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Crunchy, buttery, smooth, sweet, salty, citrusy. I have no idea how else to explain this amazing pie. While visiting my friends Jason and Kelly Wescott in Seattle recently, Jason made this dessert that he had heard about on NPR called Atlantic Beach Pie which comes from Bill Smith's Crook's Corner restaurant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It starts with a saltine cracker crust topped with a
The legendary Sachertorte was invented in the 19th century by the Viennese chef Franz Sacher. The cake became famous when his son opened the luxury Hotel Sacher and this cake was served. A sachertorte is a dark, dense cake which does not use leavening, relying instead on finely ground almonds and whipped egg whites for its lightness. The cake is traditionally glazed with both an apricot jam glaze
I first saw a picture of this recipe a few months ago on this website. The dessert looked so amazing, as if it had come right out of a pastry shop (which I tend to frequent too frequently). I was a bit hesitant to try it, never having made a sponge cake before but amazingly it turned out great! The cake was very moist, due to the Sponge Syrup and the frosting really is made from the same ingredien
Our local church congregation had a fall activity this weekend and one of the activities was a competition for best chili, bread, salsa and jello. Not having a lot of time, I searched the web for a unique looking bread since bread is my major weakness in the kitchen. I came across this recipe for Rose Bread and was so impressed with the presentation that I thought for sure I'd never be able to mak
One of my favorite chicken dishes is chicken marsala which combines sweet marsala wine with mushrooms, garlic and onion on top of a thinly pounded chicken breast. I have found that the quality of the marsala sauce at restaurants varies greatly in terms of texture, sweetness and number of mushrooms. So, I found several recipes and combined them into one that that contains my favorite elements
After making cooking a serious hobby for the last 3 years, I realized recently that I had never made a lasagna. Rather than find a recipe online, I decided to create one from scratch using some of my favorite ingredients - ground beef, ricotta, oregano, parsley, garlic and of course homemade noodles. I'm also not a huge fan of red sauces so I made a béchamel sauce and added garlic, herbs and chees
This may just be the best ice cream I've ever eaten. Though I'm a sucker for lemon ice cream anyway, this recipe I found here goes over the top by adding fresh lemon curd and tiny meringue pieces into the mix. I made only a few modifications and made this a few nights ago and it did not last long. The taste and texture combined to make this a craveable dessert that I want to make again already. It
I scoured the internet recently to look for creative recipes that could utilize the many over-ripe bananas that had gone uneaten in my house. I landed on a recipe for this cake on this website. I made a few modifications and loved the results! The timing of this find was perfect as this is a wonderful cake for the fall with apples, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. The brown sugar caramel glaze
It's no surprise that I love to eat. When I go out to eat at a restaurant, one of my all-time favorite dishes is Chicken Bryan at Carrabba's. I get this every time I go there without fail. It is so delicious I crave it often. Simply stated it's a chicken breast covered in goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and a lemon butter sauce. I don't know why I haven't tried to recreate it before, but I made th
This recipe comes from the Big Sur Bakery Cookbook. I made just a few minor modifications and added the Snickers bars for some extra texture and flavor. The bundt is moist and heavy, yet not too sweet or rich. Combined with the Snickers glaze, it is a wonderful dessert that I will make again. This is one of those desserts that you look at as you sit down for dinner and know that you are
Being a huge blue cheese fan, I was so excited to make these mini meat loaves for a recent dinner party. The recipe is actually a mix of several I found online and I was glad it turned out ok. The gravy was delicious and the meatloaves were very moist and flavorful. I fed 15 people the night I made these so don't let the portion sizes in the pictures throw you off the recipe below which yields 6-8
Though this may be the least gourmet recipe on my site in terms of actual steps, the taste is truly gourmet and is always one of the favorites at dessert parties. The cake is incredibly moist and the glaze has a perfect balance of sweetness and tart lemon. From start to finish in about an hour, this recipe yields about 12 good sized servings. Enjoy!HELPFUL HINTS1. You can use any citrus soda drink
While in Denver on business several years ago, I was treated to a meal at the historic Brown Palace Hotel. The highlight was one of their famous desserts, Chocolate Soup. Thicker than hot chocolate, thinner than chocolate mousse, this was heaven in a bowl. It had a slight hint of citrus so of course I had to ask the chef the ingredients; Heavy cream, four kinds of chocolate and a splash
Two of our friends, Matt and Bonnie Hargreaves, both served missions in France and Matt shared with me a few years ago his memory of a french dessert called "Gateau Basque." I did a little bit of research on the cake and finally got around to making it using fresh cherries from Bonnie's dad's farm. This cake or tart hails from the from the Pays Basque region of France and is typically made with ch
I've been making this torte for nearly five years and it has become our family favorite. It is extremely easy to make and comes out dense with just the right balance of flavor and texture. The raspberry coulis is a must have and pairs perfectly with the cake. The recipe below serves 8-12. Enjoy!HELPFUL HINTS1. The raspberry coulis can be made several days ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an
This Food Network inspired recipe was just about the most delicious steak I've ever made. Ragout is a derivative of the French verb "ragouter," meaning "to stimulate the appetite," and is typically a thick, rich, well-seasoned stew of meat, poultry or fish and sometimes vegetables. In this case, it was done with mushrooms and was amazing. Of the major cuts of beef, the short loin is the
These fries are delicious. The combination of the herbs, Parmesan and the lemon garlic aoli will keep you eating these until your plate is empty, and even then you may have to sneak a few from your friends. Very easy to make, they're even somewhat healthy given that these are baked, not fried. The recipe below yields 4-5 servings, depending on whether or not these are the core dish or a
This is one of my favorite burgers of all time, probably because I love fresh pesto, combining the tastes of basil and roasted pine nuts, and I also love Havarti. The best thing about this burger is that the cheese cooks on the inside of the burger, making for a very soft and gooey center. This is not the kind of burger you would need to add ketchup or mustard to, though we do like
This delicious side dish was created by a local friend, Julie Ahrens. The green beans were tender and the combination of the crispy bacon, sweet brown sugar and the touch of soy make this one a keeper. The recipe below yields 10-12 servings. Enjoy!HELPFUL HINTS1. Have your ice bath ready to go. If you wait until the green beans are done blanching, you may end up over boiling them while y
I had this amazing appetizer at Lugano in Salt Lake City and loved the flavor profiles so much I knew I would have to try it out. So simple to make, the combination of sweet pear, crunchy brulee topping, creamy mascarpone, salty prosciutto, tangy balsamic reduction and bitter arugula makes this so craveable! The presentation is nice too - very elegant. The recipe below yields 12 servings
Compliments of foodnetwork.com, this delicious recipe creates incredibly light and fluffy pancakes and tops them with maple syrup and the most delicious sweet cinnamon cream. The blending of the chocolate, maple and cinnamon was a great combination. Now, whenever I tell my kids I'm making pancakes, they immediately ask "Cinnamon Cream?" This recipe yields about 10 large pancakes. Enjoy!HELPFUL HIN
Sisters Natalie and Alice Fish, ages 8 and 2, both have a very rare disease known as Leaky SCID (Severe combined immunodeficiency). This life-threatening syndrome of recurrent infections results from numerous molecular defects affecting the immune system. This disease is so rare, an average of only 2 children are diagnosed in the US each year, yet these two precious little girls from the same
This recipe comes from Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 by Todd Wilbur. I love this book! Mr. Wilbur has created mimics of some of the best dishes at restaurants like Cheesecake Factory, PF Changs, Mimi's Cafe (which this bread imitates), etc. The recipes in the book are not the actual recipes; instead, he has invented them through experimentation and they're are pretty much spot on! This
I have been baking this amazing appetizer for nearly 3 years. I first saw this on the Food Network and over the years I've made a few modifications. Brie is one of my favorite kinds of cheese and "en croute" actually means "in crust" in French. This recipe takes a wheel of brie, tops it with jam and toasted pecans and then bakes it in a pastry crust. Your guests will never know how simple this is
This wonderful recipe comes courtesy of Food Network with only a few of my own modifications. The chicken was perfectly moist thanks to the delicious marinade, and the stuffing combined the nuttiness of fontina cheese, the tang of dried cranberries, and the sweetness of caramelized apples. A perfect combination! The recipe below yields 8 servings. Enjoy!HELPFUL HINTS1. This is a great d
I was first introduced to lava cakes several years ago at a work party. Lava cakes are simply a cake that doesn't cook all the way through. The outsides are done and when cut open, the cake reveals a delicious flowing chocolate, almost like lava bursting forth from a mountain. Since that party I have tried and failed to find a recipe that worked well. I've tried all sorts of ingredients
I am a huge blue cheese fan and this is my favorite salad as it combines the great taste of blue cheese with crisp iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes, bacon pieces, sliced red onion, all in a homemade buttermilk blue dressing. My kids don't like blue cheese but devour this salad every time. Maybe I should tell them what those chunks are. The recipe below yields 6 servings. Enjoy!HELPS1. The dressing
This is one of our family's favorite risotto dishes, combining the tastes of fresh asparagus and tomato with some wonderful herbs. I think making risotto intimidates too many people away because of the length of time it takes, but the process really is quite simple and it's so versatile in it's different applications. Last summer I planted oregano, basil and parsley in our garden and it is g
This is one of the easiest yet most satisfying desserts that can also be used as a palette cleanser preceding a main course.The recipe combines a simple syrup with freshly squeezed oranges and orange peel. The recipe below yields 6 large servings or about 18 smaller servings. Enjoy!HELPFUL HINTS1. For an even richer sorbet, substitute the extra water with additional orange juice.2. If yo
This light and airy candy is one of my personal favorites. I grew up eating the Cadbury Crunchie (made in Britain) and the Nestle Violet Crumble (made in Australia.) Sometimes called "Honeycomb" or "Seafoam," this candy a slighly caramelized sugar mixture lightened into a foam by the incorporation of baking soda. The taste has a distinct flavor of caramel and honey and texture is crispy and delica
This Giada DeLaurentiis inspired recipe is a classic Italian dessert combining the wonderful flavors of ricotta, chocolate, orange, almond and cinnamon in a smooth, creamy pudding, topped by a very easy to make strawberry sauce. I loved the presentation on this one as you can get very creative with the sauce as well as using a fresh strawberry for garnish. The recipe below yields 6 servings. Enjoy
I have been baking this amazing appetizer for nearly 3 years and realized a few days ago that I had never posted it here. I first saw this on the Food Network and over the years I've made a few modifications. Brie is one of my favorite kinds of cheese and "en croute" actually means "in crust" in French. This recipe takes a wheel of brie, tops it with jam and toasted pecans and then bakes it in a p
These cookies have become our family favorites, especially during the holidays. The combination of the silver dragées, the sweet Meyer lemon frosting and the very slight hint of ricotta is craveable. They're pretty easy to make and even more fun to eat, especially if you make the mini's (my favorite). The recipe below yields 4 dozen regular or 7-8 dozen mini's. Enjoy!HELPS1. You may need to add mo
For my recent birthday, my daughter gave me the book, "101 Gourmet Cake Bites" by Wendy Paul. Never having heard of a cake bite, I tried two of the recipes for her birthday. I'm wondering now if that's why she gave me the book! Cake bites, for those of you like me who had never tried them before, are simply a rounded ball of cake-like texture mixed with various flavorings, covered in melted chocol
Jeni recently bought me the "Lion House Pies" recipe book, filled with great recipes served at the Lion House in Salt Lake City, Utah. This was my first attempt at a recipe from the book and it has now become our favorite chocolate dessert. It is almost like a chocolate cream pie but it is thicker and more dense. I also loved the meringue nut crust which gave the entire pie a wonderful textural co
This delicious salsa is made with ripe mangoes, avocados, red onion, lime and cilantro. I have a very hard time eating just one bite! If you're serving this for a party you may want to make a double batch; one for the party and one for a midnight snack. I think this is my only one step recipe on this blog but I decided to include pictures of each ingredient being added. This recipe serves about 4.
This recipe is a combination of several that I found, putting them together to form a wonderfully unique chili. The first flavor notes are the warmth of cinnamon and then unexpectedly that warmth turns into just the right amount of spice. This chili is perfect for the fall season and will leave you craving more. Super easy to make with the use of a crockpot, this recipe yields about a dozen servin
Italian for "half cold," a semifreddo is any chilled or partially frozen dessert including cake, ice cream, fruit and custard or whipped cream. I had never heard of this before so I was excited to try this simple recipe. It was well worth the effort as the result was somewhat of a mix between ice cream, gelato, whipped cream and cake. It's hard to describe so you'll just have to try it! This would
The weather has begun getting very cold here in Utah so what better way to welcome in the Fall than with freshly baked muffins with cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts and banana? There's really only 3 main steps in this recipe and from start to finish these can be done in less than just over 30 minutes. The aroma in your kitchen will be well worth the effort too. The recipe below yields 12 muffins. Enjoy!H
I originally found this recipe on allrecipes.com, however I made a few modifications. Chicken Pot Pie is one of our favorite comfort foods and this recipe, originally found on allrecipes.com, hit the spot. I made a few modifications to the ingredients and I also made fresh pie crust instead of pre-packaged as it doesn't take that long and the quality is much better. The recipe below yields one lar
These delicious scones combine the wonderful flavors of apricot, almonds and lemon in a nice buttery, flaky biscuit. These are best right out of the oven but can also be made a day ahead if sealed in an airtight container. The recipe below yields either 12 large scones or up to 24 small scones. Enjoy!HELPFUL HINTS1. The ingredients called for diced cold butter but I've found it effective
These are one of our favorite appetizers, combining the wonderful flavors of asiago cheese, raspberry and Boursin cheese. Boursin is classified as a triple-cream cheese from France and is normally made with pasteurized cow's milk. It has a very smooth, creamy texture and mild, delicate base flavor, usually including garlic, herbs, black pepper, shallots and chives. Though you can buy Boursin at th
While visiting my sister in Seattle several months ago, she made a delicious salad with pears and blue cheese and I finally asked her for the recipe. The combination of pears and blue cheese can be combined in so many variations but this is one of my favorites. The recipe originated on allrecipes.com but I made a few slight modifications. The recipe below yields about 8 servings. Enjoy!HELPFUL HIN
Few foods taste as great and are as easy to make as fresh, homemade pasta. This recipe combines taglietelle pasta (long, thin flat egg noodles about 1/4 inch wide) with garlic, mushroom, cream, thyme and asiago. The blending of these ingredients makes for a wonderful aroma in the kitchen and en even better taste. The recipe below yields about 6 servings. Enjoy!HELPFUL HINTS1. Make sure you use eno
Named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, this famous Australian dessert consists of crisp meringue base topped with whipped cream and fruit such as strawberries, passion fruit or kiwi. A Pavlova is usually served with a fruit sauce or additional whipped cream. I made two of these yesterday, one for some friends and one for us and I wish I had made 10 more. I have always loved meringue and t
If you have ever been to The Roof Restaurant in downtown Salt Lake City and enjoyed their all you can eat gourmet buffet, you'll likely remember this dish. I found the recipe in their recently published cookbook and made it tonight for dinner. This was my first attempt at a Cordon Bleu and I loved it. The Alfredo had just the right balance of creaminess and texture without overpowering the chicken
One of my favorite restaurants growing up in Seattle, Washington was the Wharf restaurant close to the docks downtown. We would go there once a year to celebrate the anniversary of our arrival to Seattle when I was about 5. My favorite item on the menu was their lemon tart and I'm pretty sure I got it every time. Well, all these years later I decided to try to duplicate this dessert and I think I'
This cheesecake is as good as any found in a New York Deli. Thick, dense and relatively easy to make, it bakes without the normal cheesecake techniques of the water bath and tin foil.HELPFUL HINTS 1. This is not a dessert that can be made last minute. After baking for one hour, it stays in the oven for 5-6 hours and then ideally needs at least 3-4 hours in the refrigerator to settle.2. The cooking
This wonderful dessert comes from Chefs de France, the French restaurant in Epcot at Disneyworld. It takes vanilla ice cream, encapsulates it in choux paste and tops it with a dark chocolate sauce and white chocolate nibs. I combined several recipes to get the texture and taste similar to the restaurants and it turned out to be an elegant dish that I have added to my menu for upcoming dinner parti
