I had an incredibly hard decision to make this week.  To which, I gave many hours of thought, did some web surfing looking for inspiration; and leafed through many, many old-fashioned books. If you ask me to bring dessert to Thanksgiving, I do not take that task lightly.  It’s crucial to the day, don’t you think?… Continue reading

For the last two weeks, I have been trying to share with you a recipe for Pumpkin Loaf.  Seemed easy — yet, it took three attempts to pull it off.   The first loaf, I just used my perfect Banana Bread recipe and doctored it up a bit, replacing the banana with pumpkin and adding… Continue reading

About once a year my husband invites some of his co-workers over for dinner, to discuss their upcoming business endeavors.  This time it was six men, my husband and myself. I had weeks of notice, so I wasn’t really worried about the menu.  With that many men (none vegetarian) naturally, I veered to steak.  Specifically,… Continue reading

A dear friend of mine is getting married today.  At our quaint, old, campy club where the grass rolls down to meet the lake.  The forecast is 72 degrees, partly sunny with a slight breeze.  Could it be more perfect? Only glitch was that the caterer does not bake gluten-free  — that means she cannot… Continue reading

If you are anything like me, you would have tons of recipes bookmarked on your computer, a huge pinterest collection, cooking magazines with the edges of certain pages turned down for further reference and notes on scraps of paper that loosely resemble a recipe for this or that.   Strangely enough, this cake was not… Continue reading

If you are in possession of the Martha Stewart Magazine with the recipe for Pecan Oat and Dark Chocolate-Chunk Cookies, be warned, the recipe just does not work.  I should have known, really, I read the ingredients and thought how could that create a cookie?  I read the first review, that asked if there were… Continue reading

While my kitchen may be awash in various types of cookbooks, I rarely use them as intended.  For me, they are more of a resource.  I flip through the pages, linger over the fabulous photos, looking for inspiration rather than instruction — most days. However,  this recipe that Ina Garten created is cake perfection.  I followed the instructions… Continue reading

I know that I have mentioned a few times before, that there are few foods that I don’t like.  And that really influences what I share here.  Why would I spend the time and energy to cook and photograph something that I don’t particularly like, right?. Up until last week, it didn’t occur to me… Continue reading

Today, I run the risk of being predictable.  Being half Irish, and with a last name of McDonough, how could I not share a Irish Soda Bread recipe? This one contains currants, which to The Society for the Preservation of Irish Soda Bread would technically make it a tea cake, not a bona fide soda… Continue reading

With Valentine’s Day looming, I want to declare my love of chocolate,  preferably dark chocolate. Really, really, good dark chocolate. My guy, also loves his chocolate, we are two peas in a pod that way.  So, my Valentine’s Day gift to him is this decadent flourless dark chocolate cake. Moist, rich, dense and irresistible.  A special… Continue reading

Yesterday, we had heat issues.  Why does that only happen in February when we are experiencing sub zero temperatures?  As the thermostat dipped to 59 degrees, I dutifully sat here, in this icy cold house, waiting for the heat guy, when it occurred to me.  I could bake something to warm up the house, well,… Continue reading

I remember my first forays into gluten free baking, they always included xanthan gum.  Most of the info on the web back then, in my new gf cookbooks, heck, even in the recipes on the side panel of the bagged gluten free flours included it. I thought you couldn’t bake gluten free without it.  Guess… Continue reading

While I would love to evoke the image of Enya music playing softly in the background, morning sun streaming through the windows, table beautifully set for a healthy breakfast.  That’s not really what happens here early in am.  More likely, it’s a mad dash to get something edible, and, yes healthy would be nice, into… Continue reading

Last week, one of my best friends went to NYC to visit her children attending college there, and I decided to whip up something for her to nosh on in the car. Cookies were my first thought, but, my friend is more of a cake or quick bread sort of gal, with fall upon us, and… Continue reading

Last week, I found myself out picking blueberries, in a field not less than 3 miles from my house. That field has been there the whole 22 years we have lived here, and I never even knew it existed before.  How is that possible? It’s so cute, you drive up, collect your little quart or pint… Continue reading

We went to our first picnic last week, a sure sign that summer has finally arrived.  I was put in charge of sides for the festivities. So tell me, do you consider desert a side?  Or more in a category all of it’s own?  Well, I wasn’t sure either, so at the last minute the… Continue reading

Yesterday, a rare occurence happened here.  Bunny asked me to bake her some lemon squares.  I love requests, she rarely asks for anything sweet, she is a salty crunchy girl that one. Give her a big old bag of chips, and she is in heaven. The boys, well, they are wired entirely different.  Apple pie, cakes, crumbles,… Continue reading

We invited some good friends over last weekend for a dinner party. The menu was all set days in advance, well, after we had volleyed around a few ideas, skimmed through a few food magazines, and lastly checked the weather.  Don’t want to be planning a BBQ in a downpour. However, I forgot about desert… Continue reading

Sorry I have been silent for a few weeks, but it seems I am suffering from “SFD”,  a very serious ailment in which you lack all enthusiasm for cooking and baking. It is mainly brought on by super-long, incredibly snowy, dreary winter months.  Of which ,we have certainly had our share so far, and they appear… Continue reading

I know that right now, I am not alone in wanting this %$#!!  winter to end already.  I am so done with big ugly warm boots, huge sweaters, hats, scarves and endlessly looking for the match to those really warm wool mittens. So here is some welcome relief:  The first day of spring is in… Continue reading

Yesterday, while standing in the driveway waving good bye and good luck, to my 16 year old son and husband, while they drove off to the DMV for the dreaded road test.  I got to thinking about food, of course, and what could I whip up to celebrate, or (hate to even think about it… Continue reading