I’ll admit, I’m a bit tardy getting this recipe to you. As apparent from the warm colors and Fall leaves on the background linen, I shot these photos pre-Thanksgiving. Ignoring the seasonal feel of the photos, this recipe easily transitions right into a cookie perfect for the Winter holidays. In fact, as far as I’m concerned, this is a year-round keeper. Continue reading
The color of this burnt orange pie could be misleading. Cinnamon, ginger, and cloves are not among its ingredients. Instead, lemon is the starring flavor in this pie. Together with lemon, roasted butternut squash is added to this classically southern pie, and the result is a filling of tangy citrusy custard, made richer and smoother thanks to the sweet nutty taste of the roasted squash. Continue reading
The Santa Ana winds were gusting Sunday night, and just as I had predicted, the power went out. Likely to find myself in the dark before the evening was over, I had lit candles throughout the house and tucked a small flashlight nearby. As anticipated, the lights flickered on and off as the power supplied to our neighborhood gave way to mother nature’s will. Continue reading
I have quite the collection of cookbooks. Some people might think it excessive, but I think of each and everyone of them as a friend. I spend endless hours flipping through their pages, inhaling the smell and savoring the taste of each recipe via my imagination. My favorite books are the vintage cookbooks. There is history to be discovered between their covers. When I peruse their pages, I travel to a time when cooking and baking seemed simpler, especially baking. I think of how far the world of baking has come, even in the last number of decades. We have at our disposal so many more ingredients, gadgets, and pieces of equipment. The possibilities are endless. Of course, all that considered, the past provides the foundation from which all our modern-day baking comes, and for that I owe a debt of gratitude to the pioneers in the field of baking. Continue reading
In an effort to use up every delectable apple we schlepped 3000 miles from our trip to an apple farm in New Jersey, I bring you another apple dessert, or is it an appetizer, or both. You decide. Either way, you can’t go wrong with juicy apples enhanced with the flavor of savory thyme, tucked underneath a blanket of white cheddar cheese, all nestled inside a tender cheesy crust. Eating a slice of warm apple pie with a slice of cheddar on top is a classic way to serve this all-American dessert. I took that classic combination for a spin and I think you’re going to love the result. Continue reading