Dessert
Blueberry Cobbler
Blueberries! Blueberry cobbler (and this cobbler, specifically) is the best dessert. Whether you make it with fresh blueberries from farmers’ market, or with frozen blueberries from the freezer section of the grocery store, this recipe will be a go-to for years to come. Late spring and early summer is the time of year when blueberries are plentiful, thanks to garden bushes, farmers’ markets and, when I lived in Maryland, a great little farm stand nearby. You can end up having enough to keep some in the fridge for cereal and yogurt toppings, fresh smoothies, to freeze for using later, and also to grab by the handful for easy snacks. (And…
Chocolate Lime Zucchini Bread
This chocolate lime zucchini bread turns a breakfast snack into a yummy dessert, and with zucchini still in abundance here, we need all the zucchini recipes we can get. I mean, will those plants ever stop producing? Seems like the answer should be “no,” but we all know that in a few short weeks we’ll be reminiscing about the fresh veggies from mid- to late-summer. When I get my hands on a ton of zucchini, whether it’s from the garden or from the farmers’ market or grocery store, I decided to save it by freezing it, rather than using it right away. That process is really simple, too — no blanching…
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Chocolate chip cookie bars make an already simple recipe even easier — because, as we know, making chocolate chip cookies from scratch isn’t difficult. But, even I can be lazy enough to not want to spend time plopping dough by the tablespoonful onto cookie sheets, batch by batch. And that’s why cookie bars were invented! All of the cookie dough bliss, with none of the individual cookie fuss! Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Here’s a quick run-through of the steps; the full recipe card is just after: First you cream butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until they’re soft and fluffy, and then mix in the…
Rich Chocolate Mocha Pudding
This rich chocolate mocha pudding uses coffee to turn an already decadent dessert into something even more special! I love the opportunity to try and take a great recipe, tweak it, and make it even better. Or … at least … just as good. A few years ago, I Pinned a chocolate pudding recipe from smitten kitchen that she adapted from a chef’s blog. I mean, how could you not stare at Deb’s endless photos and not want to make the recipe yourself (or at least wish she was around the corner so you could become friends and enjoy her spoils)? Right. Here’s my take on it. Rich Chocolate Mocha Pudding Chocolate…
100 Easy Christmas Cookies
This holiday season make a few of these easy Christmas cookies to give as gifts and to enjoy at home! It can be argued that the tradition of giving Christmas cookies started in Medieval times, as winter solstice rituals transformed into holiday celebrations. Just like today, food was an integral part of gatherings in those days. With a shift into celebrations instead of ritual, the parties became grander — less about sustenance before a bleak winter and more about feasting together to ring in the season. Back in those days, sugar was considered a delicacy reserved for important occasions, and Christmas was one of the *most* important. Unlike pies and cakes,…
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars (Gluten Free)
These gluten free pumpkin cheesecake bars are a great alternative to the traditional pumpkin pie during Thanksgiving and fall holiday gatherings. This is a guest post by Diana Girtain. I was recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disease which benefits from a gluten free diet. I’d gone gluten free/low gluten years ago because I’d started to notice that I felt remarkable better without it, so it was satisfying to have a doctor’s explanation for my improved quality of life — it wasn’t just all in my head! Since that diagnosis and my dietary adjustments, I’ve been on the search for a good gluten free pie crust for years. Spoiler: they’re not easy…
Easy Pie Dough
This easy pie dough recipe (made with all butter) is so simple, you’ll think twice before buying pre-made dough from the grocery store again! It took me an unusually long time to try my hand at making a few different staple recipes from scratch. I’m talking things like buttercream frosting, pizza crust and pie dough. None of these things are terribly tricky to make, it’s just the ease of buying a reasonably good (if not great) already-made product at the grocery store won me over. Not to mention the cost of making some of these recipes from scratch can actually cost *more* than just buying it ready-to-go. But. Sometimes it’s…
Easy Pumpkin Pie
This easy pumpkin pie only takes fifteen minutes to prep before baking. Use store-bought pie dough or make your own simple homemade pie crust in advance (recipe below) — either will produce a yummy homemade pumpkin pie that’s perfect to cap off any Thanksgiving feast! Even though I don’t do much baking (e.g., cake, bread, rolls, etc.), I love making pie. Apple pie is my go-to, everything from the traditional with notes of cinnamon and thinly sliced apples, to a more robust apple pie with cardamom and a crumble topping. And during the cold weather holidays through New Year’s Eve, the variety of pies I can’t help but make goes…
