baking

While life is far from “normal” it continues. With that, I mean, fall and pumpkin season is now in full swing. I’ll be honest, COVID holidays look very different than normal holidays once did. I don’t know about you, but crowds now terrify me. Gatherings of any kind immediately put one on edge. And while […]

Kolaczki, or Polish jam cookies as they are also called, are a popular holiday cookie not only in Poland but also in the Czech Republic, Russia, Austria, and Denmark. For me, they are a recent discovery. My younger son is a jam lover, so these cherry Kolaczki have become a new favorite in our household. […]

For those that don’t know, these are Elephant Ear cookies, or French Palmier cookies as they are more formally known. But these crispy, buttery, elegant cookies are a childhood favorite and ones I love to make during the holidays. Made with puff pasty (also known as pâte feuilletée), these rich cookies dusted lightly with sugar and […]

I love coffee cake and I don’t discriminate. What I love most about coffee cake is how many different variations there are, from fruity, to crumbly, the combinations are limitless. I enjoy making coffee cakes that align with the season, as is the case here with this lovely vanilla cranberry coffee cake. Simple, flavorful, festive, […]

Yes, believe it or not, there is a National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day, it’s October 21st. It’s funny, I would have thought it was closer to Thanksgiving. The Fall baking season is in full swing, holiday meal planning has begun and pumpkin desserts are now more popular than ever. So naturally, a dessert combining two of America’s […]

Some recipes you just need in your life, this is one of those. If you are a chocolate lover, keep reading. This rich, decadent double chocolate banana bread is something I’ve recently become obsessed with. This recipe is not mine, it’s from a food blog called Just So Tasty. I have only lightly adapted the […]

People don’t typically invite former professional chefs over to dinner. I’m totally serious. That sounds funny I know, but it’s true. I have other chef friends who say the same. Honestly, it’s a thing. Truthfully, what people should know is that chefs make excellent guests because they eat everything and are extremely appreciative of not […]

These chocolate-raspberry walnut rugelach are by far one of my favorite cookies. Within the history of Jewish foods that have traveled across continents, there are many examples of flavor changes and other adaptations, rugelach is one of them. What is Rugelach? Rugelach, pronounced “ROO-gəl-əkh“, for those unfamiliar, are crescent-shaped, yeast dough pastries with a variety of fillings […]

A friend of mine nicknamed these cookies the $10 cookie, honestly, he may be on to something. These are my rich, decadent, giant brown chocolate chip cookies and I am truly obsessed with them. In this recipe I went “giant” because I love cookies and let’s face it, one little bite-size cookie just doesn’t get […]

Oh my, do I love chocolate crinkle cookies. I’m late to the crinkle game I will say, it was years before I finally discovered how truly delicious these cookies are. While I still go salty over sweet, I am obsessed with cookies, and I don’t discriminate. My cookie preference really just depends on my mood. […]

I’ve always loved scones, or at least as long as I can remember. I think my love of them stems from the fact that they are often not overly sweet. Typically made with fruit, these simple pastries also go well with a great cup of coffee. And I do love my coffee. Scones are actually […]

Focaccia is a flat oven-baked Italian bread product that is similar in style and texture to pizza dough. Crispy on the bottom, thanks to the generous amount of olive oil it is baked in, and soft, almost pillowy on top. This tasty savory bread is fantastic served by itself, but is versatile both in toppings and uses, […]

The world is a better place because of donuts. Seriously, it’s true. Donuts make people happy, myself included. Birthday mornings in my house are celebrated with donuts, it’s just something we’ve always done. At 13 and 11, we still have not stopped. I posted a recipe for baked cinnamon sugar donuts last year, I thought […]

There comes a time every winter when I start thinking of summer. What can I say, I don’t love the cold, well, unless I’m skiing, but that’s a different story. Typically in the February/March timeframe I start to crave summer foods. Fresh-picked strawberries, juicy vine tomatoes, grilled corn, and inevitably, my favorite summertime sweet treat, […]

I love muffins. Muffins and scones actually, they are the perfect accompaniment to morning coffee. But I’m picky, with muffins especially. With muffins, I prefer a standard-sized one, not the super-sized caloric bomb ones that make you feel like you’re eating three muffins in one sitting. I want my muffins soft, moist, flavorful and bursting […]