It’s the time of year when everyone is scrambling for that last minute perfect gift for friends and family. If you have an aspiring chef or an avid home cook in your family or among your friends here’s my Holiday Gift Guide – Top Gifts for the Home Cook. It’s my go-to list of absolute…
American
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
One of the best loved cakes worldwide is undoubtedly Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing. Beyond the fact that the flavor is divine it’s simple to make as it can be done entirely in a food processor. And if a cake can be nutritional Carrot Cake is right up there as it’s laden with carrots….
Chocolate Truffle Treats
My sister Laurie made these Chocolate Truffle Treats for a recent cookie exchange party and as she described them to me I knew they were a winner! Then when I saw a picture of them I was completely sold. The flavor is so rich and delightful, and incredibly chocolatey, you think you’re eating truffles….
Glazed Cinnamon Rolls
Glazed Cinnamon Rolls When I was still a young girl, somewhere between seven and nine years old, my passion was already cooking. If our parents went out for the evening I’d pull out a cookbook (that my mother never used, by the way) and pick out a recipe to make. It was my only opportunity…
Corn bread and muffins
Corn bread and muffins are one of my favorite accompaniments to a meal, at breakfast, or anytime. I love them slathered with butter and drizzled with honey, or just on their own. Corn bread and muffins took on a new dimension several years ago when I began using a mill attachment for my KitchenAid. I…
Apple Pie
Apple Pie Apple pie is at the very top of my comfort food list. Add a scoop of ice cream or, better yet, a drizzling of fresh cream and it moves a step higher into culinary nirvana. Apple pie is delicious year-round and is dead easy to make. Two pieces of equipment that make apple…
Banana Nutella Bread
If you love rich banana flavor and a dessert that’s full of chocolatey flavor then Banana Nutella Bread is the dessert for you! It just so happens that chocolate and banana are a heavenly match; the addition of Nutella takes this banana bread to a new level! If you’re looking for intense banana flavor then…
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Fresh Berries
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes! Pancakes, even when they’re as fluffy as can be, take a back seat to these lemon ricotta pancakes. Fluffy isn’t even the word I’d use; these are delightfully creamy. The lemon zest shines through beautifully, and of course you can’t go wrong smothering these masterpieces with honey and fresh berries. They’re…
Panettone French Toast
It’s a miserable rainy day, not one to go outside for any reason. It happens to be the last holiday of the season here in Italy…the Befana…so I feel compelled to add a little festivity to the day and that usually means a food…
Ginger Carrot Cake
Carrot cake is a universally loved cake by all. Carrot cake, zucchini bread or other desserts made from vegetables are not typically Italian, but once they taste these sweets they become instant converts. I’m in a ginger phase right now: I’m drinking ginger tisanas, making ginger scones, cookies and cakes. And I’ve always loved Thai…
Buttery Scones
Hot, buttery scones. That’s what came to me this morning when, after a series of gorgeous, sunshine filled days, I looked out my kitchen window to see a gray, rainy Sunday. Scones have to be the biggest bang for your buck if you want a hot, melt in your mouth breakfast in just a half…
Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin Bread is probably my favorite dessert on earth, or at least one of them. This recipe is the only recipe that I have been using for decades without changing a single thing in the recipe. I make it any time of the year, but especially around the holidays when pumpkins are in season. I…