For the meatballs, I wanted them to be relatively simple with all of the appropriate spices and aromatics that would make the lamb sing without masking it–such as touches of cumin, allspice, garlic, and parsley. A bit of creme fraiche helped to enrich them and keep the texture light and delicate.

With that out of the way, onto the sauce. I have always thought that lamb pairs wonderfully with fruit, so the idea of a pomegranate-centric barbecue sauce seemed like a fun… click to read more…

1. Lamb Steak over Israeli Cous Cous with Cranberry Sherry Mint Sauce When I found myself with a cut of lamb known...
2. Soutzoukakia Smyrneika with Olives (Greek Lamb Meatballs) I discovered this dish at one of my favorite Greek...
3. Pomegranate Glazed Stuffed Leg of Lamb Roast I love roasts–there’s something homey and comforting but classy about...

This lemon cream tart is what I ate for dessert on New Year’s Eve and is my polite middle finger to these forced habits that don’t survive past January, all of which are responsible for some of the least exciting food of the year. This tart contains a respectable ~2.5 sticks of butter and, in my case, followed a New Year’s Eve dinner of macaroni and cheese with lobster and truffle oil. Take that, health-centric resolutions.

So with that wholly unexciting rant (if it could even be called as much) out of the way, back to the food! From the ingredient list, this tart… click to read more…

1. Blueberry Rhubarb Cream Tart I had originally planned on having this online for July...
2. Caramelized Apple and Cinnamon Cream Tart With autumn upon us, one of my absolute favorite desserts...
3. Rosemary-Scented Mascarpone Fig Tart I love figs. Absolutely love them. It kills me not...

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,… click to read 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. Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Honey Pecan Frosting There’s a number of reasons I prefer making cupcakes over...

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… click to read more…

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… click to read more…

1. Braised Lamb Shank with Sherry Blackberry Sauce After having enjoyed a rack of lamb and remembering how...
2. Cranberry Sauce Two Ways I couldn’t decide on how to make my cranberry sauce,...
3. Pork Steak with Dijon Apple Sauce If I had to pick one fruit/vegetable that represents autumn...

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… click to read more…

1. Bean and Quinoa Chili After having finally tried my hands at making beans the...
2. Spiced Brandied Cherries I’m not sure if I’ve been living in a cave,...
3. Chili Molé I absolutely love chili. Honestly though, who doesn’t? A meaty...

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… click to read more…

1. Sweet Potato Pecan Pie I’ve always had a thing for sweet potatoes–the vegetable that...
2. Apple Cranberry Tart with Walnut Streusel Apples and cranberries are a natural, delicious combination, and between...
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… click to read more…

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… click to read more…

1. Ginger Spiced Peach & Praline Ice Cream Having lived in Florida, I developed an appreciation for Georgia...
2. Spiced Brandied Cherries I’m not sure if I’ve been living in a cave,...
3. Upside-down Cardamom Praline Pear Cake This is the time of year where pears are at...

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… click to read more…

1. Spiced Pumpkin Ice Cream Are you tired of pumpkin yet? Of course not–sweet, savory,...
2. Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream My love for ice cream is no secret to regular...
3. Sweet Potato Pecan Pie with Ginger Ice Cream This was another pie I wanted to revisit, as I’ve...