Fresh sliced pear, blue cheese, spring salad mix and a little apple cider vinaigrette make this simple salad a refreshing addition to summer meals. Every week I get together with some friends who are amazing cooks. Usually, I bring dessert but this week my friends wanted to change things up so I brought salad. Normally… Continue reading Pear Blue Cheese Spring Salad
Blackberry Charlotte Royale is as tasty as it is stunning. Blackberry jelly roll slices surround a light blackberry mousse. Charlottes are an old-fashioned treat that needs to be revived. They are mousse or pastry cream contained by sponge cake and/or lady fingers. I’ve made several of the ones encircled by lady fingers. They are elegant… Continue reading Blackberry Charlotte Royale
Garlic Herb Croissants combine the buttery, flakey decadence of croissants with basil, garlic and parsley. The unbaked croissants freeze well so make them ahead for special occasions. I recently took a refresher course on croissant making. It was online so my friends and I gathered to make it a dinner party. I asked the instructor… Continue reading Garlic Herb Croissants
Time for a little romance. Basque mini-cheesecakes are a cross between créme brulée and cheesecake. Their small size is excellent for sharing or individual portions and they can be ready in less than an hour. King Arthur Baking sent me a recipe for a full sized basque cheesecake as part of a “five ingredients or… Continue reading Basque Mini Cheesecakes
Espresso marshmallows are packed with coffee flavor. They are perfect for hot chocolate, adult s’mores or on their own. I started making marshmallows a few years ago. Once you discover how amazing homemade marshmallows are, store bought marshmallows just don’t cut it. There are two types of homemade marshmallows – Italian meringue and gelatin-based. Italian… Continue reading Espresso Marshmallows
Black cocoa gives these Oreo marshmallows intense chocolate flavor. Make just the chocolate layer for simple dark chocolate flavor or alternate Oreo and vanilla layers for a more true Oreo experience. Last week I went to a holiday party at the salon where I get my hair done. The party is an annual event put… Continue reading Oreo Marshmallows
Replace jam with chocolate hazelnut spread and then add some ground hazelnuts to the dough for a wonderful holiday treat. Chocolate hazelnut Linzer cookies are bound to become a tradition in your family. My daughter, Becks, was the most picky eater in our family. When she was young, she rejected foods on texture and taste.… Continue reading Chocolate Hazelnut Linzer Cookies
What screams Fall more than caramel apples? Ok, maybe pumpkin spice. But if you want to take a break from all your pumpkin spice, caramel apple cream puffs are for you. Recently I tried out a recipe my sister gave me for dulce de leche cream puffs. The recipe is coming soon because I need… Continue reading Caramel Apple Cream Puffs
Combine warm chai spices with soft cream cheese cookie dough and you get these Chai Spice Cream Cheese Cookies. This post has been several years in the making. I originally made these cookies to entertain some friends when they came to my house three years ago. I met Ben when he was a principal of… Continue reading Chai Spice Cream Cheese Cookies
Chocolate fudge bundt cake – dense, brownie-like cake topped with dark chocolate ganache. Rich chocolate fudge runs through each slice. This is a recipe I modified from one my sister left behind when she died. She left behind a list of ingredients and a title so it was a little like a technical challenge on… Continue reading Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake
