Need I really say anything more to convince you? Good ol’ banana bread… that ingenious way to use up overripe bananas. How lovely art thou when baked with buttermilk, brown sugar and chopped walnuts?! I am waxing eloquent about this humble snack/dessert/breakfast bread, because it’s been a while since I baked banana bread. You see,…
Orange Pound Cake
A delicious pound cake bursting with fresh orange flavors is the perfect way to bring a spot of sunshine to your Holiday table! Note (Dec 1st, 2017): This blog post was originally published for Christmas 2013, which I have now updated with new pictures and a new recipe card. This is one of the most…
Easy Dessert – Cream Cheese Swirled Or Marbled Brownies
I thought I might continue with my Christmas Baking posts series with an utterly delectable and super easy chocolate treat. I first got the idea for cream cheese swirled brownies from the Good Housekeeping Desserts book. Cream cheese and brownies, you say? Yum, right?! Well, it is extremely easy to put together, especially if you…
Holiday Appetizers – Bite Sized Spinach, Turkey & Cheese Mini Phyllo Tarts
While I love everything homemade, I am not above using conveniently frozen or packaged items from time to time. I had a pack of frozen mini tarts like for ever. I finally decided to use them for a quick evening snack. This is a quick recipe that is so easy to put together, I almost…
Cranberry Orange Sauce & How To Dress Up A Gift Jar
I made one – a food gift in a jar, that is! It was for our Thanksgiving hostess this year, put together late at night, and hence all that harsh glare in the pictures. Oops! But – the star here is the cranberry sauce. So let’s get to it. I know Thanksgiving is almost over,…
Rustic Grape, Blackberry, Ricotta Tart & A Smoothie
Hmmm… what a weird combination for a tart, one might be inclined to think. This tart was inspired by two events. One, was when Nadja of Cause Baking Makes Happy posted a lovely grape, ricotta and thyme tart recipe. We go through grapes here like they are soon going to be extinct or something. Then…
Quick & Healthy Brussels Sprouts & Mushroom Stir Fry With Black Pepper
Brussels sprouts are like the cute baby cousins of the hearty cabbage. They are extremely easy and fuss-free to cook.I make them into a stir fry along with button or bella mushrooms, seasoned with a touch of salt and cracked black pepper. This ensures that their nutritional value is intact, which is otherwise lost if…
Simply The Best Chocolate Cake
There is a certain kind of craving that can only be satisfied by a rich chocolate dessert. There is something in that dark product from cacao beans that is scientifically known to induce a state of happiness in man. I read in one of Good Housekeeping’s dessert books that unsweetened cocoa powder is the best…
Banana Carrot Cake With Streusel Topping & Powdered Sugar Glaze
One can never have enough recipes that help use up over-ripe bananas. Unless you are into eating over-ripe bananas (yuck for me). You could use it in an ice cream shake or milkshake or the ubiquitous banana bread. I have posted a lovely version that uses peanut butter. I am a safe baker. Which means…
Delicious Healthier Oatmeal Cookies
Christmas is just two months away. Hold on, I didn’t mean to alarm you…. yet! The stores here have been stocking Christmas stuff ever since the beginning of September. I actually did not intend this to be a Christmas post. I set about making a batch of (healthier) oatmeal cookies and ended up thinking of…
Comforting Butternut Squash Soup
Now that the weather is getting cooler, it is time to think of warm, robust and comforting foods. And what better way to start other than with soup? There are countless varieties available in cans, packets, and what not. But, soup just might be the easiest thing to put together. Most people like soup. I…
Race Car Themed Birthday Cake & Cake Stand
Boy turned 4 recently. Okay, let me stop right there and take a deep breath… Where on earth does the time go?!! Four is such a fabulous age. I call him my ‘little big’ boy now! Like any four-year old boy, he loves cars. And when I say loves, I really mean it. It is…