Major confesh: I’m not a massive fan of chocolate. Yes, there are certain times when a piece of chocolate is necessary, but on the whole, I could do without it. Instead, I like sweets that aren’t overly sweet. That’s a big reason why I enjoy eating cream puffs: because they aren’t too sweet. They’re also light as…
Culinary Class
Cornbread for Loaves, Cast Iron, or Muffins
Just in case you need a sweet, buttery bread to serve alongside your favorite dinners, I present to you: cornbread in all of its glory. I’m a Yankee; I never claim to be a Southerner. That said, no one has to be Southern-born to make a bomb cornbread. I’m proof positive. My cornbread is sweetish. It also…
Mantecaditos (Almond-Flavored Butter Cookies)
Hector and I went back and forth over this Mantecaditos recipe. I prefer a buttery, bite-size cookie because that’s what I grew up eating. On the other hand, Hector is more about a bigger cookie, with no concern about the butter to flour ratio. I bring you the offspring of the beloved cookie of so many…
Sweet Potato Puree for Cooking and Baking
Holiday baking this year? I know you are, you little baker-Elf, you. I’m guessing that you probably need a few cans of sweet potato puree. If you’ve ever used canned sweet potatoes to make your puree, you most likely know how bland and tasteless it is. That poses a problem, my friend. We have a…
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
This post shows the power of peer pressure. On Saturday, I did an impromptu online cooking class showing folks how to make my Boozy Spiced Cranberry Sauce. I left with a Pumpkin Cheesecake class scheduled. Did I intend to host a pumpkin cheesecake-making class? No. Do I love my readers so much that I let…
Achiote Oil: Sense & Edibility’s Culinary Class
Planning to make a bunch of Hispanic or Caribbean recipes? Well, Friend, Achiote Oil is your weekend project. Many dishes in the Hispanic culture include achiote in some shape or form. Its oil is easy to make and even easier to use. The only warning I offer: don’t get it on anything you care about! What is Achiote Oil? Achiote…
Pan Sobao: Soft, Chewy Puerto Rican Bread
Never have I had so hard a time naming a recipe as I had with this one. Pan Sobao has no English translation that makes sense. For starters, sobao is good Puerto Rican Spanish for sobar (or knead). So, directly translated, it means “Kneaded Bread”. I didn’t want to name it “Kneaded Bread” because that’s a given. Nearly all…
Kitchen Must Haves: Tools I Swear By
I spend a LOT of time in my kitchen. Between developing recipes, cooking those recipes, and preparing food for my family, my kitchen and I have a lot of face-time. My friends constantly ask my opinion on the latest kitchen gadget. Anything I use in the kitchen has to last and be durable enough so I…
Whipping Egg Whites: Sense & Edibility’s Culinary Class
You’ve read recipe instructions before that have told you to, “Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks.” And you’ve probably said to yourself, “If I knew what ‘whipping egg whites to stiff peaks’ meant, I’d feel so fulfilled.” You haven’t thought that? Oh, well…pretend like you have because I’m going to tell you all about…
How to Dry Brine A Turkey
For years, I was a dedicated adherent to the philosophy that one should always brine the Gameday Bird. “Gameday” as in Thanksgiving. Turkey Day is serious business around this camp. My husband is one of those, “The holidays are nothing but a ploy by a bunch of greedy corporations trying to make a buck!” Grinch-type…
