Posts Tagged ‘Dessert’

The saying goes “You win some, you lose some.” right? Welp, this one I lost. My baking saga last week reminded me that most often, failing teaches us more than when we succeed. Embracing defeat as a learning opportunity is a fundamental aspect of personal growth. It’s through setbacks that we gain insights and refine our strategies to move forward. And so, while this is embarrassing, I decided to publish my baking failure instead of scratching the column. Also, I couldn’t think of anything else to write about. Just in […]

It’s feast or famine with freelance work. Right now… famine. For that reason, I’ve decided to go deep into organizing my home – like every draw, closet, and corner. It feels good to purge. It also feels good to know I have five whisks, three crock pots, four pizza cutters, and six very cute measuring spoon sets, among other multiples, I don’t remember buying. I’m pretty much done with the kitchen. Now I’m tackling the office. I’m going through my books with the intention of donating 20%. Alas, I’m having […]

My husband thinks I’m silly for decorating the house for Valentine’s Day. He tolerates Christmas and Easter but he can’t help making snarky comments about this Hallmark holiday. I tell him, “But… it makes me happy!” I enjoy rearranging and switching things up in the house. Re-designing makes your living space feel fresh and It’s also an incentive to clean! Or, in Matt’s words “Yo this is corny.” Whatever. In addition to seasonal decorating, I also love seasonal cooking. My mother-in-law Maureen dropped off a bunch of old magazines a […]

  The Christmas songs always start right after Thanksgiving. The car radio would remain on the station playing the festive songs, and as my girls were growing up they would get so excited because they knew what was just around the corner. The weeks up to Christmas were a constant reminder of that special day. We had our annual trip to visit Santa at Macy`s for photos. We would stop and look at the tree at Rockefeller Center, and stop in St. Patrick’s to light candles. Then we would walk […]

Ok the name doesn’t sound appetizing but I swear it’s really good! Maureen gave me this recipe, it’s fast and easy, you just “dump” everything into a 9×13 inch pan and bake. Now you understand the name… This is a great one for experimentation – blueberry could work well as a substitute for the cherry filling. For variety, I want to try different types of nuts – pecans, almonds, pignoli!  I would also love to add fresh fruit toppings. This can only get better and better! We do need a new name […]

After all the summer indulgences, it’s time to slim down, and this dessert is perfect if you’re watching your waistline. I’m not sure how I came up with this idea but I guess it’s partly because Matt is obsessed with honey these days. Sometimes at night we’re just craving for sweets. This recipe does the trick! Ingredients: Serves 2 2 small bananas 2 small peaches Honey Cinnamon Walnuts (or your preference) Directions: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Chop the nuts in a food processor or by hand Cut the […]

Listen to the saddest ice vream truck in Queens. Paula was having a bad day yesterday.  Over the years, I’ve learned two remedies for this: a good meal and/or a bottle of wine. I decided to cook dinner, but we had nothing in, so a trip to the grocery store was in order. On my way back, I heard a wistful, gentle chiming amid the bustling chaos of the beer distributorship on Seneca Avenue. I turned to find the source of the sound and I saw…. an ice cream truck? Then […]

I love to watch the cooking shows with chefs who refuse to divulge the “secret” to their recipes. It seems kind of snobby. Most people can usually tell the “mystery” ingredients just by tasting, although the amount can be way off. And what’s so sacred about a secret? We all know what’s in the secret sauce on Big Macs — and billions of people still eat there. I have been baking brownies for years. I will make trays of them for birthdays, parties,house-warmings, school events or just a dinner.  With incredible […]

The familiar is slowly returning to Rockaway. The dark cold days and nights seem in the distant past. Shoots of flowers are piercing the sand covered soil with the hope of spring.  While we watched this happen, there were flickers of optimism in our hearts.  But the true sign of normalcy and familiarity came last weekend with the sounds of Mister Softee.  An ice-cream truck singing down the street may seem like an ordinary thing, yet it is a constant in all of our lives. Having spent my entire life […]

Time is passing here in Rockaway and we are moving forward. Our neighborhood is not where it was or where we hope it could be, but it is winter and spring will bring renewal. But we need the familiar, the normal, the comforts of before Sandy. In this spirit, after Thanksgiving had come and gone in the cold, I was reminded of what was always normal for me at this time of year — pumpkin bread. Every year I would bake all through November and create delicious, spicy, tasty pumpkin […]