There’s this soda shop here that sells cookies. My favorite is a chocolate chip cookie with pecans and plenty of coconut. I’ve been going there with my co-workers, because this cookie is my obsession. It’s so fantastic. So I set out to re-create the cookie at home. Naturally. Because that’s what I do. My first attempt was not that great. I wanted a big, substantial cookie, so I went to a recipe I used several years ago. But it called for only 1 stick of butter and a whopping 4 cups of flour. I suspect this out-of-whack ratio is what made the cookies taste kind of bland. Like they were all flou ..read more

Sometimes this stuff is called Brazilian Lemonade. You can make it with either lemons or limes, but I really prefer the limeade version. My sister-in-law is from Mexico. My brother tells me that it almost seems like Mexicans don’t believe lemons exist. Do they even have a word for “lemon?” Because the word for lime is “limon.” He also tells me that his Mexican in-laws use limes for everything. They are squeezed over almost every dish. They are good for upset stomachs and any number of other ailments. They are great for cleaning your hair. (My own in-laws have their own version of this with the ..read more

It’s so rare for me to have ripe bananas on my counter. The Fruitarian eats the whole bunch the day I buy them. I am not exaggerating. He can eat 6 bananas in one 24-hour period and be very happy. I’m personally not a fan of eating bananas plain. I much prefer to bake with them. I thought about remaking my beloved Chocolate Banana Bread. You cannot go wrong by adding chocolate to bananas. I remember how much I enjoyed that one. But, I always want to try something new and different, and share the whole thing with you, so I started brainstorming other ideas. I thought seriously about adding anot ..read more

You guys know I prefer my baking to be as easy as possible. I rarely do any kind of decorating. I have no patience for piping bags. I only use cookie cutters occasionally. And if something requires more than 2 mixing bowls, well, it’s not the recipe for me. Of course, the downside of that kind of baking is that sometimes you want to make something special and beautiful and extra nice. For me, it was this spring almond cake. I wanted it to be different than my usual fare. I was willing to take extra steps. So no, this is not a box mix, it is made from scratch. But it honestly wasn’t complicated ..read more

One thing I can tell you about living in Utah is that there are lots of opportunities to make large-batch desserts to feed a crowd. Between the church parties, family get-togethers, and funerals, I’ll make a big dessert several times a year. So it’s a good idea to have a solid recipe in your back pocket for these occasions. I got this one from my aunt, and modified it just a touch. She and I kind of think alike in the recipe department… keep it simple, keep it easy. One modification I made was to give these Nutella frosting. If you’re not into this awesome chocolate hazelnet spread, I’m sorry ..read more