Snickerdoodle Bars

While waiting in line at the checkout counter at my local grocery store, my eyes scanned the magazine rack. I flipped through several before impulsively purchasing a pamphlet-sized beauty published under the Betty Crocker brand. That was nearly two years ago. I found the magazine while organizing my bookshelves recently and decided to give this [...]

Cinnamon Roll Cake

There once was a time when I knew Chicago’s O’Hare airport like the back of my hand. Nearly each week, I would board a plane to some far off city (typically the west coast); get whisked to a windowless conference room where I would eat Chinese take-out, and work into the late evening. Then it’s [...]

Raspberry Lemonade Marshmallows with Coconut

Distraction can be a beautiful (and tasty) thing. In a time when I should be focused on a thesis proposal and other projects for my graduate studies, I somehow gravitate to the kitchen in search of inspiration. This week’s inspiration came from a new cookbook by Shauna Server called Marshmallow Madness. Filled with a seemingly [...]

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. [...]

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