Strawberry shortcake is one of those summertime desserts that was a staple around our house when I was a kid. My mom made her shortcakes with Bisquick mix and topped them with fresh, macerated strawberries and a mountain of Cool Whip: they killed, every time!
ORANGE SPICE SUGAR COOKIES
Why do retail shops only ever offer their patrons bland sugar cookies during the holiday shopping season? Are they upset with us for not shopping there year-round? Put it this way; if I came to your house during the holidays and you had a plate of sugar cookies sitting out to offer me, I would presume that you were about to break up with me. Sugar cookies send a very clear message: I don’t care about you enough to try harder.
SUNDAY MORNING SOURDOUGH
We all have our food weaknesses; those items we have a positive, visceral reaction to when we eat or even smell them. For me, it’s freshly baked bread. When I get a whiff of bread baking in the oven, I am overcome with warm fuzzies. My mother wasn’t a baker, yet the aroma of fresh bread makes me feel homesick.
SPICED APPLE WALNUT MUFFINS
Man, do I love fall spices! I’m not referring to those overly sugared pumpkin spice lattes, folks. I’m talking about the trifecta of fall flavors: cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. When I bake with these flavors, I am transported to the pages of a Martha Stewart magazine.
QUICK BREADS
Close your eyes and think of the most incredible blueberry muffin you have ever seen. Picture that perfectly golden-brown dome with little bits of blueberry peeking through. Inhale deeply and conjure the sweet aroma of butter, sugar and baked fruit.
COCONUT CREAM PIE
What can I say about coconut cream pie that you haven’t already heard? It’s freaking delicious! And it’s as easy as it is good. It’s also a very versatile dessert. On its own, it’s a crowd pleaser; when you add other flavors, it’s a show stopper!
ENRICHED PIE DOUGH
Similar to a pâte brisée (pronounced pot bree zay), this short dough is mixed the same as a mealy pie dough with the butter and flour being rubbed together until the consistency of coarse cornmeal. Coating the flour with the fat before the liquid ingredients are added keeps gluten development low, hence the term, short.
3-2-1 PIE DOUGH
There are countless recipes on the Internet for pie dough, and they are all remarkably similar. I used to stress over which pie dough recipe to use and worried that choosing the wrong one would ruin my pie, and then I learned about the 3-2-1 Pie Dough! This handy little trick is easy to remember and easy to scale up or down. It will free you from overthinking the what, so you can focus on the how of making dough.