Hailing from the great city of Philadelphia, I consider myself somewhat of a cheesesteak aficionado. Pat’s, Geno’s, Jim’s, Tony Luke’s, John’s, Rick’s (creative names, I know) - I’ve had them all. But on those occasions when you can’t make it over to the corner of 9th and Passyunk for a wiz-wit, you can still make a delicious cheesesteak right on your stove top. Continue reading
This past weekend I was in my hometown of St. Louis. Apparently they skipped spring in the Lou and went straight to summer – it was so hot! Summer always makes me think of lemon desserts. The bright citrusy flavor and the yellow color reminds me of long sunny summer days. So I decided to make these lemon ricotta cookies to celebrate the season. T hese cookies are like mini cakes! They are light, fluffy, and moist. The lemon flavor in the actual cookie is subtle and when paired with the lemon glaze the flavor really pops.
I am a huge fan of pancakes. Growing up, my dad made us pancakes almost every weekend. I loved helping him make the pancakes – I used to sneak bites of the batter plain, which in retrospect is disgusting. Cookie dough – yes; pancake batter – no. TheBetterHalf is amazed that I didn’t get salmonella poisoning as a child due to my love for uncooked doughs and batters. I tell him it is because I have a strong immune system, but really it is because my mom buys pasteurized eggs.
I came up with this recipe in an attempt to make pancakes a little bit healthier, using Greek yogurt and whole wheat flour. I can’t say these are as good as buttermilk pancakes, but they are pretty tasty! Super light and fluffy . They are very wheaty tasting – you could use half all-purpose flour if you want less of a strong wheat flavor. If you prefer your pancakes a bit thinner, just add some more milk! Continue reading
Chocolate and peanut butter is a popular combination in our kitchen. In fact, I think it might be our absolute favorite dessert flavor. We really can’t get enough chocolate peanut butter anything! I bought the cutest mini Reese’s peanut butter cups the other day, and they were just begging to be baked into a delicious peanut butter cookie! Let me tell you, these cookies are dangerous. It is impossible to stop at one and still pretty hard to stop at 3… The cookie is so soft and chewy , and has a slight caramely flavor from the brown sugar. The peanut butter definitely shines through, and the mini reese’s get soft and melty. They are seriously addicting! Continue reading
I love making bread. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a beautiful loaf of freshly baked bread on your counter. And the smell in your house is just unreal. I am definitely a fan of quick recipes at times, like my english muffin bread, but when I have more time on the weekends I like to bake bread. It takes a lot of waiting time, but the end result is so worth it. TheBetterHalf is a huge fan of plain ol’ white bread, so I decided to bake him some last weekend. Just a classic white sandwich loaf. This recipe fit the bill perfectly! It is light and fluffy, but still hearty enough to withstand a giant sandwich. I garnished one with sesame seeds and kept one plain. If you have some extra time on your hands this weekend, I would definitely recommend making this gorgeous loaf of classic white bread. It would make a great mother’s day gift!
Happy mother’s day, Mom!
I have never been to Red Lobster, but I have heard of their famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits. So when I came across this recipe, I had to try it. TheBetterHalf and I are huge biscuit fans, so I’m always excited about a new biscuit recipe! And with cheddar and spices stirred into a buttermilk dough – how could this not be delicious! Continue reading
One of my favorite parts of Danny Meyer’s Setting the Table was when Meyer said that he felt an entrepreneurial spark whenever he discovered dining concepts that don’t exist that should exist. And though I’m far from the first person to discover it, St. Anselm is an exciting twist on the traditional steakhouse experience. It’s the answer to anyone who has ever wondered who wrote the rule that upscale steakhouses had to have a stuffy atmosphere, gigantic portions, and high prices? Continue reading
This weekend, I managed to bake something that TheBetterHalf liked more than I did! Now don’t get me wrong, I loved this coffee cake – as long as butter and sugar are the two main ingredients in a recipe, I am a fan – but TheBetterHalf is a little more discerning. So when he started raving about this cake, I knew it must be good! I had some leftover buttermilk to use (this seems to be a theme in my kitchen, always using up leftover buttermilk like here and here) so I decided to whip up a coffee cake for breakfast on Saturday morning. In just about an hour, I had this delicious cake ready for us to devour! It was so good – very moist, and studded with so many fresh blueberries! The glaze is optional on this cake. I thought the cake was sweet enough without it. TheBetterHalf really liked the addition of the glaze. So if you are in a glaze mood, go for it! And if not, this cake would be delicious on its own. You could top it with a dusting of powdered sugar for a little decoration. Continue reading
Chewy chocolate cookies. The name alone says it all – these cookies are to die for. They have quickly made my list of top 5 favorite cookie recipes. That is no small feat, because I am kind of a cookie addict. They are rich and chocolaty from the cocoa powder and the chopped bittersweet chocolate. If you are a chocoholic, you will love this recipe! It is the kind of cookie that just begs for a glass of milk. The dark corn syrup contributes to the most amazing chewy texture. I definitely think you should add this cookie to your weekend baking lineup! Ok, I realize that most normal people probably don’t have a weekend baking lineup. So just add it to your recipe list for the next time you want an amazing chocolaty cookie! Continue reading
I can’t believe it has taken me so long to make an Ina Garten recipe for the blog! I love the Barefoot Contessa. I dream about having her house in the Hamptons, but I’ll have to settle with watching it from my one bedroom in NYC and reading her cookbooks. I seriously want to make everything from her cookbooks. I decided on Red Velvet cupcakes because I know they are a crowd pleaser! I personally don’t understand the fuss about red velvet. They just never taste chocolatey enough to me! But I do love cream cheese frosting. And I can’t only bake things with peanut butter and chocolate, so Red Velvet it is! This is a great recipe too. The cupcakes are moist with a hint of chocolate flavor, and the cream cheese frosting on top is SO good. I must say though, as much as I love Ina, why does she bake with extra-large eggs? Every other baking recipe calls for large eggs! But I trust her, so I bought extra-large eggs just to make these. Continue reading
