Fall Spice Muffins

I am on a constant hunt for the perfect muffin. I’m not sure it exists, but this one comes pretty close. I especially love them during the transition from summer to fall. They have a wonderful warm spice blend with a sweetness from the carrot and applesauce, and I like to make them when I’m…

Caesar Roasted Broccoli

We eat a lot of broccoli in my house. Almost always roasted with a big glug of olive oil and a Cajun spice blend I grew up eating on everything. As I branched out, trying different roasted broccoli versions for my family, this one was always a crowd favorite. The strong flavor of Caesar dressing…

Cream Puffs

This light as air, French dessert is always a hit at a gathering. They are fun, festive, delicious, and seem really impressive. Once you have mastered choux pastry dough, these cream puffs are a piece of cake…I mean piece of puff? You start out piping 2 inch circles of your choux dough. When you remove…

Quick French Loaf

As much as this bread may look like a baguette, there is a standard set by the French government through a Bread Decree. A baguette traditional must contain only flour, water, salt, and yeast or sourdough. It must be sold in the same location where it was baked. There are a few other conditions for…

English Muffin Pizzas

In my house, we have Pizza Movie Night every Friday. This involves eating pizza for dinner, rotating through who gets to choose the movie (youngest to oldest), and some kind of dessert (usually ice cream). The purpose of Pizza Movie Night is twofold. The first is that I wanted to provide an experience for my…

Veggie Sushi

This recipe was part of our Japanese cooking course a few years ago. Making sushi at home is a great way to have a fun family night, expose kids to the concept of sushi before you’re at an expensive restaurant, and it’s a great way to try food in a new fun way. Having things…

Croque Monsieur Sliders

These divine French sandwiches are such a crowd pleaser. They are a win-win-win. Delicious, easy, and seem impressive. Perfect for a small party or to bring to a backyard hang. They are also yummy additions to a lunchbox throughout the week to change up the classic PB&J. These can serve as a little appetizer or…

Blue Corn Quesadillas

This recipe isn’t so much a recipe, but an idea of how to expand your child’s eating habits. If, like me, cheese quesadillas are a big win in your house, a way you can food chain this into expanding your child’s food acceptance range is to change up the tortilla. This can be a big…

Pizzicati Cookies

These cute little Italian “pinch” cookies are a light shortbread filled with jam. I love their simplicity and the textural appeal of the curved cookie shape. They are perfect as an afterschool tea and cookie snack, or as a lovely addition to your Christmas cookie box. I feel that every cookie platter needs a jam…

Classic Dutch Baby

As much as I love pancakes, I don’t love standing over the stove all morning. A Dutch Baby is essentially a giant pancake. You whiz up the batter in the blender, dump it in a skillet, and you are free to enjoy the next 10-20 minutes as you wish. You may even finish your cup…

2-Ingredient 2-Bite Biscuits

The concept of a two ingredient biscuit peaked my interest when I began teaching kids cooking classes. When developing recipes, I often ask myself, how do we make something as easy as possible without losing any quality? It doesn’t get any easier than something that only takes two ingredients! I started a whole series of…

Lemon and Herb Hand Pie

Hand pies are one of the most delicious inventions known to humans. It takes almost any food item as a filling and transforms it into a lovely little pocket of flaky wonder. Strawberry jam? Delicious. Leftover taco meat? Incredible. Lemon and herb based gravy? Sooooo yummy. See what I mean? Stick anything into two circles…