I adore fruitcake. Some think that a controversial opinion. But I couldn’t have Christmas without it. Every year, on the weekend after Thanksgiving, I make my classic Fruitcake. To be honest, I start in the summer by making bourbon Cherry Bounce to soak the cake, and I pour a good dose over every couple of days until Christmas. My mother and I are sometimes the only ones who … [Read more...] about Sweet Potato Fruitcake
Fruit and Vegetables
Wild Rice Pilaf
Thanksgiving is all about tradition. I would be ejected from my family if I didn’t serve certain things on the holiday table (sweet potatoes, corn pudding, cranberries). I think most families have that feeling – a special dish you may eat only on Thanksgiving, but the holiday simply wouldn’t be the same without it. And I know it can sometimes be the source of some tension (the … [Read more...] about Wild Rice Pilaf
Sweet Potato Buttermilk Chess Pie
I adore sweet potato pie, but I admit I was a latecomer to its joys. I think as a young person, I thought it was a trick to make me eat vegetables. I mean, who puts potatoes in pie? I always avoided the marshmallow topped casserole at Thanksgiving, because I just couldn’t imagine the sweet, sugary combo. I don’t remember when I discovered the pleasure of sweet potato pie, but I … [Read more...] about Sweet Potato Buttermilk Chess Pie
Swedish Waitress Apple Cake with Vanilla Custard
A recipe developer asks a lot of questions. It’s the best way to learn the secrets of cooking – the little tips and hints and tricks people use, things they learned from mothers, grandmothers and aunts, secrets from fathers, advice from magazines, cookbooks and the back of boxes, or lessons learned from failure. So I ask questions. In restaurants, stores, markets, from … [Read more...] about Swedish Waitress Apple Cake with Vanilla Custard
Cheesy Vegetable Soda Bread
We are moving (slowly, but surely. It was 99° here this week) toward soup and stew season. And when we get there, it’s always nice to serve a fresh loaf of bread alongside a bowl. I only breakout my yeast bread making skills on rare occasions, and certainly not on a busy weeknight. So a good, hearty quick bread recipe is a nice compromise. Simple Irish style Soda Bread is a … [Read more...] about Cheesy Vegetable Soda Bread
