This was delicious and very strawberry-ish. I would be happy just eating the frosting (and shamelessly licked the bowl clean. Very clean). My only disappointment was that the cake was a little denser than I would have liked–I’d consider lessening the amount of strawberry puree (e.g. by half a cup) in the cake so that it might rise more and take on a lighter texture. As is, the texture is more

1. Very Strawberry Cupcakes! As if cupcakes on their own aren’t spectacular, these cupcakes...
2. My Mom’s entries for Strawberry Seduction: Strawberry Cheesecake and Pancakes w/Strawberry Compote My mother has been a loyal reader of my blog...
3. Devil’s Food Cake with Fudge Frosting Dessert has been a little pie-centric lately, so it was...

I’ll be honest: I’d forgotten about these peach preserves. They were buried in the back of my pantry, but when I found them, I needed to finally dig in (peach season is one of the things I’m anxiously awaiting, after all). They were simple to make (many months ago), and I remember from sampling a bit how wonderful they tasted–sweet, peaches at their peak, finished with that je ne sais quoi you

1. Cardamom Peach Preserves Just like I get the strong urge to braise everything...
2. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake A while back, I had seen that the Daring Baker’s...
3. My Mom’s entries for Strawberry Seduction: Strawberry Cheesecake and Pancakes w/Strawberry Compote My mother has been a loyal reader of my blog...

The lamb was indeed very tender. The resulting steaks had a crisp, buttery, exterior with a juicy and just-a-little-pink interior (random aside: why aren’t lamb steaks more common?!)–very tasty. The cranberry sauce I made to go with this was very similar in style to one I’ve made for the past few Thanksgivings. Aside from the usual sweet/tart thing you get

1. Braised Lamb Shank with Sherry Blackberry Sauce After having enjoyed a rack of lamb and remembering how...
2. Pomegranate Glazed Stuffed Leg of Lamb Roast I love roasts–there’s something homey and comforting but classy about...
3. Cranberry Sauce Two Ways I couldn’t decide on how to make my cranberry sauce,...

Before summer is over and you can’t find good, fresh peppers, you seriously need to try these. Note, this is a fridge pickle and not a leave-it-in-your-pantry-for-months pickle–the salt & vinegar content is not

1. Bean and Quinoa Chili After having finally tried my hands at making beans the...
2. Chili Molé I absolutely love chili. Honestly though, who doesn’t? A meaty...
3. Andouille Stuffed Peppers Who hasn’t had a stuffed pepper of some sort before?...

There are three major elements to this pie: the crust, the peach filling, and the pecan topping. I fell in love with each and the trio was a great mix. The crust was a pâte sablée (sweet pie dough) made with ground almonds for an assertive, sweet, but nutty flavor and a crisp, crumbly bite. The filling has the sweetness of peaches, accentuated by the tartness and added creaminess of quark (if you’ve never heard of it, it is a kind of cheese. I would compare it to a mix of cream cheese and sour cream as far as texture/flavor), the total combination of which is almost custardy

1. Sweet Potato Pecan Pie I’ve always had a thing for sweet potatoes–the vegetable that...
2. Cardamom Peach Preserves Just like I get the strong urge to braise everything...
3. Ginger Spiced Peach & Praline Ice Cream Having lived in Florida, I developed an appreciation for Georgia...

This is a simple meal to prepare, and its really big on flavor. The brats are parboiled in a mixture of beer, shallots, and spices (think the sweet but savory, clean flavors of juniper and caraway) before they get crisped up with the smoky flavor of the grill, leaving the beer mixture to reduce to a thick sauce. These are served alongside some tender,

1. Pork Steak with Dijon Apple Sauce If I had to pick one fruit/vegetable that represents autumn...
2. Grilled Pork Chops with Chipotle Mustard and Swiss Cheese Sauce…and a giveaway! A while back, I was contacted by the folks behind...
3. Grilled Swordfish with Tomatillo Corn Relish Swordfish is more steaky than fishy (that dense, meaty, heartiness),...

My first inclination when it comes to preserves is always jelly or jam, so I thought I’d try to not do that, instead opting for larger chunks of fruit and a looser syrup. Also, while the best preserves tend to be simple (e.g. just fruit + sugar), some pairings are a match made in heaven, and peach + cardamom is such a match. They both offer such a distinct sweet flavor and richly complex perfume…its really something. Its taking me some restraint not to open a jar of this already,

1. Cardamom & Peach Cheesecake This is that time of year where I get antsy...
2. Peach and Pecan Tart Before peach season entirely draws to a close, I felt...
3. Ginger Spiced Peach & Praline Ice Cream Having lived in Florida, I developed an appreciation for Georgia...

I didn’t want to overwhelm the peach flavor, but rather, wanted to enhance it. I chose to do so with two major side kicks: praline (which is caramel + almond + pecan) and ginger. These added a bit of intrigue without stealing

1. Cardamom Peach Preserves Just like I get the strong urge to braise everything...
2. Cardamom & Peach Cheesecake This is that time of year where I get antsy...
3. Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream My love for ice cream is no secret to regular...

Now I realize this meal could have gone all vegetarian, but I couldn’t help myself–I live in swine country, so I used a bit of pork for seasoning (some chorizo and fatback) to enrich the flavor of the dish. The result was really spectacular–the beans alone would have been delicious, but taking it in

1. Chili Molé I absolutely love chili. Honestly though, who doesn’t? A meaty...
2. Chili con Carne Chili is one of those dishes that can incite some...
3. Pickled Chili Peppers While I tend to go all out with dinner, my...

I loved the taste when I’d first had it, but there was one thing I didn’t care for (and if you look into mango pie, you’ll find so many of them do the same): they’re gelatinous. Not just a little bit, but to the point where its distracting–as if the pie crust is simply a jello mold and not actually housing a

1. Chocolate and Maple Nut Tart The idea for this tart began with me wanting something...
2. Apple Cranberry Tart with Walnut Streusel Apples and cranberries are a natural, delicious combination, and between...
3. Mango Nutella Crêpes Once I conquered my fear of making crepes and realized...