Fruit Salad with Honey Orange Dressing

I have never been a great fan of fruit salads, especially if they are piled high with some whipped-cream substitute and enough sugar to mask the taste of even the most potent fruits in the dish.  But yesterday while I…

Dorie’s Perfect Party Cake: Al’orange

This Month’s Daring Baker’s challenge, hosted by the lovely Morven, of Food Art and Random Thoughts, was one that made me giddy from the get go. Why? Because this time the rules basically said “do what you want”. The challenge…

Spicy Chocolate Peanut Hearts, a sure way to spice up Valentine’s

The goal: A supremely simple yet still sweet and unexpected Valentine’s gift for my wife.

The result: Chocolate Peanut Perfection, with a kick from Cajun spices.

I don’t usually “do” Valentine’s Day, at least not in the sense of buying…

Cowboy Cookies

What is a cowboy cookie? Where did it get its name? I have no idea, but if you ask me, this is just about the best cookie you’ll ever get yer grubby lil’ paws on, and I can’t exactly send…

Tea and Brandy. (Cookies, that is)

‘Tis the season for giving, cheer, gifts, and cookies with a resemblance to snowballs. Today I present you with a double helping of Holiday cheer, from our home to yours. Both of these cookies are guaranteed to warm your heart,…

Why Giada, Why?

This was initially slated to be one of 12 cookie recipes for the Holidays. Instead it has become December’s first Kitchen Disaster. I should have known from the recipe that these cookies would never work as promised from the recipe at…

Mamie’s Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut butter cookies may not be a part of every family’s holiday assortment, but they always have been in mine. For as long as I can remember, Christmas time meant the prerequisite sugar cookies, my Aunt Thelma’s tea cookies, chocolate…

Mocha Caramel Cappuccino Tartelettes

I think I’ve died and gone to heaven this time folks. I can’t even begin to do justice to the flavors and textures in this sweet dish. The first thing you are greeted with the crisp phyllo shell, then there…

Sinfully Good Hot Dark Chocolate

There’s nothing that takes me back to my childhood faster than a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Just the smell is enough to bring back the sounds of my mother’s laughter, wrapping paper tearing and my sister squealing in happiness…

Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies

Just in case you weren’t aware, the pecan is the state tree of Texas, and around here pecan pies are what people think of first when the word pie is used. I may not be a native Texan, but I’ve…