John’s birthday used to be a grand affair. Four days before Valentine’s Day, we usually skipped that holiday in favor of a celebratory dinner for his birthday. Now by big I do not mean rollicking parties or anything, but it used to be I would make no less than 3 S.E. Asian main dishes and…
Spring Fever: Andes Mint Shortbread Sandwiches
Is anything better than the first week of springlike weather? Especially when you live north of the Mason Dixon Line? Especially, especially when you have been housebound and sick the previous month? No. I realize this is somewhat repetitive of my last post, but seriously, people, I love this time of year. Alas, it seems…
Rustic Cocoa Cream Loaf Cake
I think we sometimes get stuck in a mindset that chocolate desserts must be decadent and rich, especially cakes. We also of course prefer our cakes in particular to be striking and elegant. Mousse cakes, layer cakes, glazed bundt cakes, flourless cakes… Well this cake is none of the above. I almost did not share…
Chocolate Salami
Chocolate Salami. Say it with me, Chocolate. Salami. If your mouth is not watering you either really hate chocolate or you don’t like salami. At first I thought “Wow! Chocolate and salami! Well, if they can do bacon and chocolate, why not salami? What? It is a rolled chocolate log full of going stale bits…
Salty Chocolate Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies For Peanut Butter
Growing up, we were always the kids with a horse. Actually we were the kids with a horse and a pool, but this post is about the horse. When I was in late elementary school, I went through a phase where I really resented it. I felt like kids wanted to come over to pet…
Butter Crunch 2 Ways: Family Recipes
This Butter Crunch candy is super easy, perfect for Christmas cookie tins, great for a holiday cookie exchange, and always one of the big hits of my holiday table! I make this every year for Christmas, so I decided to update the traditional pecan pictures in December 2015. The peanut pictures are from the original…
Chocolate Caramel Hazelnut Tart
Have you ever noticed the blogging conundrum about celebratory meals? I have quite a few dishes in my head right now and who knows when or if I will ever get a chance to share them with you. Prime rib, sweet rolls, pureed broccoli with creme fraiche, apple and beet salad with blue cheese, chocolate…
Chocolate Sugar Cookies Made With Dutched Cocoa
Chocolate Sugar Cookies made with Dutched Cocoa are the perfect canvas for a high quality Dutched cocoa, chewy and gently bittersweet. These pictures and notes were updated in September 2019. I have had a conflicted relationship with Valrhona cocoa powder. I mean, people whose baking I respect worship this stuff, so what the heck is…
Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Cake For Sammy
The previously un-considered dilemmas that arise with small children can be unexpected and tricky. For example, explaining Nazis to a 4 YO who loves The Sound Of Music. Or why the singer in Jace Everett’s Bad Things wants “to do bad things to you” (that was a hoot of a conversation–“Mommy, this is NOT a…