time to work on this entry tomorrow!) I will attempt last month's challenge some time soon, though, especially since we had the option of doing a gluten-free version of the recipe :).

Gluten-free crackers can be expensive. Up to $5 for a small box! I've never appreciated the ability to make my own food more than I do now. Despite the fact that I wasn't able to make the crackers before the DB posting date, I'm grateful to the Daring Bakers for selecting a cracker recipe that could easily be made gluten-free or vegan. Not only was it a nice surprise, but it was a fun way to introduce foodies to unique diets that can literally be life-changing for some.

Speaking of changing, we're slowly starting to see some colorful Fall foliage here in Boston. The mornings are more refreshing and definitely on the cooler side. I've unpacked my sweaters and I'm finding ways to stay warm that don't involve my rickety radiator! Here are some photos of the area :).



About a week ago, around 3 AM, the apartment complex decided to give the radiators their first trial run of the year. It was a cool night but I woke up feeling a little sweaty and a lot freaked out. I couldn't figure out why it felt like I was standing outside on a hot August day in Texas while lying in bed on a very cold night in Boston.

Because I was half-asleep, I thought the apartment was on fire...I even got up to look for the flames, but it was just the radiator! It blasts intense heat for about a half hour every 4 hours when the apartment gets cold. Since it turns on very infrequently, when it does come on, it releases enough heat to keep a room warm for oh...about a day or two! It's not exactly very discreet either. I recently purchased a down comforter, thinking I was going to freeze without it, but my rickety radiator won't let that happen. I might have dark circles under my eyes on the coldest days of the year, but at least I'll be warm!

Now, I can't think of a better way to stay warm than with baking cookies! Still celebrating the flavors of the season and up and coming holiday season, I made spiral cookies with cranberries and a brown sugar filling. Lately, I just can't get enough cranberries. I'm craving them so much that I'm going to make stuffing tomorrow just so the cranberry sauce I purchased this weekend doesn't feel lonely :)! I know a lot of people don't like it, but I'm not sure how most folks feel about dried cranberries, or craisins. I love their tart flavor, it really balances out the sweetness of these cookies.




Now moving on to this week's award. You all make it so tough to choose a winner! Not only do most of you already have these awards, but there are also quite a few fun blogs that are just getting started! Before I pass this award along, there are two bloggers I'd like to thank: Michele of My Italian Grandmother and LK of Food for Tots!

VeggieGirl: A dedicated blogger who has a fun writing style and exciting life as a talented dancer!
Taste and Tell: Her photos are always so polished and delicious :)!
A Southern Grace: Engaging readers with her yummy recipes and sense of humor; never a dull post!


Thingies Thursday:
I love old cookbooks for a couple of reasons, they're fun to look at and add spice and color to a bookshelf. I also get a kick out of the illustrations. A little silly at times, they're generally pretty entertaining. I scanned the fudge recipe from this 1950s cookbook, but this same book includes a tuna casserole recipe that comes with a comedic/borderline disturbing illustration. The boy is feeding his party-hat-wearing pet tuna spoonfuls of tuna casserole! Hmm...I leave you with these milder photos. Until next time, let's not feed our pets anything remotely resembling a member of their same species :D!