My empty nest world of scratch baking and chicken scratch
I think of Coffee Cake as comfort food of the dessert world. Warm out of the oven with a tall glass of milk, it’s reminiscent of grandmom’s house. Don’t let the name fool you, coffee cake does not have coffee in it. Coffee cake is traditionally served with coffee, like tea-cakes are served at tea-time, when getting together with friends for coffee. … Read more
I wish I knew how many different Banana Bread recipes I’ve tried over the years! A lot! I have always gone back to my original recipe that I started making in 1977 and have shared a million times with friends and family. I have never found a recipe that I liked as much as mine … Read more
Old-fashioned Banana Nut Bread – measure a few ingredients into one bowl, mix and bake- it is that easy! I always make extra loaves and wrap them in plastic wrap to either enjoy later or give as a gift. You can thaw the entire loaf or just individual slices as desired. I like to eat … Read more
“Now bring us some figgy pudding” is part of the chorus in We Wish You A Merry Christmas. From the 16th century, Figgy Pudding traditionally graced the table at the end of a Christmas meal and it is quintessentially British. It’s possible ancestors made the pudding from a potage of mashed figs thickened with bread, … Read more
I love the story behind this Pumpkin Bread. One Christmas Eve while I was busy with last-minute Christmas preparations, my youngest son, Spencer, who was about five years of age, came into the kitchen and politely told me that we were going to start a new Christmas Eve tradition. “We are? What new tradition are we … Read more
I had the privilege of making 400 wedding favor cupcakes for my beautiful niece’s wedding last year. This is the frosting that topped the White Sour Cream Almond cupcakes that were given to the guests at the end of the evening. Classic VanillIa Buttercream Frosting 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 4 cups confectioners sugar (powdered … Read more
This is a twist on the classic sour cream pound cake that uses ricotta in place of the sour cream. Dense, moist and buttery … and easy to make! It is important to beat the butter and sugar for the full 5 to 7 minutes which will incorporate air into this heavy batter. This is … Read more
Blueberry Pudding Cake signifies the start of summer in our house! Freshly picked blueberries that are capped with a slightly sweet batter, baked until golden and bubbly – a little like a cake, a little like a cobbler, and a little like pudding. Serve it warm from the oven either plain (which I prefer) or with fresh … Read more
I adore desserts made with lemon, especially since I have a Myer Lemon Tree in my yard. My children, however, not so much. Over the years I tried to come up with a lemon dessert that they liked – no success – nope, not buying it. There were times I had just a hint of … Read more
Everyone has a different perception of the perfect chocolate cake. While I have many favorite chocolate cake recipes, I believe this one pleases the masses. It is a super moist cake with an old fashioned chocolate butter frosting. When my children were younger, I was in search of the perfect chocolate cake and perfect chocolate … Read more