My dad’s parents lived five blocks away from the time I was five on. My grandpa still lives there, as do my parents. There were benefits to having my grandma so close. One benefit is that she would bring me coffee from a very young age. Neither of my parents drink coffee, but I’d developed a taste for it at the age of 2, when “Mama” let me try hers. She was always good for a cup. Another benefit of having her close came in the form of warm food gifts: baked, bundled... more

I spent a week or two at my grandpa’s during high school at one point. I was avoiding reality, and he needed someone to keep him company. At some point I went home to my parents and my four younger siblings, but he let me take a few things with me, the most important being my grandma’s cookbooks. To this day, they are one of my favorite possessions. I paged through them, looking at my grandma’s handwriting, finding her bookmarks, carefully placed in the pages. I read the recipes,... more

I let my bananas go bad again. Then I let them sit there a little bit longer because…well, I was busy. I had things to do. Then when I went in search of a banana rum cake I couldn’t really decide what I wanted. I kind of liked the idea of a sheet cake, but most of the recipes I found were either more of a pound cake or more of a spice cake with a banana base. So I made up my own recipe with Caribbean rum and bananas. Okay, it’s not really from the Caribbean, but rum has roots... more

What this shortcake lacks is fresh, cut strawberries. Because they’re in the sauce, people. It makes it easy to bring places and to make ahead. Plus, I made strawberry malts with the sauce later. Rave reviews from my dad, the king of the strawberry malt. When we were growing up, the only time we ever stopped for ice cream was on the way to the cabin. We would find a Dairy Queen or other ice cream shop and stop. All the kids were allowed a single ice cream cone or Dilly Bar, and my dad... more

We don’t make birthday cakes very often here. It’s not that I myself don’t enjoy and appreciate cake. My kids don’t. I know, what kid wouldn’t want to shove their face in a piece of frosting-covered sweetness? Mine. Now, don’t get me wrong. They like the idea of cake. They may even take their piece happily. Then a bite or two into it, abandonment. They’ve traded up to a side of celery or a pile of strawberries. I made a cake once for Kiwi. She... more

It’s not really chunky. It just has chunks in it. Lovely chunks of pineapple, walnuts and raisins. All necessary to make a good carrot cake. (Unless you are opposed to such things.) Ole loves carrot cake; however, he doesn’t want just any carrot cake. He wants to really chew the pineapple, crunch the walnuts. So, I make him that carrot cake. The result is a moist carrot cake with heavenly cream cheese frosting. Yes, heavenly. These are the things you need. Plus that computer over there... more