In The Name of Health & A Sweet Tooth................

Just a reminder to come out to the Columbus Winter Farmer's Market for all your fresh, local shopping. Our next market is January 8. Sue's Kitchen will bring baked goodies to satisfy your sweet tooth and some to help with your New Year's diet! Plan on seeing Biker Bars, Granny Smith Apple Pies (some w/Splenda), Oatmeal Raisin cookies, Skinny Jean cookies and Less Guilt Banana Nut Bread.

February is all about Valentine's Day and Sue's Kitchen will be busy making sweets for your sweetie. Plan on seeing heart shaped sugar cookies topped with either buttercream frosting and sprinkles or everyone's favorite....Chocolate! We'll have Berry and Cherry Pies and Red Velvet cupcakes as well.

March will be all about Spring so watch my blog for what's coming in March..................

Call ahead for special orders or if you want me to hold something back: 740-963-2565.

See you there!

Sue

What a Wonderful Holiday Season

Lots of baking and little blogging has been going on in Sue's Kitchen. After baking 60+pies for Thanksgiving the kitchen stayed humming for Christmas time baking. The pictures are from my annual "Christmas in the Country" Open House. We had a gorgeous winter day and many friends and family came to enjoy the hot spiced cider while shopping for gifts and goodies to enjoy for their parties. When it was all said and done I think Sue's Kitchen produced over 140+ dozen variety of Christmas cookies....and a few pumpkin rolls, dessert breads, pies and cakes. The cookies in the pictures are Gingerbread Men and Red Velvet Whoopie Pies.

Thanks to my friends, Bee (Cowtown Candies) and Gretel (Sunny Meadow Flower Farm) for their wonderful sweets and homemade soaps/salves they brought to the open house. Bee's fudge is the best in Central Ohio and Gretel's soaps smell so wonderful. Their packaging is so perfect, too! Gretel also brought some of her homemade jams and honey-YUM!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, it is PIE SEASON and I'm getting ready to do marathon pie baking for everyone...and perhaps a few for my own turkey day. I've picked up some Golden Delicious and GoldRush apples, tart cherries, beautiful big blackberries, big pecans and LOTS of pumpkin to get started.

So get your forks and whipped cream ready cause Sue's got the oven ready!!

Here's to a wonderful Thanksgiving for everyone..count your blessings and savor each moment with those you love.

See you soon-Sue

Yummy Pumpkin Dip for Gramma Rose's Molasses Sugar Cookies

Here is the Sweet-n-Creamy Pumpkin Dip recipe for everyone who asked:
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. orange extract (optional-I left it out)

1. In a food processor, blend cream cheese and confectioners sugar until smooth. Remove cover, add pumpkin and remaining ingredients. Blend thoroughly.
2. Chill 30 minutes or until read to serve. Serve with Gramma Rose's Soft Molasses Sugar Cookies, or a spice cookie of your choosing.
3. make 2-1/2 cups

* Looks really festive when served in a carved out mini pumpkin like in the picture above. I placed a small plastic container in the pumpkin to hold the dip.

Enjoy!

Sue

Apple Pie...Its a good thing :)

Wow! The apples are fabulous this year! They are so big my hands get tired from peeling them. If you haven't gone to the orchard this season you must go. I love the Granville Orchard-lots of varieties to pick or already bagged for grab and go. Plus-there's pumpkins, jams and jellies, and country crafts to choose from. Their price is very reasonable ($8/bag if you pick)
I'll be making apple and pecan pies this week, and whatever else floats my boat. Definitely some pumpkin breads, coffeecakes and those yummy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies :) I may surprise my friends in Westerville and bring the Lemon Pecan Dessert Bread (aka Pastry Lemonade).
I'm working on a monthly newsletter and hope to have the first one out this month.
Remember to come to the outdoor markets-we will be there through October rain or shine, cold or hot, and even an occasional tornado!!

Fall Goodies, Buckeyes' Football and Heading to the Big Apple!

GO BUCKS!!! I am so ready for FALL-my favorite time of the year. The Buckeyes' season starts Thursday, the weather is starting to be cooler (except for this week-it's stiflingly hot), and I'm working on my Fall Brochure....Fannie's Apple Walnut Brownies, Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread and more (YUM!). I'll start bringing fall goodies in mid-September to the markets. Look for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies as well-huge sellers last year.
The picture above is a sugar cookie I made for a Buckeyes' tailgate party. Something special and fun.
We're off to NYC this week to visit Sara and hopefully experience some more "goodies for us foodies." I'll fill you in next week.

Have a Pie Buffet

The next time you're having a family gathering or hosting a special event, why not try a Pie Buffet? Arrange a variety of delicious pies on your table using various cake stands, provide serving utensils, plates and forks and your guests will think they were in heaven!! Provide your favorite ice cream and they will know they're in heaven!

These pies were made for a special event and are all Fresh Peach Pies...YUM!!!!

Share the Love for Back to School

Everyone wants some "lovin' from the oven" so why not have Sue's Kitchen send your college student a Cookie Care Package filled with their favorite sweets? I'm presently taking orders and will ship these carefully prepared packages anywhere in the U.S. Choose from 3 dozen or 5 dozen (feeds all their friends too) mix-n-match or all the same: chocolate chip, peanut butter, peanut blossom with a Hershey kiss, snickerdoodle, oatmeal walnut crispie, oatmeal raisin, sugar, granola "biker" bar. We can also customize a care package to fit your students' needs. Call Sue @740-963-2565 or e-mail @suebakespies@gmail.com

Enough of the Heat, Already!!!

This summer has been such a scorcher! I want to shout out a big THANK YOU for everyone who has braved the heat and humidity to come to the markets. Even Granville was steamy this past weekend-whew!
Come see us this week-I'm rejuvenated (needed a little attitude adjustment for the hot and weary) and will have garden fresh Zucchini Walnut Bread and Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread; and fresh Apple, Blueberry, Cherry and Peach pies; Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodle and Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies.
I posted the recipe for the Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread on the Westerville Farmers' Market blog recipe section last year. Its quite easy and so delicious-Enjoy!

Oh to be Sweet 16 Again..........

Those of you who know me know I am a PIE baker and a COOKIE baker and several other kinds of baker. BUT one thing I don't normally bake is CAKE.......that is until today :)
Here is a cake I made for my friend Tammy's daughter, Terra and her friend Bryce who were having a big Sweet 16 Celebration tonight. Their theme is Candyland so here is a girlie cake complete with Spree candies, suckers, Mike n Ike candies, fondant cut outs, candles spelling their names, spaghetti neon candles and a purple feather to top it off. The cake is vanilla with the base being pink, the middle purple and the topper chartreuse. Buttercream tops it all off.
For all the true cake bakers out there please forgive my imperfections and know that I had fun making it and I hope Terra and Bryce and their friends had fun celebrating their 16th!

Sue's Kitchen was all Red, White & Blue!!

Sue's Kitchen was all Patriotic for the 4th! We had Stars-n-Stripes Apple Pie, Star Spangled Cherry Pie, All American Chocolate Chip Cookie Stacks, Red White & Blue Sugar Cookies, and everything was decorated for Independence Day. Happy Birthday USA!!!!!

To All You Dads.........

This Sunday we pay tribute to our Dad and honor him for all he means to us. Remember to send a card, make a phone call, and spend time with your Dad. Tell him you love him and how much he means to you.

If you need a stack of Chocolate Chip cookies, your Dad's favorite fresh baked pie (I'll have all flavors of fruit pies) come to the Granville Farmers' Market Saturday. I'm sure we can fix you up with a delicious tribute for Dad :)

Are you a Hard Core Berry Picker?

The other morning I was out bright and early taking a walk and I scoped out some beautiful black raspberries growing along the road. I about ran home to get my pail to come back and pick them.

For those of you who have never picked berries or who typically visit berry patches to pick, let me educate you on the fine art of "hard core" berry picking. It involves bug spray, long sleeves, long pants and long socks. it doesn't matter if it is 90 degrees outside-that's why you pick in the morning. Don't be afraid of grandaddy long leg spiders, bees, mosquitoes, small varmints or the possibility of seeing or stepping on snakes. If you can't stand to be scratched by thorns and hate to sweat-you may as well forget it now.

Lastly, your hands will be berry purple for awhile so you should hold off on getting that French manicure.

Oh yeah..one more thing. If you get poison ivy you are out of luck. Better get your berries already picked.

I was able to get 2 quarts of beautiful black raspberries that morning and am looking forward to picking more. There will be Black Raspberry pies at the Granville Farmers' market this week-fresh from my roadside adventure. See you there!

Back to the real world :)

I hope everyone's having a great week. I'm now back in Pataskala and working today (what a reality check). Sure hope the weather improves for the markets this week...according to Jym Ganahl it will be better....I'm holding you to that Jym!

For Westerville's Market I'm bringing Pastry Lemonade Dessert Bread; Pies (mini and regular): Strawberry Rhubarb, Rhubarb, Blackberry, Peach, Cherry; Cookies: Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, Snickerdoodle, Oatmeal Raisin and Oatmeal Walnut Crispie.

For Granville's Market I'll have breakfast fare: Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls, Blueberry Coffeecake and Cranberry Scones w/Lemon Glaze; Cookies: same as above plus my famous Biker Bars; and Pies: same as above.

I look forward to seeing you all there and remember-you can e-mail or call ahead to place an order.

Relaxing in Brooklyn

Sunday we decided to relax so we visited Brooklyn Label for brunch (veggie burgers with mixed greens salad-YUM) then strolled the neighborhood near Sara's (Greenpoint area) where we came upon this new cute little bakery called "Cookie Road". I peeked inside and saw a a variety of macaroons and beautifully decorated sugar cookies. I'll have to taste test next time :)

We then went to my favorite grocery, The Garden, for my flavored coffee purchases and purchased items for dinner (fresh mozzarella, basil, tomato and asparagus mini pizzas and fresh fruit cheesecake pie).

Sara also designed a "Sue's Kitchen NYC Brochure" so her friends can order fresh homemade goodies. I hope they order lots of goodies because I have so much fun packaging them and shipping them off. My very first "NYC paying customer" was Steph who said she ate all the cookies herself...oh my!

I also baked some Chocolate Chip cookies to donate for a fundraiser being held to raise money for playground equipment in Guatemala. Sara's good friend, Courtney, has a brother in the Peacecorps and the proceeds help their cause. Its being held tonight and they have donations of artwork, hotels rooms, goodie bags from AE, and more. Sara drew this picture of Courtney's brother with some of the kids so the fundraiser's poster. I hope they have a successful night!

Chocolate Chip Cookies packaged on vintage china

Top 10 NYC Bakeries

On Saturday I drug Sara all over SoHo and the West Village checking out bakeries, some of which were on the NYC's top 10 Bakery list. Pictured are Crumbs Cupcake shop, Grandaisy and Balthazar Bakery. We tasted a delicious Lemon Ginger cookie from Grandaisy. Yummy! While walking we came on a great street festival with live music, lots of delicious food and spirits, artwork and flea market items. We also took in Time Square to see the new American Eagle flagship store-very cool. If I haven't mentioned it before, my daughter Sara designs for American Eagle.

We enjoyed lunch @Cafe del Mar and was too full for dinner but managed to have some drinks with freshly homemade quacamole and chips.

My Weekend in NYC

Views of Chelsea Market 5/14/2010

When I'm lucky I get to come visit my daughter, Sara, in NYC, which just so happens to be this weekend!! We always check out some of the top bakeries so I can borrow (steal) ideas. Yesterday she had to work so I started out @Union Square Farmers' Market. It was a gorgeous day and there was everything to choose from. I was in need of coffee and a pastry so I purchased a HUGE blueberry scone (only $1.50) then found some Apricot Almond Biscotti ($2.50 for 6). I headed over to Starbucks to enjoy my finds but I was quickly disappointed :( The scone was dry and tasteless and the biscotti was SOFT-whoever heard of a soft biscotti?? In the trash they went and I took off for Chelsea Market. In the meantime I saw a famous person! I have no idea what his name is but I know he's been in comedies.

Chelsea Market is where the Food Network is taped (upstairs) and where wonderful specialty shops are located. Its a must-see for a foodie like me. I visited Ruthy's, Amy's Breads, Eleni's Cupcakes, SaraBeth's Kitchen, Fat Witch Brownie shop, the BoweryKitchen (where chefs go to buy anything and everything), and had lunch at Friedman's Lunch. I don't know if the fried green tomato w/blue cheese on whole wheat was worth $10 but it was good. I kept an eye open for Bobby Flay but he didn't show :(

After visiting my Sara and her pals at work we took off to Wild Wood BBQ for some ribs and all the trough of sides. The sweet hickory BBQ aroma pulls you in the restaurant and is hypnotic!! After dinner we got Pomegranate and Mango yogurt @ Pinkberry (YUM!) with blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and dark chocolate crisps-what a way to end the day!! We had a ball with Crystal and Helen-both foodies likes us! I miss you both!

In the evening we chillaxed and relived Betty White's "Muffin" skit from last week's SNL-what a riot. More fun tomorrow........

Cookies, Pies and Dessert Breads...Oh My!

Who doesn't like Blueberries? Well- I have a great dessert bread for you: Lemon Pecan Blueberry! My kitchen will be filled with such sweet smells when I bake these. I can't wait to wrap them up for the market this week.

I'll cut my rhubarb again this week but my connection called Saturday & I'll be getting 20-30 pounds later this week. Oh baby, oh baby......bring on the strawberry rhubarb pies :)

I haven't been to NYC since last fall but I'm going this weekend to visit my daughter, Sara. of course we will be taking in some more bakeries; taste testing, getting ideas, etc. How fun is that? I'd really like to visit the Cake Boss' bakery in Hobokan-we'll see if we make it there.
Also need to revisit Chelsea Market and Balthazar Bakery. I can't wait!!! More on that next week.

Everyone enjoyed the cupcakes this past weekend...it doesn't hurt that buttercream icing topped them off along with mini sugar daisies.

Come visit us this Wednesday in Westerville. It is supposed to be a beautiful day. Last week you could get fresh asparagus, rhubarb, herbs, lettuce, radishes, jams, cookies, meats, eggs, beautiful flowers, heirloom tomato plants, and my PIES. What a wonderful start to 2010!

Rhubarb, Rhubarb...May is Rhubarb month!!!!

Wow! That's alotta rhubarb! This picture is from last year but I just cut my rhubarb and I believe I have about this much. Guess I'll be making lots of "Springtime Strawberry Rhubarb" and "Just Rhubarb" pies! There's also a great Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble I might make. Do I need to say that May will be my official Rhubarb month?

Call me or come to the markets to get your fill of Rhubarb for 2010!!

Baking for Mom, Friends & Family

I'm sorry I haven't blogged lately....I guess I was busy wrapping up the winter markets, preparing for the whirlwind summer markets, helping my friend Dana get her bakery ready (yeah-we ripped up 70+year old linoleum and painted 10' high walls), and baking for parties.

We celebrated 15 years at work and I was asked to make the desserts. I have to say the mini cupcakes, red raspberry brownies, sugar cookies and other cookies were a huge hit. Then, we had a family birthday celebration this past weekend and again, the mini cupcakes were enjoyed by all. I think they will be a huge hit at my niece's first communion luncheon coming up.

For all of you looking for something SPECIAL for your Mom on Mother's Day, why don't you give her an individual 5"pie (of her choosing) in a gift box with doilie and ribbon. All for $10.

I'll take orders until Thursday, May 6.

St. Pat's and Spring coming to Worthington's Farmers' Market

It is so wonderful to have spring-like weather this week. It inspires me to break out the springtime table cloths, Easter chick and bunny cookie cutters and flowers...lots of flowers.

Its also almost St. Patrick's Day so this Saturday we will be decked out all in green, complete with shamrock decor and shamrock sprinkled sugar cookies.

At Sue's Kitchen we will also bring something that goes delightfully well with your morning coffee...Coffeecake! Look for Blueberry Cream Cheese and Apple Walnut Streusel coffeecake, cut and packaged in individual pieces (see the above pictures). If you can't wait to partake, I will be sure to bring forks and napkins for you.

See you there!

Meeting Mary Alice & Geof from the Ace of Cakes

Have I told you I have a good friend whose name is Dana Landrum? Well, Dana recently won tickets to meet Mary Alice and Geof from the Food Network's hit show "Ace of Cakes" at the Central Ohio Home and Garden show...and she asked me to go with her! We enjoyed a meet and greet during a continental breakfast and got their autographs while we were there. Pictured above is Mary Alice, Dana's daughter Janessa, Me, Geof and Dana. We later attended a Q&A session during the cake decorating contest, which was attended by at least 1000 people. We had a great time!

What do you want? What makes you happy?

I need to try some new recipes and am interested in your favorites. I'll always have my signature pies, cookies, and biker bars but what really puts a smile on your face? I know dessert breads can be yummy. My cinnamon rolls fly off the table. Mini cupcakes are super cute and tastey. What do YOU think?

Here's what's new this week: I'm making berry cream cheese coffeecake for this week's market and will focus on a variety of coffeecakes for the coming markets. You can choose from a whole coffeecake for your family or by the slice to enjoy with your morning cup of coffee. Over the past couple of years I've made blueberry, pecan crunch, apple walnut streusel, and cinnamon sour cream. All are quite yummy and you can look for these in coming weeks.

What else is a popular sweet indulgence? What's your favorite? What do you want to see at the markets or available to order?

I want to hear from you so send me your comments and e-mails!!

Sweets for Valentine Sweeties

Friends Zoe and Janessa enjoyed some mini cupcakes for Valentine's Day at the Worthington Winter Farmers' Market this past Saturday. We had a nice crowd who came out and braved the cold weather to pick up their purchases. Thanks to everyone for coming!

And for Valentines' Day my pies always have to be pretty.........

Snowday

There's nothing like a snowday to get me motivated to bake something just for my family, clean up the kitchen, and organize all the cookbooks and inspirational magazines that I've accumulated. I look outside and see the huge icicles hanging from the roof and the constant falling snow and I know I will surely appreciate spring this year. I know my husband Jim will too as he works for ODOT and has been working many 12 hour shifts plowing the roads in northern Licking County. Winter is beautiful but...come on..enough is enough!!

Here is a fun Snowman Family from Worthington

Pretty Pies and Valentine's Cupcakes

This Saturday we will be at the Worthington Winter Farmers' Market with delicious fruit pies and mini cupcakes. If you want something special for your Valentine this would be the perfect time to order their favorite sweet as we have another market on February 13...the day before Valentine's Day, how perfect! How about their favorite mini pie decorated with hearts packaged in its own box and tied with a bow?? Or a box of mini cupcakes: decadent dark chocolate with chocolate buttercream frosting, vanilla bean with pink buttercream or red velvet with cream cheese frosting? All wrapped up with a pretty bow. All you need is the card.

Mini Cupcakes and Mini Pies.....oh what a sweet small indulgence

Mini pies and cupcakes can satisfy that sweet tooth without causing the guilt of having eaten a whole slice of cake or pie...don't you think? Just a small sweet indulgence, like this mini apple pie. Or these mini cupcakes: Red Velvet w/cream cheese frosting, Dark Chocolate w/chocolate buttercream frosting and Carrot Cake w/cream cheese frosting. Yummm!

I'll see you all at the Worthington Winter Farmers' Market this Saturday with all of the above. Bring your sweet tooth!

Happy New Year Everybody!

A new year means trying new things and I'm always searching for new recipes for delicious goodies to bring to market. Today we had a FRIGID start to the day but our Columbus Winter Farmers' Market was well attended and enjoyed by all. I try to bring things that people can sit and enjoy with a steamy cup of coffee as we have a hospitality area where you can sit a spell and visit.

I'm learning about the lovely little treat called "scones". Yummmmmmmmm! My good friend, Dana Landrum (Landrum Cottage) introduced them to me awhile ago but I only made them a few times. Well, I made them for today's market and they sold out fast! Below is a picture of my cranberry scones slathered with heavy cream ready for the oven. After they come out I drizzle them with a lemon glaze. Wow, these are so heavenly...they melt in your mouth :)