Start with your favorite brownie recipe in a 9x15" pan. Peanut Butter Frosting: 1 c. peanut butter 3 T. butter 16 oz. (1 lb. or 4 cups) powdered sugar 1/4 c. milk Mix peanut butter and butter thoroughly in...
Another intern's birthday meant another reason to bake treats for work! These were fun and easy to make. I found the recipe at Foodsnots.com. Begin by making brownie batter. Use your favorite recipe or a Brownie Mix. Spoon one Tablespoon...
I had leftover pound cake and LOTS of blueberries and strawberries left over from Jerry and Paul's visit. Aside from berries in all of our salads, I found a couple of ways to use up these leftovers with ingredients...
This recipe is from Tartine by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson I made the Frangipane Cream before leaving for Slow Bowl, and thawed a disk of flaky tart pastry the night before. In the morning I had a...
All of our prep took place in our hotel room that had a full kitchen. Here are dessert plates ready to go on the extra bed: Behind the scenes with the cocoa powder stencil: Here we are lined up for...
There were so many holiday get-togethers, I've lost track! One night, when friends were coming over, I needed a quick dessert. I came up with this bombe. Line a shallow bowl with plastic wrap hanging over the edge. Lay...
Creamy, luscious, cheesecake with Nutella, Frangelico and hazelnuts. YUM! (Adapted from a recipe on Cream Puffs in Venice blog. For the Crust: 2 cups chocolate crumbs (you can use Oreo crumbs or chocolate wafer crumbs) 1/3 cup unsalted butter,...
(Adapted from a recipe in Southern Cooking) 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie or Oreo crumbs 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 4 large eggs, lightly beaten...
All I can say is, "Oh MY this was good!" Figs: Cut off stems and slice figs in half vertically. Sprinkle each fig with a little sugar and some fresh thyme. Brush olive oil on skin of figs. Grill...
If you LOVE chocolate and hazlenut flavors together, this post is for you. I served a trio of Nutella desserts to my books club friends: Nutella mini-cheesecakes, Nutella mousse, and Nutella Chocolate chip cookies! Here are the recipes: Nutella...
Too many peaches and not enough days to eat them. I needed to use some up quickly, so I came up with this very quick peach tart. Preheat oven to 400. Thaw one sheet of frozen puff pastry for 15...
Hope everyone has a great 4th of July! We're keeping cool in the pool. For a red, white and blue treat, try this Triple Berry Tart: I began with a disk of my frozen sweet tart dough: Sweet Tart Dough...
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup creamy peanut butter 1/2 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 cups (one 8-ounce tub) nondairy whipped topping or whipped cream 1 (6-ounce) purchased or prepared graham...
Salted Caramel Cheesecake (Recipe by Michael Moorehouse, FOOD and WINE) This dessert is very simple to make, and who doesn't love caramel, ESPECIALLY with a little sea salt? 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temp 1/2 c. sugar 3...
Another great Nutella Treat! I brought these to our staff meeting Wednesday, and immediately got an order for 3 dozen for Valentine's Day. 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter 1 package (10 oz.) regular marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows...
This recipe originally came from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours. It really SOUNDS more complicated than it is, but you can do several steps the day before you want to serve it. I did all the...
I have posted this recipe at the Christmas, but here is a fall version. This time, I used Trader Joe's Gingersnap crumbs for the crust. Gingerbread Cheesecake: Crust: Smash cookies in a food processor to make 2 cups of...
My friend, Roxanne was coming for the weekend, and she LOVES chocolate. It's just a way to add a creamy milk chocolate layer to your favorite brownies. Line a 9x13 pan with foil. Make your favorite brownie recipe (or even...
I'm really missing my little buddy. Ego spent much of his time in the kitchen...under foot. I tripped over him at least once a day, or couldn't turn on the dishwasher or get into a drawer or cabinet he...
You've seen Gina DePalma's fabulous zucchini cake here before. It is a favorite, and always a hit with guests. Zucchini Cake Want to know what it is REALLY good with? This lemon ice cream from Gourmet, April 2001. 1 1/2...
Trader Joe's had the most beautiful looking California Yellow peaches! They were screaming, "PIE" at me in the store, so what could I do? I tried to make the filling with the same ingredients my mom used to use. Crust...
Try this very simple, quick and delicious recipe for Jam Crumb Cake from Epicurious.com. In the time it takes to heat the oven, you can mix this delicious batter and the topping. Use any flavor of jam you have...
Nothing is better on a hot summer's day than gelato. Most of you know I don't do chocolate, but for some reason hazelnut and chocolate work for me. I just skipped the chocolate sauce! I used Giada's recipe. Then...
Our friend, Janie, came for a quick overnight visit on Friday. Our weekend revolved around food: talking about food, chefs and restaurants, watching food television, eating, and cooking together. Every other moment was happy spent talking about Italy, and our...
Madonna left me a BIG bag of fresh figs! YEAH! What could I do, but make up this recipe, and make some fig jam with fennel seed and bay leaf too! Crust: 2 1/2 c. flour 1/3 c. sugar...
Crust: 2 c. graham cracker crumbs 4T. sugar 4 T. butter, melted Mix ingredients with a fork, and press into a 9" springform (bottom and half way up the sides). Chill until filling is ready. Filling: 3 8oz. containers...
I played today... in the kitchen. I made "low fat" panna cotta with buttermilk, and sugar-free berry sauce. When I bought these molds (in a hardware store) in Bologna, the woman told me to keep the aluminum bright and shiny,...
I couldn't resist using my new shiny gold espresso cups from Bologna for this week's theme. I actually bought them, NOT for espresso (as I have enough of those already), but to use for serving a small amount of soup...
I had this wonderful dessert at Easter Brunch at Firenze Osteria. You can find the recipe in Fabio's and Jacopo's Cafe Firenze Cookbook. I decided to recreate it for our friends. I made the panna cotta in wine glasses. The...
Some people eat the ears first. Some people (Brad) eat them quickly! This poor guy is waiting in dread. And I don't eat them at ALL! Why would I when I could have a slice of Miss Essie Vaughn's...
There was a birthday to celebrate at work. Supposedly, Apollo and Athens Foods make shredded fillo or phyllo dough called "kataifi". Neither of these products were found at any of my grocery stores in the desert, so I took...
I love to read food blogs, and I often try recipes from them. One of my favorites is my friend, Janie's blog: Panini Girl. We have met twice at her southern California home, and have a weekend planned to get...
It is World Nutella Day. This is true, because bloggers, Sara and Michelle from Ms Adventures in Italy, and Bleeding Espresso have declared it to the world. Check out: World Nutella Day! If you are already familiar with this...
I needed a dessert for my book club's dinner discussion of The White Queen. My first thought was to garnish something with a white rose, the York symbol. However, rain was pouring and plummeting my roses that day, so...
As a child, I knew it was Christmas time, when my mom and my aunts got together to spend all day making this regional specialty from Puglia, a fried "cookie" coated in honey, called Cartedatte. They are sometimes called the...
This wonderful recipe is from Fine Cooking: Sweet Cakes. Since we seemed to be on a roll with ginger this week, I decided to try this no-bake dessert. It is creamy, and delicious with bits of candied ginger. 12...
I love complicated baking recipes with outstanding results. Many food bloggers know about the Daring Bakers. Well, this recipe is for the Lazy Bakers! I call it a "cheater recipe" (anything with a mix), but it is simple and delicious,...
Our day trip to Oak Glen was an apple adventure! We TASTED lots of different varieties of apples. They sure made it easy to buy bags of apples! I don't think I've ever SEEN so many apple pies! Now...
I needed to celebrate the new ceramics, right? So I baked a cream cheese pound cake. I am giving you the WHOLE pound cake recipe that is usually baked in a regular bundt pan. I used TWO THIRDS of...
This delicious and moist cake from Bon Appetit, October, 2009, uses Fuji apples as well as applesauce. The only change I made in the recipe was to substitute raisins for the walnuts. I garnished with candy corn pumpkins. Try...
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x9 baking pan with cooking spray. Berry Mixture: 4 pints fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried 3/4 cup sugar 4 t. cornstarch 1/2 t. lemon zest Toss above ingredients in a bowl, and set...
This one was easy! After the Graduation party I catered a couple of weeks ago, I had some leftovers I turned into new CREAMY desserts. First, there was a little leftover coconut pie filling from these mini coconut tarts. Second,...
After tasting panna cotta that contained marscapone, and experiencing the fabulous creamy texture, I decided to try my own version. Here is what I came up with. 1 cup whole milk 1 envelope unflavored powdered gelatin 2 c. heavy cream...
I bought luscious, ripe strawberries at a fruit stand on my way home from San Diego on Sunday. I had sweet tart dough in my freezer, and cream cheese in the fridge. Beautiful and delicious! 1. Make "Sweet Tart...
Saturday's bridal shower got Sarah and Casey in the mood for their Maui honeymoon. Sarah's sister, Beth, was the gracious co-hostess. I took over her kitchen, and she managed decorations, drinks, and all of us in her home with her...
This recipe was written out on a recipe card in my Jr. High handwriting. I have been cutting out or copying down recipes for YEARS! I do not know its original source. 3 c. half & half 2 eggs...
Happy St. Patrick's Day! These cupcakes have an extra treat inside, with a bite of Irish Cream filling, and are topped with Bailey's Cream Cheese Frosting. Here is what I did: 1. Bake 18 cupcakes using your favorite cake recipe,...
Last month one of my book clubs read Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult. Synopsis: From Jodi Picoult Shay Bourne - New Hampshire’s first death row prisoner in 69 years – has only one last request: to donate his heart...
Tis the season... for blood oranges! We've been eating these in salads, but I thought I'd try something new. I took a cup of water, a cup of sugar, and brought it to a boil until the sugar was dissolved....
This simple recipe is a combination of a light lemon cake with a delightful creamy layer of lemony bliss pudding at the bottom! Baked in a souffle dish, the layers magically separate, and the result is an amazing dessert....
Recipe from Baked From the Heart, by Stephanie Greenleigh, Kathryn Kleinman, and Jennifer Barry Pastry: 1 c. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1" pieces 2 c. flour 1/4 t. salt 1/2 c. ice water Filling: 6 Granny Smith...
We had a wonderful meal on Valentine's Day evening, and we also had fun preparing it together. The menu was grilled veal chops, baked mashed potatoes with gruyere and sage, and baked fennel. Sage-Gruyere Baked Mashed Potatoes: 4 large...
Caramel-Toffee Cheesecake from Better Homes and Gardens "Holiday Baking" 2008 1 1/2 c. crushed gingersnap cookies 2 T. sugar 1/4 c. butter, melted 5 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened 1 1/3 c. packed brown sugar 3 T. flour...
I ordered these little molds from King Arthur Flour in December, after browsing through their recipes online. I thought they looked pretty and might be fun to make for some occasion. Slow Bowl seemed like the perfect opportunity. Cookies...
Remember that lemon tart? Here is what I did with my second disk of sweet tart dough. Butterscotch Tart From A Whisk and a Spoon 3-4 T butter
 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar 
3 cups whole milk
 2...
This was my contribution to this month's book club. I really sort of made this up after reading lots of recipes for persimmon puddings and persimmon cakes. The cup of rum and ripe persimmons would have probably made any...
The first recipe I tried from my new cookbook, Tartine, by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson, was this one for "Lemon Cream Tarts". Sweet Tart Dough (This makes enough for 4 9" tart shells, or 12 4 "...
Our weekend guests are appreciative eaters! They love food, but do not spend much time in the kitchen, so they love to visit at the holidays, when I have been known to "keep the goodies coming"! Saturday's breakfast was easy...
I made Martha's Gingerbread Cheesecake for my book club. First make Gingerbread Cookies. This is the Fanny Farmer recipe: 1 cup butter 1 c. sugar 1 egg 1 c. molasses 2 T. vinegar 5 c. flour 1 1/2 tsp baking...
I LOVE persimmons! I am lucky to know someone with a huge persimmon tree who gives me persimmon pulp to freeze each year around the holidays. I realized I still had two tubs from last year in my freezer....
This week Deborah chose Toasted Coconut Ice Cream from the David Lebovitz ice cream bible, The Perfect Scoop. I love coconut, and the scent of toasted coconut filled the kitchen. This is a great ice cream. I decided to...
Here's the Halloween dessert I made for Brad: 1 pkg of instant Chocolate pudding. Use 1/2 cup of Bailey's Caramel Liquore (or Dooley's) for part of the milk. Top with a spoon of caramel sauce. Top that with a...
It's Sunday, and Chris' choice this week is chocolate. But there is no chocolate ice cream in my house. There IS, however, LOTS of Salted Butter Caramel ice cream in my freezer...6 batches so far for the party. That...
Alas, I have no Green Apple and Sparkeling Cider Sorbet (Shannon's selection of the week) for me to scoop! My freezer is FULL of party food! Speaking of the party, I plan on serving Salted Butter Caramel ice cream...
Sandi's choice for this week was CREPES with our choice of filling. I found beautiful blackberries, so I decided on Cream Cheese Ice Cream with blackberries and blackberry puree. The cream cheese ice cream was perfect with the berries....
Apple cake always feels like fall. I have several good ones, but this is quick, easy, and has no butter or oil. I dug around for this old recipe I hadn't made in ages. Preheat oven to 350 degrees....
I chose this week's flavor for a couple of reasons, and because I didn't think anyone else would. Several years ago in Cortona, I ordered pear-pecorino gelato at Osteria del Teatro, and loved it! The cheese and pears were...
Kim's selection this week of Cinnamon Ice Cream from The Perfect Scoop is one of my favorite flavors so far! It is wonderful all by itself, but it is FABULOUS with an apple tart! I made two small apple...
What says summer better than luscious fresh peaches? I decided to make a quick peach-almond tart to go with the ice cream. Peach-Almond Tart For pastry 1 stick (1/2 cup) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 8 ounces (2 cups)...
Lots of leftovers, not much motivation... We started with a delicious salad of leftover figs, gorgonzola and spinach. 2 ounces of leftover marscapone mixed with leftover pesto sauce made a delicious, creamy pasta! This was the platter of stuffed fruit...
If you want the caramel equivalent of a "death by chocolate" experience, this is the cake for you. In fact, this may be the BEST cake I have ever made! (chocoholics may disagree) I may have to make it...
One of my favorite desserts this spring/simmer has been lemon tiramisu. I have made it for guests 2-3 times since the initial experiment in Montisi. The problem with that recipe is that we always have so much left over. I...
The Sunday Slow Bakers, besides being a group of wonderful Slow Travel people who love to cook and bake, are also an amazing group of caring and generous friends. Gina, our inspiration, is sick, and we wanted to do...
I love good jam, and the flavor of almonds. I ran across this in my Williams-Sonoma book, Pie and Tart. This was quite a hit with my weekend guests! Here is this wonderful recipe: Italian Almond Tart Our friends, Charlotte,...
We began with Babbo breadsticks and cheese spread with our triple berry cosmos before dinner. Then we ate Brad's BBQ ribs! LOTS of ribs! Warm gorgonzola potatoes with portabello mushrooms: Fennel-orange-spinach salad: We are RARELY home on the 4th of...
I barbequed a pork loin marinated in olive oil, and lots of thyme. The peach sauce was delicious! We also had haricot verts with pancetta and sliced almonds, and some leftover polenta. Peach Sauce: 2 peached, peeled and chopped...
Lots of berries! What to do? Make a pie! Crust: (From Bon Appetit) 2 1/2 c. all purpose flour 1 T. sugar 3/4 t. salt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 5 T ice water Whisk flour, salt and sugar...
Cherries in Rome: Cherries in Montelpulciano: Cherries in Palm Desert: Last week, I made this for Brad. As it involved chocolate, I didn't taste it, but did eat some of the yogurt-panna cotta filling in a bowl! When I saw...
My turn to host of one my book clubs. One group meets at lunch time. Sometimes we potluck appetizers for lunch, and some months the hostess decides to do it all. Last month I joined a second book club...
Guests arrived around 7:00. Here are Gail and Dina laughing at the wine station. Everyone enjoyed the appetizers, and at 8:30, dinner was served. The Salsiccia con fungi (sausage and mushrooms) is an easy do-ahead entree. Grill sausages. Saute mushrooms...
Though a couple of people munched on some pecorino with their afternoon wine, we advised everyone to "come hungry" for dinner. MENU: Salad with figs marinated in balsamic and honey, red onion, gorgonzola and balsamic dressing, garnished with a warm...
I tasted this at Lady and Son's in Savannah, and promptly bought Paula's cookbook: I needed a quick dessert to take to a Good-bye party at work, SO.......... Sweet, rich, tastes like butter, cream cheese and sugar (it IS butter,...
Another quick, "Work Late on Wednesday" dinner: Ida made this for Easter, and I have been craving it ever since. It is from The Hali'Maile General Store Cookbook by Chef Beverly Gannon (from my favorite restaurant in Maui). Warm Gorgonzola...
There was plenty of good food on our Easter Sunday. We started the morning with some fresh buttermilk biscuits. They soon became Prosciutto Benedict. We had Easter dinner at Fiona and Steve's: pork roast, lots of great salads and fruit....
Bailey's Chocolate Mousse Pie (From "Master Cook") Make a chocolate crumb crust from chocolate wafer cookies or smashed Oreos, or buy a "Ready Crust". 1 envelope unflavored gelatin 1 t. vanilla 3/4 c. milk 3/4 c. Bailey's Irish Cream...
I baked these buttermilk vanilla cupcakes last night. This morning, I made vanilla buttercream frosting, and decorated the cupcakes. I used grapefruit-flavored jelly candies I found at Trader Joe's, and gumdrop spearmint leaves. I sliced the triangular grapefruit candies...
I've been "forced" to endure chocolate desserts since before Valentine's Day! I have been a good girl and baked chocolate treats for others. I don't eat them! I've been craving a light, springy dessert that I will LIKE! I decided...
We're going to an Oscar Night Party, and I'm bringing dessert! I made the Mile High Chocolate Cake from January '08 Gourmet Magazine. Hope dinner is good, as I KNOW I'm not interested in all that chocolate! I've been "crazy...
Crust: 1/3 c. butter 1 c. flour 1/3 c. sugar 1/2 t. cinnamon 1/2 t. ginger powder Heat oven to 350. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat, stirring until it just begins to foam and turn golden. Remove...
Our menu was geared for something special, that I could also pull off on a long work day (10 to 6:30 with two 1 hour breaks between clients). Filet mignon with gorgonzola and balsamic reduction sauce Polenta hearts with mozzarella...
This is a pretty pink-swirled cake for Valentine's Day (especially if there are any other non-chocolate lovers out there). I used THIS recipe from Williams-Sonoma. I don't have that cute little rose cupcake pan, so I made it in a...
I was asked to bring a dessert to a dinner party. I didn't know who all the guests would be, so I decided to bake something I would like, and hope for the best. Of course, there are a NUMBER...
I finally made my first recipe from Gina DePalma's Dolce Italiano. I have an overload of Meyer Lemons, so I decided to try using half regular lemons, and half Meyer in the recipe. You use EVERY part of the lemons,...
With only hours left in 2007, I tried a new recipe on December 30, that was my absolute favorite dessert of the year. Salted Caramel Cheesecake (from Food and Wine) Cheesecake: 1/2 lb. cream cheese (room temp) 1/2 c. sugar...
I had to try out my new Santa cake pan. Here he is. It was kind of fun!...
Here is an Eggnog Pound Cake (from one of Williams-Sonoma seasonal mixes). This is for dessert with eggnog ice cream and optional caramel sauce! OK, just one more CAKE this year...I promise! (I said nothing about any other desserts!) The...
Cream Cheese Almond Cake with Almond Pastry Cream Cake: 1 1/2 cups butter, softened 8 oz. cream cheese 3 c. sugar 6 eggs 3 c. flour 1t. almond extract 1 T. Amaretto 1 recipe of Almond Pastry Cream (for...
This is a wonderful holiday recipe: (Adapted from Taste of the South: Christmas Cooking Southern Style Special Issue 2007) 3 1/2 c. half and half 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce 1 3/4 c. sugar 2 T. soft butter...
From: Better Homes and Gardens Our Best Holiday Menus 2007 2 2/3 c. all-purpose flour 1/4 c. sugar 3/4 t. salt 3/4 c. butter 4 oz. grated cheddar (one cup grated) 3/4 c. cold water 2 1/2 lbs. apples,...
Bittersweet Cheesecake Torte (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Baking 2007) 2/3 c. whipping cream 8 oz. dark chocolate (chopped) Nonstick cooking spray 2 boxes of your favorite brownie mix 3 8 oz. packages of cream cheese (softened to...
I used Giada's recipe for panna cotta. This recipe makes 6 servings. (I made it 8 times...lol) 1 envelope unflavored gelatin 1 c. whole milk Sprinkle gelatin over milk in a saucepan, and let sit for 5 min. Turn on...
Thankful Butterscotch Cake Recipe from: Inspired by Ingredients by Bill Telepan, Andrew Friedman, Cookbook Heaven at Recipelink.com Servings: 16 to 20 BUTTERSCOTCH FILLING: (* I one and a halfed the filling recipe from past experience.) 1 1/4 cups dark brown...
I hosted this month's Book Club Lunch. We read One Thousand Splendid Suns, by Kahled Hosseini. It was an excellent, but very sad story about women and family relationships in Afghanistan during the past thirty years of political struggles....
Since I've been emptying the freezer in preparation of filling it for the upcoming GTG, I decided to clean out my fridge on Sunday morning. I found an over abundance of fruit, along with a forgotten puff pastry sheet in...
Company for dinner? Want an easy, foolproof, dessert that most will LOVE? This is my standby summer fruit tart. My delightful Godson, Casey and his girlfriend, Sarah, are visiting! We have been relaxing in the pool, sipping cocktails, and...
I love peaches. I have been thinking about a peach dessert since I got the August Cucina Italiana. They had a beautifully presented "Meringata with Peaches in Syrup" that was my inspiration for this recipe. Mine looks a lot...
It was 108 degrees yesterday, and after some pool time, I had an uncontrollable urge to bake. This requires turning on the oven in my otherwise cool and air-conditioned kitchen! I wanted to make something that at least SOUNDED...
Sunday gave us time to make and enjoy another great dinner. Brad is really enjoying cooking together. He chops, grates, stirs, sautees, kneads, and basically does whatever task I ask of him to help me get several things done at...
Hot Crab Dip: (I doubled this) 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 can crab 2 green onions, chopped 1 c. grated sharp cheddar 1/4 c. grated Romano cheese enough mayo to blend (1/2 c.) Black pepper Combine ingredients and...
Sheena, Nikki and Jen came over for a very casual outdoor supper of salads. We began with a couple bottles of prosecco, and some parmagiano with Italian lemon honey. We moved out to the patio for dinner. We took NO...
Today is my monthly bookclub luncheon. I am bringing dessert. I haven't baked anything for a month, during the pseudo-diet. Our book this month was "Beach Music", by Pat Conroy. I really enjoyed the family saga, which takes place in...
I was dressed in green for my 7 a.m. haircut appointment! After morning errands, Brad will grill the corned beef I boiled last night, marinated in BBQ sauce, and wrapped in foil. It makes a tasty crust, chars off any...
Today I hosted our monthly Book Club Lunch. Even though Valentine's Day has past, I kept the theme, as we read a love story for February: "The Wedding" by Nicholas Sparks. My table was set with gold and silver, with...
I dislike chocolate. Call me crazy, call me lucky, but I am a caramel or vanilla or lemon girl! However, I do live with a chocoholic, and my friends Joy and Roxanne cannot get through a day without the dark...
If you use an RSS reader, you can subscribe to a feed of all future entries tagged 'Desserts'. [What is this?]