• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Joy the Baker
Joy the Baker
  • Cookies
  • Bread
  • Cakes
  • Pies
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Cookies
    • Birthday Cake Recipes
    • Biscuits
    • Muffins
    • Cupcakes
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Fruit
    • Nuts
    • Buttermilk
    • Chocolate
    • Vanilla
    • Holiday
    • Healthy
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegan
  • Blog
    • Baking 101
    • Tips
    • Beyond the Kitchen
    • Let It Be Sunday!
    • New Orleans
  • Shop

Let It Be Sunday, 249!

-My New Orleans Friendsgiving

December 1, 2019 by Joy the Baker 8 Comments

Hello friends!

I’m on a high from one of the best Thanksgiving days ever. My parents came to New Orleans, bringing with them some of the finest Southern California weather.  They helped me hustle the Bakehouse together into a little wonder of a Thanksgiving home with dinner outdoors, drinks on the patio, every detail accounted for… and they only had to endure me being terribly bossy for two short days to make it all happen. Their presence and patience is the true holiday miracle and I’m so so thankful. Friends came through with the most generous dishes to contribute and we all shared some hearty laughs around the table. It was real.  It feels like a holiday we’ll all remember fondly (so the bossiness was worth it, right?).

I hope you’ve found some good feels through this holiday weekend. It’s official. We’re hurtling towards the December holidays and the New Year and, most importantly: Mardi Gras. Gosh… what did I look forward to before living in New Orleans? It’s hard to remember.

The offering this week is below. Please take what you need and know that I wish you well.

•  We read a story like this last week. Here is proof that homelessness may look different that we think: 3 kids. 2 jobs. No home.

•  Sometimes it’s hard to know what to do or how to help. Thanks goodness Giving Tuesday is coming up. We can always find a way. (GivingTuesday.org)

•  Just decided I’m only dating BASE jumpers from here on out. Just kidding, mom and everyone. The secret BASE jumpers of California (The San Francisco Chronicle)

•  Currently reading and enjoying this little thriller: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. (Amazon)

•  I’ll be gifting this sweet book this year: Snippets of New Orleans by Emma Fick (Amazon)

•  You know I’m always here to read about someone else’s skin care routine: Why Is Your Skin So Good? (The Cut)

•  Turning my vision of a white and citrus Christmas into a reality and crafted with my mom and Suzonne this fine holiday weekend.  Mom and I made a bowl full of crepe paper oranges. I don’t have a tutorial because I just figured it out as I went, but Lia Griffith has a simplified version of my crepe paper oranges.  (Lia Griffith)

•  More seasonal crepe paper work: How To Make Crepe Paper Poinsettias. (Joy the Baker)

•  We’d love to see you at The Bakehouse next year. We’d love to make gifting a class at The Bakehouse easy for you.  Get a Bakehouse gift certificate riiiight here.  xo (TheBakehouseNola)

•  I’m ready for Winter Lemonade with ginger and cloves. (Joy the Baker)

•  In very different news, my heart and spirit are body ready for Homemade Egg Nog with Rum. (Joy the Baker)

•  Here’s what I’m making this week: Grilled Chicken with Banana Peppers from family meal at Commander’s Palace. (Bon Appetit)

•  Florida Dog… (The Washington Post)

•  Head over to my Instagram today for a giveaway of some of the sweetest, food-centered, giving-minded jewelry company: Delicacies Jewelry! There are some really lovely gifting moments here PLUS 25% off with code: joythebaker. (DelicaciesJewelry)

My love to you, bigtime.

xo Joy

Previous PostNext Post

Filed Under: Let It Be Sunday!

Previous Post: « Stuffed Acorn Squash
Next Post: Gingerbread Swirl Bundt Cake »

Reader Interactions

All Comments
I Made This
Questions
  1. Samantha

    December 9, 2019 at 3:57 am

    We should have Thanksgiving too in Italy!

    Reply
  2. Briel K.

    December 5, 2019 at 4:30 pm

    I’m glad you had a magical Thanksgiving with your parents and friends! My parents were here in San Diego, as well as my brother and his family so we had a chaotic but good weekend together!

    I finished The Silent Patient in October. Let me know what you think about it when you are done!

    Reply
  3. Amy

    December 3, 2019 at 2:16 pm

    I have to ask – what is that dish between the macaroni and cheese and the greens? I can’t make it out. Looks like a cookie dough whoopie cushion. Which sounds magical, but I’m sure it’s not that. :)

    Reply
  4. Addie

    December 1, 2019 at 6:55 pm

    Took your suggestion and added creamy smoked Gouda Brussel Sprouts as a Thanksgiving side dish. Universally loved! Thank you so much!!!!

    Reply
  5. Lisa

    December 1, 2019 at 12:24 pm

    Just wanted to thank you for both your gingerbread cake recipe and the pumpkin scone recipe. I made both for Thanksgiving with my family and everything just raves about the wonderful flavors and textures! No more store bought for us. Thank you for always having the best recipes!!

    Reply
  6. Nancy G.

    December 1, 2019 at 9:18 am

    We don’t need to apologize for being
    Bossy. That’s a good and useful trait.
    The manner in which one is bossy is important.
    Kindness and love are in the equation.
    When I was younger, I was called bossy by my siblings which hurt but now I realize it is one of my strengths. It helped me through 40 years of teaching, supervising meetings and trainings, and working on committees. Compromise helped too. So…be bossy! The world needs some bossy people. (But men aren’t called “bossy” are they? Hmmm.) Love you Joy! Love your recipes and Sunday posts.

    Reply
  7. Eve

    December 1, 2019 at 8:31 am

    Love your Let It Be Sunday posts and all your New Orleans recommendations. Was there the weekend before Thanksgiving and stayed at the fabulous Hotel Peter & Paul. The food at their Elysium restaurant since they recently acquired the chef from Compere Lapin, and drinks at the bar were excellent. We found out just before heading to CL and though the appetizers were excellent, their main courses were sadly inedibly salty. Cochon was excellent as was our last meal at Marjie’s. Thanks!

    Reply
  8. Maria

    December 1, 2019 at 7:41 am

    Thank you for the Sunday morning reads and I look forward to seeing your citrus Christmas tree! Have you seen this wrapping paper to continue with your theme? https://bsgeneralstore.com/products/bs-wrapping-paper

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

RELATED POSTS IN Let It Be Sunday!

Let It Be Sunday, 402!

Hello, friends! Apologies for going full Pollyanna—especially among our hellscape of a news cycle—but I kinda like the month of January. My parents owned a lamp store for 40 years and it’s where I spent my entire childhood. Business boomed in January, when folks were craving light in their homes after discarding their Christmas trees…

Read More

Let It Be Sunday, 401!

Greetings from the land of fandom. Specifically, Aubrey Gordon fandom. Are you drawing a blank? Let me refresh your memory. She is the co-host of the podcast Maintenance Phase; before she told the world her name, she was known online as yrfatfriend; she has written two books:  What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk…

Read More

Let It Be Sunday, 400!

Hi friends! Goodmorninghellohowareyou? Welcome to the Middle of January. A few years ago, at the suggestion of friend (and incredible JtB food photographer) Karlee Flores, I took on the life-affirming concept of Gentle January.  Rather than smashing my soul into crushing goals and expectations at the tail end of the holiday season, Karlee suggests we…

Read More

Primary Sidebar

Fresh baked emails, delivered to your inbox

Receive recipes from Joy the Baker and updates on events at The Bakehouse.

HI! I’M JOY!

Welcome! This has been my little corner of the internet since 2008!

I’m a baker, photographer, cookbook author and teacher.  I live laugh love in New Orleans. 

MORE ABOUT JOY AND THE TEAM

BOOKS + Magazines

JOY THE BAKER 2022 SUMMER MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2021 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2020 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

HOMEMADE DECADENCE

OVER EASY: SWEET AND SAVORY RECIPES FOR LEISURELY DAYS COOKBOOK

JOY THE BAKER COOKBOOK

joy the baker on facebook joy the baker on twitter pinterest-social instagram-socialbloglovin-social

JOY @ WILLIAMS SONOMA

SHOP THE CAKE LINE OF CAKE MIXES!

DRAKE ON CAKE

Passionate from miles away since 2015.

Check it out on Instagram

Drake on cake instagram.

 

BREADS YOU’LL LOVE

inside of warm cinnamon roll on plate

How To Make The Best Single Serve Cinnamon Roll

Orange roll on a plate with a fork.

Christmas Morning Orange Rolls

Baked pull apart garlic bread baked in a loaf pan.

Erin’s Roasted Garlic Herb Pull-Apart Bread

LET’S MAKE COOKIES!

cowboy cookies close up showing texture.

Cowboy Cookies with salted cereal brittle

Raspberry linzer cookie recipe stacked on baking sheet.

Raspberry Lemon Linzer Cookies

Iced Oatmeal Cookies layered on a cooling rack.

Eggnog Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Footer

Instagram

joythebaker

📚Baker and author of books and magazines
🎂Creator @drakeoncake
💁🏻‍♀️Classes with me @thebakehousenola
🍰 Products with @williamssonoma

joythebaker
My prayer is that we are fortified, flexible, and My prayer is that we are fortified, flexible, and well fed this year.
Homemade Hamburger Helper with Sneaky Veggies. ⁣ Homemade Hamburger Helper with Sneaky Veggies. ⁣
⁣
The thing is, you think you’re making enough for leftovers but somehow it’s all gone in one sitting. It’s that good. Recipe linked in the bio. Xo
I made these Almost Almond Croissant with a sheet I made these Almost Almond Croissant with a sheet of puff pastry and half a log of almond paste. Consider this a max volume weekend treat. ⁣
⁣
You’ll need:⁣
- A thawed sheet of puff pastry, fridge cold⁣
- 3.5 ounces or half a log of almond paste cut into 12 even-ish pieces⁣
- An egg beaten for egg wash, with a splash of heavy cream and a glug of vanilla bean paste for extra luxury⁣
- Sliced almonds⁣
- Powdered sugar ⁣
⁣
Lightly roll a sheet of puff pastry and slice into six rectangles. ⁣
Brush each rectangle with egg wash. Arrange each with two slices almond paste. Pull two corners of the puff pastry up and over the paste, pressing lightly to seal. Brush lightly with egg wash. ⁣
⁣
Transfer to a small, parchment lined baking pan and allow to rest in the freezer while the oven preheats to 425 degrees f. ⁣
⁣
Bake from chilled for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and again lightly brush with egg wash. Top with almond slices and bake for 6-8 minutes more. Keep an eye as to not burn the almonds. ⁣
⁣
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before dusting with powdered sugar and enjoying warm.
No hesitation. Marshmallows in every cookie. ⁣
⁣
Peanut Butter Fluffernutter Cookie recipe linked in the profile. 💋
🙋‍♀️ if you buy bananas just so they can 🙋‍♀️ if you buy bananas just so they can languish on the counter long enough to be baked. ⁣
⁣
These Almond Flour Banana Bread cookies are stacked with walnuts and chocolate and one of the best way I know how to celebrate a speckled banana. Find the recipe linked in the profile! xo #bananabread #glutenfreerecipes #joythebaker #cookies #bakingrecipes
Just tryna get the most cheese on my most simple s Just tryna get the most cheese on my most simple small-batch bagel recipe. Get in on this with me: ⁣
⁣
2 Easy No Yeast Bagels⁣
1/2 cup self-rising flour⁣
4 tablespoons greek yogurt (plus a teaspoon or two more if needed)
1 large egg, beaten for egg wash⁣
1/3 - 1/2 cup grated gouda or gruyere⁣
Everything bagel seasoning⁣
3 tablespoons baking soda with 2 cups of boiling water. ⁣
⁣
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray the paper lightly with nonstick spray. ⁣
⁣
In a small bowl, use a firm spatula to work together the flour and yogurt. Add a few teaspoons of yogurt if it feels dry and knead into a cohesive ball for 5 minutes or so. Sprinkle with a bit more flour if it gets overly sticky. Cover with a damp paper towel and gather your toppings. ⁣
⁣
Divide dough in two and roll each piece into a roughly 8-inch rope. Bring the ends around and pinch into a circle. ⁣
⁣
Sprinkle the bottom of the prepared pan with grated cheese in two spots.  Pour boiling water over the baking soda and float each bagel in the water for 20 or so seconds.  Use a slotted spot or spatula to transfer the bagels on top of the cheese.  Brush lightly with egg. Sprinkle with more cheese and everything bagel seasoning. ⁣
⁣
Bake for 20 - 22 minutes until deeply golden and bubbling.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and smearing with cream cheese.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · Joy the Baker
All rights reserved. Violators will be whupped and sent to bed with no dessert · Privacy Policy

Scroll Up