If I was trying to impress you, I might tell you.........well, I just might tell you how I worked for weeks developing these delicious cookies: testing, tweaking, experimenting and doing trial runs until I reached a phenomenal final result. Or how a carefully selected panel of taste-testers judiciously sampled each variation, meticulously critiquing them before this presentation to ...
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Peanut Butter and Jelly Tart (or Bars)
If you're guessing that this is just a kid's dessert, guess again!!! Last month I had the opportunity to visit my sweet sister, Annie. Earlier on the day I arrived, she'd stopped at a wonderful little bakery and purchased some treats. Almost as soon as I walked in the door, she said "you have to try a bite of this!!!" She held out a somewhat uninteresting looking little cookie bar. Before I ...
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Grilled Chicken Kabobs
I already know what you're going to say - and totally I agree; this Grilled Chicken Kabobs recipe is kind of really weird! It's true, yet it's one of the most delicious concoctions we've ever tried! I was quite skeptical when I first heard about this crazy way of making grilled chicken but my chief culinary consultant and photographer (aka husband) agreed - the finished product is quite ...
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Corn and Basil Cakes
If you look up "summer" in a dictionary, you might just see a picture of these Corn and Basil Cakes! They have to be one of my favorite summer treats! With fresh sweet corn more and more abundant at local grocers and soon overflowing at the farmer's markets, this is a very timely recipe. While it's fabulous roasted, grilled or steamed, this combination of basil, corn, eggs, milk ...
Pan Seared Scallops with Summer Fruit Salsa and Chile-Honey-Lime Vinaigrette
For the past week we've been having unseasonably hot weather here in the Carolinas with temperatures soaring into the mid to upper nineties - WHEW!! I'm just not ready for this type of extreme heat! One thing I do love about summer though, is the abundance of delicious fresh fruits that are available. Mangos, blueberries and avocados are plentiful and cheap right now so they've been popping ...
Pizza Margherita - a Royal Pie!
Pizza Margherita has to be the simplest yet most delicious of all pizzas! Besides the crust, it consists of three basic ingredients: tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil. That's it! They say that, often, the simplest things in life are the best and Pizza Margherita certainly fills this bill. The three star ingredients are praiseworthy on their own, but combine them with a golden, crisp ...
Asian Grilled Flat Iron Steak
Okay, I'll say it right up front - I CHEAT! Oh, not on my husband, in my work, on my taxes - or in anything that really matters. But my conscience will not let me continue blogging any longer without making a confession!If you've been following my blog you will, most likely, have realized that I enjoy experimenting with international cuisines. I love the fresh, unique flavors that each ...
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Fresh Corn Sauté with Ginger and Cilantro
I don't know about you, but I have been getting some wonderful fresh corn for the past few weeks; sweet, tender and so delicious! Ever since I found this Fresh Corn and Ginger Sauté recipe several years ago in Fine Cooking, I get excited when I begin seeing the big, heaping bins of corn at local markets. I remember being amazed the first time I prepared this simple sauté.
The ...
An Upside-Down Cupcake Party & Vanilla Poppy Seed Cupcakes with Caramel-Coffee Icing
I did something crazy last weekend. We were planning to have a casual dessert party this week so I sent out a fun e-vite to about 50 people - but wait, that's not the crazy part! I love cupcakes when entertaining a crowd because they're so easy to serve: I can make a variety of different flavors, being sure to please everyone. So, I decided that it would be a cupcake party.
Well...I ...
Cheesecake Tart with Blueberry Curd and Cookie Crust
Blueberry season has arrived! I saw a sale on blueberries at one of the local markets and I was sure it would be the tiny baskets of unappealing berries, (from somewhere in South America) that have been available all winter. I was delighted when I saw the pint-size containers and when I took a closer look and saw the plump, beautiful berries with a South Carolina origin, I knew I'd be concocting ...
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Super Simple, Deep Dish Pizza - with a Surprise Crust!
Several weeks ago I posted a recipe for Simple, Savory and Summery - Free-form Tarts with Fresh Corn and Tomatoes. I called them tarts, but they were very similar to little free-form pizzas. Ever since I have been thinking about trying puff pastry for a deep dish pizza crust. When I saw my favorite Italian sausage (Johnsonville) at the market today for a less than half price, it sealed the ...
Coconut Macaroon Tart with a Shortbread Crust
My sister Annie was a guest blogger yesterday and I'm featuring her again today. When I arrived at her house last week, she had this beautiful Coconut Macaroon Tart with a Shortbread Crust just waiting to greet me! YUM! We enjoyed it on her awesome rooftop terrace that looks out over the Ohio River (see picture below) but believe me, this tart will receive rave reviews no matter where you ...