a bite, a blog, a story
Buckeyes are hands-down my favorite candy. When I was a kid, my mom would make these little guys by the dozens. It’s the peanut butter-chocolate combination that can not be beaten. The salty and sweet flavor translates perfectly in this decadent fudge. I hope you …
The combination of peanut butter and chocolate is always unbeatable. When the crispy cereal is added, it’s a total winner.
I love caramel turtles! When I see a package of them at the grocery store, I always throw it in my cart. Something about milk chocolate, caramel, and nuts mixed makes the perfect bite.
This recipe is perfect for those who do not enjoy making candy. No thermometer is needed, no special equipment, and very little time.
Finding pretzel rings is the only issue I have had making these little turtles.
In the snack aisle, there is never a shortage of pretzels. They come in all shapes and sizes. There are pretzel rods, pretzel sticks, and of course, the traditional form of pretzels which is tied in a bow.
The Pretzel circle has to be the least produced pretzel product in America. I am confused about why they are hard to find; pretzel circles are used in many candy recipes. So I would assume there is a market for them.
If you’re making this recipe around Christmas, make sure you find your pretzel circles a few months prior and put them in the freezer. It’s the only way I know to have them when you need them.
My pretzel turtle recipe makes the perfect sweet snack. Turtles are perfect for gift-giving or just having around in a candy dish. They are sweet, crunchy, and the caramel and chocolate make the perfect combination.
I hope you give these guys a little try. He will be addicted like I am, for sure. So don’t wait too long to get to the store, or write your congressman asking for more pretzel circles to be made. Enjoy!
Classic turtle candy taste in a new way. Welcome to your new addiction.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, water to a medium pan. Place the pan over medium heat, often stirring until the brown sugar melts into a sauce; this takes about 1 minute.
Add in the pecans and stir to coat brown sugar sauce.
Continue cooking, stirring the entire time, until the pecans look coated and smell a little nutty, and this takes 2 to 3 minutes.
As the pecans heat up in the pan, they will slowly become shiny. Pay close attention, so the nuts do not burn.
Transfer the pecans to the baking sheet and spread them into a layer.
Allow the pecans to cool, and then break them apart before serving.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees and line a cookie sheet with foil.
Place 1 Rolo on each pretzel. Place in oven for 4-5 minutes or until Rolos become soft.
Immediately after removing pretzels from oven, place a pecan halve on each Rolo and very lightly press down to spread chocolate/caramel over pretzel
Let stand or place in refrigerator until chocolate/caramel hardens.
Goodies will keep for a good while in an air tight container.
Even if you’re not a fan of pork rinds, you might surprise yourself when you take the first bite of this savory treat; I know I was shocked.
My pizza muffins are an elevated version of the classic English muffin pizza. Made with homemade dough, they are buttery, saucy, and perfect as a portable snack or lunch.
Who doesn’t love Chocolate Eclairs or cream puffs? Both of these well-loved pastries start with Choux Pastry.
It is one of the most popular French pastries. It is famous worldwide. French pastries, in general, can be intimidating to make, but there seems to be something very approachable about Choux pastry.
All of the different recipes that I found say it’s easy to make pastries from this process.
I did not find it so easy; The dough is very straightforward and not complicated; however, the process can be.
When baking Choux Pastry, several techniques can be used.
For me, it was trying to figure out which one works best.
Some methods call for cooking the pastry shells at a high temperature and then turning the oven off and leaving the door open for them to cool and dry.
This method did not work for me. The result was flat pastry shells that were good for nothing but the trashcan.
What worked for me was baking at a high temperature, reducing the heat, and baking until dry. Make sure that the Eclair, puffs, or whatever you are baking, do not over brown.
My recipe for Choux Pastry produces a crisp, buttery shell perfect for any filling, savory or sweet. 
I have used this successfully for cream puffs, eclairs, and even ham puffs, which are my favorite three.
I hope you give this recipe a try. Perhaps my method will not be your favorite, but you never know until you try. Enjoy!
This "mother" dough recipe is the building block to many French Style bakery items. If you learn this technique, you can make everything from Eclairs to Cream Puffs.
Preheat oven to 425˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium pan.
Bring to a slight boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it boils, please remove it from the heat to stop the cooking.
All at once, stir in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until incorporated.
Place the pan back over medium-high heat, constantly stirring for 2 to 3 minutes to release moisture, and start cooking the flour. A film will form on the bottom of the pan, and the dough will create a smooth ball.
Transfer dough to the bowl of a stand mixer, and mix on medium speed for a minute so the mixture can cool slightly.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium speed, allowing each egg to incorporate between additions.
Beat a minute longer until the dough is smooth and forms a ribbon when the paddle is pulled up.
For puff style choux, Fill a piping bag with a 1/2" round tip with the dough. Pipe in two-inch circles.
For Éclair style choux, Fill a piping bag with a 1/2" round tip with the dough and pipe in a four-inch line.
Bake at 425˚F for 10 minutes in the center of the oven. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 325˚F and bake 20-22 min longer or until golden brown on top.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
I love a good salty snack, and especially I love crackers. So when I first tried cheese crisp, I loved them.
The addition of Sriracha gives This Russian dressing a tang and a little spice which makes me happy.
This deviled ham spread is not like what you find in cans at the grocery store. Now, I should say that I have been eating that particular kind of ham spread since childhood.
My mom would use the can version to make a cheeseball. To me, it’s the best cheese ball that I’ve ever had. It could be because It’s all I knew, but it is pretty darn good. Maybe I will post it on this website at some point.
I decided to make my own deviled ham spread because I knew it could be better than white is available to purchase.
Deviled Ham Spread is different than Ham Salad, primarily because of texture. Ham salad has larger diced vegetables, whereas Deviled Ham Spread is minced finely into a mass.
I tried many attempts to make this spread perfect, and I believe I am close.
This recipe for Deviled Ham Spread is creamy, savory, slightly salty, and works perfectly on crackers or a sandwich.
I love having this Deviled Ham Spread as a sandwich on soft white bread with a hot bowl of tomato soup; it’s the perfect lunch.
I hope you get this recipe a try; who knows, maybe you mix it into a cheese ball and have rave reviews at your next party. Enjoy!
Different then regular ham salad, mostly due to texture. Salty, creamy, this spread is perfect for parties, or just a simple lunch.
pulse ham in a food processor until minced
Combine ham, mayo, mustard, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and vinegar in another bowl.
Refrigerate for two hours.
Serve on crackers or a sandwich.
This bread is moist and has that distinctive rye taste that goes so well with corn beef or whatever you decide to put between the slices.
These cannoli are crispy on the outside and velvety smooth on the inside. The pistachios add a crunch and a saltiness that complements the filling.
I have wanted to make a coffee cake for quite a while. The thing that has been holding me back is that I have not had a lot of coffee cake in the past. I know this does not count, but I love little Debbie coffee cake snack cakes.
Back in the day, I could tear those things up, lol. They came in a box of 12, and each pack had two little cakes.
After having two snack cakes and a large glass of milk, I would be ready for a nap.
I find that “real“ coffee cakes can be dry and often lack flavor.
When creating this recipe, I decided to add sour cream to the batter. The reason for this is twofold. The first reason is that it adds moisture to the cake and allows the cake to stay fresher longer. The second reason is that sour cream adds the flavor that most coffee cakes are missing.
I love this recipe! My sour cream coffee cake is moist, lightly sweet, and has that tang I talked about earlier. The topping of brown sugar and cinnamon adds texture that pairs well with the body of the cake.
I hope you give my sour cream coffee cake a try. You will not be disappointed. Well, except if you are a fan of the little Debbie snack cakes, then you might be lol. Either way, pour yourself a large glass of milk, savor it, and share it with your friends. Enjoy!
Combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
Add the butter, and stir until combined. Then Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper to hang on the long sides. Coat paper with melted butter.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
Reduce stand mixer speed to low. Mix in the flour mixture in three portions, alternating with sour cream. Mix until combined.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and spread evenly.
Sprinkle the topping over the top.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Then use the parchment paper, lift the cake out of the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.
Buttery, Crispy, Creamy, and irresistible; that is what is instore for you with my delicious Crab Puffs.
Polish mistakes are a mixture of ground beef and sausage. A block of Velveeta cheese is mixed in and melted throughout the mixture.
They are an amazing appetizer.
At first look, these cookies look like Christmas. They are festive, red, and delicious. They fit in nicely on a Christmas cookie tray. But, for me, I wouldn’t say I like to put cookies in a particular category.
Cherry blossom cookies are good any time of the year. They would be good in February for Valentine’s Day and a picnic or cookout in the summer. Cherry blossom cookies would be good on a Tuesday afternoon coming home from school or working with a tall glass of milk.
Essentially, these cherry blossom cookies are butter cookies, with the juice of maraschino cherries added in for a sweet cherry flavor.
I have made these cookies for special occasions and no occasions, and the results are the same. People love them.
One more thing I should mention. The hardest part of this recipe for my ADD Brain and me was taking the rappers off the individual Chocolate kisses. It’s complete hell for me. Luckily I have a patient husband that takes care of that little task.
I hope you try this recipe. No matter what time of year you make it, make sure you have someone to help you remove those little rappers. Enjoy!
My Cherry Blossom Cookies are buttery, light, and plenty of cherry flavor.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt until blended in a large bowl. Beat in cherry juice, vanilla, and food coloring. Slowly beat in flour. Stir in cherries.
Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on a cookie sheet.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie ( the cookie will crack around the edges). Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.
These muffins are moist and packed with flavor. The cinnamon-sugar topping is like icing on the cake. Pardon the pun.
I believe this recipe makes the best cake. The Coconut in the batter adds a tropical taste that pairs well with the pineapple and the cherries.
Peanut butter and crispy rice squares are a classic. I consider them the poor cousin of the Rice crispy treat. They are a little less known, and they are never the first to disappear from a buffet table, but they are delicious.
This Peanut Butter and Crispy Rice Squares recipe can be found on the back of any crispy rice cereal box. However, I have worked to make it better. I find that the bars are tough and chewy. I wanted my peanut butter and crispy rice squares to be softer and texture.
To achieve this, I added water to my recipe, which is mixed with peanut butter and corn syrup, allowing for the right consistency.
The original recipe called for semi-sweet chocolate chips; however, I prefer milk chocolate. As a result, the creaminess and chocolatey flavor come through and have a less harsh semi-sweet chocolate taste.
I also added flaked sea salt to the top of the squares.
The salt works very well against chocolate. It’s the perfect combination.
So the next time you are looking to make something quick, you can look on the back of the cereal box or pull this recipe up instead. I promise you will like the results that you get from my recipe. Enjoy!
Line a 9" x 13" with foil. Grease foil with cooking spray
In a medium pan over medium heat, mix corn syrup, sugar, and water. Stir constantly until the mixture has bubbles around the edges of the pan.
Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter, vanilla, and salt.
Transfer mixture to the baking pan and allow to cool. While the mixture is cooling, melt chocolate in a bowl over barely simmering water while stirring until halfway melted.
Remove from heat and stir until chocolate is very smooth.
Pour melted chocolate over the rice mixture and spread it to a uniform layer. Sprinkle salt flakes evenly.
Let cool and cut into pieces.
The grapes are juicy, and the sauce that coats them is creamy and tangy. The candied Pecan topping is outrageous. These elements together make one of the best dishes I have ever tasted.
The yellowcake is moist and light. The use of cake flour helps the cake from drying out and keeps it fresh for a few days.
Coconut Buttermilk pie reminds me of my childhood.
My mom used to bake almost daily. My dad worked in a factory at night and on the farm during the day, so she always packed his lunch, and she made sure that he had something freshly baked packed inside his lunchbox every day.
Cream pies, in general, must have been his favorite type of pie because I remember them the most.
Whether it was a sugar cream pie, butterscotch, or buttermilk pie, My mom baked them so often that she never used a recipe. But, of course, she had every recipe in her head.
For me, Coconut Buttermilk pies are the perfect comfort food; Their texture, richness, and silkiness take me back to a simpler time.
My recipe coconut buttermilk pie is the best that I have tasted. It is rich without being overly sweet. The custard is creamy and accentuates the coconut. One tip that I can offer is, make sure you use unsweetened coconut; if not, your pie will be too sweet.
I hope you make this pie for yourself and your friends, and perhaps you will make it for someone’s lunch because there would be nothing better than finding a piece of coconut buttermilk pie in your lunchbox. Enjoy!
preheat oven to 325°.
Prepare pie plate with pie crust.
Place pie plate on a baking sheet.
Beat sugar, eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, flour, vanilla, and salt until blended in a large bowl. Stir in coconut. Pour into crust.
Bake until the top is lightly golden brown and the center is almost set. About 50-60 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack
It is the perfect bread alongside a large bowl of beef stew. The combination of the tangy buttermilk in the bread with the hearty beef flavor of stew, yes, it’s the perfect comfort food for me.
My Pumpkin Spice Scones are moist and have a slight tang from the buttermilk. The combination of spices creates a warm aroma and a remarkable flavor that begs for a hot cup of coffee.
I don’t know about you, but I am a fan of salty and sweet. It has become such a part of my baking that I rarely do not put sea salt on cookies with chocolate as the main ingredient.
Salt adds something special to chocolate and any sweet bakery item.
I would say that I have gotten better at combining salt and sweet over the years.
Several years ago, I added bacon to a cupcake. Unfortunately, I have to say; it was not a success.
My peanut butter cup and pretzel cookies start with a peanut butter cookie base. The crushed pretzels, chunks of chocolate, and miniature peanut butter cups make this cookie the ultimate and salty and sweet.
These Peanut butter cups and Pretzel cookies are moist and tender.
The peanut butter flavor works well with pretzels and chocolate chunks. I add flaky sea salt on top for good measure.
These peanut butter cup and pretzel cookies will be in your cookie rotation. I am sure that you and your family will love these sweet treats.
I hope you give them a try; just don’t add bacon. Enjoy!
These Peanut Butter Cup, Pretzel, Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect treat. Salty and sweet, with creamy Peanut butter. You will want to save this recipe for sure.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Sift flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In the stand mixer bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until smooth for one minute. Scrape the bowl, Add the peanut butter and mix until smooth, about another minute.
Scrape down the bowl again and add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
Without the mixer on, add the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on low and mix combined. Stir in pretzels, mini peanut butter cups, and chocolate chips.
Portion dough with a cookie scoop, about 2 tablespoons for each cookie. Place onto a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper 2 inches apart.
Bake the cookies for 12 minutes. They will be light brown around the edges but still soft in the middle. Sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt.
Let the cookies cool for a few minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
These Chocolate Jumbo Muffins are moist, filled with chocolate flavor, and irresistible.
My Nutella stuffed fudge cookies are pretty unique. It’s rich, decadent, and that Nutella center is perfect.
John Whaite inspired this recipe for Rolo Stuffed Brownies. He was the first winner of The Great British Baking Show.
The Great British Baking show is a favorite of Dale and mine. We have been working through each season from Netflix. It has been a slow process because we do not have much time to watch TV.
I am impressed with how friendly the contestants are, and even the judges. But, unfortunately, most American competition shows are filled with sarcasm and meanness.
Those Brits are just so polite!
I follow John Whaite on Instagram, and I have for many years. I am impressed by his ability to reinvent himself to stay current. He runs a cooking school, writes cookbooks, appears, and cooks on many British shows.
In the last couple of years, he has sold cookbooks online, with all proceeds going to charity.
This recipe for these Rollo Stuffed Brownies is fantastic. It is a hearty, rich cookie with the familiar taste of Rollo candy bars.
Look no further if you were looking for an easy cookie that the entire family will love.
If you are pressed for time like me, you can make these incredible brownies during commercial breaks of the great British bake-off. Enjoy!
Turn the best candy into a brownie and be labeled a genius!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally butter a 9×13 inch baking pan.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the dark chocolate morsels and butter. Stir the mixture occasionally until everything is melted. Once melted, remove from the heat.
Add the sugar and brown sugar to the chocolate mixture in the saucepan and mix. If the mixture is not already at room temperature, allow it to cool for a few minutes before adding the eggs.
Add three eggs to the chocolate mixture and mix well. Add the remaining two eggs, and mix again. Stir in the vanilla.
Slowly combine the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture, stirring to mix. Avoid over mixing.
Transfer half of the batter into the 9×13 inch pan, spreading evenly. Place 1 bag of unwrapped Rolo’s in the pan and then cover with the rest of the batter.
Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan at 15 minutes. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs. Let the brownies cool completely before cutting.
The chocolate adds a creamy sweetness, and the pumpkin is in the background supporting the chocolate together, forming a cookie for all seasons.
I love to dip this pesto pull apart in ranch dressing; I love the creaminess of the ranch mixed with the herbs from the bread, Sheer perfection.
I love to bake in the very early morning hours. There is nothing better than starting a recipe while everyone in the house is asleep.
It doesn’t matter what I am about to bake; it is just the ritual that is a form of meditation for me.
I start with heating the oven and grab my trusty Plastic mixing bowls that receive so much use but never discolor and never lose shape.
I am fortunate enough to have my grandmother’s canisters that she used her entire adult life. They sit on my kitchen counter and never fail to make me smile when I use them.
I have a KitchenAid mixer that my husband gave me for my birthday, probably 20 years ago.
At the time, I had never baked anything that did not come from a box, so a very expensive mixer seemed odd but has become invaluable to me as I started my baking journey.
Every part of the baking process is very therapeutic. I clean as I go, loading the dishwasher, cleaning the counters, and keeping my focus on my task at hand.
This morning, I baked these banana walnut muffins. This recipe is perfect for large muffin tins like I’ve used, or a standard muffin tin works just as well, and you’ll end up with 12 muffins.
If you use a large muffin tin, this recipe yields six jumbo muffins.
I bought my bananas a week in advance and allowed them to ripen on the counter. Then, when I think the bananas are ready, I wait a couple more days before using them. The Longer they sit, the better they are. Trust me here.
I always toast nuts when I am baking. Toasting brings out the oil and makes the nuts fresh again.
If you make this recipe, and I hope you do, please keep in mind not over mixing the batter. Forming gluten in a muffin is not a good thing.
When removing your Muffins from the oven, your result will be perfectly browned muffins that are slightly sweet and filled with banana flavor that pairs wonderfully with the toasted walnuts.
This recipe, I guarantee, will beat any bakery muffin you’ve had in the past.
I hope you try this recipe, and even though you may not have your grandmother’s canisters to keep you company in the kitchen, I hope you have memories that will. Enjoy!
Soft and flavorful, my Banana Walnut Muffins with large pieces of walnut mix through out are the ultimate muffin. They are an excellent way to use overripe bananas. They are also amazing with a hot cup of coffee.
Add sugar and eggs into a bowl and whisk to combine.
To that, add molasses, oil, buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla, and banana. Whisk to combine.
In a separate bowl, measure flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, & walnuts. Whisk to combine.
Add wet ingredients to dry.
Add muffin liners, if desired, then grease or spray, and fill each muffin hole with 225g muffin batter if using a jumbo 6-muffin pan or about 110g if using a standard 12-muffin pan.
Sprinkle with additional chopped walnuts.
Bake in preheated 350f oven for 30-32min
My Ham and Cheese Quiche is light, flavorful, and the crust? Well, forget about it! It is flakey and holds up to any filling you throw at it. All in all, the perfect quiche.
My Pig In A Blanket Pull A Part is a crowd-pleaser, the buttery crust wrapped around good quality hotdogs and dipped in whole grain mustard
I already have an excellent recipe for red velvet cake on this site, but the popularity of red velvet cupcakes seems to continue, so I decided to add my recipe to the mix.
I went to a cupcake shop a while back, and in their display case were 15 varieties of cupcakes.
I found it interesting that the bakery dedicated an entire shelf to red velvet cupcakes. To me, that shows the popularity of these delicious cupcakes.
Another thing I found interesting was that the cupcakes cost six dollars each.
That is a high price for a cupcake, in my opinion. But they are red velvet cupcakes, after all.
Although I have never been a fan of cream cheese icing on red velvet cupcakes, that seems to be the modern way of frosting these cupcakes, so you will find the recipe for the best cream cheese frosting you have ever tried.
I think you will love this recipe.
Make some today, take them to your friends, and sell them for six bucks each. That seems to be the going price. Enjoy!
This hand-held version of the classic Red Velvet Cake is very popular in bakeries all over the country. Whip up a batch today.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside
Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color, and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.
Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.
Beat cream cheese, softened butter, sour cream, and Vanilla Extract in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.
My Sloppy Joe Sandwich is less sweet than the canned sauce. It is savory with the right amount of sweetness. It holds together, which kind of defeats the “sloppy” purpose but makes a hell of an adult meal.
Boston Brown Bread is unlike any bread I have tasted. It is soft, spongy, and it has an earthy sweetness that most other loaves of bread do not possess.
In my opinion, Bread Pudding is an acquired taste, and I acquired it when I was very young. I’m from the Midwest, and although we are no strangers to bread pudding, we are not connoisseurs like those in the south.
Bread pudding is the perfect dessert. It is rich, velvety, and lightly sweet. When prepared correctly, bread pudding can be the mother of all comfort foods.
For the past twenty years, I’ve searched for the best bread pudding recipe. Until now, I have failed at every attempt.
I either bake it too long, or it’s dreadfully under baked. Sometimes the bread and the custard never quite mesh together. The bread becomes weird and is more like wet bread than a luxurious pudding.
About a month ago, after hours of sleeplessness, around three in the morning, I was flipping through Instagram when I came across a live Feed of Carnie Wilson (of Wilson-Phillips) in her kitchen baking bread pudding.
I was lucky to have joined at the beginning of the broadcast. With no makeup, hair in a ponytail, Carnie was drinking wine, yelling at her dogs to stop barking, cursing, laughing, and making the most fantastic bread pudding I’d ever seen.
Carnie’s version is the inspiration for my Carmel Pumpkin Praline Bread Pudding. I promise that this will be the best bread pudding you have ever eaten. The warm spices and the soft challah bread mixed with warm caramel and pecans will make southerners stand and take notice.
After twenty years of trying to master this traditional dessert, I learned how to make the best from a non-traditional source.
So, for those of you lucky enough to catch a live feed of Carnie Wilson at three in the morning, baking up something delicious in her kitchen at three, trust me, it’s worth losing sleepover. Enjoy!
This Bread Pudding is next level! Warm spices, crunchy pecans, mixed with challah bread and baked to a golden bubbly
Preheat oven to 350.
Cut bread into 1 inch cubes (use crust too).
Place half the bread cubes in greased pan.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the bread.
Add remaining bread cubes to the pan.
In a bowl, whisk eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until very combined.
Add sugars and mix well.
Add cream, half and half, and maple syrup. Mix until combined.
Slowly pour the mixture over the bread, starting at the corners and working your way around towards the middle.
Push down on the whole mixture, making sure it's all saturated.
Press down with your hands to make sure all of the bread is covered
Let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
Bake at 350 for approximately 45 minutes - 1 hour or until it starts puffing and sizzling.
The pudding is ready when a knife comes out clean when placed in the center.
Cut finished bread pudding into big square pieces.
Top with melted caramel sauce. Enjoy!
My BBQ Dipped Fried Chicken is everything you want in a summer meal. It tastes great straight from the refrigerator and straight from the oven.
Fresh and delicious cold pizza will challenge all you know about pizza.
Crispy edges and silky and fluffy on the inside, this Soufflé is filled with fresh sweet corn. Preparing soufflés is actually an easy process, contrary to its reputation for being difficult to make. The reward for making this French classic is immense.
The word on the culinary street is that soufflé’s are temperamental.
The truth is a soufflé is not nearly as sensitive as people say.
Yes, you can open your oven door; no, you won’t need to walk on eggshells while it is baking. The way a soufflé works is by having the beaten egg whites expand as gases and steam work to inflate tiny air bubbles and make them larger. It’s science, and it works…mostly.
Once baked and removed from the oven, soufflé’s start to deflate almost immediately. Taking photos for this blog was quite comical. I had to take the 350-degree soufflé’s from the oven and carry them quickly down the hall to the lightbox I use for my photos. Once in the lightbox, I had to hurry and set up the cups and take pictures before they deflated.
Honestly, it took a couple of tries before I was satisfied. I think I lost the feeling in my fingerprints that day., but I took some good pictures, I think.
I hope you join me as together we demystify the misunderstood soufflé. You will impress your dinner guest with my Sweet Corn Soufflé that is super simple to make, and walking on eggshells is not required. Enjoy!
Crispy edges and silky and fluffy on the inside, this Soufflé is filled with fresh sweet corn. Preparing soufflés is actually an easy process, contrary to its reputation for being difficult to make. The reward for making this French classic is immense.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray 6 6" soufflé dishes with nonstick cooking spray.
In a 2 quart saucepan, combine 1 cup of corn, 1/2 cup of cream, sugar, and salt.
Using a knife, split the vanilla bean down the center, scrape the seeds into the saucepan with the pod, and Bring it all to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and let it steep for 10 minutes more. Pluck out the vanilla pod and toss.
Transfer all the contents to the blender and process until smooth, and set aside.
Stir together flour and baking powder and set aside.
In the same saucepan, heat the remaining cream over medium heat until bubbles form around the edge.
Whisk in the flour mixture and continue cooking until thickened.
It will be very pasty. Remove it from the heat and stir in the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time..
Once the flour mixture is at room temperature, add the pureed corn mix, egg yolks, lemon zest, and reserved corn. Stir together and set aside.
In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until they reach stiff peaks.
Fold them gently into the corn. Fill baking cups with the soufflé. Sprinkle with nutmeg and bake uncovered for about 35 minutes.
The soufflé should rise to the edge of the dish. Top with blackberries and serve right away
My cold, savory, lightly sweet broccoli salad—filled with crispy bacon, ribbons of red onion, and chewy golden raisins, then tossed in a creamy easy to make dressing, this is what your summer party dreams are made of.
These brownies are amazing straight from the oven. They are moist, chocolatey, and decadent. They are hard to resist.
When I was a kid, strawberry shortcake consisted of store-bought yellow sponge cakes topped with overly sugared strawberries and topped with store brand cool whip.
It wasn’t until 30 years later when I was managing a hotel in Lafayette, Indiana, that I learned what a real strawberry shortcake was.
At the hotel, I worked with one of the craziest, most hilarious people I have ever met, Devry Butcher, Butch for short.
Butch and I had a blast together; although he was my boss, he was my friend and still is all these years later.
The hotel’s restaurant had a good following from people in the community. We had a chef that did a good job, but from time to time, Butch would decide he could do better.
When those moments came, Butch would leave his office at the opposite end of the hotel and walk with determination to the kitchen.
Butch is a big guy, around six foot five. If Butch was coming, people moved out of his way.
When Butch was in his mood to cook for our guests, fear was palpable in the air from the kitchen staff; they knew that every pot and every pan would be used by the end of the night, and the kitchen declared a disaster zone.
When he would decide that he was done cooking for the moment, Butch would stop in the middle of what he was doing and head back to his office without washing a single pan.
Needless to say, I washed a lot of pots and pans during those days.
Butch is one of the best cooks I know. He has loved to cook his entire life, and he knows his way around a kitchen.
He is creative and passionate, and as with everything in his life, Butch does it his way.
One night at the restaurant, we were scrambling for something to serve for dessert. He Butch heard about the dilemma and jumped to action. Immediately, he headed to the kitchen in his deliberate way. I had chills.
What Butch came up with was his version of Strawberry Shortcake. His strawberry shortcake became the inspiration for mine.
I had not heard of buttermilk biscuits as a dessert, but once I tasted it, I was a believer, and so were our guests. Butch’s Strawberry Shortcake became a regular item in the restaurant, and this made Butch Very happy.
I hope Butch reads this blog and gives this recipe a try. If he does, he will change it up, you know, he has to do it his way. But, regardless, I won’t have to wash the pans! Thank you for everything Devry!
Sweet Strawberries in a luxurious sauce, piled on a flaky buttermilk biscuit, and topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream
Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Coat sticks of butter in flour mixture, then grate 7 tablespoons from each stick on large holes of a box grater directly into the flour mixture. Toss gently to combine. Set aside the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
Add buttermilk to flour mixture and fold with a spatula until just combined (dough will look dry). Transfer dough to liberally floured counter. Dust surface of dough with flour; use your floured hands and press dough into a rough 7-inch square.
Roll dough into 12 by 9-inch rectangle with the short side parallel to the edge of the counter. Starting at the bottom of the dough, fold into thirds like a business letter, using a bench scraper or metal spatula to release the dough from the counter. Press top of dough firmly to seal folds. Turn dough 90 degrees clockwise. Repeat rolling into 12 by 9-inch rectangle, folding into thirds, and turning clockwise 4 more times, for a total of 5 sets of folds. After the last set of folds, roll dough into 8 1/2-inch square about 1 inch thick. Transfer dough to prepared sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured cutting board. Using a sharp, floured chef’s knife, trim 1/4 inch of dough from each side of the square and discard. Cut remaining dough into 9 squares, flouring knife after each cut. Arrange biscuits at least 1 inch apart on sheet. Melt reserved butter; brush tops of biscuits with melted butter.
Bake until tops are golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking—transfer biscuits to wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
cut strawberries and add sugar. Let it sit for 1 to two hours to pull the juices from the berries.
drain strawberries and reserve the liquid.
puree the strawberry preserves in a food processer until smooth. note: preserves will become cloudy.
In a medium pan, cook preserves over medium high heat until the mixture becomes clear.
add reserved strawberry/sugar liquid and lemon juice.
allow to cool on the counter.
add strawberries and serve.
Place mixer bowl and whisk in freezer for at least 20 minutes to chill.
Pour heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla into the cold bowl and whisk on high speed until medium to stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.
Do not over beat.
Pull biscuit apart, rather then slicing to maintain layers.
Pour strawberries on top of the bottom biscuit, and top with whipped cream.
add top biscuit followed by strawberry sauce and top with whipped cream.
My Bavarian Pretzels are chewy, soft, and delicious. They pair beautifully with German beer.
I was talking to my friend Victor about upcoming ideas I had for this website. I usually have a list of recipes I am working on and dates I will post them live to my blog. When it comes to special occasions and holidays, I like to post a recipe to celebrate that event. Victor asked about my plan for Cinco de Mayo. At that moment, I did not have any plans for a Cinco de Mayo post.
Victor was born in Mexico, and there was no better person to help me decide on the perfect dessert. He said that, hands down, I should make a Tres Letches Cake.
Never having a Tres Letches Cake, I had a lot of questions. Victor said that a traditional cake has three kinds of milk soaked in a fluffy yellow cake. Victor also said that it must have fruit on top. So I started researching Tres Letches Cake recipes and found a whole new world!
There are hundreds of recipes, and most are traditional, the way Victor likes his cake. However, I opted for something new and different, and that is how the Cereal Milk Tres Letches Cake was born.
Who doesn’t love the milk leftover from a bowl of cereal? Now you can have that taste in a cake. This recipe makes a fantastic tres latches cake. It is sweet, moist, and so satisfying.
I missed my deadline to post this cake for Cinco de Mayo, but who needs a holiday to enjoy a cake this delicious? As far as the strawberries, Victor can add them to this cake and make it his own. Thank you for the idea, Victor. Eres la Mejor!
You’ll love this special tres leches cake recipe! Cereal milk tres leches is sweet, creamy, and a perfect make-ahead cake for your next celebration.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees
In a large bowl, mix cereal, sugar ,salt, and melted butter together.
Spread cereal mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake for ten mins, stirring after five mins.
Allow to cool for five mins.
While the cornflakes cool, in a medium bowl, mix together the evaporated mile, condensed milk, and the whole milk and set aside.
pour still warm pour half of the cornflakes into a medium bowl.
pour milk mixture over the cornflakes, ensuring that all of the cereal is coated.
cover and refrigerate for two hours up to over night.
preheat oven to 350 degrees
grease only the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish and set aside.
separate egg yolks and whites into two bowls.
add sugar to the egg yolks and mix with a hand mixer until light yellow and fluffy.
add flour, baking powder, and salt. stir together to make a paste.
add one teaspoon of milk and vanilla to the mixture, and stir to combine, and set aside.
in a medium bowl, whip egg whites to soft peaks.
continue beating while slowly adding sugar.
beat until stiff peaks
fold whipped egg whites slowly into cake batter.
pour mixture into prepared dish and make sure the top is smooth.
bake for 25 mins until a toothpick comes out clean.
do not remove the cake from the oven, turn off the oven and crack the oven door and allow the cake to cool slowly. remove after 10 mins
using a fork, pierce cake repeatedly to allow the the milk to settle once poured on the cake, and set aside.
remove the cereal/milk mixture from the refrigerator, and drain through a fine mesh sieve. squeeze cornflakes to get as much milk from them as you can. discard cornflakes once drained.
pour cereal milk evenly over the cake.
wrap cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours unto over night.
In a cold bowl from a stand mixer, add cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla and beat on high until stiff peaks.
Add whipped cream to the center of the cake and spread to sides, ending in a smooth top.
cover the cake with reserved cornflakes
enjoy
My NYC Mega Milk Chocolate and Walnut cookies have slightly crispy edges, and the interior is a tad under-baked and delicious
My White Chocolate, Cherry, and Pistachio Cookies are unlike any cookie you have had. The cookie is soft, moist, and packed with flavor. The white chocolate is smooth and creamy. The cherries add a sweet note that comes through nicely, and the pistachios provide a unique texture and saltiness that ties this cookie together.
Pizza Rustica, Pizzagaina, or Pizza Chiena) is an Italian pie, unlike any pizza you have ever tried. Don’t look for tomato sauce; this filled pizza is a cheese and Italian meat pie with a pizza crust. With distinctive layers, this pie is perfect for lunch or dinner.
Pizza in Italian means pie. That’s why this pizza doesn’t look like any pizza you’ve had before. Pizza Rustica is also known as an Italian Easter Pie. There are many variations, and I am sure they are all delicious, this recipe is my favorite. 
Pizza Rustica is a show stopper. It is a large, tall pie that once cut open to reveal the many layers of salami, ham, ricotta, provolone, all the other meats, and cheese, baked in a flaky crust. Everyone will be impressed, for sure. 
Pizza Rustica is so easy to make that you will find yourself making it for not only Easter but for a weeknight dinner.
Enjoy!
Pizza Rustica, Pizzagaina, or Pizza Chiena) is an Italian pie, unlike any pizza you have ever tried. Don't look for tomato sauce; this filled pizza is a cheese and Italian meat pie with a pizza crust. With distinctive layers, this pie is perfect for lunch or dinner.
In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over 1 cup of warm water, stir well, and let proof for 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups water and mix well.
In another bowl, mix 5 cups of the flour with the salt. Add to the yeast mixture along with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Mix with hands, adding additional flour if necessary, until a soft, and no longer sticky dough is formed
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it until smooth and elastic. Lightly grease a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, add the dough, and turn to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF
Brush the bottom and sides of a 10X3 inch springform pan with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil.
Punch down the dough and knead it on a floured surface for 3 or 4 minutes.
Divide the dough in half. On a floured surface, roll one piece of the dough round at least 2 inches larger than the pan. Fit the dough in the pan, stretching it up the sides so that it overhangs the rim.
Fill the pan with alternating layers of the sliced cheeses and meats (you should have 9 or 10 layers).
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper. Pour the mixture evenly over the cheese and meat.
Place the dough over the filling and seal the edges by pinching them closed and rolling the seam underneath itself.
Brush the top of the pie evenly with the egg wash. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
My Stuffed Pork Loin is a perfect recipe for a weeknight dinner.
Don’t be intimidated by the presentation. It takes a little prep, but you can be serving this fantastic Pork Loin in no-time.
My potsticker recipe consists of fresh ground pork with cabbage and seasonings wrapped in a light dough and cooked until golden brown. My recipe is an easy way to make this classic at home.
I promise that you will love this Chocolate Brownie Pie. That’s a big statement, but it’s true: it’s a from-scratch brownie pie with an all-butter pie crust and a fudgy brownie filling. What is there not to love?
You need to stop right now and make this pie. Ok, read the rest of this blog, then make it!
This Chocolate Brownie Pie is over-the-top chocolatey. You will not use a boxed brownie mix for this masterpiece; this is scratch baking at it’s best.
Looking at the pictures, you might think, It looks rich, and you couldn’t finish a slice”, but you could, and will; that is another promise.
It is rich enough without being crazy over the top.
So, have I convinced you to make it? I have? Well, get to it! Enjoy!
This fudgy brownie is a great brownie recipe, but once it's wrapped in a buttery pie crust...it is down-right Excellent!
In a medium bowl combine the flour and salt
Add the cold butter.
Using clean hands work it into the flour until it is a coarse texture with a few larger chunks
Slowly drizzle the cold water in a little bit at a time, working it into the dough.
When the dough begins to clump together stop adding water.
Form the dough into a disc shape and cover. Chill for at least 2 hours
Spray a pie dish with non-stick spray. Set aside
Place the dough on a clean and floured surface and begin to roll it out. The dough should be about 1/8 of an inch thick.
Pick the dough up by rolling it around your rolling pin and then unrolling it over the pie dish.
Adjust the dough so that it lays flat against the pie dish. You can cut off or crimp the edges to your liking.
Place the crust in the fridge until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
In a medium bowl mix with a hand mixer combine the melted butter and brown sugar.
When fully combined add the eggs and vanilla.
Beat until fully combined and light in color.
In a small bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk to combine and remove any lumps
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Fold the chocolate chips into the batter.
Pour the batter into the pie dough.
Bake the pie for 50-55 or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pie comes out with only a few moist crumbs
Remove from oven and allow to cool for two hours. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
This Cream of Celery Soup recipe is creamy and velvety. This soup is mild yet very flavorful. I love to take simple ingredients and elevate them into something special.
Spicy, a little sweet, and savory. I love the peanuts and the sauce mixed with the rice. The perfect Kung Pao recipe.
I love torrone, the marshmallow nougat candy filled with almonds, pistachios, and dried apricots. A traditional torrone is from Italy, but as Americans tend to do, we make it our own, and in the process, change everything about it.
In my childhood, I remember a version of a torrone that was from Brachs Candy Company. Their Torrone was part of their mix n match candy that was in most grocery stores.
The shopper would fill a provided bag with candy and have it weighed in the deli. The sweets were individually wrapped and included other confections such as butterscotch, peppermints, root beer barrels, and their nougat.
The nougat was the last to be eaten from the candy dish. If I were looking for something sweet, and the only candy left was the nougat, I would pick ut the nuts and fruit and eat the marshmallow part.
Now that I am older, I love the addition of salty almonds and pistachios. The apricots add a beautiful color and a mild citrus sweetness.
I love making Torrone; it is satisfying to cut into it and reveal all the fruit and nuts’ colors.
Give this recipe a go. You will love it, and try not to pick out the nuts and fruit; that’s the best part.
Torrone, a classic Italian nougat, it is easy to make. This traditional recipe is sweetened with honey, orange, and almond flavors, and packed with toasted almonds, and pistachios.
Cover a loaf pan or small square baking dish (8 inches by 8 inches) with parchment paper. Have another sheet of parchment paper ready to cover the top of the Torrone once it's done cooking.
Toast nuts in a 350 F for about 8 minutes or until shiny and fragrant. Set aside.
Place honey in a double boiler or large bowl over a saucepan of water (bain-marie) on the lowest heat. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water. Heat honey until it melts, occasionally stirring with a wooden spoon
In the meantime, whisk egg whites to stiff peaks in a separate bowl. Add the whites to the bowl of honey, stirring with the wooden spoon to incorporate. It should turn into a caramel-colored cream.
Keep cooking, stirring slowly but continuously over a gentle heat for 45 minutes. The mixture should thicken and become pale. A small test should determine that your Torrone is at the right stage – a drop of the mixture in a glass of water should solidify into a softball, not dissolve immediately
Add the nuts, apricots, salt, and vanilla to the mixture and continue cooking and stirring for 30 minutes.
Pour into prepared baking dish. Top with additional parchment and smooth it down, pressing the torrone gently with your hands.
Place in a cool place to set for a couple of hours.
When set, cut the torrone into thick slices with a sharp, heavy knife.
I call this recipe “Old Fashioned Red Velvet Cake” because this is the exact recipe that has been in my family since the early ’70s.
Bake a batch of Cherry Chocolate Chip Valentine Cookies this Valentine’s Day to share with your Valentine. It’s a 20-minute easy recipe.
My Flaky Buttermilk Biscuit recipe is the BEST Biscuit recipe you’ll ever try! These easy, homemade biscuits are soft, flaky, and they are made entirely from scratch.
The secret is in the brand of flour used and frozen butter. I use King Arthur Flour because of the high protein levels, and the frozen butter creates the layers that make these biscuits so amazing.
Almost every weekend, I whip up a batch of these easy homemade biscuits. It’s my favorite biscuit recipe by far, and since it’s so easy, we make them all the time.
There is nothing like a hot, buttery, flaky biscuit right from the oven. I love these biscuits slathered with butter and jelly or with sausage gravy.
I used to buy canned biscuits, but these are so much better. So, remember my tricks, use King Arthur Flour and frozen butter, and you will be slathering jelly on these guys in no-time. Enjoy!
You just found the ultimate flaky biscuits! Grating the butter ensures that it’s evenly distributed in the flour, which is important for flakiness. Freezing the butter before grating ensures that it stays in individual pieces while mixing and shaping the biscuits.
Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Coat sticks of butter in flour mixture, then grate 7 tablespoons from each stick on large holes of a box grater directly into the flour mixture. Toss gently to combine. Set aside the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
Add buttermilk to flour mixture and fold with a spatula until just combined (dough will look dry). Transfer dough to liberally floured counter. Dust surface of dough with flour; use your floured hands and press dough into a rough 7-inch square.
Roll dough into 12 by 9-inch rectangle with the short side parallel to the edge of the counter. Starting at the bottom of the dough, fold into thirds like a business letter, using a bench scraper or metal spatula to release the dough from the counter. Press top of dough firmly to seal folds. Turn dough 90 degrees clockwise. Repeat rolling into 12 by 9-inch rectangle, folding into thirds, and turning clockwise 4 more times, for a total of 5 sets of folds. After the last set of folds, roll dough into 8 1/2-inch square about 1 inch thick. Transfer dough to prepared sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured cutting board. Using a sharp, floured chef’s knife, trim 1/4 inch of dough from each side of the square and discard. Cut remaining dough into 9 squares, flouring knife after each cut. Arrange biscuits at least 1 inch apart on sheet. Melt reserved butter; brush tops of biscuits with melted butter.
Bake until tops are golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking—transfer biscuits to wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Let’s face It crackers alone do not make for a fun party snack, but swirl the crackers in butter and add spices and brown sugar, and it’s an appetizer!
The first time I ordered Clafoutis in a restaurant, it was instant love. The silky texture, not overly sweet dessert, was perfection. I instantly knew I had to try to make it.
There was one problem.
I was shocked to realize that this recipe is one of the easiest desserts I have ever baked. The process is the same as an American custard pie, without the crust.
Clafoutis is a beloved French dessert. It is made with fruit or berries baked into a thick flan like batter. This silky custard like dessert is prefect for brunch or a dessert for after dinner.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
butter or grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Add the milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, and salt to a blender. You can also whisk these ingredients together in a large bowl if you do not have a blender.
Add the blueberries to the bottom of the prepared baking pan and spread them out evenly. Pour the batter over the blueberries.
When I was a kid, I was friends with a family that was first-generation American. Their family fled Latvia during the takeover of the Soviet Union. As the family settled in America, and the next generation came along, they took on our customs. They had …
I think most Americans, if asked, would think a sausage roll is nothing more than pigs in a blanket? Even though the sausage roll has been popular at pubs and throughout Europe for decades, the fad never caught on here. These little guys are the …
Do you love the intense flavor of dark chocolate? If you do, You’ll love this dark chocolate cake.
Let’s talk about chocolate.
Which is your favorite? Dark chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or milk chocolate? I’m a fan of all three. Each one has its unique flavor and characteristic.
Dark chocolate is a bold flavor and is best when it’s paired with other bold flavors. Dale and I visited a winery in Napa Valley that offed wine tastings to its guests. We enjoy wine tastings and have done several, but this particular winery offered dark chocolate with its deep red wines. The flavors worked so well together. I now pair the two all the time.
Semi-sweet chocolate is a favorite in chocolate chip cookies; however, I like to mix dark and semi-sweet together. The cookies always turn out amazing.
And then there is milk chocolate, much sweeter and milder in flavor. If I had to choose one for a candy bar, it’s going to be milk chocolate.
With all of that said, I’m a milk chocolate fan. However, if I’m baking a cake, dark chocolate is the winner!
For this cake, I used Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa, along with unsweetened chocolate and coffee. This cake came out almost black. I Sweetened it with brown sugar instead of white. The dark sugar helped the cake stay moist and rich.
I hope you try my Black Magic Cake. If you are not a fan of dark chocolate, I believe you will be after your first bite, and don’t forget to open a Shiraz bottle and enjoy.
This cake is a chocolate lovers dream. It's dark, rich, and moist. It's so amazing that it mast be some kind of magic!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans or one 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center.
Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. The batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and finish cooling on a wire rack. Fill and frost as desired.
Shrimp Toast are crunchy and savory with the delicate taste of shrimp. Perfect for an appetizer, or a side dish to your favorite Chinese dish.
My Mixed Berry Slab Pie is my attempt to recreate their perfect mixed berry pie. It reminds me of those less stressful times when coffee and pie solved all our problems.
This delicious Rosemary-Black Olive focaccia Bread recipe is simple to make, and topped with fresh rosemary, olive oil and flaky sea salt.
In a large bowl, stir together water, yeast, olive oil, and honey. Let rest for 5 minutes. Add flour, salt, and herbs and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until completely combined and no flour streaks remain. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest on your countertop for 12-14 hours, until doubled in volume.
Spread 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over the surface of a rimmed 12x18” baking sheet. Turn dough out onto the baking sheet and gently stretch the dough towards to the edges of the pan. To do this without tearing the dough, reach hands underneath and gently pull it towards the outside. At this point, it will probably shrink back a bit, but that’s okay. Drizzle it olive oil and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, use your fingers to dimple the entire surface of the dough. Stir together warm water and salt and then pour brine over the top of the dimpled dough. Cover again and proof for another 45 minutes. It will seem like a mistake, but trust me here,
About 30 minutes into your final proof, preheat your oven to 450° F. When the oven is hot and the dough is proofed, remove cover, sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Make sure to check that the bottom of the dough is crisp and browned.
Remove focaccia from oven and immediately drizzle with more olive oil. Let rest for about 5 minutes and then use a metal spatula to loosen from pan. Enjoy warm with butter or olive oil and more flaky salt.
Spaghetti pie is an excellent way to take ordinary spaghetti and present it in a different form that you will love! The “crust” is formed from leftover spaghetti, and the filling is spaghetti mixed with a tangy sauce. Spaghetti Pie is comfort food at it’s finest.
I am not sure what there is to say about pie crust. I know that a lot of bakers are afraid to make a pie crust from scratch.
Ermine Frosting is a not-so-sweet alternative to traditional frosting. This Frosting is a classic but has been rediscovered by bakers like me, who want to add a deliciously nostalgic taste to their cakes.
Ermine is firm enough to hold its shape when used with a decorating bag and tip; it also makes a creamy, light filling.
Do you know the cream filling in a twinky? It’s light, creamy, and mildly sweet. Ermine is very similar to the Twinky filling.
Ermine frosting is as firm as classic buttercream but much less sweet, with a texture and taste that works best with red velvet, chocolate, or other richly flavored cakes.
Today, most Red Velvet Cakes are frosted with cream cheese frosting, but 50 years ago, when Red Velvet first hit the scene, they were frosted with Ermine.
Whether you call it, boiled milk frosting, ermine buttercream, roux frosting, flour buttercream, It is the same silky frosting that is making a comeback today.
There are a few things to keep in mind when making Ermine Frosting; this recipe is enough frosting for two eight-inch cakes. Also, remember to store in the refrigerator and re-whip it before using it.
The next time you are making a red velvet cake, I hope you throw caution to the wind and try this delicious frosting over cream cheese, you will not be disappointed.
This Old Fashioned Frosting is less sweet than today's varieties, but it's silky texture satisfies all cake lovers.
Whisk together flour and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 2 minutes to toast the flour.
Slowly add in milk, whisk to combine and bring the heat to medium-high. Whisk continuously until mixture is thickened and pudding-like. Cover with plastic wrap (directly on pudding mixture) and let cool completely.
Add butter to the bowl of your stand mixer and whisk on high until light and fluffy. Slowly add in the cooled flour mixture one spoon at a time while continuing to whisk. Incorporating slowly insures a smooth buttercream.
Add in vanilla and salt until everything is creamy.
With a combination of just two recipes, you can pull off this stunning dessert! The White Chocolate Mousse will be a huge hit, complete with an edible chocolate bowl!The mousse is so easy to make, and the chocolate bowls are just as easy. The only …
I am a sucker for a good breakfast bake. I like preparing it the night before if I can. It makes breakfast less hectic, and the leftovers are great too. The Everything Bagel Bake came about because we had leftover bagels from the week before. …
I love Bundt cakes, and if you follow this blog, you will see bundt cakes popping up almost monthly.
Not only do I love bundt cake, but I love bundt pans. The company best known for bundt pans is Nordic Ware. They have been making bake ware since 1946 in Minnesota.
They are family-owned, and the company has been passed down through the generations. There is a resurgence of sorts in regards to Nordic Ware Bundt Pans.
With a new generation leading the company, they have worked to reinvent themselves with more modern and intricate designs.
Their products are sold in specialty food shops throughout the world, and people collect their bundt pans….like me!
Bundt cakes are a simple cake. They can be frosted, but there isn’t a need. They are fine just the way they are. I hope you try this delicious cake and keep an eye out for another bundt cake that is baked in one of my new Nordic Ware Pans.
This cake has a rich cherry taste that makes it hard to resist. There is something special about a bundt cake.
Heat the oven to 325.
In a large bowl, combine sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and mix till well blended.
Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each one.
Gradually add 2 cups of the flour with baking powder.
Mix well and toss the remaining 1/4 cup of flour with cherries and fold into the batter.
Grease a 10" bundt pan; pour the batter in the pan.
Bake 1 hr and 20 minutes to 1 1/2 hours test with a cake tester.
Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes then remove. Cool thoroughly. Combine icing sugar and milk, mix well and drizzle over the cake. Garnish with additional cherries and nuts if you like.
Over the past twenty years, Dale and I have been fortunate to be apart of the Long family. They are, without a doubt, the most passionate group of people I have had the good fortune to meet. We became acquainted with them when I worked …
Our BBQ Pulled Chicken Sliders are everything you want in a barbecue recipe — sweet, smoky, and fall-apart-tender! It’s also so easy to make, and you don’t have to slave over a hot grill. Instead, toss everything into a dutch oven on the stove, and …
My Chocolate Drop Cookies are made from soft dough and dropped onto a baking sheet in balls; they are a simple, old-fashioned treat that can be customized. If you like nuts, add them in. Prefer mint chocolate chips to semi-sweet chips? Feel free to substitute. No matter what you add, you’re sure to end up with a soft, short-bread cookie that packs on the chocolate flavor.
To drop the cookies on your baking sheet, try using a tablespoon cookie scoop. Not only will it help keep your fingers clean, but it will also make sure your cookies come out even. I like my cookies to be consistent in shape and size. I have been known to use a food scale to ensure they all are the same size.
I hope you give my Chocolate Drop Cookies a try; you will love the versatility as well as a cookie with a chocolate punch.
Preheat oven to 325°.
In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour to creamed mixture and mix well.
Stir in pecans. Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each.
Bake 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Roll warm cookies in additional confectioners' sugar; cool on wire racks.In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Stir in corn syrup, water and shortening. Spoon or pipe into cooled cookies.
Anyone who makes deviled eggs believes that they make the best-deviled eggs that the world has ever seen. I know that can’t be true because I MAKE THE BEST DEVILED EGGS EVER! No matter what gathering I attend that has food, there are always deviled …
Making the perfect bagel is easy, but the process takes a lot of time. It takes almost 24 hours. Most of that time is allowing the dough to rest. It is so essential to allow this time so the dough can rise.
I bet that most of the people reading this have no idea what a Grandma Pizza is. The Grandma Pizza originated in Long Island by Italian Grandmothers that had many people in their families to feed and over time developed a pizza dough that did not require any kneading. The pizza is baked in a large sheet pan with plenty of olive oil to create a crispy crust.
I am all about the sheet pan pizza. When I was little, my mom would make Chef Boyardee pizza the same way. I loved pizza night.
In developing this pizza, I wanted to change it up and play around with the toppings.
Although most pizza fanatics will be outraged, this pizza has spaghetti as the main topping. Okay, before you click off this blog post, hear me out.
The spaghetti, along with the whole milk mozzarella, creates a creamy layer that works perfectly with the tangy tomato sauce. The crispy crust ties this amazing pie together. It is pizza perfection!
The next time you are thinking about throwing a box of Chef Boyardee into your shopping cart, consider taking it up several notches and make a pizza, that would make your Grandma proud.
This is Grandma's Spaghetti Pizza, the queen of the square-shaped pie. My toppings are unorthodox, but so good!
Stir together yeast and 1¾ cups warm water (105–110°) in the bowl of a stand mixer; leave it to rest until yeast starts to foam, about 10 minutes.
Mix in 2 Tbsp. of oil, then salt and 2 cups flour. Using the dough hook, mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add another 2 cups flour, a cup at a time, mixing until incorporated and a rough dough forms, about 3 minutes.
Increase speed to medium and mix until dough is soft and elastic and starts to pull away from sides of the bowl, 5–6 minutes. It will still be somewhat sticky. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill 24 hours or up to 48 hours.
Coat an 18×13" rimmed baking sheet with remaining ½ cup oil. Turn out dough onto a rimmed baking sheet and let sit 10 minutes to take off the chill. Gently and gradually stretch dough until it reaches edges and all four corners of the baking sheet. (If the dough springs back or is stiff to work with, let it rest a few minutes before continuing. You may need to let it rest more than once.)
Cover dough on baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place (but not too warm!—about 70° is ideal for the yeast to grow) until it is puffed and full of air bubbles, 30–40 minutes.
Drain tomatoes and pulse with anchovies, garlic cloves, olive oil, and basil leaves in a food processor until mostly smooth (some texture is okay); season with salt and pepper. The sauce is not cooked prior to being added to the pizza.
After dough is prepared in the baking sheet, add the cooked spaghetti liberally over the dough.
cover spaghetti with mozzarella , taking care to cover spaghetti completely to prevent it from drying out.
add sauce by tablespoon in dollops around the pizza
place meatballs, cut side down throughout the pizza.
sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake at 400 for 30-35 mins. Let sit for 10 mins before cutting.
Japanese bread/Dinner Rolls are pillowy soft thanks to a simple technique involving a roux known as tangzhong. The roux is mixed into the dough, producing a tender bread each and every time.
Nothing gets a better reaction than ice cream cone cupcakes! I love how everybody’s eyes light up when they see these fun treats!
Hands up, friends. Anyone out there as crazy as I am about Thai peanut sauce?
It is one of my favorite dinner secrets to making a fantastic stir fry, a dip for fresh vegetables, chicken satay, or whatever other ideas I can come up with to use this incredible sauce.
I’m excited to say that after many attempts, I have finally found the best and wanted to share it with you!
This peanut sauce is crazy good! So much better than anything I’ve tried from the grocery store. It is creamy and rich, but not overpowering and easy to adapt to whatever flavors you love best. It also just takes a few minutes to make, and it has endless possibilities.
Thai Peanut Sauce is the salty, sweet, creamy answer to all your condiment questions!
Combine all ingredients except water.
Whisk to fully combine
.Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. I normally use 2 tablespoons for a sauce and up to four if using it for a dressing.
One of my first jobs, when I moved to Indianapolis, was in food prep at a fine-dining restaurant. I didn’t have experience when I started, but man, did I get an education while I was there. I spent the first few weeks learning my way …
When we make layer cakes, I am amazed by how much cake is removed to get a perfectly level cake. I used to toss the scraps and move on with the task at hand. I later decided to save them and toss them in the …
As a child, my mother baked a lot of pies. I don’t think I can pick a favorite, I loved them all. It was rare that she would deviate from her tried and true recipes. You know what I’m talking about, old recipe cards stained with who knows what. Those my friends are the best recipes.
For me, making pie crust can be tricky. It is either too dry or too sticky. Sometimes the crimped edges wilt as the pie is baking and sometimes the bottom of the crust just disappears after its baked. As you can see, I’ve got problems.
My mom could make pie crust in her sleep. It was always perfect, although she would always say otherwise. It was flaky, buttery, and again perfect.
One of her favorite pies to bake was the All-American Apple Pie.
My dad loved her apple pie and would always add a slice of cheddar cheese to the top of his slice. I’ve told friends about the cheese and apple pie combination to a mixed response. Some find the thought appalling while others are intrigued.
I would not enjoy an apple pie without cheese, it’s just how I was raised.
The pie I made today is my Mile High Apple pie with a Cheddar Cheese Crust. This pie combines the two flavors into an amazing pie. The tangy, salty crust pairs amazingly well with the tart and sweetness of the filling.
Give this recipe a try, you will love the combination, and go ahead and throw caution to the wind and add a slice of cheddar cheese on top of your slice. You might just be surprised.
There is an old tradition of covering a slice of cheddar on a fresh from the oven apple pie. The tangy salty cheddar and the gooey syrupy apple pie compliment each other beautifully. This pie brings the two flavors together in a delicious way.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl toss and coat apples with all of the other ingredients.
Pour apple mixture into a prepared pie crust, Pile the mixture high in a mound.
carefully place top crust over the apples and cut the edge of the crust to a 2 inch overhang.
Crimp the the crust, ensuring the two crusts are secure so the filling will not run out during baking.
Using a sharp knife, make four slices to create vents for steam to release.
If Desired, Brush with egg yolk and sprinkle the pie with sugar.
Place the pie on a lined cookie sheet and bake 60-70 mins or until crust is brown and the the juices are starting to bubble from the vents.
As far as this blog is concerned, 2019 has started very slowly. I have only posted one blog so far this year. I guess I have good reasons that, my mom passed away just after Christmas, and I started a new job as well. Also, …
I love cookies with lots of different textures and flavors. Our Kitchen Sink cookies, which incidentally have everything in them but the kitchen sink, are amazing. We took them to a holiday party a couple of weeks ago and a guy I never met before …
Fourteen years ago Dale and I bought our home. We both wanted to live in a friendly suburban community. So, we grabbed a real estate agent, and off we went in search of the perfect house in the ideal neighborhood.
I fell in love with the first house we visited. Dale liked it too but insisted on looking at others before deciding. After a grueling two weeks of looking at eighteen homes, we decided on that first house that I loved so much. It was perfect for us, the right size, and a fenced in backyard. We put down an offer, and it was immediately accepted, and we were on our way to being homeowners.
Buying a house is stressful for many reasons, but for us, we were concerned about the kind of neighbors we would have. Would they be accepting of a same-sex couple living beside them or across the street?
You have to understand that it was a different world back then and we had reason to be concerned; however, our concerns were for nothing. The day we moved in, The couple across the street, Matt and Wende came over and welcomed us. Talking with them, we learned that Matt is quite handy and was open to lending his tools…SCORE!
We have great neighbors up and down the street. We have spent hours visiting with them in driveways and celebrated events along the way. Our neighbor and friend Nancy inspired my Beer Bread recipe. She would send her son Tyler over with a hot loaf every time she baked. I would immediately dig into the perfectly baked bread.
Time marches on, and things change. Nancy’s son and Matt and Wende’s oldest daughter will be starting college in the fall. Nancy lives a few miles away now, but the friendships we have made endure. We are lucky to know these wonderful people.
This bread is savory with a slight crispiness on top. It is hands down my favorite bread.
Give this recipe a try and take a loaf to the neighbors and stay a while and visit, turn your neighbors into friends.
Beer Bread is my favorite bread. It’s different than other types of bread. It has a light texture, crisp crust, and a delicious savory taste. Truly a great bake!
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
Stir beer and butter into the flour mixture.
Pour into a greased loaf pan.
Every year I tell myself that I will give baked goods as gifts to friends. As the holidays approach, I start finding reasons to not follow-thru. My excuses range from “I don’t have the time” to “I’m not a very good baker, who would want …
I love this recipe! It dates back to the 1970s. I updated it, but the original recipe was stolen from my mom’s recipe box. This recipe uses a microwave oven to cook the caramel. This is such an easy recipe your friends and family will …
My favorite part of an Italian meal has to be the bread and olive oil. Something about a warm loaf of homemade bread is comforting.
When I was young, our family was large, and we didn’t eat in restaurants much. It wasn’t until I was on my own that I started to venture into the culinary world.
Iria’s is a family-owned restaurant that had been in the same family since its conception in the 1930’s. The place is small and cozy and filled with regulars. Everyone that walks through the front door of Iria’s is treated like family. It’s a party every time we eat there. The meals are huge and the sauce homemade. You will never get a bad meal from the Iria’s.
My ciabatta also has a nice crust and a flavorful center. dip it in a nice olive oil for that comforting feeling that only a loaf of bread like this can give.
Back in the late 1980’s and 1990’s, there were more family-owned businesses and especially more family-owned restaurants. As time has gone on, franchise restaurants continue to move into the area, and multi-generational restaurants have disappeared.
Iria’s has weathered every storm sent their way and they continue to treat everyone like family. Not much has changed at Iria’s, and that’s something to count on.
Ciabatta is more than a something used to dip olive oil. It is a flavorful bread with a crisp crust and a soft inside. An Italian meal would not be the same without it.
Oil hands. Scoop underneath half of the dough with your hand, lift one side of dough up and fold over to the other side of bowl. Replace plastic wrap over dough and let rise 45 minutes.
Press fingers into the dough (about 1/4-inch deep) to make indents, approximately 12 indents per loaf**. Loosely cover each loaf with an oiled plastic wrap to prevent sticking. Let rise 45 minutes.
