Strawberry Cheesecake

Nothing quite says spring to me like the arrival of fresh, ripe, sweet strawberries.  Their vibrant color, intense flavor and charming shape make me think that if there ever was a time to use the word 'bodacious' when describing fruit, this would be it! What better way to celebrate this beautiful season than with a gorgeous (and may I say sexy?) dessert that flaunts the beguiling strawberry.

Blackberry Shortbread

You know that moment when you're paging through the pictures in a cookbook and your heart does that little flip thingy it do...your eyes dart over to the corresponding recipe, you quickly scan the ingredients, and fall more and more in lust with every word?  A love-at-first-sight kind of thing. Well, when I ran across a recipe for blackberry shortbread in one of my cookbooks, I knew I was besotted, that I had the fever, and there was nothing for it except to quickly bake the darn things.

Granola

I'm posting a quick and easy recipe today for granola.  Although I hadn't made this recipe in a while, I was inspired recently to revisit this old gem.  A friend, whom I had given the recipe to years ago, requested the recipe again the other day.  As I was throwing this post (and batch of granola) together, I realized that C. and this granola have quite a lot in common--they are both fun, have just the right amount of sweetness, are a little out of the ordinary...and are pretty nutty too!   You can't go wrong having either as a friend.  Cheers to you and yours, C....enjoy!

Lime Ginger Coconut Cake

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  These cheerful flavors and bright colors are an enchanting way to sweep out the dreary days of winter and herald the brighter days of spring.  It you love the magical combination of lime, ginger and coconut as much as I do, these little edible leprechauns will be some of the best things you ever put in your mouth...ever!  

The Best Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is one of my favorite recipes to share because this cookie is so delicious in its own right, whole wheat or no.  Really...the...best...I'm not just throwin' that out there without any significant data and research to back it up (i.e. years of blanket approval from my very picky housemates, who couldn't give a fig about whole wheat this or reduced fat that.)  These make great treats and provide the perfect snack to nibble on whilst eagerly awaiting those first signs of spring just on the other side of the window...just you, a cold glass of milk and your new best friend.

Pumpkin Bread

Nothing says fall around here like the first batch of pumpkin bread, delicious both plain or fancy (quasi fancy version here).  Super moist, loaded with spices and definitely pumpkin-forward, this recipe is a love letter to fall and a delicious way to celebrate the flavors of the season.