We all have deep and personal food memories and cravings. Exotic, postcard moments in our life in food. Apricots still warm from the tree in France. Your first taste of fish cooked immediately after being pulled from the Indian Ocean. Or cravings that seem to come deep from the soul, and out of the clear blue sky. The special multi-layered cake only your grandmother knew how … [Read more...] about Firecrackers
Snacks
Orange Slice Candy Squares
My grandmother lived in a small town in Arkansas, the town where my father grew up. She died when I was six, so my memories of her are somewhat limited. But those I do have are vivid to me, though undoubtedly burnished through the patina of time. I particularly remember visiting her with my brother in early summers, when we had relatively free reign of the area around the … [Read more...] about Orange Slice Candy Squares
Pralines for Idiots
Candy making is not something I typically try my hand at. All that talk about thermometers and stages and testing methods. Those recipes always look like the kind of thing I don’t have the patience for. Plus, once you’ve been badly burned by hot sugar, it makes you candy-shy. But this is an exception. I call it Pralines for Idiots, because it really does away with all that … [Read more...] about Pralines for Idiots
Green Chile Cheese Puffs
I love these little puffs. They are tender and cheesy with a nice bite from the green chiles and couldn’t be easier to make. They are a great nibble to start a family taco night but are also elegant enough for the swankiest party. Green Chile Cheese Puffs I love the extra little hit of smoked paprika on top, but use sweet paprika if that’s what you have. ½ pound … [Read more...] about Green Chile Cheese Puffs
Butterscotch Babies
Every once in a while, it’s nice to take a step out of the brownie box. Technically, I suppose these qualify as a blondie, but for some reason, that term has always bugged me. I don’t really remember where this recipe came from, but I seem to remember cleaning out the panty and finding a surfeit of butterscotch chips (probably from Apple Pie Bars) and improvising these babies … [Read more...] about Butterscotch Babies
