Everyone deserves to know how to make Chocolate Pudding without the box. Chocolate Pudding This pudding is best if made a day before enjoying. Makes 8 servings. 1 cup powdered sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 cups whole milk 1 tablespoon vanilla 6 egg yolks, room temperature 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 6 […]
Julia Child’s Souffle Au Chocolat is all the rage since HBO Max has introduced us to the most enduring side of Julia we’ve ever seen. I’m in love with her all over again… and it’s so nice to see Niles and Lilith again too. Here is how to make Julia’s chocolate souffle. I’ve made a […]
Black Forest Cupcakes Black Forest Cupcakes Makes 24 cupcakes. 1 recipe Chocolate Cupcakes 1 thirty-ounce cherry pie filling Whipped Cream Make the Chocolate Cupcakes and allow them to cool completely. Use a cookie scoop to scoop out the middle of the cupcakes. Set each of the scoops you remove from the cupcakes aside to use […]
Pudding Flower Pot Desserts Pudding Flower Pot Desserts This pudding is best if made a day before enjoying. Of course, you can use store-bought if you’d like to make things a little easier on yourself. Makes about 6-8 servings (depending on how big your flower pots are). This pudding is best if made a day […]
Flourless Chocolate Cake is a naturally gluten-free treat everyone can enjoy. Flourless Chocolate Cake Makes one 9-inch cake or six 4-inch cakes. Preheat oven to 275°F. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 8 ounces semi-sweet or 70% chocolate 6 eggs 3/4 cup sugar 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional) 1 recipe whipped cream 1/2 cup semi-sweet or 70% […]
Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins pair well with coffee in the evening. Or, you know, if you like eating dessert in the morning you can take one on for breakfast or brunch. Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins Chocolate Muffins Makes about 24 regular muffins or 12 large ones. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2 cups sugar 3 cups […]
German Chocolate Cupcakes German Chocolate Cupcakes Penuche Filling 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1 egg 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cups pecans, chopped & lightly toasted 7 ounces sweetened coconut, shredded Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. […]
How to Make Real Chocolate Frosting This dreamy chocolate frosting is perfect for cakes, cupcakes, brownies, and doughnuts. How to Make Real Chocolate Frosting 4 ounces unsalted butter, melted 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips or up to 72% high-quality chocolate, chopped 1/4 cup hot water 1 teaspoon vanilla 3/4 teaspoon sea salt 1 pound powdered […]
Chocolate Pizzelle Italian Waffle Cookies are fun to make and the prettiest little things you’ve ever seen. Nevermind the hours of cookie decorating when you can just bake the pretty right into your cookie in less than two minutes. Fill with frosting and lace with edible gold flakes and you have a magical treat everyone […]
Zucchini Brownies. It is just a matter of time before you are a part of the zucchini war. Every gardener in America is up to no good right now. Oh, they look sweet; but, their shenanigans include hiding zucchini on doorsteps, in cars, in mailboxes, and so on. Don’t worry. I’ve got your back. These […]
These homemade ice cream sandwiches can be made the day before a gathering and they make the most impressive, yet simple, delightfulistic summer treat. Vanilla Ice Cream 1 1/4 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream 2 cups milk 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or, […]
Here’s how to make a swiss roll cake with giraffe spots. I’m gonna stick my neck out and guess that you’ve seen Animal Adventure Park’s live video giraffe cam of April the giraffe awaiting the birth of her mini-me. If you love giraffe’s as much as I do, you cannot wait for baby; so, while we […]
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cheesecake. Everything peanut butter and chocolate is gorgeous. And luscious. For six personal-sized luscious cheesecakes, see info at the end of this recipe about small springform pans. Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cheesecake Preheat oven to 350°F. Peanut Butter Crust 12 peanut butter sandwich cookies 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 stick […]
Dark Cocoa Mix. Because sometimes while you enjoy the childlike wonder of winter, you just want your hot chocolate to be a little more grown-up. Dark Cocoa Mix 3/4 cups dark cocoa powder 3/4 cup nondairy creamer 3/4 cup powdered milk 1 pound powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon sea salt Place mix ingredients in a medium […]
Although this recipe is for Mint Milano Cookies, you can always trade out the flavor for plain chocolate or orange chocolate. Such lovely possibilities abound. Mint Milano Cookies Makes about 42 sandwich cookies. Preheat oven to 350°F. 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened 2 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon […]
When one goes to a fancy schmancy place, one feels fancy schmancy… that is, unless one doesn’t realize the appropriate attire for the Nutcracker at the Pacific Northwest Ballet is semi-formal and one arrives in jeans. Then one does not feel so fancy shmancy. But, that is a story for another day. Or, you know, […]
Mocha-Filled Almond Florentine Cookies… oh, the joy that fills my soul. Only one thing could make a Florentine any fancier, any better, or any tastier. That thing would be mocha filling. I blame the Scandinavian peeps. Mocha-Filled Almond Florentine Cookies Makes about 3 dozen cookies. Florentine Cookies Preheat oven to 350°F. 2/3 cup unsalted butter […]
Flat Almond Florentine Cookies. I’ve lost count of how many cookie orders I filled each Christmas while working at Scandia Bakery many years ago but I haven’t forgotten everyone’s favorites. The little bakery in Stanwood, Washington drew crowds from all over Washington state. No matter where customers came from these dainty, lacey cookies were always […]
One of the most admired cookies in all the cookie kingdom is the Chocolate Crackle Cookie. Shiny and crackly on the outside and delightfully chewy on the inside. Chocolate Crackle Cookies Makes 24 cookies. Preheat oven to 350°F. 10 ounces high-quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped 1 stick unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 2 large […]
This week I’ve been makin’ a lot of whoopie. Have you been making enough whoopie? If not, I implore you to do so. I see far too many packaged items and store-bought fried chicken at potlucks these days. So, please, bring back the whoopie… or, if you’re more straight-laced, bring another favorite old-fashioned recipe. But, just […]
Are you ready for Thanksgiving? Well, you will want it to arrive even sooner after you see these adorable, edible place settings. get a leg up on your turkey day prep now… To make these darlings, you will need to order these little plastic bones in advance: Rubie’s Costume Bag’O Bones Costume Package (10 Piece) These are fantastic […]
The only way to properly follow up a post about Spanx is with a homemade cake doughnuts recipe. Amirite? And the only way to follow up a doughnut recipe is with a frosting recipe. And the only way to follow up all of the above is with sprinkles. You can take the girl out of […]
How about being able to say your bake sale chocolate brownies are made from scratch without fibbing? How about PTA moms begging for your recipe? How about the pride when your kids asking for extra brownies in their lunch so they can share with friends? Just when you thought there was no such thing as […]
Black Forest Chocolate Bourbon Cherry Cups. Sometimes a girl wakes up on a Monday morning in August and thinks of a recipe that is completely out of season but simply must be made. Today was that day. Chocolate Brandy Cherry Cups is that out-of-season recipe. I am that girl. And, it is my mission to […]
I love a dark, moist German Chocolate Cake. The real magic, though, might be the penuche topping. I can still almost see it on top of my great aunt & uncle’s bar… a 9X13 pan of chocolate cake – all messy and perfect and messy. German Chocolate Cake Makes one double-layer 9-inch round cake or […]
Emergency Chocolate Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting. I’m so proud of my kids. I’m proud of them because of who they have worked to become. While I’m also proud of their accomplishments, there are too many to list. Last night I received a typical call from Dotter getting ready to accomplish something again. It went […]
Chocolate Chip Mint Ice Cream. I have to be honest, I wasn’t a fan of homemade ice cream the first time I made it. In fact, my ice cream maker sat in the top of a barn for about 8 years after the overwhelmingly creamy, ultra-thick blackberry misadventure of 2006. The recipe had too much […]
This Magic 7 Layer Bars recipe has a creative Halloween twist at the end. At a potluck this weekend I had memories of a classic – Magic Bars. No church cookbook (or blog) would be complete without this recipe so let’s have some church. Magic 7 Layer Bars Preheat oven to 350F. 3 cups graham […]
White Limoncello Chocolate Cocktail. My friends on the east coast are shoveling snow while I’m over here in the Northwest with my door open to let the sunshine pour inside. This calls for a drink that brings us all together. Ahhhhh. I know, right? Winter and summer come together to create this dreamy springy cup […]
Chocolate Chip Cookies. Basic but not boring. Golden brown disks filled with dreamy chocolate nuggets. Childhood memories all in one perfectly baked cookie. Deliciousness that makes the whole household come to a complete halt almost as fast as homemade rolls or bacon. Chocolate Chip Cookies 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 1 cup white sugar […]
These Peppermint Patties will please everyone. Whether it be a brunch treat, an addition to this year’s Christmas cookie platter, or for no reason at all, everyone will be coming back for more. Every once and a while nothing will do except for a mint. A peppermint. A chocolate-covered peppermint to be exact. I have just […]
Flower Pot Pudding Dessert. Psst. Don’t tell the others, but these flowers are actually hiding dessert. Never mind soil, how about homemade chocolate pudding? That’s garden work even I can get into. Find the prettiest garden shovel you can find and have fun serving up your tricky dessert. These can also be made in mini pots […]
Peanut Butter Pie. This post is simply a classic peanut butter pie presented in a very spectacular mini and high-calorie fashion. But, you know, calories don’t count if the dessert is a mini. And you share it with a friend. And you square dance enough. Mini Peanut Butter & Chocolate Pies With Maple Whipped Cream Peanut […]
Because you can never get enough pancake ideas. Because the weekend is almost here. Because I am on an orange and chocolate kick. I present thee with Orange Chocolate Chip Pancakes With Chocolate Sauce. Fresh and decadent. Healthy and unhealthy – my specialty. You’re welcome. I’m sorry. You’re welcome. Orange Chocolate Chip Pancakes With Chocolate […]
Chocolate Frosted Orange Marmalade Doughnut Holes started as just a little bit of innocent Twitter fun. “I’m makin’ doughnuts. What you got?” I said. “I got marmalade.” My friend Mona from the Skagit Valley replied. The Skagit Valley is the home of prettiful tulip fields, little towns you can still ride a bicycle through (wreaking havoc […]
Just when you thought chocolate truffles couldn’t be any better, enter Red Wine Chocolate Truffles. You know, for when you’re feelin’ all fancy-pants. Of course, they can also be enjoyed while drinking Diet Coke and wearing comfortable yoga pants that you just wore to clean house in too. Don’t ask me how I know. I […]
It is Christmas cookie baking time and thumbprint cookies are the perfect choice. Thumbprints are the gems of the cookie kingdom. Thumbprint Cookies Makes 18 small cookies. Preheat oven to 350°F. 8 ounces unsalted butter, softened 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup […]
This Mini Peanutty Chocolate Cheesecakes recipe came from a friend. One of my banking coworkers from the eighties was a saucy belly dancer with motherly love for the twenty-year-old me. She went on to write a few romance novels right after we parted ways, but I remember her for something far more delicious – her […]
Family is over for the weekend and bless-ed Bavarian Cream Doughnuts are the answer. They are, in fact, the answer to more things than one might even think. So while your family piles up on the sectional sofa to re-watch Star Wars – the good ones, not the new ones – for the gazillionth time, […]
Apricot Almond Mini Cakes. I love a gorgeous treat. I love cake. I love almonds. I love chocolate. I don’t love apricots but I do love apricot jam. These little sweets are another Scandia Bakery memory brought to life via my happy memories. These are perfect treats for the holidays. Or just because. Apricot Almond […]
Chocolaty Sweet Potato Sour Cream Coffee Cake. Fall. A time for all things, well, you know. Fallish. A time for to be thankful. A time for layers. A time for cashmere and raincoats. A time for blankets and boots. It is time to place the teeny tiny outfits on the top shelf and bring down […]
Warning: This Almond Raspberry Truffle Cakes recipe is to be reserved for the most special of days. The splurgiest of the splurges. The over-the-top occasions. Like, you know, when you read this blog post or somethin’. And, afterward, thou shalt eat a large, leafy green salad made of kale – not that fakey lettuce – to […]
Have you heard met Parisian Hot Chocolate (also known as Le Chocolat Chaud) yet? Well, now you have. You’re welcome. Parisian Hot Chocolate Makes about 4 six-ounce servings. 2 cups whole milk 1 teaspoons vanilla 10 ounces 65-70% chocolate (I recommend Valrhona Chocolate Guanaja 70%), broken or chopped into small pieces Dash of flaky salt […]
Where there is Chocolate Pecan Truffles, there is a party. In a way, I guess you could call these party balls. Add dark cocoa powder, and you have a fancy party. I tell you the truth. Chocolate Pecan Truffles 16 ounces high-quality semi-sweet chocolate 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup […]
I had planned on trying this recipe years ago. Really. I did. I mean, who doesn’t rush to make a chocolate cheesecake? My first job was at a bakery. I didn’t have to wait until my forties to realize what a great job I had way back when. Nope. I was entirely grateful and savored […]
The proof of a delicious Chocolate Pudding Parfaits is in the pudding. And the graham cracker crust. And the Irish cream enhanced whipped cream. These little sweethearts are lovely for a party. Individually decorated pudding parfaits topped with a wee bit-o-cocoa powder. You’ll need one pie pan or 8 eight-ounce mason jars or oven-safe ramekins. […]
Sometimes my recipe ideas are well thought out and planned and other times, I happen upon a miracle like Boston Cream Pie Napoleons while looking at the ingredients I already have on hand. This happened one-day last year while Jessica and her husband were visiting The Old Hen. This is the “this” that happened. Boston […]
The girls in our family were looking through old cookbooks this week. Almost everything in certain books were combinations of processed foods with corny names… naughty names even. If there is one dessert that every girl should know how to make, it’s Better Than Sex Dessert. Good Christian women call it “Better Than Robert Redford […]
Mud Pie or How to Make Friends and Influence People. My treasured mud pie recipe as seen on TV. Years ago, I decided to have a Christmas party. I didn’t realize it then, but the party would become a tradition and I’m convinced my friends are still in my life because of the dessert. Memorize […]
Cream Horns and Chocolate Covered Strawberries. It’s my birthday. It’s not a big deal, really. I don’t mean to brag, but I’ve survived quite a few. One involved being snowed in but that was okay. I just pretend I’m Laura Ingalls Wilder (we share a birthday and we’re soul sisters). I’m pretty much a first-born […]
