A Favorite Banana “Bread” One of my favorite recipes from my cookbook is a buttermilk-banana quick bread I call Banana Snacking Cake. A quick bread is any bread recipe made without yeast. Typically, that’s recipes like banana bread or pumpkin bread made in a loaf pan. Snack cakes are usually lightly sweetened cakes without frosting….
easy dessert
Blackberry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake
Blackberry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake This cornmeal cake is a little like a skillet cornbread with an extra special touch. Sometimes I want to bake something that’s not too sweet but satisfies a sweet tooth. Blackberry cornmeal upside-down cake is my go-to. I’ve made this cake with fresh figs too and it’s delicious with a…
Hazelnut Chocolate Truffles
Hazelnut Chocolate Truffles My kids have always loved the flavor of Nutella, and I can see why. The nutty combination of rich hazelnuts and chocolate combine to create a classic flavor combo. My hazelnut chocolate truffles aim to achieve that same satisfying flavor without the unhealthy oils or processed sugar. Decadent and satisfying, you can…
Tropical Eton Mess
Mango and Blueberry Eton Mess When I’m looking for a quick, crowd-pleasing dessert, there’s nothing better than Eton Mess. In the dog days of summer when you don’t want a hot oven to heat up your house, it’s a cold dessert that requires just a little assembling. It almost feels like cheating. Fruit Variations The…
Eton Mess
A Super Simple Dessert Eton Mess is one of the easiest desserts out there. Layers of broken meringue cookies, berries and whipped cream make for a creamy, tangy dessert. Eton Mess is served at an annual cricket match between Eton and Harrow School. I stumbled upon Eton Mess one day while flipping through Bon Appetit and…
Gluten-Free Berry Crisp
An Epic Gluten-Free Berry Crisp Sixteen years and a lifetime ago, when I finished cooking school in San Francisco, I did an externship at Greens restaurant. I was a pastry assistant (which meant hanging with the sweet pastry chef in a still and quiet 5am kitchen). Working “the line” during dinner service did not appeal,…
Apple Cranberry Crisp
Autumn has finally hit Houston, which means the leaves are falling, there are acorns crunching underfoot and it’s 80 degrees and humid. Here’s the plan: Turn down your air conditioning to 70 and fire up the oven for this super tasty apple cranberry crisp. It will make your whole house smell like cinnamon, pecans and…
Rustic Strawberry Galette
I’m a lazy cook at heart. Sign me up for anything that’s unfussy, uncomplicated and if there’s a shortcut involved, all the better. That’s why I opt for recipes like this rustic strawberry galette. The pastry dough is forgiving — and I wouldn’t judge if you bought frozen pie dough — and the filling is…