Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

I’m not sure who really gets the credit for sandwiching an Oreo between cookie dough, but I first saw this cookie on Picky Palate.  Since then I have seen it all over the place.  What a crazy and ridiculously delicious idea!  I made these cookies in February of last year and they were a huge [...]

Fruit Tart with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream

When I was asked to bring fruit to a little gathering of Sunday school ladies, I don’t know if this is what she had in mind.  But I’d been itching to make a proper dessert for a while, so this is what I brought.  Beats the pants off of a fruit salad, I’d say. Making pastry [...]

Lemon Rosemary Madeleines

In honor of Bastille Day…or possibly just an excuse to use the madeleine pan that has been sitting in my cupboard for a few years now? Regardless, these French lemon madeleines are light and lovely. This was one of those times in the kitchen where you begin to wonder, “Is this just not in the [...]

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries

In my quest for a patriotic dessert to make in honor of the Fourth of July, I came across many that utilize summer’s bounty of red and blue berries.  It just wasn’t the Fourth as a kid without a flag cake!  This red, white and blue dessert is a bit fancier than flag cake, and [...]

Peanut Butter Icebox Pie

There are not many combinations more perfect than peanut butter and chocolate.  When I came across this recipe as I was flipping though The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook I immediately stopped and added the ingredients to my grocery list. There is no baking required and therefore no need to turn on your oven, which is nice [...]

Hello Dolly Bars

You might call them magic cookie bars, or maybe seven layer bars. Whatever you call them they are quite good. These bars require no mixing.  Just a little crushing of graham crackers, melting of butter and then layering of ingredients.  A mere 25 minutes in the oven and they’re done.  This is a great last [...]

Crispy Cinnamon Pecan Cookies

This recipe is from a Junior League of Austin cookbook that I borrowed from my mom’s house.  Thanks, mom : ) These cookies are called English Toffee Cookies in the cookbook, but I took the liberty of changing their name to be more descriptive.  They are a little like toffee with their salty sweetness, but [...]

Daring Bakers: Maple Mousse in Pastry Cups

The April 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Evelyne of the blog Cheap Ethnic Eatz. Evelyne chose to challenge everyone to make a maple mousse in an edible container. Prizes are being awarded to the most creative edible container and filling, so vote on your favorite from April 27th to May 27th at http://thedaringkitchen.com! Maybe I did [...]

Cheater Pie Crust & Lemon Meringue Pie

A bottle of canola oil fell out of the pantry.  The plastic cap busted, and oil spilled all over the floor.  I found another container for what was left in the bottle, but there was still some that wouldn’t quite fit.  What to do?  I wasn’t going to throw it out.  I needed to find [...]

Fudgy Chocolate & Peanut Cookies

There was a time in my life that I would have turned my nose up at a cookie recipe that used a cake mix.  Times have changed. Like many of my baked goods these days, this one was an attempt to use things I had on hand.  I had a cake mix, a jar of [...]