It's already in the upper 90's here in California and I've been refusing to turn the A/C on, like I'm on some sort of mommy Survivor type show. Mostly, because I'm afraid of the electric bill. So turning on the oven to bake a dessert? No thank you! Enter these cute little no bake cheesecakes. While doing cooking demos at the fair, I met the lovely family that runs Bob White Farms (a local cherry orchard). Not only did they fill the seats at my demo (so I wasn't talking to myself), but they ... VIEW POST
Honey Pecan Hand Pies
A friend asked if I would do some cooking demonstrations featuring local ingredients at the fair. An ounce of self-doubt set in. Speak in front of a bunch of strangers that aren't fully listening and just want to sit in a chair out of the beating sun? Then I told myself not to be lame and seize the opportunity to challenge myself. I decided to do an appetizer and a dessert: parmesan crusted goat cheese with basil oil and these beautiful hand pies. They have all the yummy flavor ... VIEW POST
Manly Mini Cheesecakes {Whiskey + Chocolate}
Sometimes I get these ideas and these ideas tend to come to me at the last minute. They almost always come to fruition at the very last minute actually (drives Ryan nuts). Enter these little cuties. I finished cranking them out about 5 minutes before we were supposed to leave for the party. That's right we were late. But they were totally worth it. They're rich, creamy, and manly. Men will devour a cute little dessert like this, pinkies in the air, if you tell them there's whiskey in it. And ... VIEW POST
Holy Monkey Bread!
Saturday morning I sat starving, as usual, and wished that I had a sweet little chef in my kitchen that I could summon to make pure breakfasty deliciousness. Unfortunately, I had no tiny chef, but I did have refrigerated biscuits in the fridge. It hit me - monkey bread! I remember my mom making monkey bread once or twice when I was a kid. I also remember thinking what did I ever do to deserve this plate of heaven? So if you want your kids (or hubby) on their best behavior, just throw out two ... VIEW POST
Coconut Lime Macaroons
These lime macaroons are the perfect baked good for summer. They require only a few ingredients and are super easy to make. The tartness of the lime pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the coconut.I had originally planned to dip the bottoms in dark chocolate...but why mess with a good thing? Start with one can of sweetened condensed milk. Zest two limes. Add the zest and desired amount of juice (I only used 1 1/2) of two limes. Then stir in the vanilla and salt. Finally, add in ... VIEW POST
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
I stumbled upon this recipe late last night and made 'em first thing this morning. These pancakes pack all of the flavor of a baked cinnamon roll, while feeling less heavy and dense. They're also super easy to make. Go on, try 'em...you know you want to! Check out that short stack of deliciousness! YUM. ... VIEW POST