This is the part where I take a moment to ask for your help.
This is the part where I tell you how much I need you.
Seriously people…. I need some inspiration. Give it up. Please and thank you.
I think I’ve found myself in a bit of a kitchen rut. What should I make? What do you want to see?
Hot? Cold? Sweet or savory? At what point will you stop putting up with my baking antics? How much cranberry juice is too much cranberry juice to drink in one day? What do I do about this giant blemish on my chin?
Ok… I suppose you should only answer the first few questions above. Send me some inspiration. Send me a dozen eggs. Send me a punch in the skull. I need your creative kitchen juice or your closed fist punches. Let’s be a team about this. I need you… but please don’t actually punch me. I was kidding about that part.
Update: You all are the most lovely people a blogger could ask for. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for all the inspiration. I’ve already got a list working from all your suggestions. Keep em coming! I think you’re dreamy!
Aaaand another update: You lovelies have blown me away. Thanks for all the inspiration. Amazing! Let’s hug. I’ll be in my kitchen this weekend and be back next week with some pretty fabulous treats for you. Thank you. One the real…. thanks.
{ 302 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
I haven’t read through all the suggestions so I don’t know if this has been mentioned…
Have you thought about painting your kitchen? Maybe w/ all your ‘stuff’ that could be hard, so how about just a wall, or the floor, or the ceiling – maybe the door through which you enter? I love to change things around a bit in my house when I’m in a little rut, nothing like moving furniture around in a room to freshen it and get a new perspective on the space (but would hate to move my cooking equipment around – God Forbid I reach for a rubber spatula and it’s gone!)
Food-wise, when I’m in a ‘cooking’ rut I usually try make my super southern great grandmother’s tomato gravy and yeast rolls. Impossible – but if I ever get it right, impossibly delicious!
And, hey – as a last resort, there’s always beverage testing! I just saw a recipe using St-Germain elderflower liqueur and another using watermelon to make sangria that I want to play with. Maybe those are calling your name too?
Good Luck – I can’t wait to read about all your results…
I already commented, but someone suggest tres leches cake and i completely second that request.
Wow, you are popular! Love all of your ideas. I can relate to being in a rut with the blog. But, I noticed the first commenter said something about balsamic vinegar. Reducing balsamic vinegar to a syrupy goo when it gets all sweet is amazing on vanilla ice cream. Maybe something along those lines. Now I’m hungry.
Some people have mentioned ice cream cakes, and I for one definitely agree! They are PERFECT for the weather we have been having and maybe you could possibly throw in some candy bar pieces inside the middle to add some crunch. I know you already did a blog on how to make the Ben and Jerry’s cake but i would love some more ideas. Thank you, and I hope this helps your inspiration block.
P.S. Your blog is the best around and you have a wonderful personality, I will never tire of you and your antics!
I love this site! My gluten-eating friends are always asking me for baking advice, but as a gluten-free baking girl, I can’t always provide the help they need….but I always sent ‘em here!!!
As someone mentioned above, its blueberry season. I’m going blueberry picking (if this thunderstorm ever clears..) and I am combing the internet for that perfect blueberry cornmeal pancake recipe. I’m sure the honor should be yours.
I’d also love a great savory, herbed roll recipe!
vanilla chiffon cake with whipped cream frosting and strawberries.
or maybe try to recreate the cheese filled coffee cake made by entenmann’s. even though its a store bought dessert/ breakfast treat, it tastes delicious every time :]
good luck with whatever you choose to create!
Joy, your baking antics are just that – a joy. I’ve shown so many people your blog and they ALL love it and have made something. THey love the recipes, the photos, and basically you.
I would like recipes for lots of different and gorgeous cupcake frostings/toppings. I’m the only one here who eats cupcakes, so I usually make a batch of vanilla cupcakes and frost them all differently so I don’t get bored. But then I end up making the same variations on frosting which is also getting boring! Help meee!
And I totally agree with the person who said something about brownies. Sure, I love a chocolate brownie or a blondie, but different kinds of brownies would make me happy. Love the idea of caramel, or different coloured, or peanut butter or coconut & white chocolate..
Joy, I love, love, love your blog! I made your chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting for a shower and received rave reviews! People went crazy for them. So, I would love see more cupcake recipes. Or anything really. Everything you post always looks so good!
Hello! I really don’t think you can drink too much cranberry juice, add some carbonated mineral water and ta-da! It is fancy! :)
As to the blemish, my boyfriend turned me on to Clean and Clear, Maximum Strength Persa Gel-10. I know, how could a yucky smelly boy know more about this kind of thing than sparkly clean girl? I don’t know, but I have stopped questioning, because his crazy crap ALWAYS works (it is really annoying sometimes!) lol… anyway, that stuff is great, works every time!
As for the baking? You can never have too much baking, don’t doubt that people will continue to read, because we all will, you have a great layout, beautiful pictures and real talent! :) How about something with raspberries and pistachios? Or blueberries with something other than citrus (I know they are good with lemon in the baking arena, but I like variety!) :) anything coconutty is lovely, and I am really into baking with yogurt, ricotta, or any other creamy thing… I like a little protein in my baked goods, it makes me feel like they are a bit more healthy! :)
Anyway, thank you for the good read, I am excited to see what you make with all of these suggestions, there are so many! :)
Hi Joy,
First, thank you for all you do. You inspire us, so this is really fun that you ask the same.
Lately, I’m taken by some of the sensual chocolate mixes like dk. chocolate with orange zest, ginger, chili, or curry. Maybe you could do something that would honor that sensual nature of mixed chocolate? It’s so lucious but often the baking takes away the creamy of the chocolate experience. Maybe chocolat-est puff pastry cups or a filo dough that has chocolate layers so the experience would be that of both flaky dough and chocolate luciousness? far fetched, but I imagine you to be sensitive enough to understand.
I thoroughly enjoy your quirky-serious attitude in the kitchen! If I didn’t, you would definitely not be on my SHORT list of food blogs to keep reading :)))
You know, why not make a blog post about food for boys. Not regular boys, but boys you like~ food that wins them over. The foods they just have to say in a funny voice because they like it so much (Key Lime Piiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaghhhhhhh!) And hey, if it never wins them over, blunders always make for good posts. Right? Right.
when i was a kid, the mom of a friend of mine would always make us special pancakes when i stayed the night at their house. i have no idea what they were … i think they were some kind of german pancake. she would pour the batter into a 9×13 pan and bake the whole thing in the oven and it would puff up. it was SO good. i’d love to find a recipe and try and make it!
love your blog. it’s one of my favorite things & everything i’ve made have been HUGE hits. thanks for YOUR inspiration!
There is also a finnish oven pancake called krupsuaa that may be what you are looking for!
I hope you are still reading suggestions!
How about: ANYTHING COFFEE!!
Coffee smoothies, ice cream, cookies, cakes, sauces!!!!
Coffee desserts are so popular right now (and expensive) esp. the smoothies, that it would be great to have homemade versions from the best online baker!
Thanks and keep up the great work.
My new obsession is baking with booze: guinness chocolate cake, bourbon with bananas or peaches, margarita cupcakes etc. The store at which I work recently started selling a line of sorbets made with champagne and red wine flavors…
I also made my own salted caramel for the first time, so that is going into everything…
Also second the first comment for strawberry balsamic cheesecake I have been playing around with this idea and haven’t figured out how to do it yet…
Something with quinoa in it.
Hi from SPAIN….wow …lots of ideas and followers. Its great so much sugestions. What about lots of ICE CREAM gorgeous flavours?????
I love ice creams and im crazy with my ice cream maker. You can teach us your baking cooking techniques too. You are a good inspiration. And recipes with CHOCOLATE….of course. THANKS and kissessssss
PLEASE make something like a lemon raspberry cake. I just got one from Costco (where else, huh?) and the flavor combination is absolutely DIVINE. It’s like eating a lemon-raspberry sherbet, in cake form.
Basically what the cake is, is a soft spongy two layered white cake with a raspberry-jam-like filling and thin layer of lemon curd on top (it’s kinda translucent). The edges are bordered with cream and the sides are sprinkled with slivered almonds.
If you get the time, it would be great if you could make a variation of this cake; it’s simply delicious!
I would love to see some ideas on how to preserve all those delicious berries and fruits of summer! Strawberries, raspberries, nectarines +++
Or how to make scones that doesn’t crumble.
Or peshawari naan bread.
Or some way to put my bag of star anise to use! :)
I would love to see some ideas on how to preserve all those delicious berries and fruits of summer! Strawberries, raspberries, nectarines +++
Or how to make scones that doesn’t crumble.
Or peshawari naan bread.
Or some way to put my bag of star anise to use!
I want yeast bread. please! You’re recipes are great and your flourless peanut butter cookies as well as your sugar cookie recipe are forever ingrained in my mind. I’m sure if you brought me sandwich bread it would go into my mind’s recipe box.
Long time reader, first time commenting… First, I think you are awesome! I love your wit, writing, and master culinary skills.
I’m not sure if food preservation is something you’re into, but I’d love to know how to make pickles, jams, etc.
So, if you’re feeling inspired… that would be fun to learn!
Cheesecake with balsamic strawberries? I made this just last week for a birthday to a thunderous applause and numerous pleas for seconds.
The cake was an Italian-style baked ricotta and lemon – no other cheesecake worth the eating in my opinion – with a biscuit base, and the topping went something like this:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp arrowroot
250 grams of strawbs halved
a few mint leaves, torn
I dissolved the sugar in the vinegar with 1/4 cup of water over a low heat. Then I mixed the arrowroot to a smooth paste with 2 Tbls of water before adding to the balsamic and heating for a few minutes until syrupy. I let this cool and waited until it was an hour to cake-time before mixing in the berries and the mint. I didn’t want to combine them too early as I had read someplace that the vinegar will cook the delicate fruit.
I poured this deliciously sweet concoction all over the cake before serving. It looked gorgeous, tasted divine and was super easy. I imagine you could pour it over ice cream, albeit rather sparingly – or even make a balsamic strawberry and mint ice cream…
Balsamic vinegar and strawberries is always a wonderful combination, and the Italians knew hundreds of years ago! So anything with those would be a bonus. But what I’d love to see is a jam cake. Years and years ago, when I lived in Tallahassee, FL, there was one baker who made this amazing cake with actual jams in the batter. I’d love a chance to have it again and make it for my kids, but nothing I’ve tried has quite recreated it. Of course, rasberry brownies are always a great hit, too. With fresh rasberries…Or maybe some interesting ways to cook fresh summer crookneck squash. I think we’re about ratatouille’d out! I suspect you have gotten enough feedback to do a couple of years worth of blogs by now, so I’ll stop! I look forward to seeing what you come up with-keep up the great work! It’s always fun to see what you’ve been up to and try one some of your recipes.
Some easy gluten-free desserts for those of us who don’t have many fancy ingredients or tools in our little European apartments? They would be much appreciated!
Thanks! And good luck!
I’m a bit late on this one, but I was busy thinking. You know, lately I’ve not been terribly excited to make large or stunning dishes. That coincides with a huge amount of CSA veggies, so instead, I’ve been making easy-to-throw-together tapas-style dinners. Maybe more dishes than the usual meal, but prepared fairly simply. This has kept me going; maybe you?
Anything puff pastry-ish but will LOVE anything you decide to post!
Coconut! I would love to have some good summery coconut recipes! I found a wonderful coconut milk cake thats just to die for and would love to have some more. We just love coconut at my house!
Hello Joy,
I absolutely love your blog!
I saw the post about needing inspiration, and I have to say the savory vittles you make are the coolest, so here’s a savory one! I have a recipe that I have been dying to try, but it’s not really Kale season, and the rest of the ingredients feel very Fall to me. I am sure you’re booked on stuff to make for a good while, but when the season starts to turn, you may way to try this one (it’s been HOT here in NC for the last week, so I’ve been indoors praying for October when the heat goes away.)
The original recipe comes from a French Blog called A Flavor Capture.
But my dear friend Bailey translated it for me!
2 large onions
2 shallots
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
40g unsweetened cocoa powder
12cL light red wine
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 bay leaves
150g minced kale
180g flour
1/2 packet of baker’s yeast
3 eggs
8cL vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of white cheese
150g of extra sharp cheddar or Parmesan, freshly grated
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Mince the onions, shallots, and garlic. Add the ingredients to a hot saucepan with the olive oil. Add the cinnamon, ginger, and chocolate powder.
Stir in the wine, lime juice, balsamic vinegar and bay leaves
Mince the kale, and add it to the sauce so that it is covered.
Let the mixture simmer and reduce the wine over medium heat for 15 minutes just until the kale is tender. Remove from heat. Remove the bay leaves.
Preheat the oven to 180 C.
In a bowl, mix (energetically) the flour, yeast, egss, oil and white cheese. Add the kale mixture, then the grated cheddar, salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly.
Put in little silicon heart molds.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Eat almost hot, after removing from oven while the cheese is still melty, an aroma of red wine sauce, a bewitching fragrance of cocoa.
Serve with a salad that is sufficiently neutral to fully profit from the taste of the cakes.
So, if you’re diggin’ it, give it a try. And keep up the wonderful blogging.
I’m on the search for a gooey cake recipe. All the better if it pairs well with ice cream. Thanks for askin’!
Dearest Joy,
I would love you to show me any or all of the following:
Steel cut oats
Chox Pastry (not even sure this is how you spell it)
What you made for dinner
What you cooked at work
Slice/bar recipes
How to teach my 8 year old daughter to cook
Thankyou for being so connected to all your faithful by asking us what we want.
Okay, there are seriously so many comments on here I haven’t a clue if this has been suggested or not. First off…how cool that you are asking for suggestions! :) How about simple suppers? You know, family friendly stuff that Mom’s can whip up fairly easily. OR how about yummy birthday cakes? As a Mom of 5 there’s always a birthday cake to bake. Or basic recipes to teach your child to cook/bake?
Thanks Joy! ?
Joy, you should try making black bean brownies! There are now many different versions out there, but try one anyway! They’re very dense and yummy. :)
Summer is my most favorite time to bake. I love to bake with all the seasonal fruits and make jam. In fact, most people bake most in winter when there’s nothing to do, but summer is my favorite time. Fruit is my inspiration. I’m going cherry picking this weekend so there will be some cherry pie in my future and clafouti, coffecake, bread pudding. King Arthur Flour books and periodicals are wonderful for showcasing seasonal fruit recipes. Hope that helps you!
Jen
OK, so I’m on my way to bed and don’t have time to read the other’s suggestions….Here are mine:
Soft Pretzels
Something w/ Choc./PB
Sweet Bread ~ Banana/Zucchini/Other
Love your blog!!!!
I am thinking…spicy chocolate cake – seriously spicy with chilli pepper flakes, dried ginger, and may be a hint of cumin (or may be not).
The leading taste, of course, would be regular sweet chocolate cake, and the after taste of spices should be a surprise hit at the back of the throat.
Joy, you lovely, lovely, lady… I think it would be great if you would do a couple blogs on technique or answering weird baking questions… if you could clarify things that are confusing for us common folk (or maybe its just me?).
For instance, my boyfriend seems to think that I do not need to mix things in their seperate bowls as the recipe recommends and that I can throw everything in at once. I’m pretty sure this is false, but it would be cool to know WHY I have to dirty up four mixing bowls for one cake.
And FOLDING ingredients in. My mom says “you know, just fold it in. just like it sounds.” Right. Thanks, mom. So I’ve been “folding” things in like it sounds to me it should go, but maybe I’ve been doing it wrong all these years.
And should I really set my eggs out before I use them so they are at room temperature?
… so these are all the Great Baking Mysteries I can think of at the moment. :)
Thanks so much for keeping up your terrific blog… it has been inspiring me to do a lot of baking, and I know the fabulous ladies I work with, although they may not know it, also appreciate your blog because I am constantly bringing in Joy the Baker goodies to work!
Just found your blog, so I apologize for being late the party– but how about cake decorating tips for people with little patience for cake decorating/little skill for cake decorating/few cake decorating tools?
Or any type of dessert that requires (or is improved by) sea salt.
Love your blog, btw! Thank you!
I would love to see something creative with acai berries. I have no clue what to make with those little beauties. I have made some sorbet but that is about as fancy as my little brain can come up with. Make me proud Joy.
I love this blog!
Ok, inspiration (if you’re still looking)… I do a fair amount of travel and have tried some really amazing desserts from all over the world. But finding decent ways of making them in the states can be complicated. My favorites are a rice pudding-like dessert called kazandibi (sometimes two words – kazan dibi) that’s popular in Turkey. There are also these jam-filled pastries popular in Russia around Easter called priyaniki. And then the more well-known favorites of mine are creme brulee and cannoli. I’ve had them so many different ways and I’d love to try more.
Good luck!
Hmm, Strawberry Soup ….I have had it on several occasions and think it be quite yummy & great for summer! I love your blog too!
I love your blog
What about all sort of food (entries, dishes, desserts) presented in glasses?
How about some summery cocktails?!?!
Somehwere north of Sausalito – there’s a restaurant and I can’t remember the name of the restaurant – BUT they have an amazing S’mores Pie – graham cracker crust, dark Hershey like chocolate, melted marshmellow with a crusty top – it is by far the best thing I ever tasted with the word “Pie” in the title – I’ve tried to re-create it with no success – I’ve never forgotten that pie!
(Forgive me if someone already suggested this – I’m supposed to be working, not reading all the comments. Bad MJ.)
If you follow Pioneer Woman, you probably remember her weekend with Pastor Ryan and her challenge dinner where she had readers suggest ingredients that he’d have to use to create the menu. (Salad dressing with lemon jello? Pork crusted with rice crispies? Was a memorable meal.) Why not adapt that idea for your blog? Maybe you could ask readers to suggest three ingredients and randomly pick a response to work into a recipe, menu, or some kind of post. Or you could do a sort of blog-exchange with someone like Ree or some other blogger you like, and set each other a challenge – each pick a set of ingredients that the other has to deal with. Expand everybody’s readership, too.
Oh, and another idea, also stolen from PW: do an “Ask Joy the Baker” thread.
And apparently, my third idea: steal inspirational ideas from other great blogs!
I’m sure you have a million fresh ideas by now but some gluten free baked goods would be cool.
Hi Joy… the woman with so much inspiration….
I so love your website and your amazing recipes.
They always turn out so well and taste divine !
I have been challenged in making some genuine nougat – soft or hard something which will be to di for…
if you come up with something amazing and fantastic i will so ever be indebted ….
Ang From downunder
sweet potato and chocolate…something.
i had this combo in japan in a chocolate straw type dessert. so good together. would love to see what you can make of it.
Hi Joy and Everyone!
I’d love to see your version of a jelly roll cake. I just KNOW it would be better than the disappointing ones I’ve been cooking up.
Alright, so since I have just become a vegan – I need to live my baking fantasies vicariously through others. And as you have so kindly asked for inpiration, this is a lovely outlet! (ofcourse with 300 others posting their baking reves I’m sure this will leave you with more than a few projects, let alone adding mine to the pile!) Are you ready for the onslaught of a repressed baking addict’s cravings? Here we go:
-Blueberry Pizza (my grandmother’s specialty!)
-Imperial Cookies
-Vegan Brownies (if you could find a good one – you would be my HERO!)
-Cacao nibs (in anything!)
-French Tortillon (a brioche dough in lanieres, filled with pastry cream, vanilla bean seeds and mini chocolate chips, folded and twisted. Golden!!)
-Pink Summer Berry Muffins
-Dense, rusty grain bread with a steaming bowl of Pumkin, Black Bean soup!
Ok, I’ll stop – because I could, quite easily, spend hours listing.
I’m excited to see what you concoct!
Cheers,
e.
← Previous Comments