dessert

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 […]

Even with all the amazing ice cream flavors out there, chocolate and vanilla remain two of the most popular flavors around. Not a huge surprise to me, but then again, I’ve always been a fan of the classics. Chocolate has always been a favorite of my boys. Straight-up, no toppings, the richer the better. While […]

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, […]

You survived the holiday season but you have one more celebration to come. But this one is easier. Much easier. New Year’s Eve is a bit more celebrated than New Year’s Day. And let’s call New Year’s Day what it is: a recovery day for the night before. But New Year’s Eve is a fun, […]

Halloween is not just for kids. Some of my adult friends are clearly more into Halloween than their children. A few couples in particular reliably dazzle neighbors and friends with their well-thought-out, elaborate, and creative costumes. My husband and I are not that couple. Don’t get me wrong: when required, we can put forth some […]

Who remembers Ovaltine?  If you remember Tang, you may also remember Ovaltine. Ovaltine is a brand of milk flavoring product made with malt extract, sugar, and whey that can be used with hot or cold milk.  Introduced in 1904, Ovaltine was created in Switzerland where it was known as “Ovomaline“. The name is derived from […]

Funnel Cake will forever remind me of strolling through crowded street fairs in NYC as a kid. Funnel cake, which is essentially fried dough batter with powdered sugar sprinkled on top, is a food popular in North America at carnivals and street fairs.  But this treat is believed to have traced back as far as […]

Gluten-free and vegan-friendly, these blackberry oat bars may just become your new favorite treat. Fresh blackberries are the feature of these tasty bars. Sweet, yet tart with great texture. Thankfully, fresh berries are available well into the cool Fall months and here in California even longer. Oat and almond flour make the base of this […]

A frozen Grand Marnier soufflé is a thoroughly elegant dessert.  It is also one of the tastiest. Some say it’s similar to ice cream. But not in my book. Frozen soufflés are rich and heavenly. They are light but luxurious. Back in my restaurant days, I made them almost daily.   Regular diners loved them, […]

Summer really is a wonderful thing. We wait all year for it and thankfully it sticks around for a bit. Even living in California I appreciate Summer. After 11 years I have fully acclimated to warmer temperatures. Everyone said it would happen, but I never believed them. Now I do. I’m totally cold when it’s […]

I’ve recently become obsessed with hummingbird cake.  First, I love the name: it sounds pretty.  Second, it’s almost a cross between four of my favorite sweets: coconut cake, frosted banana cake, carrot cake, and banana bread.  It’s sweet, but not overly so.  It has texture but is super moist.  It’s rustic, yet elegant.  Best of […]

I don’t make bread pudding often, but it used to be part of my daily routine. When I worked as a chef, bread pudding was a very popular item on the menu, and I was tasked with preparing it.  There are endless variations of this classic dessert, and I have had some great ones over […]

This is my new favorite tart.  I’m a sucker for anything with coconut.  This rich, decadent tart does not disappoint.  Plus, it’s gluten-free and can be made dairy-free as well!  I have already blogged about how fond I am of tarts: you may have seen the sweet potato tart recipe I shared around Thanksgiving and […]

Oven s’mores are my new thing. S’mores make me happy in the summer; toasting marshmallows on long skewers brings me joy (all except the part when my boys start sparring with the utensils). National S’mores Day is not till August 10th, but who can wait that long?  Having a skillet version any time of year […]