Lemon kisses the crust, but leaves this bar-style cheesecake rich and creamy, then appears again in a sweet sauce that covers the strawberries on this springtime dessert. My grandma would have us over for Sunday dinners often. When my family up and moved away from the city, his brother followed, buying the house two doors down. His parents, my grandparents, would keep a respectable distance of 1/4 mile when they moved, too, so as not to crowd the boys. Only my aunt, with her world-traveling ways,... more

Mini berry hand pies are popped right on a stick for a fun baby shower treat and the secrets of kettle corn that rivals what you find at the fair. Pin It “What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice And everything nice, That’s what little girls are made of.” Sugar and plenty of spice, in my case. My husband says it’s my own spice that causes our girls to be so spicy, but regardless, every time I hear that song I wonder if the person writing it did not have much behind-closed-doors... more

Cinnamon meringue is piped into a tart-shaped pavlova shell, baked and filled with a dark chocolate mousse and then topped with cinnamon whipped cream. An elegant Valentine’s Day dessert or special treat. Pin It Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. I’m not planning anything. My husband and I have been together for nine years. We’ve laughed, cried, yelled, and made up more times than I care to remember. We have held hands, worried and stood silently in hospitals together. Dreams have... more

Give the gift of cookies that they can enjoy whenever the mood strikes them. An easy gingerbread cookie mix in a jar makes a great teacher gift this Christmas and holiday season. Christmas is right around the corner, and that can only mean one thing: Run through the mall scanning the shelves for random gifts to throw into your cart for all those people you still have left to buy for, right? Okay, so I try to avoid the mall at all cost this time of year. I haven’t even stepped foot inside one... more

Gingerbread cookies are the quintessential Christmas treat. People from all over enjoy variations of them come Christmastime. Here are a few variations you could try with just one simple gingerbread cookie recipe. I’ve been sitting quietly for a long time thinking about what to write in this space. I had set out to show you the versatility of gingerbread cookies, and I thought I might entertain you with a story. I’d weave a tale of childlike fantasy of a gingerbread boy and the amazing... more

A creamy vanilla and buttermilk custard envelopes a pile of perfectly plump pears, all baked off in an all-butter pie crust. Yesterday my husband and I packed up our car. Not the family car that fits all the kids securely in their car seats, us in the front, but the small commuter vehicle he drives to work every day. We roused Kjell from his bed before the other children were moving in their rooms and drove across the state to visit the Mayo Clinic. As we made our way between the oil refinery, the... more

An easy, all-butter pie crust recipe to impress your friends and family with a flaky, homemade crust this holiday season or any season. Grab a shortening crust recipe from me over at TidyMom. I recently had the opportunity to make pie at J.M. Smucker’s in Ohio, (did you know they have both Pillsbury and the White Lily flour?) but before that even, I have been putting the finishing touches on the pie chapter in my book. There has been a lot of pie around these parts as of late, and I’d... more