Mini Cinnamon Rolls

My sister Rosita was the first person to introduce me to Pinterest nearly six months ago. And I have been hooked ever since. It is the latest online darling to hit the social media scene that is quickly earning its place next to Facebook and Twitter. For me, the site is a wonderful way to [...]

Chocolate Beet Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

After several weeks of unusually warm weather, winter has finally arrived in Pittsburgh. That means it’s time to gear up for some much needed baking. The warmth of the oven offers a sense of comfort that can only be appreciated when a dusting of snow swirls across my front lawn. I had a couple of [...]

Apple-Cranberry Panko Crisp

I arrived home after a long day of activities to be greeted by a package on my doorstep. The box, measuring 24”X24”, contained a wide assortment of products from my friends at Kikkoman. We had such a blast last year hosting a Tasty Turkey Party and they asked if I was interested in testing a [...]

Limoncello Mint Sorbet

The warm weather has me craving frozen treats lately. Making actual ice cream, with a kitchen dance of cream and eggs, can be pretty daunting. That’s why I’ve been looking for interesting sorbet and sherbet recipes for inspiration. I first made this recipe back in March when I hosted a 24X24 Foodbuzz dinner party. Words [...]

A Celebration of Strawberry Proportions

The email notification on my iPhone buzzed like it has done nearly 1,000 times before. Except, this particular message was different from the others. It was from an editor at Fine Cooking Magazine interested in including my Balsamic Strawberry Shortcake photo for their Best of Blogs section on FineCooking.com. I squealed like a teenage girl [...]

Chocolate Stout Bundt Cake

Baking this cake was somewhat a departure for me because I’m not a huge fan of super dark beer. However, it was a project for one of my classes and a group of friends who drink stout religiously that inspired me to give it a whirl. Truth be told, I actually baked two versions of [...]

Homemade Mozzarella Pinwheels with Sundried Tomatoes & Fresh Basil

It was nearly a year ago when I was hovering over a stove with 10 other students. We all had one goal in mind…to learn the art of fresh mozzarella making. Ever since that faithful day, I’ve enjoyed serving the glorious white cheese for dinner parties. Explaining the preparation process is a wonderful conversation starter. [...]

Foodbuzz 24X24: An Intimate Celebration of Italian Flavor

Pittsburgh’s historic Strip District Market was alive with the energy of spring as I wove between the hoards of strollers and walkers to reach my favorite shops. I was a man on a mission to find the best ingredients for a dinner party I was hosting later in the evening. The clock was ticking and [...]

“Green Stuff” Marshmallow Salad

This recipe has a long tradition for being a holiday staple in my family. I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t smack square in the center of the table with at least one of my siblings screaming for more “green stuff”! Even now that we are adults, my siblings still call it “green stuff”. [...]

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Apricots

Back when my siblings were breaking high school track records, I was in the kitchen whipping up culinary greatness. Can you believe I used to mix cookie dough by hand with a wooden spoon and scooped using two teaspoons? I guess you can say the experience “built character.” Now that I have all the character [...]

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