Latest Posts

Cooking, Desserts

Creamy Coconut Lemon Squares

These are ubiquitous. Everyone loves a good lemon bar – even the chocoholics who say it’s not worth it if it ain’t got chocolate in it will snatch up a lemon square off the dessert table.Their beauty lies in their simplicity that comes through their flavour and […]

Cooking, Pie

Italian Raspberry Crostata (Crostata Marmellata)

Something you’ll find all over cafes in Italy are gorgeous golden tarts, called Crostata Marmellata. Marmellata means jam, which is exactly what they’re filled with – strawberry, raspberry, cherry and, one of my favourites, apricot. They’ll only set you back as much as that avocado […]

Brownies, Cooking

How to make Brownie Bombs

There are no major expectations and no specific requirements. It just has to be a) fun, and b) delicious enough to warrant eating the batter. In my job, I bake every day. The things I bake at work need to look a certain way, taste a certain way and cost a […]

Uncategorized

Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies

I’ve been busy baking, candy-making, testing and re-testing. I’ve been photographing, writing, editing, freaking out and panicking. I’ve been proud and thrilled when things turn out exceptionally and then completely annoyed and frustrated when things don’t come out right the first time around. That’s the […]

Cake, Cooking, Desserts

Giant Molten Dark Chocolate Brownie Cake

This dessert has the texture of a brownie, but uses the technique of a cake…..it kind of has two personalities. It starts with creaming butter and sugar. You’ve done that before right? The sugar crystals pierce through the fat and introduce air, creating little tiny […]

Cake, Cooking

Deep Dark Chocolate Soufflé Cake

As the story of a soufflé goes, we need to separate eggs. This cake is no different. The easiest way to do this is with your hands. The whites will slide right past your fingers and you can gently cradle the yolk and transfer it […]

Cooking, Salad

Creole Potato Salad Recipe

Today was such a beautiful day here in Maine.  The sun was shining, the sky was bright blue, and it was about 70 degrees out, with just a slight breeze.   John and I took Kayleigh over to my sister’s house for the day, and […]

Cookies, Cooking, Desserts

Salted Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

Butter is Better. Always. Shortenings, especially highly emulsified ones, can create very uniform cake crumb structure. This is true.Lard makes the flakiest pie crust.I completely agree.BUT, butter makes everything taste better.Heck yes!Although shortening and lard have great functional properties, when they are required (like for […]

Cooking, Salad

PLUM SALAD WITH ROASTED BEETS, SPINACH, AND FETA

Most of our fruit this summer has gone into baked goods, but this week I’ve felt the need to eat lighter meals.  It’s not the heat so much as it is the fact that summer has felt like a series of vacations – celebratory feasts strung […]

Cooking, Salad

SPICY CUCUMBER NOODLES WITH BLUEBERRIES

The pitcher  and cups in this photograph –  old Dutch-made blue willow –  were in my great aunt Johnnie Dell Ridgdill’s tiny kitchen for as long as I can remember. Aunt Johnnie was a force in my childhood. A retired nurse, she helped my grandmother Colleen raise my […]

Cooking, Dinner

HAWAIIAN PIZZA SHRIMP

Think Hawaiian pizza on a wooden skewer, with a zesty pizza sauce for dipping. I made this today for my husband and the boys to snack on during the two Superbowl playoff games. J has been yelling at the television because the Colts appear to be […]

Cooking, Dinner

The BEST Taco Pasta Bake

What you need: 2 cups of noodles (all noodles work) 1 lbs ground beef 1 package taco seasoning (I use the taco bell one) 3/4 cups water 1 onion 1/2 package reduced-fat cream cheese (4 ounce) 1 cup shredded cheese 2-3 tablespoons taco sauce (optional) […]