As the holiday season rolls around, I love to have really simple but totally delicious recipes in my back pocket. Things for which I can keep the ingredients on hand throughout the season and whip up in short notice, or for those occasions when my grand and elaborate plans become completely unfeasible – either through time constraints or, frankly, just because I can’t manage. … [Read more...] about Smoked Cheddar Cheese Log with Pepper Jelly
Snacks
Savory Cheddar Flapjacks
I have this recipe written in one of my many recipe notebooks I have created over the years. It came from a British cookbook, but I can’t remember which one, though I vaguely think it might be from a little novelty book of wartime recipes. Wherever it come from, it is a good, sturdy recipe to have handy. A classic British flapjack is a sweet, syrupy oat snack, but these are … [Read more...] about Savory Cheddar Flapjacks
Montana Jam and Oat Bars
I am a book club lady. I am in two, and each has been meeting for well over 20 years. Members who had young kids when we first got together have included us in the childrens’ weddings. And we’ve travelled together. One sweet fried invited us all to her family home in Montana a few summers ago and it was an amazing trip. We waded in the river, soaked in a hot spring, visited … [Read more...] about Montana Jam and Oat Bars
Burrata with Pickled Cherries and Hazelnuts
I adore burrata. I know it has become sort of ubiquitous and some might say overplayed, but when I see it on a menu, I almost always order it. The delicious springy mozzarella with the oozing stracciatella cream filling lends itself to so many amazing accompaniments. I started my burrata journey with roasted tomatoes, like this smoky tomato version, but quickly learned the joys … [Read more...] about Burrata with Pickled Cherries and Hazelnuts
Hazelnut Toffee Brownies
I really love these brownies. They came about one weekend when I was tasked with bringing a dessert to a dinner. I concocted a rather elaborate idea using a ton of expensive ingredients. It was a total flop, I mean it did not work at all. But I still needed to supply the sweet and I didn’t want to show up with something store-bought. Nor did I want to try something elaborate or … [Read more...] about Hazelnut Toffee Brownies
