Category: desserts & drinks
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Toffee-Dark Chocolate Matzo Crunch & Loving the Rainbow
So, my latest novel, co-written with the witty and wonderful Brendan Halpin, is nominated for a Rainbow Award. Exciting news! But not for someone who decided the LGBTQ subject of the novel and the award is enough to end our Facebook “friendship.” Okay. I wonder why this person friended me in the first place. I… Read more
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Old Fashioned Pineapple Upside Down Cake & Upside Down Cooking
I have a thing for upside down cakes and inverted dishes. Possibly this is because they tend to be simple affairs with layers of freshly rolled dough covered layers of cheese or caramelized French toast with vanilla beans. Or it could be the childlike glee that fills the room when one takes a cake that… Read more
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Brown Sugar Swirl Bread &Questions
A collection of recent questions from the kids: When you are alone during the day and I’m at preschool, are you lonely? Is it true that one day the earth will run out of water? Do you love Daddy more now or more when you first met him? Why do I have to wear underwear?… Read more
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Crispy, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies & Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies & A Tale of Two Cookies
Faulkner wrote “between grief and nothing, I will take grief.” Given the choice, I would choose chocolate chip cookies. If we had the time and calorie deficit, we could debate for hours over dough, chip size, semi-sweet? dark chocolate?, how much brown sugar versus white, whole eggs or yolks, letting the dough rest overnight or… Read more
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Cinnamon-Sugar Pecans & Vending Machines
In Italy, the kids and I were barefoot, looking for a bathroom inside a seaside shack. “Look, is that underwear? In a vending machine?” Yes. And it should be noted that the underwear was red, sparkled, and bikini and all yours for a couple of Euro coins. In college, times were such that in the… Read more
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Molten Butterscotch Cake (Steamed Treacle Pudding) & A Very British Afternoon
My best friend from high school, T, and I just met for the ultimate British sport: Tea Brewing. The fact that we and our families met in Central Mexico for this match is of little consequence. After a ranch outing and horseback riding in ravines, milking goats at our friend’s farm (and eating the cheese… Read more
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Funky Monkey Cake (Banana Cake with Chocolate and Vanilla Layers) & Cake for Breakfast
Lest you being to think I’m the mom who force-fed my children kale from birth, I’ll have you know I am a big fan of cake or puddings for breakfast. First of all, this makes my life fairly easy in the morning. Second of all, CAKE FOR BREAKFAST! There’s nothing magic about scones or muffins… Read more
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Italian Gingerbread Cake with Brandy Butter & Masterpiece Theatre
On Sunday nights growing up, this song signaled that it was time for bed. At first I thought this was just cleverly timed – a gentle reverse alarm clock. As I grew, I realized my parents weren’t so much wanting me to get a good night’s sleep at the close of the weekend as they… Read more
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Maple Cream & Creepy Kid Books
Who doesn’t love Goodnight Moon? The soothing words, the simple reassurance of saying goodnight to objects, the perfect length book – not too short, not epic like Cars & Trucks & Things that Go. My grandmother read it to my father, my mother read it to me, I read it to my kids. My husband… Read more
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Eton Mess (Meringue Crumble with Vanilla Custard and Berries) & Holiday Traditions
We grew up hacking down a grand pine tree in the woods at my grandparent’s house, schlepping it back to their house, and adorning the branches with glitter-coated stars and peaceful doves; the decorations of Jews who have Christmas trees. Why did we have a tree? The answer is simple and not. Simply, the trees… Read more
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Creme de Cassis Biscuits & Perfect Paris
A few years ago my husband and I took a perfect trip to Paris. Don’t sigh. Put away your berets and baguettes. It was terrible. How can PARIS be horrible you ask? Because magic happens between people and places and not always where we think it will. Suffice it to say, we knew it was… Read more
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Brown Sugar Sorghum Muffins & Yoga Nonsense
So, I’m a semi-recent yoga convert. And while I am grateful for the practice and enjoy my flexibility, I have some issues. Do I appreciate my toned back and newfound tolerance for way elevated heart rate meets ninety-two degree heat? Yes. Stretching, working hard, lifting one leg up high behind me while stretching one arm… Read more
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5 Minute Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Bark & Creativity
After a few fun-and-food-packed days, the kids are wiped out. Daniel, especially. He dug deep into the energy well and got his sister to ride bikes and scooter yesterday despite the failing light and their fatigue. He promised to build his littlest brother a Lego ship and did so, only yelling once when sad brother… Read more
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Pumpkin Dulce de Leche Pie & Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Holidays from Well-Cooked Life! Read more
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Italian Cherry Pie with Graham and Ginger & Recovering from Tragedy
So, I tried not to think about it. But, like all emotional baggage, tragedy does not fit into the overhead compartment nor under the seat in front of me. Today is year anniversary of the worst day of my life. The night before, I’d gone out when everyone was asleep and bought a super soft… Read more