Back to school, back to reality….

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Summer holidays are officially over- for some at least!  Last week, The Child started Year 4.  Year 4 seems like a big deal- I mean it didn’t at first but now it suddenly does.  It feels like the last year of being a kid, and the first step towards becoming a tween.  He’s no longer the smallest kid in his school– the kids starting Kindy seem tiny, and we’re navigating the complexity of loosening the apron strings and taking on more responsibility and independence.   Being home alone, having a phone of some sort, possibly getting to school or home from school by himself, I can already see that this year is going to be a transition.  

Of course this year is already a transition for me- to what, I’m not sure yet but that’s part of what I need to figure out… when I’m not baking of course!  And I’m still baking.  As much as we are one month into a new year,  I’m still doing the same thing.  

Last week, I baked Lamington Cookies and Red Velvet Cookies with White Chocolate Chips. The Lamington ones were my favourite out of the two.

This week, I’m bringing back an old favourite, Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies, and trying something new, Dark and Stormy Sugar Cookies. The Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies are a perennial favorite- so much so that I’m even closer to buying Vaughan Vreeland’s Cookies Cookbook.  The Dark and Stormy Sugar Cookies were ok.  Very gingerbread cookie vibes, less on the rum and lime vibe that I was hoping for.   I might try a different recipe next time– although I did enjoy rolling them and cutting them out– a normally avoid cutout cookies but these were ok!  

Hello 2026!

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We’re 15 days into 2026 and I really don’t know what to say about it.   

I had a fabulous end to 2025- The Mom/Nana was over from the US and we had a fabulous fabulous fabulous trip to Tasmania, a place I highly recommend and can’t wait to go back to!  Thomas had a great birthday, and genuinely December was good.

But the vibes in January and, and for 2026 in general, seem off.  I mean there’s the macro picture and the US-related picture where everything there is cooked.  But even closer to home, things feel heavier, more uncertain, less hopeful than they did in 2026.  Or maybe it’s just a post-holiday comedown!

It’s hard to go from holiday mode of wine, cheese, and hotel rooms that you don’t have to clean to grocery shopping, laundry and unpacking the dishwasher.

Either way, there’s no point in avoiding it, 2026 is here.

 And I’m back to baking already… This week, I made Martha Stewart’s Alexis’s Chocolate Chip Cookies from her brand new, Martha 100 Favorite Recipes Cookbook. 

The highlight of Christmas for me is always getting new cookbooks.  This year didn’t disappoint.  I mean Martha’s cookbook is super aspirational– she is who I would love to be when I grow up.  I just need a few hundred million dollars to get me started on the way.  My absolute favourite cookbook that I’ve gotten so far is Caroline Chambers, “What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking”– absolute banger of a cookbook.  Everything I’ve made so far is SUPER easy and SUPER tasty!  HIGHLY Recommend.  The third one I got was “Cook Korean” by Billy Law which I’ll be testing out over the next few weeks.  Anyway, back to this week’s cookies. 

They’re not pretty, in fact they turned out VERY thin and nearly went into the bin– however they are actually delicious.  They’re crispy, chewy, salty and caramelly sweet, thanks to about a kilo of sugar but they are yum!  I’ve gotten EXCELLENT feedback on them including this gem!  I mean let’s be honest, if Martha Stewart puts them in her top 100 recipes, you know they’re good.  AND THEY ARE!

So maybe that’s my lesson for 2026, don’t give up.  Things might not look the one you think they should, and they might be pretty, but don’t chuck it all in the bin– things might be perfect and you don’t even realise it!

It’s the MOST wonderful time of the year….

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…nope not Christmas.  Thanksgiving.  

Thanksgiving is my favourite holiday of all time of the whole year.  It’s not typically celebrated in Australia, but I love celebrating it.  This year is no different.  We (I) am hosting a Thanksgiving Potluck for a few American friends.  I’m doing the turkey and corn casserole (and mash potatoes)everyone is bringing side dishes so it should be quite the feast.  

I mean Thanksgiving is the purest holiday I can think of.  Every family does it differently, there’s no need for gifts, and everyone can celebrate it.  It’s truly an opportunity to come together and hang out and eat.  What could be better!!!???!!

It’s great to see it gradually seep into Australian life– mainly through Americans but it’s seeping in nonetheless.  I’m doing my part to spread it.  This week’s cookies are Pumpkin Chocolate Chip because, well, Thanksgiving.

What else is happening? Still enjoying my spring/summer break!   We are gearing up for Christmas and the big birthday in a few weeks.  I can’t believe my baby is turning 9!  And on that topic, we went out for a family dinner the other night at Ms G’s and I was MOST impressed!  He ate everything we ordered and loved every bit of it.  We didn’t even order special “kid” things and he even tried (multiple bites) of the steak tartare.  I was shocked and also quite pleased and impressed.

Also, I caught up with some girlfriends for brunch at Theeca and we tried Savoury Chocolate toast.  I didn’t know what to expect- sourdough, chocolate mousse, olive oil, sea salt.  Ummmm, possibly the best thing I’ve EVER eaten for breakfast.  Seriously, life changing in the best way possible.

This has been a weekend of excellent eating.  Not going to lie- from the Thanksgiving Pie Bake off on Friday, to trying the new burger place on Friday night to Ms Gs last night and breakfast this morning at Theeca.  It’s been a weekend full of good food and great friends– no better way to kick off Thanksgiving week!

The quickest year ever

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I don’t know if it’s all the cookies or if time is actually moving faster, but this has been the quickest year ever.  It’s November- NOVEMBER!!!  I forgot to write last week because despite not working, I’ve actually been SUPER busy.   Last week, I made the Gojuchang Cookies again and also Playdate Cookies from Dinner: A love story which I’m sure I’ve made before too.

I was in Melbourne on Tuesday for a fun fun fun secret squirrel day involving Millionaire Hot Seat (Say Less, Steph, SAY LESS!)  There were cookies involved and trivia and a stop at Higher Ground in Melbourne- a place that’s usually my favorite cafe in Melbourne, however it left me SUPER disappointed this time around.   I had a Miso Ham and Cheese toastie that was WAY overpriced and very average…. So now I”m looking for a new favourite Melbourne Cafe.  Any ideas???

We also had a very cute food experience- Le Petit Chef at the Intercontinental Hotel in Double Bay. It was very fun, very cute, very unique.

I’ve also been poling, pickleballing and tennis playing but the super exciting thing is that it’s November, which means Thanksgiving.  It absolutely does NOT mean that Christmas is 5 weeks away.  ABSOLUTELY NOT ready for Christmas.  But, Thanksgiving, yes please!!!

So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving and fall and pumpkins, I made Pumpkin Spice Latte cookies.

Full disclosure, I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin spice lattes.  I had one once and it was meh.  But I do LOVE pumpkin spice and often will season sweet potatoes with pumpkin spice and occasionally will put it into my ground coffee before I brew it.

What I do love is everything Thanksgiving, it’s the best holiday and one that doesn’t get nearly enough air time in Australia.  Maybe the next two weeks of pumpkin theme cookies will help.  Maybe not but I’ll enjoy it.

I also made Chocolate Sprinkle Birthday Cookies from Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar Kids Only Book.

Ok and since it is close to Christmas, it’s time to make my Christmas cookbook wishlist. What’s going to be on it this year?? Could I possibly find room for yet another Cookie Cookbook??? Only time (and Santa) will tell!

Wish me luck for another big week!

 

Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies Take 2…and Cinnamon Bun Cookies

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This week we’ve revisited an old favourite and are trying a new favorite!

The old favorites are the Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies from Jenny Rosenstrach’s “Dinner: A love story” cookbook.  I’ve always really liked this cookbook- it’s full of easy and tasty recipes that are great for families.  I’ve had it for years now– in fact, even before I was married or a mom.  She has a great blog, (Dinner: A Love Story) too which I follow.   It now leans more plant forward but it’s really good.   I’ve made these cookies before and they’re yum!  Spicy, chocolatey and very easy.

I also tried Christina Tosi’s Cinnamon Bun Cookies from her All About Cookies cookbook.  I love all of her cookies, and these are no exception!  They’re not quite as easy to make (because you have to stuff them with cream cheese) but they are tasty!  They’re small batch- maybe only 10-12 per batch but they were excellent.  So tasty and moist.

I’m also on the hunt for Thanksgiving cookies.  I have a couple of cans of Libby’s pumpkin to use, and probably won’t be making any pies with it– so why not make cookies?????  I’m kind of getting Deja Vu from last year– I think I wanted to make Thanksgiving cookies last year too!   Hopefully this year, I find some crowd pleasing pumpkin cookies- or maybe ChatGPT can help to invent some!

I’m not working at the moment but spending a lot of time working on myself- specifically the physical activities I love pole dancing, gym tennis- and tomorrow I try pickleball for the first time! I’m very excited!

They’re spicy…I like it.

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I’m in week 2 of my spring break and I’m leaning into it a bit.  It’s a bit of a weird break but it’s good.

I’m enjoying the downtime and getting a bit done too.  The best thing about having time off is Monday morning pole classes.  I’m feeling really fit, healthy, and a bit sore but it’s great starting my week with 2 hours of exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise. 

The only downside, they don’t get cookies.  I’ve thought about it but I haven’t brought them into the cookie circle.  Is that bad?  Monday nights and Wednesday nights get cookies, but I’m just not sure I have it in me.  Luckily, very few Monday morning people also do Monday or Wednesday nights so maybe ignorance is bliss for them?

Not sure.  I do feel slightly guilty though about not including them in the cookie fold.

This week’s cookies are amazing – Gochujang Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies from Sarah Keiffer’s 100 Cookies.  Both are incredible but the Gochujangs are next level.  They’re not spicy but they have a tinge of heat to them which makes them really nice.  They’re less spicy than some of the other chilli chocolate ones I’ve made, but they have a lovely warmth to them.  Big Fan!  I am secretly paranoid that one of the cookies will be a full on spice bomb with ALL the chilli heat in one cookie, but it hasn’t happened yet! 

And the brown butter chocolate chip ones are really good too.  I’ve finally learned to brown butter without fear.   I mean, there’s the constant fear of going too far and the butter burning, but also the fear of not going far enough and just having butter.  But this brown butter was perfect.  And the cookies were delicious!

So that’s a good metaphor for life right now, kind of being in limbo but being good-ish.  The cookies, like life, are just spicy enough to be interesting but not blowing me away.  There’s lots of exciting things are the horizon over the next few weeks, but for now, we’re just mellowing and waiting!

Oh…. and I got Crocs. Only 4 years late to the Croc party, but I’m in the Croc gang.

Hello October, Hello (and goodbye) Dublin

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I can’t believe it’s nearly the end of October- this year is flying by and we’re already in the midst of the -Ber months! 

The last month has been AMAZING.  I finished my role and delivered a great strategy, went to an amazing leadership conference, had the best time in Dublin, and had Thomas’s first Communion- and once again I have a bit of free time which means, more COOKIES!

First of all, Dublin.

I’m super lucky that I feel absolutely at home in three places around the world- Washington, Sydney, and Dublin.  Despite never actually living there, it’s a place that feels so familiar and so easy for me.  I have best friends there and really close friends, and it’s a place that always fills my cup.  So much so, that I would love to move there one day.  I don’t know if it will ever happen, but when I make a list of pros and cons, the list of pros is VERY long and the list of cons is VERY short.  (The weather and actually moving anywhere is stressful!)  But it was a fabulous trip, with fabulous people and I loved every moment of it! I know Ireland isn’t known for it’s food but honestly, the butter, bread and the seafood chowder are all next level! Irish butter- so good! I could go on about it for hours!

Secondly, Cookies.

Now that my contract has finished and my next one is TBC – I should find out this week!  I have time on my hands which is both weird and familiar.  Weird because I feel like the last 8 months have been go go go, and familiar because, well it’s like last year but without the mental anguish of being made redundant.  Plus, I’m far more into cookies than I was last year.  I can’t believe it’s been over a year that I’ve been baking every week.  Part of me wants to branch out and do something new, the other part of me has really painted myself into the cookie corner.  It’s expected now and it’s hard to disappoint people.  Plus, I’m not taking requests…. Which is really where I’m coming unstuck!

So this week, because I supposedly have “time” on my hands- even though I feel super busy!  I”ve baked nearly every day.  

Monday was Brown Butter Nilla Wafers from Christina Tosi’s All About Cookies Book.

Tuesday was Potato Chip Sandies- also from Christina Tosi and I also had to start on my request for the week- Apple Crumble Cookies from Andy Cooks.  These are A LOT of work but I’m looking forward to them!  Yesterday I made the dough and apple topping, tomorrow I need to make the crumble and bake them.  A lot of work but I think they will be yummy!

Next week I’ll likely do brown butter chocolate chip cookies– stay tuned!!!

September? Already??

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Time goes so fast.  So, so fast.

I would say that I can’t believe it’s already September but in truth, I can’t believe it’s already 2025.  Granted, this is not the 2025 that I would have ordered.  It feels more like the 2025 that Marty McFly went back to in Back to the Future 2 after Biff stole the Sports Almanac than reality, but yet, here we are September 2025.   

And things are…well, to be honest the vibes are off.  I mean on a global, universal level, the vibes aren’t great but even on a micro level, things are a bit funky.  Not in a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad way, but just in a meh way.

I mean, I feel like September vibes are always weird anyway- it’s one of those odd months with a lot of birthdays (not mine) but also no other holidays.  It’s too warm to be winter, but too cold for summer.  It’s getting close to holidays but too early to decorate for anything, it’s too far into the year for a new start (except for school if you’re up north), but too early in the year to switch off.   

But here we are….on Earth, Wind and Fire Day (the 21st of September).  And because there are so many birthdays this month, I made Birthday Cookies from Christina Tosi’s Kids Only Cookbook.  I want to try to make a cookie cake for Thomas’ birthday in December, but that might be another week!

So here’s to better vibes for the rest of the month and to birthdays and cookies of course!

A quick one!

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This week’s cookies are the Brownie Cookies from 100 Cookies and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies. After last week, I was thinking about how much I love Reece’s peanut butter cups and the chocolate/peanut butter flavour combination. I mean I’m quite picky when it comes to chocolate, and Reece’s peanut butter cups are among my favorite chocolates ever!

I thought about making cookies stuffed with peanut butter cups but thought that these would be a fun compromise!!

Happy Father’s Day!

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Happy Aussie Father’s Day to all the Dads out there.  It’s been an action packed Father’s Day but also quite a normal Sunday.  It’s funny, the longer you spend as a parent, the less significant Mother’s Day and Father’s Day become.  It was still gorgeous to see how excited Thomas was to give his Dad the gifts he had picked out at the Father’s Day stall at school… and to hear why he picked them.  It’s amazing to watch him become a fully formed person.  I couldn’t be prouder of the person he’s becoming.  

We only have so many Father’s Days when he’s an actual kid.  He’s nearly 9- closer to being a moody teenager that we have to convince to eat with us  than the cranky toddler in a high chair that we’re trying to distract long enough for us to enjoy a meal in public.  We saw both ends of the spectrum at lunch today– and it was a reminder to me to enjoy every stage and age.

Not just as a Mom but as a person.  Nothing lasts forever.  It’s nearly been a year since I was made redundant and who knows what the next year will bring.  

For now, I’m enjoying the cookie phase.  Even on busy Sundays when it seems like there is so much to do, I love this phase of my life.  It feels good to do something for other people not because I have to, but because I want to.  It feels good to be appreciated. It feels good to spark a moment of joy for someone else.  And it feels good to do something so totally frivolous as baking cookies.  The world is full of so much awfulness, that doing something to brighten other people’s day feels nice.  I’m not sure if I’ll do this forever but for now, it’s nice.  

This week, I baked a request and an anti-request (is that even a thing?).  Dylan, my gym’s manager, requested Dark Dark Chocolate Cookies with sea salt.  And Stella, from pole, requested Peanut Butter Cookies- because she’s training for a pole comp and hates peanut butter cookies and doesn’t want to be tempted to eat them!  

Both cookies have come from my 100 Cookies Cookbook.  I tweaked her Triple Chocolate Pan Banging Chocolate Cookies by adding sea salt flakes.  I also made the Peanut Butter Cookies.  I’m not a huge fan of peanut butter cookies myself but these are ok.  I don’t mind them but they’re not my favorite.  Hopefully they’re peanut buttery enough to turn Stella off and hopefully Dylan likes the dark dark chocolate.