I went home to Newfoundland for a weekend and cooked a lot, because that's what I do - cook a lot, not go home a lot. I always try to cater meals to my lactose-intolerant, gluten-free, refined-sugar-free mother, but also things that my dad will enjoy, things with milk and butter … [Read more...] about Thick-Crust Pepperoni and Cheese Pizza for Meat-Lovers and Cheese-Lovers
Desserts
Banana-Apple Gluten-Free Muffins
It was late in the evening last week and I was craving something warm, baked, sweet, and fast. So I got out my 250 Best Muffin Recipes cookbook--a rarely used item on my cookbook shelf--and went to work. I've been avoiding gluten when possible, so the flour got replaced with a … [Read more...] about Banana-Apple Gluten-Free Muffins
Banana-Apple Gluten-Free Pancakes with Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam and Maple Syrup
I've been saving jam for a special occasion. I skipped Shrove Tuesday and haven't been eating toast, so the special occasion jam sitting in my fridge has been waiting and waiting for me to decide it's time to indulge a little. All that sugar really is an indulgence to me and … [Read more...] about Banana-Apple Gluten-Free Pancakes with Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam and Maple Syrup
The Raw Orange Chocolate Cheesecake my Friend Made
I didn't make this cake. My friend actually uses coconut butter to make this cake. It makes all the difference in the world. He doesn't cheat like I do. See the difference between his cake above and my cake below? Mostly I just wanted to post this picture since it's beautiful. He … [Read more...] about The Raw Orange Chocolate Cheesecake my Friend Made
Melomakorona: Greek Honey-Soaked Cookies
I thought these were going to be easy... ...and it's not that Melomakarona are 'hard' to make, so much as they're time-consuming. You need to shape each one by hand and then place them in batches in hot honey syrup. I figured they'd be like baklava where you pour the syrup over … [Read more...] about Melomakorona: Greek Honey-Soaked Cookies
Zabaione? Zabaglione? Either Way, Prosecco, Sugar, Egg Yolks, and Learning Italian
Though this is more commonly made with Marsala wine, and may actually have originally been made with beer, the light, bubbly sweetness of prosecco is absolutely perfect with the sweet egg yolk, frothed dessert. It's the cousin of the French sabayon a sweet or savoury sauce, but … [Read more...] about Zabaione? Zabaglione? Either Way, Prosecco, Sugar, Egg Yolks, and Learning Italian
Finally! Angel Food Cake with Maple-Honey Dessert Wine Apricots and Honey Ice Wine Figs
Basically the whole concept of the 3rd Annual Volk/Watson Christmas Extravaganza started because I wanted to make Angel's Food Cake. To me, that's more than reason enough to have a party. The fact that it was Christmas came second. I've made this recipe before, and it's … [Read more...] about Finally! Angel Food Cake with Maple-Honey Dessert Wine Apricots and Honey Ice Wine Figs
Caramel Apple Tarte Tatin and Not Burning Things
Tarte Tatin is a butter-heavy, caramel-coated, sugar-drenched delicacy. Basically I thought my dad would love it and it would challenge me to make better pastry. I'd seen recipes that called for a simple pie crust for the dough and how could that possibly end up layered and … [Read more...] about Caramel Apple Tarte Tatin and Not Burning Things
Canned and Pickled Everything
The person who gave me the copy I have of the 1948 Joy of Cooking and a cast-iron skillet came to my house for lunch. It had to be one heck of a thank-you lunch. The 1948 freaking Joy of Cooking, for goodness sake! (I edited that sentence...) So we had soup, yes, one of my … [Read more...] about Canned and Pickled Everything
Home-Made Caramel Frosting
I gave you the cake, now you get the icing. Kind of how at a Christmas party yesterday there was this 17 month old girl who was given half a raspberry square by her mother. The mother placed the child's half on a napkin in front of her and placed the other half on another napkin … [Read more...] about Home-Made Caramel Frosting