Category Archives: Recipes

almond bread

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Almond Bread - 05

Just like many of you, I do a lot of baking during the holidays. Over the last couple of weekends, my trusty Kitchen Aid mixer has been in constant use and the sweet smell of warm vanilla, butter, and sugar has been wafting from the oven. I love to bake treats to serve at family gatherings, to take to work, and to give as gifts. I always make a variety of items:  a couple of my favorite cookies, a newly discovered treat or two, and a few special requests, all for the delight my family and friends.

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cream cheese shortbread with toasted walnuts and orange zest

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Cream Cheese Shortbread

If you’re looking for buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies with a nutty crunch, look no further than these cream cheese shortbread cookies flavored with toasted walnuts and orange. The addition of cream cheese transforms these from the traditional sandy and crumbly shortbread to lighter, softer cookies. For an even more cake-like texture, roll the dough into balls instead of using a cookie cutter. Continue reading →

chocolate almond toffee bars

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Chocolate Covered Almond Toffee Bark

It seems that I inherited my sweet tooth from my Dad. Like me, he favors quick breads, cookies, and candies, and, like me, he also loves chocolate. When I saw this recipe for Chocolate Almond Toffee Bars, I knew it was the perfect treat to make for him.  I got my opportunity last weekend when we had a family gathering. I made sure there would be some extra pieces for my Dad to take home. What I didn’t expect was that he would have some competition for the leftovers…from my nephew, who proclaimed that all the leftover bars were his. I had to be the peacemaker and divide up the remaining pieces equally. It appears that a sweet tooth runs in my family. Note to self: Make a double batch for Christmas morning so Dad and little nephew could have as much as they want.

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chocolate chip, coffee, and walnut muffins

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Most mornings, I don’t have time to eat breakfast at home, so I like to grab something convenient I can take to work. Once I get to my office, I usually buy a mocha to go with whatever pastry or muffin I brought from home. So, with my rushed morning routine, I’m always looking for quick, portable, yet delicious breakfast item, and these muffins fit the bill perfectly. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and what better way to start the day than with chocolate and coffee! Continue reading →

white chocolate bark

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Chocolate bark is fast & simple to make at home and can be customized with a variety of toppings. Pick your favorite chocolate — milk, semi-sweet, bittersweet, and even white . . . Dress it up with dried fruits, nuts, or other toppings such as pretzels, crumbled cookies, mints, cereals, or even sprinkles. This festive treat will wow your guests and would also make a great hostess gift!

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cranberry-orange walnut bread

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The past few weeks have been a bit hectic, but a lot of fun and I’m sure that the next couple of weeks will be too. Last month I went to London and a couple of days ago I returned from a trip to New York. Tomorrow I’m taking the train down to San Diego for a shopping trip with my girlfriends and next week I’ll be spending Thanksgiving with my parents in Las Vegas.  While I am loving the time off and the opportunity to travel, I have not had much time to cook and, as I am sure you have noticed, post entries to my blog. Continue reading →

spaghetti squash with sausage, tomatoes, and sage

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I’ve always been curious about spaghetti squash and until this past weekend, I had never cooked with it. A variety of winter squash, it is oblong-shaped with a hard, pale yellow rind and stringy, orange-colored flesh that resembles translucent strands of pasta when cooked. Its texture is slightly crunchy, somewhat akin to al dente pasta. Its season starts in early fall and goes throughout winter. Spaghetti squash is low in calories and is a good source of fiber as well as nutrients like beta carotene, folic acid, Vitamin A, and potassium. It makes a low carb and tasty alternative to pasta or potatoes. Continue reading →

pumpkin pecan snickerdoodle cookies with maple sugar

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Forgive me for being a bit repetitive, but I can’t seem to stop myself from baking almost every pumpkin treat I see on Pinterest.  Today, I baked snickerdoodle cookies that have gone through a seasonal makeover with the addition of pumpkin purée, nutmeg, allspice, and ground ginger. Another ingredient I added is maple sugar, an intriguing new item in my pantry I recently found at Trader Joe’s.

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the modern grilled cheese

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When there’s a chill in the air, we head to the kitchen to whip up something comforting and toasty to help keep us warm. What could be better than a grilled cheese sandwich?

For years . . . the traditional grilled cheese sandwich has been a simple, tasty treat.  These days however, with the popularity of cooking shows and celebrity chefs, it has undergone a gourmet makeover!  No longer limited to American or cheddar cheese melted on white bread . . . the modern grilled cheese features artisanal cheeses, fresh breads, specialty spreads and preserves, and fresh fruits and produce.  While I welcome these refinements, some things must not change……

the cheese has to be ooey, gooey and the sandwich has to be eaten with a bowl of creamy tomato soup!

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london highlights: cream tea

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Cream tea is a lighter afternoon tea, which is really more like a snack, consisting of a pot of tea and scones serve with clotted cream and jam. While in London, I got in the habit of having cream tea every afternoon. I would return to my hotel room from a thoroughly enjoyable, yet exhausting day of sightseeing, shopping, museum-going, and other touristy things, and I would treat myself to a cup of tea and a scone slathered with copious amounts of clotted cream and jam. It was a more restful break than having tea at a tearoom or café since I can take off my boots, put my feet up, (take a short nap), check emails (yeeah for free in-room wi-fi) and plan the rest of the evening’s activities in the comfort of my room. It was a nice, warm respite from the drizzly, gray London skies.

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eggs in clouds, italian-style

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Italian-style Eggs in Clouds

I love serving Sunday brunch at home; it is so relaxing, especially with an easy-to-make dish like this.  Since I already had parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and pancetta in my refrigerator and a basil plant growing in my kitchen, it was an easy decision to make this an Italian-style breakfast.   Continue reading →

pumpkin cookies with brown sugar & orange glaze

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pumpkin cookies

Aaaaah!  It’s finally starting to cool off here in Southern California, which really gets me in the mood for fall baking. I look forward to this time of the year, when I can relax with a cup of hot cocoa and a sweet treat.  A couple of weeks ago, I featured a pumpkin coffee cake, and this time, I have a pumpkin cookie recipe to share with you. If you are a fan of soft, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, you will definitely like these. They are tender and fluffy, almost resembling mini cakes.

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mushroom and sun-dried tomato bruschetta

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We Americans often think that bruschetta is the mixture of tomatoes, garlic, and basil on a slice of toasted bread. Bruschetta, from the Italian word bruscare, meaning to toast or burn, actually refers to the thick slices of grilled bread. Often served as a snack or appetizer, bruschetta is traditionally prepared by rubbing the bread with garlic and drizzling it with olive oil before toasting it over hot coals.  Then the bread is topped with a simple mixture of tomatoes and fresh herbs.  It is an easy way to showcase the excellent quality of freshly-pressed olive oil as well as a way to preserve bread that is beginning to get stale.

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pesto pizza with chicken, mozzarella, and sun-dried tomatoes

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Making gourmet pizza at home is easier than you think . . . and a lot of fun, too! The beauty of making it yourself is that there’s more flexibility so you can add all your favorite toppings and it’s usually less expensive than at the pizzeria. After a few tries . . . you’ll probably be hooked and won’t want to wait for your pizza to be delivered!

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