Mock Mother's Circus Animal Cookies

The other day I subjected my loving boyfriend to my high school cheerleading scrapbook video. I'm not entirely certain what I thought I was going to accomplish by showing it to him, but, that's what I did.

I'm pretty sure he loved it.

He did.

Anyway, I then spent an hour or so looking at old pictures, remarking about how "skinny I was in high school" and how "I still look like a little kid" (I do), and texting a friend from home about the "good old days." Oh nostalgia, how I love and loathe thee.

(I, er, accidentally dropped the cookie that was formerly in the right bottom corner. Yeah. I dropped it.)

Speaking of nostalgia, can we talk about Mother's Circus Animal Cookies? You know, those pink and white frosted, rainbow sprinkled, animal-shaped delights. I went on a mad hunt for them around Atlanta soon after the aforementioned reminiscence. Much to my dismay, I could not find them anywhere. This seemed suspect, so I took my hunt online.

Cardamom Peach Pie Filling

Dear Georgia,

I came to you two years(-ish) ago. You truly are a delight. So lush and green. Such delicious food. Such lovely shops and farmers markets. Perfectly cold in the winter. Perfectly warm in the summer. But just recently, Georgia, you were 106 degrees. Recently, you've reminded me of a moister Texas summer. Sort of like a sauna. I don't like saunas. Please return to normal. I'll love you forever.

Love,
Natasha

PS: Thanks for the peaches. I'll always love you for that.

If you are a cardamom lover, this is hands down the best peach pie filling there is. It tastes like summer. I rolled it up in yeast dough and made some killer breakfast rolls with it. Then I made some individual crisps with it (not the prettiest desserts, but still delicious). Then I finished off the last of the jar by shamefully tilting it back and tapping it into my mouth...

Lime Curd (aka Liquid Gold)

There are certain things one should always keep on hand. Toilet paper, for example. And soap. Deodorant, also a good one.

This applies to the kitchen too. Olive oil. Eggs. Bacon (no seriously, why would you ever not keep bacon on hand?). Salt. And curd--duh.

This lime curd is known affectionately around these parts (meaning my house, meaning by me) as liquid gold. Look how silky...

This is a mini almond cake lime curd smothering situation.

I know what you're thinking: "Didn't you just post about lemon curd?" Yes, but I have toyed around and majorly improved upon that recipe. (And made it with the more seasonally appropriate lime.) So listen up people. Listen the frig up! Because this is it. This is real talk.

Perfectly tart-sweet lime flavor talk. Smooth, thick, satiny talk. Delicious talk.

Spread it on an English muffin. Bake it in an almond cake. Spoon it over peach slices. Because one way or another, you will be consuming this lime curd at an alarmingly rapid rate. Don't say I didn't warn you.