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Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
I probably wouldn’t have made these whoopie pies if they hadn’t been on the Baked Sunday Mornings schedule. I’ve never had good luck with whoopie pies, or red velvet for that matter. But I forged...
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Salt-N-Pepper Sandwich Cookies
These cookies have just a hint of pepper and I’m always a fan of salty sweets, especially when paired with chocolate. I wasn’t a fan of the dough, however. My first tray of cookies turned out best,...
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Maple Gingersnap Gelato
Funny how just one ingredient can impact a dish. In this case, I made maple gelato again. Exactly the same as the maple walnut (which we didn’t like at all), but instead of a cup of walnuts, I used a...
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Hungarian Chicken Paprikas
Our favorite restaurant in Reno is Daughter’s Cafe. We go there without fail every time we’re in Reno, sometimes multiple times. They’re normally open for breakfast and lunch, sometimes dinner, and for...
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Black Pepper Tempeh
If you have any doubts about tempeh, this dish will change your mind. It’s got some heat from ginger and black pepper. I wouldn’t say it’s meaty, because I don’t think tempeh is like meat. But it’s...
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Cardamom Roasted Cauliflower
Larry and I decided somewhat at the last minute to attend Suvir Saran‘s discussion at the local India Community Center. He was in town for just a few days. I had been virtually introduced to Suvir last...
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Rachel’s Very Beginner’s Cream Biscuits
I was skeptical. Good biscuits with just two ingredients? My experience with making biscuits has been less than stellar. I lack the Southern genes I think is required in order to make perfect biscuits....
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Butterscotch Pudding
One of the best renditions of butterscotch pudding we had recently was from a local food truck called Butterscotch on the Go. Their version is really creamy and not too sweet, with just the right...
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Oatcakes
I’m in love with these oatcakes. They’re dense, slightly sweet and heartier than a muffin. I love them plain or with a bit of honey. I used all whole wheat pastry flour, but they can be made...
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Cedar Plank-Grilled Salmon
I’ve never cooked salmon on cedar planks. We usually just plop it on the grill, but I loved the slightly smoky flavor the cedar imparted to the fish. Plus, the sauce rocks – we usually do something...
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Thomas Keller’s Pasta Dough
I’ve been relatively content with the Good Eats pasta dough recipe I’ve been using, but when someone suggested I try out Thomas Keller’s recipe, I was intrigued. It’s got a lot more fat than other...
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Orange Creamsicle Tart
I had my doubts about this tart. Orange desserts are definitely not at the top of my list. I don’t drink soda and I’ve never been crazy about Creamsicles. Plus there are a lot of steps to putting the...
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Triple-Chocolate Cookies
Larry had a big week – he became the president of the Sunnyvale Historical Society and Museum Association. We’ve both been involved in our community since we bought our current house nine years ago,...
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Lavender Fleur de Sel Shortbread
I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for over a year, but have just never gotten around to it. This season, when our neighbor and friend Assana’s lavender is gorgeous and fragrant and starting to bloom, I...
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Lavender-Blueberry Sorbet
This is the second installment of Abby Dodge’s virtual Bake Together challenge. Strictly speaking, this isn’t a baked good, but I never pass up the chance to make ice cream. I originally thought I’d...
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Lavender Shortbread
Here’s another shortbread using up more of that wonderful lavender. This one is less fussy than the previous version, which is rolled and cut into shapes. The dough comes together in minutes and is...
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Grasshopper Bars
If you love After Eight candies (I do), you will love these grasshopper bars. They taste exactly alike. The bars have a fudgey brownie base, mint buttercream in the middle, and are topped with a...
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Salty Honey Pie
This is my second round with the salty honey pie, and this time it was even better. No matter what this is going to be a cloyingly sweet pie, but the flakes of salt on top offset it a bit. The flavor...
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Black Forest Cookies
I liked these cookies a lot. Very chocolate-y, with chunks of dried cherries and dark and white chocolate. These take some planning, though, because the cookies need to refrigerate for at least six...
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Tomato, Grape & Ricotta Flatbread
I’ve got another cookbook review up at Cooks&Books&Recipes, featuring a really delicious ricotta flatbread from Plum Gorgeous. The recipe is posted there – go make it with the last of the...
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Cornmeal-Lime Cookies
Back when there was still an Oakville Grocery at Stanford Shopping Center, I’d always stop in when I was in the area to pick up a polenta cookie. Heavy and round, buttery but not too sweet and slightly...
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Smoky Grilled Meatball Subs
These meatball subs reminded me again why smoked paprika is such a great ingredient. It can elevate something as simple as ground pork into a smoky, savory bite of heaven. Particularly if you like the...
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Ricotta Pound Cake
I was given a container of homemade ricotta by an Italian co-worker, whose family is in the restaurant business. It had been well-drained so I thought it would be great to use it in a cake – except I...
View ArticleBlack Pepper Tofu
This tofu is amazingly good. Not only is it delicious hot out out the pan, but it’s surprisingly good leftover. I thought the texture might suffer, but it didn’t. This dish can be fiery hot but it’s...
View ArticleSkillet Shepherd’s Pie
It’s confession time. My husband loves cottage pie. That’s shepherd’s pie, a mixture of lamb and vegetables and topped with mashed potatoes, but made with ground beef instead. I never make it so he...
View ArticleBrown Sugar Cookies
I love sugar cookies, and molasses spice cookies are at the top of Larry’s list of favorites. These are a great mix of the two – butter, subtle spices, nice soft texture. Every time I took another bite...
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Bacon Burgers with Bacon-Onion-Balsamic Jam
I had the chance to pick up some more of the excellent Moon Meadow ground beef at the farmer’s market so we had a rare burger. Not a burger cooked rare, but that we rarely make burgers. This recipe is...
View ArticleCaramelized Garlic Tart
After the amazing black pepper tofu I made from Plenty, I knew I needed to try more from the book. My second choice was easy – a caramelized garlic tart. A savory tart isn’t something I make very...
View ArticleSticky Sticky Buns
I bookmarked the recipe for these decadent buns the from the moment I got Flour. I always put it off – brioche takes time, and there are multiple parts, and it just seemed like a lot of work and...
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Pork Cracklins: Best of 2011
Sticky Sticky Buns Black Pepper Tofu Hungarian Chicken Paprikas Rachel's Very Beginner Cream Biscuits Salty Honey Pie Lavender-Blueberry Sorbet Salt-N-Pepper Sandwich Cookies Maple-Apple Pear Butter...
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