​Laughter in the Kitchen (and sometimes cursing)
Tales and Treats by Cynthia G. Neale
Illustrations by Maggie M. Martin
 
Laughter in the kitchen is what we’re all waiting for! Honestly, at this time in our world, I think we’ll take laughter anywhere…as long as there is no derision and mockery. We can laugh anywhere in the house! The bedroom can begin a life and perhaps this place is a bit too serious for guffaws, but who knows. The living room can be akin to a waiting room with entertainment and snacks that aren’t good for you. We might laugh at some comedy, but mostly we’re crying over the tragedies. Then there’s the bathroom…well…who laughs in the bathroom, except when someone tells you to take a look at your hair. And then they’re not in the bathroom, but you are. You might laugh, but mostly you’re moaning. 
 
But in the kitchen, where food can burn, explode, stick, boil over, drop, stink, spill, and not taste good, there is always hope for culinary magic and laughter. The kitchen is a place of experimentation, transformation, and a place of nurturance. It’s the heart of the home and is an apt metaphor for life. Our lives get stirred, heated, and baked! We come out loving and laughing, or not. Gathering ingredients from local farms, your garden, and store to make something delicious that will sustain you and others takes time and effort. You’re missing the point (and health) ordering fast food or even food service. I have known people who don’t cook and honestly, they don’t laugh very much, either. Now there’s a time for ordering a pizza and even a time for food service delivery, but there's nothing like the day in and day out necessity of cooking, baking, measuring, chopping, laughing, cursing, and serving meals to love yourself and others. There’s no way to become a good cook and in regards to this cookbook, a good baker, unless you experiment and make mistakes. We hate making mistakes and want perfection, but without mistakes, there would be no laughter. Laughter comes from mistakes and the ones that happen in the kitchen are especially funny (after possibly cursing and crying). Have you met perfectionist people who do everything neat, orderly, and never do anything out of their proverbial boxes? They’re really not much fun! And rollicking, peeing in your pants laughter, never happens to them!
 
This upcoming cookbook will have a few recipes that once flopped, had band aids in them, tears in them, and just didn’t taste very good. You wouldn’t even throw them to the wild animals in your backyard. But because they’ve been made over and again, the mistakes were corrected, and they’re downright good and are mostly wholesome and healthy (yes, even desserts). All the mistakes we’ve made in our lives helped create who we are today and all the mistakes we make in the kitchen helps create sensational fare, along with stories for laughter.
 
Laughter in the Kitchen will be full of my delicious dessert recipes derived from baking from scratch. It will also contain funny stories about mishaps in my kitchen that will tickle your funny bone and maybe make you laugh out loud. And we’re also soliciting stories from you! We’ve got a few already and what fun it will be to have your comical kitchen story published in Laughter in the Kitchen! The illustrations are being whimsically created by my friend, Maggie M. Martin, artist extraordinaire, who has laughed with me until we had to run to the bathroom. There will be old fashioned dessert recipes with lots of butter, but just about every ingredient used is organic or locally sourced. There are many dairy free recipes for those who are lactose intolerant and for those who want to forego butter and go easy on their arteries. And there are a few gluten free and vegan recipes, as well. For experienced bakers, the recipes can be altered to suit their tastes and needs.
 
 I bake to satisfy my need for sweetness, to love family and friends, and to make friends. I write scenes for my books in my head while I bake. I bake to overcome sorrow, to forget, to impress, and most of all, I bake to create joy, which is silent laughter waiting to come forth at the right time.
 
Laughter in the Kitchen will be published by Bedazzled Ink Publishers in the very near future!
 
If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world ~J.R.R. Tolkien

​I loved writing my cookbook, Pavlova in a Hat Box, Sweet Memories & Desserts and I'm currently co-authoring another cookbook with the working title, Transatlantic Tarts, Wee Tales & Recipes by Two Celtic Cake Queens. I've been creating new recipes and revising old ones. Below, I share a recipe I've altered and re-named, Sconookies! They are a lovely cross between a scone and a cookie.

I often find heart shapes in nature, especially when I need a boost of magic to remind me that I'm loved. I've collected heart-shaped stones, sea glass, and taken photos of mossy heart shapes on tree trunks. Sometimes I've looked up instead of down and the clouds have been heart-shaped. And because love is the most important ingredient I bake with, I adore creating heart-shaped cookies, cheesecake, and scones for Valentine's Day. I don't just bake these heart-shaped delectable sweets for Valentine's Day, but on any day I feel extra loving when I bake.

A chuisle mo chroi in Gaelic means my heart's beloved and my husband, Tim, and I have been married close to thirty-five years. We purposely married in February close to Valentine's Day. He's my heart's beloved! And as a writer, he's my first reader. As a baker, he's my first taster.

Sconookies
Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 2 medium eggs
• 1/2 cup light cream
• 3 tsp. almond extract
• 3/4 bag of white chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups chopped roasted almonds
• 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
3. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, and almond extract.
   
5. Add the cream mixture to the flour mixture and thoroughly mix.
6. Knead in chocolate, almonds, and cranberries.
7. On a floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/2 inch thickness and cut into hearts with a small heart-shaped cookie cutter.
8. Place hearts on sheets and brush with cream and sprinkle with sanding sugar (pink).
   
9. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until very lightly browned.

Yield: 24 or so small Sconookies

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