Baltimore Bomb Pie

Or, what the locals call Bawlmore Bomb Pie. If you were mad at me for posting the Berger Cookie recipe, well now you're really gonna hate me cuz this is essentially a Chess, aka Crack, pie laden with Berger Cookies...

Pillsbury Ready Bake Pie Crust

1 large egg
4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
12 Berger Cookies, chopped

Cook Pillsbury Ready Bake Pie Crust according to the directions and cool completely. Preheat oven to 275°. In a heatproof bowl, whisk the first six ingredients until no yellow streaks remain. Whisk in heavy cream. Scatter in the pieces of butter. Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a medium size saucepan. Place heatproof bowl, containing the filling ingredients, over the simmering water. Gently whisk until filling is warm to the touch (butter will probably not be completely melted).

Add in chopped Berger Cookies and whisk gently to combine. Pour filling into pie crust. Bake for 6o minutes. Let cool completely then dig in...

Kindness of Genevieve for saving me a slice til I arrived home Sunday night from NYC. I had to shove it in then cuz today is "backonthewagon" Monday and Tony Horton doesn't allow Bawlmore Bomb Pie on the P90Xhaustion diet. But, Tony's not around on Sundays so the piggy coast was clear...XXOO

Singing Like A Bird

Yup. I'm ratting out my dealer and his name is ADG. Street name, Maxminimus...

How am I supposed to keep my nose clean when I'm sent taunting picture texts like this one flaunting the arrival of his Lilly Daiquiri Pink Ten Ton Bouquet bermudas?

Of course you know the story; I convinced myself I could handle one weensie Daiquiri Ten Ton Bouquet purchase myself...

But one led to two...

And, just when I was "around the turn" and back on the wagon that sly ADG targets my weakness. My crack. Belgian loafers...

Minutes after receiving the pic I was online, trolling for a my newest fix, hoping Babe wouldn't find out I was slipping again...

And, now I think my habit is about to be exposed. Juuust when I convinced myself that I could keep my dirty lil secret under wraps Mr. Unscrupulous strikes again this time using his daughter as his Belgian "mule"!

Now, I'm jonsing for these and I'm jonsing hard. I'm NYC bound for a weekend with Babe where I have absolutely no hope of slipping down Belgian Boulevard unchaperoned. So, I'm singing, siiinging like a bird and rolling over on my pusher. Heaven forbid I put any looming towel gifting in jeopardy...

Kindness of Babe who will take mercy on my weak, too much time in the sun soul for the devil made me do it. Forget about the devil in a blue dress. It's the devil in the black Belgians ya need to worry about...XXOO

Things We Wish We Knew When We Were 19

Happy 19th Birthday Hilbils!!! The pretty Jo De Mer bikini present has a short shelf life. But, hopefully the following tidbits of wisdom cobbled together by the bff Kimba and I will last a lifetime...

Things We Wish We Knew When We Were 19

It's the accumulation of many small decisions over time, more so than the few big ones, that chart the paths you take in life.

Be grateful for every thing no matter how inconsequential it may seem. Being grateful attracts more things into your life to be grateful for.

There is a difference between being tenacious and swimming upstream. Learn to distinguish between the two for one leads to success and the other to frustration.

Work daily on your relationship with God even, if it's just a simple "good morning" and "good night", for it will provide you with a level of peace, security and contentment that no person can give you.

You still get a great tan wearing an SPF 30 and doing so will save you a fortune at the dermatologist later in life.

Whether it's a hairdresser, manicurist, trainer or masseuse, never hesitate to voice your requests, concerns or discomfort. YOU know what's best for you, not them. Also, they are not your therapist so expect that anything you divulge will be repeated.

Be curious about the habits of highly evolved and successful people and apply them to your life.

Yoga is good.

Exercise your physical talents as often as possible cuz the day you realize you can no longer do that gainer off the diving board you will experience a sense of lost that's like a death.

The face, neck, and back of hands are the first places a woman shows signs of aging so take particular care.

Spend time with your grandparents and ask lots of questions because when you get older you will develop an insatiable curiosity about your heritage.

There really is such a thing as karma. You will get back exactly what you put out.

Incorporate breast self exams into your shower routine. Just like shaving and deep conditioning it should become a biweekly habit.

Your family loves you and cares more deeply about you than anyone and always has your best interest at heart.

Trust your instincts for they are an invaluable tool. If something doesn't feel right, it usually isn't.

Excessive drinking does lead to terrible decisions and consequences. You'll will also come to appreciate that the first cocktail is always the best. The ones that follow are just chasing a ghost.

Outward appearances mean nothing if you are not grounded and confident. It is never enough just to be a pretty girl.

No boy is worth pushing your values and instincts aside for.

Although 'tis always nice to give people room to grow, most personalities are set by first grade. Adjust your expectations accordingly and you will save yourself a world of hurt and disappointment.

Your grades and study habits will shape the rest of your life and provide you the best opportunity for a life of independence and success.

And, the adults were right; everything in moderation is best, time does heal all wounds and, this too did pass...

Kindness of the bff Kimba for collaborating with me on this post. Of course, her contributions are easily recognizable as the more eloquent words of wisdom. The ones with the bitter, hippie bent belong to yours truly...XXOO

Head's Still In July

Yup. Can't let it go. There's still so much promise of summer left in July. Fortunately, I found a few items to help keep the fantasy alive...

Wish I had a powder room to paper in Albert Hadley's Fireworks for Hinson & Company. Add some framed black and white photos from July 4th's past and you'd have yourself a perpetual summer escape...

Merci Shopafrolic for bringing this Petit Bateau Marinière tee to my attention. I'm expecting a visit from a certain brown clad driver any day now with my très Nantucket in July item...

And, it's good sport Meg Carter to the let's not give up on summer yet rescue with the early release of Big Pearl, little lapis studs for all those stalwart Summer is a Verb fans. See, sometimes it does pay to nag. Now, go forth and celebrate July in August...

Kindness of Babe for sacrificing added time in travel every weekend just to allow me a smidge more time at the beach. It's too soon to pull the plug on summer. Summer should be Memorial Day to Labor Day and not a minute less! All those in favor say "Aye"...XXOO

Homemade Berger Cookies

To go along with our celebratory jumbo crabs this past weekend, I commissioned my sister Genevieve to make Josh and I some of her homemade Berger Cookies for dessert. And, your either gonna love me or hate me for sharing, cuz these babies are the death of any diet...

Cookies
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cups sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups unbleached All-Purpose flour
1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400°. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, salt, vanilla, and baking powder. Beat in the sugar, then the egg.

Add the flour to the wet ingredients alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Do this gently; there’s no need to beat the batter.

Using a teaspoon cookie scoop, drop the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Flatten each mound of dough to a circle about 1 ½" across; wet your fingers or a knife, or grease the bottom of a drinking glass or measuring cup to do this. Leave 2" to 2 1⁄2" between each cookie, for expansion.

Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes at 400°, or until they’re a mottled brown on the bottom (carefully tilt one up to look), but not colored on top. You may see the barest hint of browning around the edges, but these cookies are supposed to be soft and cake-like, so don’t over-bake them. Cool the cookies on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.

Great Aunt Mary's Icing
12 squares (6 oz) Ghiradelli unsweetened chocolate
6 tablespoons butter
10 tablespoons milk
4 cups Confectioner's Sugar
2 pinches salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

Melt chocolate and butter together over double boiler. Add remaining ingredients blending til smooth and all lumps gone.

*Genevieve substituted our Great Aunt Mary's yummy chocolate icing recipe for the one she found online.

Set cookies on a rack. Spread icing evenly atop the cookies. Allow to set, then store airtight in a single layer.

Yield: Twenty-eight 2 ¼" cookies.

See? That's right. Death to any diet...

Yup, those same hands that were shoveling in Berger Cookies faster than my sister could spread the icing paid the piper on Monday when they met the carpet for countless, grueling penance push ups...

Kindness of everyone for just accepting the fact that every picture til Labor Day will have me sporting my post, swimming in the ocean all day, Simba doo, aka, the golden helmet. Both id's coined by Babe. Once a swimmer, always a swimmer...XXOO

Post Anniversay High

My Dear Niece Alice,

Here’s a Happy 5th Anniversary wish for you and Josh….

He’s a great guy who happened to meet the Right woman; in many ways you are perfect for each other…Josh is cool, focused, considerate and tender toward you and always has one eye on the Big Picture. You are, well, You.

After the BOA (Birth of Alice), God quickly realized that you were one of a kind, shattered the mold and sent you on your merry, creative way. And you were definitely merry. And definitely creative. Then the star-born collision with Josh, and voila! – the couple of the decade was matched up! Five years and counting – you and Josh are going to be just fine.

I am happy for you both and wish you the best.

Love,
Uncle David

Merci Uncle David. Merci everyone for the abundance of Anniversary wishes we received. 'Twas a blissful weekend and, even poor Babe, who was coming off of only 6 hours sleep in a 72 hour period, rallied for some Allie requisite fun in the sun and a couple of celebratory dinners...

And, my inexpensive (read non-Hermes related or priced) 5th year gift of "wooden" mallets was very well received. I expect to be rewarded accordingly (read Hermes related AND priced)...

Kindness of Babe for generously being such a good sport during your brief time at home this weekend even though I know all you wanted and needed to do was sleep. I'll be holding down the fort here in "Candyland" til your return again Friday from Pinocchio's "Pleasure Island"...XXOO

♥

Happy Anniversary Babe! Thank you, for not only being the funniest, most generous and loving husband a girl could hope for but, also for working so hard to give us a wonderful life. You are, by far, my greatest blessing Dilly...

And, while trying to honor both your request for no gifts annnd the 5th year tradition of "wood", I have arranged for a celebratory feast of jumbo Wye River crabs to be served up with a couple of brand spankin new 50¢ wooden mallets. That's right, who's the clever girl?

Kindness of Babe who, upon returning home this evening, will politely turn a blind blue eye to the missing inside chunk of my left eyebrow. My wax lady was either in training for the waxing speed Olympics ooor was intentionally going for the flounder look. Regardless, the theme of the weekend will be "seafood"...XXOO