From Scratch

Nearly everyone likes scones warm from the oven. The problem comes the next day, when they’re drying out and crumbly, not flaky the way they should be. The obvious solution is a smaller recipe — most yield 8 or more — but not all recipes can be scaled down successfully.
This longtime favorite does lend itself to a smaller […]

Just as some people await the sight of the first robin as a harbinger of spring, I anticipate the first bags of wonderful cranberries as a sign autumn has arrived. And it has. It’s like a holiday here.
Cranberries are one of my favorite foods. They’re tart, healthful, low in calories; frankly, with all that good […]

We’ve long known about the health benefits of eating apples, especially for the phytochemicals in their skins, but the juice of the fruit has been regarded by many as the black sheep of the family. Mere sugar water. But two new studies show the juice, especially unfiltered varieties and cider, has something going for it because the apple seems […]

Who doesn’t enjoy a change? I am so happy to have found a good recipe for a crisp that doesn’t have the usual oatmeal in the topping. And oh my, the filling has a dab of cream cheese.
Back in August, on a really hot day, I saw Southern Pear Crisp on my cyberpal jolynna’s blog, Turkey […]

There’s always jam in the fridge or pantry but I don’t always have berries, so I was happy to run across this recipe for the frequent times when the muffin-making mood strikes too early to run to the store. As happened this morning.
It’s from Swan’s Down Cake Flour, which has a small but good website. In […]

Raspberries are on sale so I bought some over the weekend, thinking a cake would be good. I make a couple elaborate cakes with these fabulous berries but, my goodness, it’s summer. I want something fast, refreshing and, if possible, not too sinful.
And this is it. Creamy on top, somewhat sweet, somewhat tart, loaded with appeal […]

From grunts to galettes and turnovers to tartlettes, the good folks at Fine Cooking have put together a special feature called Summer Berry Desserts, with a dozen seasonal recipes to enjoy. They had people like me in mind when they wrote, “It’s a truism that berries at the height of their season are best served […]

Nature seems to conspire against us at times. Peaches are peak right now, for a short time, but it’s way too hot to turn on the oven to bake a luscious pie. What’s a peach lover to do?
This peach lover decided to try a recipe that’s been sitting in the files for so long it was typed. […]

Perhaps the weekend will bring a stop at a farm stand or farmers market and you’ll come home with an armload of produce. Where to put it to keep it fresh longest?
Fruits and vegetables do breathe — anyone who’s ever put peaches in a paper bag to ripen them has seen the effect — and some […]

When I had sour cream left over from the dark chocolate cupcakes, I made this simple dip but didn’t post the recipe because I felt it was too simple. Last night, when I picked up another lime and some more sour cream to make it again, I realized I should share it because I can’t remember the […]

New Hampshire is like Ireland in this regard: if you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute. Earlier this week it got cold enough at night that frost was possible. Yesterday reached the low 90’s and it’s almost as warm today.
I always enjoy a good salad, but when it’s hot I actually crave crisp, cold greens. […]

If the title is so out-of-date it’s almost offensive, it’s because this recipe goes back to the days when most “girls” thought they had to have a man to be complete. It was a 1954 Pillsbury Bake-Off winner and even though times have changed, thankfully, the recipe’s essential goodness has not.
I like this cake for several reasons. […]

Kitchen toys are my weakness. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a gadget, a small appliance or a re-invention of the wheel, if it can make life easier or more fun, it calls out to me. Take Saturday. I was in the gizmos aisle at the supermarket and spotted a set of six brightly-colored jumbo silicone muffin cups. Combine […]

Pity the poor lemon. Linguistically, that is. When a car gives you trouble from day one, it’s a….? Look up “lemony” in the Encarta thesaurus and you find, not much except Antonym: sweet. And how many times have I read variations of “lemon” to describe a sourpuss? 
Well, I love lemons. I think they’re delicious and so […]