Hazelnut Cookies

March 14, 2012 by Jessica | 1 Comment

So remember that we joined the olive oil of the month club? They also sent us this recipe, which I knew we had to try right away. But we spent the day making amazing fresh pasta, and had no time for silly dessert. So the next Sunday, I whipped these up really quickly, and Steph shaped and baked them while I bathed Richie and put him to bed. Teamwork! They were actually very simple to make, as long as you have a food processor and microplane…right now I take those tools for granted, but it wasn’t long ago that those were not in my kitchen (Mom has no kitchen gadgets!). Continue reading …

Chiffon CUPcakes

February 20, 2012 by Jessica | 6 Comments

Ever wonder why they’re called cupcakes? Well, probably because you bake them in cups!

Seriously. Once I found out that my dairy dishes are oven-proof, I knew I had to make these. I watched Alton make them a few times, and once my Good Eats 3 arrived, it made me want to try it even more. So when Stephanie came over and we made dinner for some friends, we knew his was the perfect dessert to make. Each of us would have a mug, and we would freeze the cupcakes we made in tins. Yum! These came out light, fluffy, and overall delicious, especially with Alton’s buttercream spread on top.

Chocolate French Macarons

January 12, 2012 by Stephanie | 13 Comments

The first time I had a macaron was in Paris, and I liked them so much I brought a box home to New York. Fast-forward to three years later and you can buy macarons as easily here as you could in Paris! We’re not talking about Passover macaroons here, which are gross when they come in a box, but I recently discovered are good if they’re homemade. These French macarons are popping up everywhere, but they’re expensive little cookies, some costing around $3 each. So I decided to make them myself.

Chocolate Earl Grey Shortbread Coins

January 8, 2012 by Jessica | Leave a comment

My favorite kind of tea is Earl Grey. I probably drink it too much. But don’t worry, I switch between brands so I don’t get sick of it. My favorite? Revolution Earl Grey with Lavender (in a box with a silk bag!). So this “grown up cookie” has been on my list of things to bake for a very long time. Ever notice how that list always gets longer, even during my week off? I need to stop looking at new cookbooks, reading blogs, and watching cooking shows until my entire “to bake/cook” list is checked off. Yeah, sure. Anyway, this is the perfect cookie to bake for a tea/coffee get together with friends, and the perfect end to a meal. Why? Because it’s easy to make. All you need is a food processor and some pantry staples. And some loose earl grey tea (only about a tablespoon). And I have plenty of that in my house (decaf, too!). Continue reading …

Cinnamon Babka

December 26, 2011 by Jessica | 4 Comments

Way back when this blog was just a baby (and before this baby was around), we shared a recipe for chocolate babka with you. We love this babka recipe. We double it to freeze some. We make it with chocolate, cinnamon, white chocolate, and just eat it up. We impress dinner guests and impress hosts with it. We make it all the time. And we love it all the time. And hope you do to. If you don’t, this is just a friendly reminder that you should. Continue reading …

Banana Muffins

December 22, 2011 by Jessica | Leave a comment

I love baking muffins. I always have to have at least one kind of muffin in the freezer. You know, because they are a great go-to snack, a perfect oops-I-forgot-my-breakfast treat, and an easy addition to a not-big-enough packed lunch. I sometimes even make savory muffins…an extra special treat. My favorite are blueberry muffins, but with blueberries out of season and all, and those bananas hanging on my makeshift banana tree turning browner by the minute, I just knew I would have to make muffins with them (instead of this or this or this). Continue reading …

Guest Post: Pumpkin Dump Cake with Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

November 28, 2011 by Jessica | 7 Comments

By Melinda Strauss of kitchen-tested.com

Countless blog posts and Food Network episodes are dedicated to answering the seasonal question of how to re-purpose Thanksgiving leftovers. But I want to know what to do with all the extra groceries I bought when I over-shopped for the holiday. Why did I buy 10 cans of pureed pumpkin when I only needed 2? I’ll admit that I always over-shop at the grocery store, and especially for Thanksgiving. I am always freezing raw turkey and whole cranberries, and storing cans in my pantry. On the bright side, I can cook Thanksgiving food throughout the year on a whim or a craving without needing to run to the grocery store! It’s pretty impressive…or at least I think so. For my first post-Thanksgiving-use-my-extra-groceries dish this year, I decided on a Pumpkin Dump Cake with Homemade Non-Dairy Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. Now don’t be afraid of the name “Dump Cake!” It describes the baking process. Everything gets dumped into the pan and then bakes to sweet perfection! The pumpkin filling is creamy and savory while the cake topping is sweet and crunchy. Such a great balance of flavors and textures! Pumpkin dump cake is topped with homemade tart cranberry ice cream that makes my mouth water. Continue reading …

Coconut Brown Rice Pudding

November 3, 2011 by Stephanie | 1 Comment

You know how we feel over here about desserts that are pareve on purpose – that is, without fake dairy in them. This rice pudding is just that! Just mix some rice and coconut milk, a little bit of sugar and spices, and you have yourself a dessert in a couple of hours!

That’s right, it takes a while to cook, but it’s all unattended cooking time; all you have to do is stir once every 40 minutes or so. I’d imagine that this works well in the slow cooker, too. I’ll have to try that out!

Lemon Mascarpone Layer Cake

October 27, 2011 by Jessica | 3 Comments

I have been wanting to make this cake ever since I bought this cookbook, and that was a while ago. But first I didn’t find kosher mascarpone cheese, then I didn’t have an occasion to bake it for, and then I had a baby who didn’t really allow me to do much multi-step cake baking. Well I baked it. It took a while. I juiced lemons one day, made curd another, worked on the frosting the next morning, and that afternoon finally baked the cakes. So it took a while, but it was done, decorated, and waiting in the fridge to eat. I wanted to skip lunch and just eat cake. Continue reading …

Chocolate-Covered Frozen Bananas

October 3, 2011 by Stephanie | 6 Comments

This post is in honor of the best news ever!

Whenever I buy bananas, some of them start to turn brown before I can eat them. Seriously, they’re green when I bring them home, and when I wake up the next morning they’re already overripe! I usually peel them, cut them into chunks and freeze them for smoothies, but there are other things you can do with frozen bananas; You can dip them in chocolate and coconut or pistachios and eat them for dessert!