No one loves to roll out of their warm bed to drive to the donut shop and grab breakfast. And, let’s be honest, getting out of bed, putting on “outside” clothes, and having to pay an arm and a leg for them makes them taste less good. So, benevolent being that I am, I’m handing over my…
Desserts
Flaky Pie Dough for Pies, Tarts, or Quiche
Making flaky pie dough at home is so much easier than people think. I haven’t bought the stuff from the grocery store since the first time high-waisted jeans were in. So if you haven’t made your pie dough at home, I encourage you to try this recipe out and see what you think. Not only will…
Lemon Meringue Cupcakes with Meyer Lemon Curd
This Lemon Meringue Cupcakes Post was published back in 2019. I developed the recipe for this tender butter cupcake with lemon curd filling in honor of the great news that our house sold after an hour and a half on the market and Hector getting a new job. We were preparing to pack up our…
King Cake with Cinnamon and Cream Cheese Fillings
Mardi Gras season is in full swing, and, as a result, people are clamoring for all things labeled “King Cake.” As always, I’m here to serve. I’ve updated this post with prettier pictures and more concise instructions. Not that they weren’t perfect before, but I’m just saying. I have met my fair share of Gulf States’…
Bananas Foster Cheesecake in Oatmeal Cookie Crust
This Bananas Foster Cheesecake with its Oatmeal Cookie Crust is a “what’s up!” to NOLA. A banana cheesecake batter in a buttery oatmeal crust gets the Big Easy treatment after baking. A dark rum, brown sugar caramel covers the cake before a whipped cream garnish seals the deal. I’m pretty sure the National Cheesecake Awards…
Cream Puffs: Better than the Bakery
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…
Arroz con Dulce (Creamy Coconut Rice Pudding)
Many cultures have a recipe for rice pudding that each bring a spoonful of comfort with every bite. The Puerto Rican (or Latin American) version is called Arroz con Dulce or Arroz con Leche. Arroz con Dulce is the preferred name for Puerto Ricans as arroz con leche is more of a breakfast treat there. Coconut and cinnamon play a significant role…
Coquito Cookies with Coquito Buttercream Frosting
I thought pillowy soft cookies made with coquito in the batter to celebrate National Coquito Day just made sense. What’s that? Didn’t you know it was National Coquito Day? Why, yes, Friend! December 21st is National Coquito Day. I thought everyone knew about this completely made-up holiday!! I’m going to pretend I knew about it all…
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…
