Grandma Ellie's Peaches and Cream Layer Cake

I've been feeling very nostalgic lately.  I guess with all the family birthdays going on this month, it's kinda hard not to look back and wonder where did all the time go?  Last week, my grandma turned 87 years old.  Wow.  87.  Really?  For some reason, in my mind, she just stayed this 60 year old lady in a cool sports car.

Lemon and Lavender Shortbread Cookies

I've kinda been daydreaming lately.  Hubby and I have been talking about redoing the backyard this year.  We haven't really done much to it since we moved in.  We have a nice lawn and some shrubs on the slope, but I think we're ready to give it a makeover.

Egg-Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Salted Caramel

I've been asked many many times for an egg-free vanilla cupcake recipe...and so finally here it is!  I've actually had this recipe for a while but since I was trying to "veganize" all my egg-free recipes for my little guy, I forgot about posting this one.  I did mention it on my vegan vanilla cupcake post, but never bothered to share the recipe until now.  I know, I know.  I'm a dork.  But I think I might be able to redeem myself with these amazing cupcakes.

Peppermint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

If you're looking for me for the next few days, I'll be in my kitchen...baking cookies and making truffles.  I kinda had a late start this year (read: procrastinate), so friends and family, if you're reading this, yes, I am sending you a box of goodies...soon (I hope). 

Pineapple Macapuno Pockets

I remember back in pastry school, we had this thing called "Mystery Basket Fridays." Basically, you walk into the kitchen and at your table, you'll find a tray of ingredients randomly selected by the chef. Your assignment for that day was to create a dessert using all the ingredients given to you. It's kind of nerve-racking actually. I remember the first time we had one, I was absolutely petrified.  All these thoughts start racing through my head. "I've never made anything with this before! What am I gonna do? How should I use this? Uh...should I put it in the dessert or use it as a sauce? How should I plate this? What if I don't finish? What if the chef hates it?!?! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!"

Brigadeiros (Brazilian Chocolate Candies)

Oh...my...goodness! I have these adorable candies to share with you! They're so quick and easy to make that I guarantee, once you take a bite of this fudgy confection, you'll be back for more.

Coconut Palmier Hearts

On a previous post, I mentioned that I made these coconut palmiers for a family get-together and they absolutely loved it. Well, I'm finally sharing the quick and easy recipe with you.  And I'm also going to show you how to make them into these cute little hearts.  They're just perfect for Valentine's Day!

Coconut Milk Scones (Vegan)

When I was in college, I used to grab a cup of coffee and a scone in the morning before I head out to class.  I'd sit somewhere in the back of the lecture hall so the professor wouldn't see me and then I'd break off a piece of my scone and quietly eat it.  If I haven't finished it yet, I'd try to eat the rest on my way to my next class or save it for a snack while I was studying. When you're a college student and you don't have time to sit down and eat, you'll just squeeze in the time whenever you can. And that's why scones became my on-the-go snack because I could just keep them in my backpack all day and eat them whenever I had the time.

Egg-free and Dairy-free Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

I have a confession to make: I don't like pumpkin pie.  If I had to choose between pumpkin pie or apple pie, I'd choose apple pie.  I'm sorry but there's just something about pumpkin pie that I never quite liked.  Maybe it's the mushy texture of the filling that I find unappealing.  I know the pumpkin isn't to blame. I've tried other desserts that have pumpkin in them and I actually liked them.  So the question I pose is this: Can I create a pumpkin dessert that my family and I can enjoy for Thanksgiving? The answer is yes.

Deep Fried Apple Pies

Okay. I know what you're thinking. Deep fried apple pies? For Thanksgiving? Why....YES! Come to think of it, these are perfect for any time of the year.  I'm planning to make these next week and I'm sure they'll be a hit with everyone :-)

Sunbutter and Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Treats

I haven't had a chance to post anything lately.  I've been on this never-ending merry-go-round called the cold and flu, thanks to my adorable little kids.  Don't know when we're getting off this crazy ride but I thought I'd share a simple and easy treat I made recently.  It definitely put a smile on their cute sniffly faces :-)

El Diablo Chocolate Truffles

If you love my Mexican Hot Chocolate Truffles but wanted more heat, I've created these fiery hot truffles just for you.  El Diablo (Spanish for "the devil") has three times the amount of cayenne pepper in them and I've sprinkled a generous amount of cayenne pepper on top, just in case it's not hot enough for you :-)

Avocado Ice Cream

 
Photo Credit: Kristen Somera

Just when I was starting to enjoy the cool weather, it heats up again! Well, I guess it's not too late for me to share another one of my favorite frozen treats. This is my take on my grandma's avocado ice cream.  It's so rich and creamy and the best part is you don't need an ice cream maker to make it :-)

Chocolate Wasted Cake

Ever since my brother started using the phrase "I wanna get chocolate wasted" from the movie Grown Ups I've been wanting to make this cake for his birthday.  Being a chocoholic myself, I had no trouble coming up with ways to fill this cake with layer upon layer of chocolatey goodness.  Just looking at this cake, I think you'll agree that it definitely deserves its name.

No-Bake Honey Yogurt Cheesecake

Believe it or not, the last place I wanna be this Labor Day weekend is in a hot kitchen.  So I'm giving my oven the day off and I'm making something quick so I can just chillax for the rest of the weekend. What's the magic ingredient of this simple and easy dessert? Greek yogurt.

Colorful Rice Krispie Egg Treats

Photo Credit: Ryan Rivera

You know what I love about Springtime?  Everywhere I look, there's a delightful array of vibrant colors.  The bright blue sky makes such a great backdrop for the warm yellow sun and soft white clouds.  There's fresh green foliage covering the landscape and beautiful blooming flowers everywhere.  All these cheerful, pretty colors instantly put me in a happy mood.  If that colorful image doesn't put a smile on your face, then I don't know what will.  Well...maybe a rice krispie treat covered in rainbow sprinkles will do the trick :-)

Egg-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes

The wait is over! It's finally here! I figured out how to make egg-free red velvet cupcakes just in time for Valentine's Day.  And they taste just like my regular red velvet cupcakes. Woohoo!

Puff Pastry Apple Tartlets with Salted Caramel Sauce

I'm having my family over for Thanksgiving this year so I'm gearing up to do some major cooking and baking in the kitchen.  I got my fridge stocked and ready to go.  I'm just a little nervous. I've only cooked a turkey once in my life and that was years ago.  It was the first time I hosted Thanksgiving.  I had everything planned and the food was gonna be awesome.  Well, it was almost awesome...I forgot to take the giblets out of the turkey. yeah. 

Egg-Free Cranberry Thumbprints

My son had a Thanksgiving celebration at his school yesterday.  All the kindergarten students dressed up as Pilgrims and Native Americans and sang all sorts of songs, including "This Land is Your Land."  It was absolutely adorable.  Immediately after their performance, they feasted on popcorn, baby carrots, apple pie, pumpkin pie and juice. 

Egg-Free Microwave Brownie...in less than 5 minutes!

Okay. I have my moments when I'm really REALLY craving for a chocolate brownie topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and I don't want to wait.  I don't want to preheat, measure, mix, pour, bake and then cool.  It's been a long crazy day, I'm dead tired and all I want is a warm gooey brownie and I want it NOW!