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

Summer peaches and iced tea turn into sweet popsicles just in time for Labor Day and the end of summer. I’ve been quite melancholy as of late. Far too busy for my own good and saddened at the thought of missing another summer. They always seem to fly by, taking with them the warm air and flowering plants, and leaving me in the cool, brisk wind waiting for the world around me to catch fire with autumn and then fade to gray and be blanketed with white. I feel as though I cannot possibly move... more

This peanut butter pie is creamy, chocolatey and everything you’d expect from a peanut butter pie. Made specifically for Mikey Perillo, as requested by his wife, Jennie, it will forever serve as a reminder to hold those closest to you daily and tell them how much you love them. I’ve been staring at the screen since Monday, unable to find the words. Writer’s block isn’t necessarily a new thing, but that’s not what I’m suffering from. Instead, there is only a heart,... more

A sweet and tangy watermelon lime sorbet is a great way to cool off in the summer. As a bonus, this recipe is frozen back in the watermelon rind and cut off into slices. It’s hot. The type of heat where when you step outside the door and your skin is wet before the door swings shut behind you. It’s a hot that hangs in the air, letting you breathe it in, that is cured only by two things: being completely immersed in water or hiding indoors, the air conditioning cranked as far as it... more

A fresh take on the classic strawberry-rhubarb pie that your mother used to make. Rhubarb pie filling spiked with ginger and an almond shortbread crust are finished off with fresh strawberries in a bright glaze. There’s no question that Dr. Seuss has captivated many of children, mine and myself included, with his whimsical storytelling. When Hollywood started to produce his stories on the big screen I squealed with joy at the sight of Jim Carrey grinching it up and Mike Myers donning a... more

These red, white and blue cheesecake-stuffed strawberries come together in minutes and are perfect for festive Fourth of July treats. They’ll be the hit of your backyard barbecue or potluck picnic this weekend. Yesterday I packed up the car with the kids and headed towards the Minneapolis Farmers Market. This isn’t anything new. We can often be found browsing the vendor stalls while holding hands and maneuvering the crowds of people, trying to stay relatively together and decide which... more

A new way to utilize your grill: for dessert with salted maple grilled bananas, served up on thin ginger cookies with just the slightest bit of chocolate for a new take on the traditional s’more. Plus, an evening with fellow foodies at Caribbean restaurant Caribe in St. Paul for Big Banana Night. I have to admit, my head is somewhere else this Monday morning. It’s hot and humid. I’m dwelling on it because I have a load of things to do inside my non-air-conditioned house when... more