One of my favorite aspects of watching cooking competition shows from other countries is seeing how our food differs. Whether it be a difference in ingredients or just a different way of preparing the same ingredients. It's a great way to keep interest and variety in your meals. The other day, I was watching a … Continue reading Scalloped Apples
Holiday cooking
Gingerbread Latte Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
What is holiday baking without some sort of sweet treat dreamed up by Tieghan Gerard? I've already sung the praises of Half Baked Harvest on this site, so there's no need to do it again; her flavors are consistently phenomenal! Honestly, these aren't my favorite spiced molasses-based cookie. I reserve that honor for my good … Continue reading Gingerbread Latte Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
Cranberry Orange Linzer Cookies
Two of the sweet treats I've wanted to make for a long while are Linzer cookies and cranberry orange curd. So when I saw another online baker combine the two ideas, I got excited! Linzer cookies are very traditional. Hailing from Austria, they are a shortcut version of the Linzertorte, originally noted in 1653. Nowadays, … Continue reading Cranberry Orange Linzer Cookies
French Mendiants
These traditional Christmas treats are called Mendiants, hailing from the country of France in the Middle Ages. Mendiants are basically discs of chocolate topped with dried fruits and nuts. They're incredibly tasty and insanely easy to make! A quick history: The name, mendiant, comes from the Latin word, mendicans, meaning beggar, referring to the Roman … Continue reading French Mendiants
Sugarplums
We all know the "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy" in The Nutcracker, and that children have "visions of sugarplums" dancing in their heads on Christmas Eve. But have you actually tried traditional Sugarplums? I certainly hadn't, and I was curious! So when I found a recipe for sugarplums in one of the Beekman 1802 cookbooks, … Continue reading Sugarplums
Spiced Apple Custard Pie with Biscoff Cookie Crust
This Thanksgiving, I couldn't decide between a custard pie and a fruit pie. Specifically apple, since it's my husband's favorite. Then one day, I thought, "Why not combine them? Tart cinnamon apples with sweet vanilla custard." That's when I came across the enormous Costco pack of Biscoff cookies, just begging to be turned into a … Continue reading Spiced Apple Custard Pie with Biscoff Cookie Crust
Butternut Squash Risotto with Pancetta and Sage
I'll be honest: online personality Joshua Weissman and I probably wouldn't be besties in real life. But his knowledge and experience with food and cooking is something I can't help but respect. I can heartily recommend either of his cookbooks for anyone wanting to improve in the kitchen. This is the first recipe I've tried … Continue reading Butternut Squash Risotto with Pancetta and Sage
Pumpkin Spice Creamer with Sugar/Dairy Free Options
Looking to clean up your pumpkin coffee addiction? Try this easy Sugar-Free Pumpkin Spice Creamer! This version is even dairy free, meaning it doesn't even contain lactose, so it really has no sugar! The best part of making homemade creamer is that you can customize them to your preferences. Use this recipe as a framework, … Continue reading Pumpkin Spice Creamer with Sugar/Dairy Free Options
Spiced Pear Oatmeal
Pumpkins and apples are usually the stars during autumn, but pears are easily one of my very favorite fruits when the days get shorter. This Spiced Pear Oatmeal is so tasty - as well as hearty - it makes a fantastic breakfast for a cold fall or winter morning, or even during the holidays! This … Continue reading Spiced Pear Oatmeal
Rosemary Garlic Rack of Lamb
One of my absolute favorite splurge meals, especially for Easter, is Rack of Lamb. Smothered in fresh herbs and roasted in the oven to perfection, these lamb chops are much easier to prepare than they seem. They're especially delicious served alongside a yogurt dill feta sauce or nestled in mashed potatoes. Rosemary Garlic Rack of … Continue reading Rosemary Garlic Rack of Lamb