2013 was the year I began experimenting with Black Velvet apricots, a 50/50 plum/apricot hybrid. A basic jam made with just Black Velvets and sugar is lovely, but this combo ups the ante a bit.
Read MoreThis is such a great entree salad. Southern meets healthy meets autumnal aioli? What's not to love!
Read MoreI recently had an outstanding meal in Richmond, VA. My appetizers were the stars, and the flavors of the simple but perfectly executed arancini have stayed on the tip of my tongue since. Orbs of Manchego, rosemary and creamy rice were fried to a light, greaseless crisp and perched atop fig compote and adorned with pea tendrils. Each bite was breathtaking. As such, I simply had to recreate.
Because I don't love to fry at home and because I wanted more of an entree than appetizer, I decided on risotto; after all, the primary ingredient -rice- is the same.
I love mint and pistachios, and really, pesto is of the gods. This is great on steak and slathered on bread! I also think it'd be fantastic with grilled peaches! Per reviews on Food52, this is divine on lamb. Lastly, this is just so darn easy- fantastic!
Read MoreOne of my favorite appetizers at one of DC's best pizzerias is the rapini with vin cotto. I've been to known to actually lick my plate to make sure none of the gooey, syrupy, incredible vin cotto goes to waste. Vinegar is one of my favorite condiments, and the bitter-sweet combo of it and the rapini in this dish is off the charts awesome. This is my version of the restaurant's dish.
Read MoreHave you ever enjoyed a milk punch? It’s a milk-based adult beverage commonly drunk on holidays in Louisiana. A combination of said milk, bourbon and/or brandy, sugar and nutmeg served cold, it is a sublime cocktail and definitely feels festive.
Read MoreThis is the fall season in a dish. A delicious grain (farro) plus a veggie (roasted gold beets), cheese (feta), nut (maple-glazed pecans) and a fresh herb dressing (chive-sage oil). Absolutely wonderful, fresh, healthy and pretty!
Read MoreCaramelized shallots, cabbage and tasso suspended in an egg custard and studded with goat cheese: this is just so, so good. It's rustic, full of flavor, easy to pull together and even better the next day. Great for brunch, lunch or dinner!
Read MoreWhile in N.C. on vacation, I bought a small tub of lima bean hummus. I believe it was made by Roots, and I went for it because I've never met a lima bean I didn't like. This did not disappoint; on the contrary, it was love at first bite. Spectacular flavor and spice. It was so smooth and made a chip feel fancy and a good sandwich feel all gussied up! This is my attempt to recreate. Delicious!
Read MoreCaramelized Brussels sprouts and shallots concentrate in flavor and soften just enough to provide a slight textural contrast to the pasta. The sherry offers a touch of sweetness that perfectly matches the savoriness of the veggies and the speck. The dish is subtle yet each bite suffuses your mouth with flavor. Sublime!
Read MoreThis all-natural strawberry cake is both unbelievably delicious and one of the most popular cakes I make. Every bite makes you close your eyes and sigh with contentment. Ice it with whipped cream-mascarpone frosting, and you'll be a star.
Read MoreOlive oil cakes are, at their best, incredibly fragrant, moist, flavorful creations. They lend themselves to all manner of tweak and topping: you can load them with citrus elements, or stud them with chocolate (as Boyce does here); you can let them be and top with macerated cherries and any other fruit compote. They are a lovely combination of sweet and savory which makes them as good for breakfast as they are for dessert. And this one incorporates some spelt flour which pairs marvelously with the chocolate.
Read MoreI adore Meyer lemon anything and have long been wanting to combine its juice with coconut milk for a sweet-sour dessert. Cakes and pies are awesome but a dime a dozen; crème brûlée, on the other hand, is a treat I don't get to enjoy often enough. This is ethereal, every bite a smooth, creamy pleasure.
Read MoreCoconut cream pie is one of my all-time favorite desserts, and this all-natural one is perfection. My husband and I wiped it out in two days flat! This pie definitely wants a night in the fridge to set and let the flavors deepen, so make it a day in advance if you can.
Read MoreThis is an insanely good strawberry-rhubarb pie. Instead of using the more traditional lemon juice to add tang and brighten the flavors of the fruit, I've used orange juice and almond extract for a slightly more mysterious taste profile. It's so fantastic that I made a jam with the same elements!
Read MoreThis is a classic strawberry-rhubarb pie, lightly spiced with cinnamon, lemon and vanilla, in which the sweet strawberries and tangy rhubarb shine.
Read MoreShortbread, caramel with hazelnuts, espresso-chocolate ganache. Just so insanely good. That's all.
Read MoreThis is a perfectly moist, wonderfully chocolate cake with a great crumb. It holds up well over time and under frosting. I've tweaked the original Hershey's recipe only slightly to include a bit less sugar and some whole wheat flour which no one has ever noticed.
Read MoreCustard has always been one of my favorite desserts, the eggy, smooth, velvety flan a decadently simple treat. I love a hearty chai tea and created this riff on my mom's custard recipe using a spiced tea milk in place of the regular milk and nutmeg.
Read Moremusings from a stay-at-home, cooking-obsessed mom
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