Need some inspiration for a romantic meal this Valentine’s Day (or any old day)? Here are four, simple-to-make dishes along with wine pairings that are sure to show your loved one(s) how much you care. Savory Cheese Tartlets with Blackberries paired with La Marca Di Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco ($12) Cream of Asparagus and Vermont Sharp [...]
It is thought the name “Hummingbird Cake” was penned as a result of people ‘humming’ after tasting the scrumptious dessert. This delicious recipe is provided by St Louis guest blogger, Chris Absheer, who is on a quest to provide decadent desserts that are simple enough for the home baker. Cake Ingredients: 3 cups self- rising [...]
Among my circle of friends, I’m typically the one cooking and baking (and loving it). This weekend, my two girlfriends from Florida, Eileen and Gloriann, came to visit me to help celebrate my 40th birthday. To their surprise and my amusement, I put them to work to make me a birthday pie. The recipe below [...]
When Saveur showcased this dessert (from Brooklyn’s Marlow & Sons) on its cover, I thought I’d go mad. Wow, what a beauty! At a friend’s request, I made it for my New Year’s Eve dinner party and it was as delicious and it is gorgeous. Originally published in Saveur magazine Crust Ingredients: 1 1⁄2 cups [...]
This is the first Christmas the family will spend without Grandma. I’ve mentioned in past posts what an amazing cook and baker she was and that she had a huge part in my love of food. One of the items that belonged to Grandma that I was fortunate enough to get was a small 3-section [...]
Growing up, my Grandma made jelly roll cake all the time. A favorite was the vanilla cake with raspberry jam tucked inside and confectioner’s sugar lightly dusted over. Every Christmas, our family shares a Bûche de Noël, in recent years, it has been purchased because nobody has wanted to tackle making it from scratch. This [...]
My friend Lisa is a huge caramel fan and I’ve designed this simple-to-make frosting with her in mind. Great used as icing on a cake or as frosting on cupcakes. Ingredients: 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter 1 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup heavy cream 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract 1 pound box confectioners’ sugar 1/4 tsp. [...]
This weekend, I was asked to bring dessert to a potluck dinner. The hostess is a caramel fanatic, so I knew that my Dulce de Leche Cheesecake would be well-received, but I wanted something more portable. This recipe yields 24 two-bite cheesecakes, but can easily be halved if you only need a dozen. Ingredients: 24 [...]
My grandma used to make my sister and me peanut butter and banana grilled sandwiches in a cast iron contraption when we were kids. This contraption, an early version of a Panini press, had long handles that could be flipped on the stovetop until the bread was perfectly browned and gorgeous. I miss those days [...]
I’m sort of picky about cookies. Some cookies I like crispy and crunchy and some I enjoy soft and chewy. This past weekend, I decided to combine two of my recipes to create a crispy AND chewy cookie. My tasting panel (ten warehouse workers at my office) really liked the results. Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose [...]
