tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-81247375752468236 2013-02-21T13:31:41-08:00 In pursuit of a well-fed life. TypePad kitchentravelsbloghttp://feedburner.google.com tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01156f2d699d970b017ee8a76e68970d 2013-02-21T13:31:41-08:00 2013-02-21T13:31:41-08:00

I need a vacation. Yes, I know everyone always says that, but with my kids on their second round of colds/flu since the new year started, I really need a vacation. Sadly, no offers to take a free trip to an exotic-beach-in-a-faraway-place have shown up in my inbox lately. But happily, the recipe for this salsa did. Let me explain. The recipe came to me courtesy of Cheryl Sternman Rule, she of the smart and witty 5 second rule blog. Cheryl is coming to my town next week... and I get to meet her! She will be the featured author...

Dawn (KitchenTravels) tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01156f2d699d970b017d410fcb5a970c 2013-02-14T10:49:38-08:00 2013-02-14T10:49:39-08:00

My husband and I have never been too big on Valentine's Day. When we were dating, Randy was manager of a popular bar/restaurant in San Francisco. This meant that on a lot of the "celebration" holidays - 4th of July, New Year's Eve, and yes, Valentine's Day - he was working. I never really minded it, though. Every year on 4th of July weekend in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, there is a great street fair and jazz festival on Fillmore Street. Back in the day, there was always live music, a fun crowd, and a huge line...

Dawn (KitchenTravels) tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01156f2d699d970b017d40dba5c9970c 2013-02-08T17:14:00-08:00 2013-02-08T17:14:54-08:00

Did I tell you I started my own business recently? True. And no, it's not making lollipops. (Although that does sound like a pretty fun-filled way to spend the work day, doesn't it?) We'll talk about my new venture a bit more in the coming weeks, but long story short, it involves me finding the most scrumptious all-natural sweets and creating lovely dessert tables for special events. And despite all the hard work, it's pretty wonderful. Here's a peek at one of the tables I designed recently: You can see more pics of my dessert table over at Amy Atlas'...

Dawn (KitchenTravels) tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01156f2d699d970b017d40a524bf970c 2013-01-31T13:24:00-08:00 2013-01-31T13:25:38-08:00

So yeah... remember in my last post, how I promised to share some recipes from my Halloween dessert table in "a few days"? Do 90-something days count as "a few"? Probably not. What can I say? I've been busy. More on that later. For now, let's talk cake. Completely easy, yummy, and yes - VEGAN - cake. "But Dawn (I can hear you thinking)... why would I bother making a vegan cake when I'm not vegan?" Well, there are countless reasons. I was first drawn to this recipe for the same reasons I try any other recipe: it was something...

Dawn (KitchenTravels) tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01156f2d699d970b017d3d045f8f970c 2012-10-26T16:05:00-07:00 2013-01-31T20:44:37-08:00

So I made a little Halloween Dessert Table for a Fall carnival at my children's school a couple weeks ago. Everything on the table, from the cake to the candies, was 100% natural. True! No artificial colors or flavors. It got a great reaction from the kids and parents, which made me so happy. Everyone just loved it, including... Yes! The amazing Amy Atlas is featuring my design on her blog today! Can you believe it? I am overjoyed. What a wonderful way to start the weekend. Thank you, Amy! And for you, my lovely readers, I'll have recipes for...

Dawn (KitchenTravels) tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01156f2d699d970b017c324e5396970b 2012-10-10T08:00:00-07:00 2012-10-09T22:20:53-07:00

Do you guys dream at night? I do. All the time. Some nights more than others, but my dormant mind is definitely on the active side of the dream scale. Sometimes my dreams are so vivid and wonderful, like the flying dreams from my childhood, or the dreams I sometimes have as an adult, in which I can jump reeeeeeaaaaalllly high and far. Other times, things are more random and/or just plain odd... like the night I kept dreaming about making juice. Juice? What does that say about me? Wait, don't answer that. If Mr. Sandman is feeling especially sweet,...

Dawn (KitchenTravels) tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01156f2d699d970b017d3c576226970c 2012-09-26T15:11:58-07:00 2012-09-26T15:10:05-07:00

You might also like: Edgar's Roses, beautifully photographed by Andrea; Ode to the Peach, from the always lovely Roost; Hello, September - photos from the very talented Hannah Queen.

Dawn (KitchenTravels) tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01156f2d699d970b017d3c2b81aa970c 2012-09-21T13:56:00-07:00 2012-09-21T13:42:49-07:00

It's probably no secret that I really enjoy home canning, especially jams and curds. I find the entire endeavor very fulfilling, in a terre à table kind of way. The bulk of my ingredients come from the local farmer's market, my yard, or as a result of my urban foraging efforts. Canning gets me outside and enables me to connect with the earth and the people who farm it. I like that. When done properly, the canning process itself is methodical, precise. This aspect of home canning appeals to my analytical nature. At the same time, the ordered rhythm of...

Dawn (KitchenTravels) tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01156f2d699d970b017c318f5ee6970b 2012-09-12T07:00:00-07:00 2012-09-11T23:21:14-07:00

Doesn't it seem like cupcakes have been popping up everywhere in the last few years? There are blogs, blogs, and more blogs, all about cupcakes. They show up at parties ranging from birthdays to baby showers. The Food Network regularly pits cupcake bakers against one another in the popular T.V. show, Cupcake Wars. Even the traditional wedding cake isn't safe from the cupcake craze. And you know what? All that is just fine by me. I love cupcakes, and I'm not afraid to admit it. Whew! I'm so glad I finally got that out in the open. A good cupcake...

Dawn (KitchenTravels) tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01156f2d699d970b01761652bbd3970c 2012-08-06T14:26:17-07:00 2012-08-06T14:24:39-07:00

Today, I'm happy to be guest posting over at my friend Stephanie's blog as part of her Chocolate Chip Cookie Challenge. Stephanie is the talented voice, baker, and photographer behind 52 Kitchen Adventures. We first met at a blog-related dinner event where, about 20 minutes into our meal, we discovered that Stephanie and my husband work together. Small world... again. Bonus: you can join the 3C Challenge, too! Click here for all the details, then head on over to 52 Kitchen Adventures and check out my guest post with my recipe for Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies. I promise you'll want...

Dawn (KitchenTravels)