As a kid, most of my favorite treats came from Little Debbie. Nutty Bars, Swiss Rolls, Honey Buns and my all-time favorite, the Oatmeal Creme Pie, made its way inside my orange Charlie Brown lunchbox most days of the week. My mom believed in having something sweet every day (God bless her), yet she was also a working mom of five kids and didn’t have the time to slave away in the kitchen baking. So, thanks to the explosion of sweet, processed, convenience treats in the 70′s and 80′s, Little Debbie successfully fulfilled my sweet tooth. Over the years, I replaced my commercially processed sugar ..read more

Years ago, I tried to make my first Pudding Cake for my husband on Valentine’s Day. Even though my baking skills were still coming around in the early years of our marriage, the cake was an immediate hit. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make, yet the flavor was amazing. Who doesn’t love a gooey, chocolaty cake served warm right out of the oven? What I especially love about this cake is the fact that it takes only a few minutes to prepare, and is a wonderful dessert to serve to company because it happily bakes away in the oven unattended while dinner is served at the table. Once dinner is ..read more

These scrumptious little pillows of sugar-coated chocolate are perfect for the holidays. They are gorgeous  cookies with a fudge-like interior, very similar to a brownie. Their crinkled exterior is achieved by simply rolling chilled cookie dough balls in confectioners’ sugar before you put them in the oven. As they bake, the surface crackles and the rich, chocolaty cookie pops through the sugar. It’s divine. The best part about this particular Chocolate Crinkle recipe is that it is hands down the easiest and least fussy one you’ll find. I dislike recipes that require excessive chilling ti ..read more

Hot Cross Buns – whether you associate it with Good Friday or the catchy nursery rhyme, it’s a deliciously warm and sweet bread that EVERYONE must try. Traditionally for many Christians, Hot Cross Buns are eaten on Good Friday. The piped icing in the shape of the cross is said to symbolize the crucifiction of Christ. It is the perfect little bun to complement an Easter dinner. My version is Dairy, Egg and Nut Free, of course, and can be adapted to fit your family’s personal tastes. Some recipes call for the addition of dried cherries or cranberries, or even candied fruit peel. It can also ..read more

As a runner I tend to always have a stash of bananas at my house. They are a fast and nutritious recovery snack especially after long runs. However, I have a thing for how ripe a banana should be when I eat it; perfectly yellow with just a hint of green. If that banana even remotely looks speckled…it gets saved for my kids who aren’t as neurotic as me. If the bananas have even more speckles then it gets made into delicious banana bread or muffins. This is the perfect recipe to make for a yummy breakfast or after school snack. I’ve even packed it in their lunchboxes or road trips. Who doesn’t l ..read more

I’m back, whew. Sorry for the delay in getting this site back up and running. Technical problems combined with a couple of crazy weeks caused me to not post as often as I’d like. But now that we’re back on track I am excited to share one of my all time favorite cookie recipes…the chocolate chip. I have four kids, and if you are a parent you know that chocolate chip is the true standby cookie. I have my jar stocked with these delicious cookies most days of the week. They’re easy to make and taste like the real deal. Moms of food allergic children know that most treats don’t always taste li ..read more

Valentine’s Day is only two weeks away. So now is the time to give these fabulous little chocolate sugar cookies a whirl. Even better, do it on a snowy day like today, when many of us mamas are trapped in the house with rambunctious kids. I love a good simple sugar cookie, and this chocolate version is just as yummy and easy to make. What I especially love is that the dough is very easy to roll out, unlike many sugar cookie recipes which are a pain in the butt to roll, a major pet peeve of mine when making cut out cookies. On a separate note, my good friend Lori Sandler, owner of the famous&nb ..read more

It’s officially winter here in Chicago. The ground is covered in snow and the high today will be 19 degrees (if the sun stays out). I’ve lived in the Midwest my entire life and remember my mom making hearty and warm breakfasts on mornings like today. Let me be clear, I am no June Cleaver with an apron on whipping up fabulous breakfasts for my four kiddos. But sometimes it is just easier to make one hot breakfast for the kids and be done with it. It sticks with them longer, and I don’t get asked the “can I have a snack?” question at 7:45 a.m. As many of us already know, our children with food a ..read more