The Sugar Pixie (tsp)

Dutch Baby (German Pancake)

thesugarpixieNovember 14, 20202021-11-10T16:00:37-05:00

A family favorite dating back to when Mr. Sugar Pixie was in middle school. More recently one of our kids made it by themselves (with a bit of adult help) for their FCS class (Family Consumer Sciences / Home Ec…

Chocolate-Avocado Pudding

thesugarpixie February 4, 2018 Comments Off2020-11-14T10:01:30-05:00

Chocolate pudding is a favorite here in our house, however, it either comes out of a box or I am spent hunched over a stove stirring, stirring, stirring waiting for ingredients to thicken. This pudding is neither of those, in…

Making Pierogi (Continuing Education class at CCAC)

thesugarpixie September 25, 2017 Comments Off2020-11-14T10:01:33-05:00

A few years ago, I was skimming through the Continuing Education classes of our local community college (CCAC) looking for something to do/learn. I stumbled upon a list of food classes that were being offered through the Community College of…

Slow Cooker Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos with Avocado Cream

thesugarpixie April 10, 2017 Comments Off2020-11-14T10:01:32-05:00

The last time we visited my brother and sister in law they made this great meal that tasted great after hours on the road. (We're that crazy family that enjoys a road trip to Florida every few years!) This recipe,…

Gardening

Garlic Harvest – 2017

thesugarpixieJuly 27, 20172017-07-27T20:54:11-04:00

Tis that time of year again! It's a been a very rainy summer around here, and I was hopeful the garlic would make it through ok. This is our kids favorite part of the garden, as it gives them plenty…

Saving and Using Hardneck Garlic Scapes

thesugarpixie June 21, 2017 Comments Off2017-06-21T21:39:28-04:00

My second favorite thing about growing hardneck garlic is the scapes. The scape is the flower of the garlic. If the scape is not removed it will flower, and take away energy from the plant that could go to growing…

May Gardening (2017)

thesugarpixie May 21, 2017 Comments Off2017-05-21T20:52:54-04:00

I've learned my lesson from years past and have been holding off on planting in the garden until at least past Mother's Day, if not Memorial Day weekend. Since I promised myself to wait, we've had less and less frosts,…

Garden and Garlic Planting (2017)

thesugarpixie November 9, 2016 Comments Off2016-11-19T19:13:22-05:00

In fine November tradition, the girls and I started the garden for next year by planting garlic. I told myself I would not plant more than 72 garlic cloves, but like a potato chip more is better! I counted out…

Reviews

Sarver Chocolate Company

thesugarpixieMarch 6, 20212021-03-06T21:09:48-05:00

Finally another local company, Sarver Chocolate Company, selling allergen friendly items direct to consumer! I was excited to see a posting for this business in a local food allergy group. Finding chocolate and other sweets that are free from the…

SuperSeedz indeed are SUPER!

thesugarpixie August 18, 2019 Comments Off2019-08-18T22:00:27-04:00

We were recently on vacation in Florida and hit the ever popular southern grocey store, Publix, before checking into our hotel. It's part of our plan of attack when we travel - buy breakfast foods to eat in the room…

Consider the Lily’s – Top 8 Allergen Friendly Bakery

thesugarpixie February 10, 2019 Comments Off2019-02-10T17:48:46-05:00

In the words of my child "Mmm! Mommy these are so delicious!!!!" This is a quick review of the top 8 allergen friendly bakery, Consider the Lily's whom bake in New Castle, PA. I had plans this particular day that…

(closed) Stack’d Burgers (Wexford, Pennsylvania)

thesugarpixie March 7, 2017 Comments Off2024-09-20T09:32:56-04:00

Went for the burgers, ended up enjoying everything BUT the burgers. If you don't compare the burgers to Burgatory (my personal favorite), but compare the restaurant to something in the realm of North Park Lounge, Steak n Shake, TGIFriday's etc.…

Family

King Arthur ‘Extraordinary Breads’

mrpixieMarch 20, 20212021-03-21T20:43:07-04:00

King Arthur ran a baking challenge with a list of 'Extraordinary Breads.' It seemed like a fun way to explore new recipes, and all entries had a chance to win. So away we go! Butterflake Herb Loaf The first recipe…

Milkweed and Monarchs

thesugarpixie August 8, 2017 Comments Off2017-08-08T22:36:18-04:00

After many years of trying to grow milkweed from seed I finally went out searching for plants - again. Previous years proved to be near misses with milkweed plants. I was either too early (before school let out for summer),…

Buzz Aldrin clothing spotted at Target (in the girls section)

thesugarpixie May 24, 2017 Comments Off2017-06-14T22:30:28-04:00

Happily spied this as you enter the girls section of our local Target (Pittsburgh, PA 15237). The boys section had similar NASA meatball tank tops, and I did not find any additional merch in the men or women's sections. Spacey clothes…

Winter Fun – Ice Skating Lessons

thesugarpixie February 12, 2017 Comments Off2021-03-13T16:17:50-05:00

The girls waiting to take the ice for skating lessons at North Park Ice Rink. I finally remembered to seek out and sign up the girls for skating lessons this season. Allegheny County offers free and paid ice skating lessons…

How-To / DIY

Adventures in Kombucha Making

thesugarpixieAugust 8, 20182018-08-08T15:52:08-04:00

Almost a year ago, I dove into the world of kombucha. What is kombucha? Kombucha is a tangy, bubbly, fermented sweet tea containing some probiotics. It is made using a "symbiotic 'colony' of bacteria and yeast" (SCOBY). More info at…

How to : Fill and Roll a Burrito (or sandwich wrap)

thesugarpixie April 8, 2017 Comments Off2017-04-10T15:33:14-04:00

Half the battle of filling and rolling a burrito is less is more. The perfect burrito has just a little less filling than what you think you need. Working with fresh and soft tortillas, or lightly softened tortillas from the…

Packing Lunch for a School Field Trip

thesugarpixie February 26, 2017 Comments Off2017-05-21T22:28:49-04:00

So your kid is going on a school field trip or having field day and it is your mission to pack a completely disposable lunch. Piece of cake right? I have been a chaperone on a few field trips over…

New to Us: LunchBots 8 oz. Round Leak Proof Containers

thesugarpixie October 2, 2016 Comments Off2016-10-02T18:57:05-04:00

Just before the kids headed back to school I started thinking about their lunches for the upcoming school year. I had one kid that was burnt out on cream cheese and jelly sandwiches, and another that due some orthodontics needs…

Artsy

Phipps Conservatory

thesugarpixieAugust 2, 20152015-08-02T17:16:27-04:00

Took the good camera to Phipps Conservatory in Oakland for some fun with the kids. Typically it's just too hot in the summer to lug around a camera and chase kids, but we actually lucked out and had the place…

York Peppermint Pattie Smores

thesugarpixie March 5, 2015 Comments Off2015-03-05T14:13:34-05:00

Trying to mix things up on this second day of school being cancelled due to snow with a smores made from a York Peppermint Patty. This was way quicker than making a pot of hot cocoa on the stove, or…

“80 UA” – Tracks created from NASA Sound Archive

thesugarpixie February 2, 2015 Comments Off2015-02-01T14:19:34-05:00

80 UA was created from the Sound Archive published by NASA. The five composers sampled, processed, reconstructed and synthesised the original sources. The tracks are crafted exclusively from the original recordings of NASA—the only rule the musicians gave themselves. 80…

Decisions, Decisions

thesugarpixie December 29, 2014 Comments Off2014-12-29T22:26:54-05:00

It's hard making decisions as an adult. Like when it's 3AM in Pittsburgh and you leave the smokey dance club do you go to Primanti's for a sandwich because it's there, OR do you go home, shower, and SLEEP because…