Fall

Chocolate-Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Chocolate-Chocolate Cherry Cookies

     Cookies are the favorite dessert in my house.  No question.  Hands down.  My family certainly enjoy other desserts; but when asked, they want a big plate of cookies set at the center of the table.  And dishes of ice cream for good measure.…

Spicy Sweet Glazed Nuts

Spicy Sweet Glazed Nuts

     Did you know California accounts for about half of the nation’s nuts?  (Yeah go on, have a giggle with the double entendre…)  And tree nuts are the number one export for our Golden State.  A short drive outside of our Bay Area urban…

Pumpkin Chocolate Snack Bars

Pumpkin Chocolate Snack Bars

     Stay with me here, as we jump into the already crowded field of pumpkin-mania…This entry is a keeper.  I knew I was onto a winner when the batter tasted like pumpkin pie filling, before it’s baked.  With an intentional light hand with the…

Asian Pear and Chicory Salad

Asian Pear and Chicory Salad

     Whenever I see an Asian pear, I’m transported back to my youth and the pear farms near my family’s home in southern Placer County.  Rocklin, California, to be precise.  We were fortunate to have many Japanese friends, who brought Asian pears to the…

Miso Marinated Chicken

Miso Marinated Chicken

   A recent trip to Hawaii is the inspiration for this chicken recipe.  Within a short week’s time, I enjoyed several variations of the wildly popular misoyaki butterfish, made famous by chef Nobu Matsuhisa.  Small wonder this dish is so popular.  It.  Is. THAT.  Good!…

Crunchy Sesame Chicken

Crunchy Sesame Chicken

     Picnic season is upon us!  If it’s a fried chicken, potato salad type affair, this recipe is my go-to.  Frankly whenever I’m craving fried chicken and yearn for crispy, crackly, crunchy chicken, this is the one.  The sesame seeds add to the flavor…

Cream Scones

Cream Scones

     Warm scones with a dollop of clotted cream and jam are a simple pleasure pretty much any time, any season.  But with Mother’s Day around the corner, these beauties will be a winner at your table, and easy enough for young hands to…

Chocolate Pots de Crème

Chocolate Pots de Crème

     Chocolate is my favorite, and I’m way past due on posting a chocolate something!  Since February is a big chocolate month for lots of folks, and Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) brings out some French in us, this simple French-style custard seems a perfect…

Easy Hot and Sour Soup

Easy Hot and Sour Soup

     Truly easy, this soup comes together quickly as far as soups go; and you will be rewarded by multi-layered flavors and textures.  It’s perfect for a weeknight meal on a cold winter’s day.      When the original recipe came to my attention,…

Gingerbread with Apple Compote

Gingerbread with Apple Compote

     This is the time of year when I crave gingerbread.  I love the homey, warm spices and the distinctive molasses flavor.  I don’t know why I wait until winter though, as the house is cool and the molasses sure takes its own-sweet-time to…