Membrillo - Quince Paste with Manchego Cheese

Membrillo is a sweet paste that can be cut into little squares and served as an appetizer on a slice of Manchego cheese. You could also serve it with the Manchego on crackers or Spanish-style chorizo. 

Membrillo is made from the quince fruit. The quince is cooked down and combined with lemon juice and sugar to create a sweet fragrant paste. The mixture of the quince, sugar, lemon, and sugar thickens naturally because the quince is naturally very high in pectin. It's a popular appetizer in Spain, especially around the holidays. 

Sweet Potato and Leek Gratin

If you are looking for a sweet potato side dish for the holidays (or anytime), try this sweet potato and leek gratin. It's a wonderful savory dish with unexpected savory flavors. 

 

This casserole, with a combination of sweet potatoes, Russet/Idaho potatoes, leeks, and pancetta is a fabulous side dish for any poultry, seafood, or meat main dish. Leftovers are great for lunch as a main dish with a salad. 

Chocolate Mint Whoopie Pies

These chocolate mint whoopie pies, with fluffy peppermint buttercream sandwiched between two rounded layers of soft dark chocolate cake, are the perfect combination of flavors. 

With the deep chocolate flavor of the cake and the cool peppermint flavor of the buttercream, there's a good chance that these whoopie pies will become one of your family's favorite desserts. 

Winter Squash Gratin

This winter squash gratin is a wonderful side dish for your holiday dinner. It is also great as a main dish, served with a salad, for a light lunch or dinner. 

With a base of honeynut squash mixed with rice, Parmesan cheese, and eggs, and a topping of herby and garlicky breadcrumbs, this winter squash gratin is super savory and totally flavorful. It's a tasty break from the usual sweeter winter squash side dishes. 

Beef and Sweet Potato Stir-Fry

This beef and sweet potato stir-fry is really simple to make and easy to whip up on a week night. 

If you marinate the beef in the morning, you can create this dinner in less than 20 minutes. No rice required, and it's nutritious! 

Lemon Pomegranate Muffins

These lemon pomegranate muffins take advantage of the the abundance of the bright, red, and flavorful pomegranates that are available right now. 

These muffins begin with a tender, sweet, buttery, and lemony crumb filled with pomegranate arils and poppy seeds and are topped with a crumbly poppy seed streusel. 

Chili Cheeseburgers with Bison Chili

If you are a fan of The Original Tommy's World Famous Hamburgers, these Chili Cheeseburgers will definitely hit the spot. 

I first got introduced to Tommy's, and the "Tommy Burger," when I was in college in Los Angeles. After late nights of studying for midterms or finals, someone would suggest making a "Tommy run," and we'd all hop in the car and head over to Beverly and Rampart, not the best part of town, even then. 

Vanilla Bean Sablé Cookies

These vanilla bean sablés are the French version of shortbread cookies. They are simple, with just a few ingredients, but they are a revelation. 

See those tiny dots? They are vanilla seeds scraped from soft and plump vanilla beans. It's a simple ingredient, but it brings so much flavor to the cookie. You won't be able to have just one cookie. 

Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes

These Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes will totally satisfy a chocolate cake lover's cravings. 

You'll love these tiny cupcake-sized individual cakes. They are super moist and rich and they are a fun way to get your daily dose of rich chocolate cake. They are made with a decadent chocolate cake and are also topped with a rich chocolate ganache. 

Dark Chocolate Skull Cakelets

These dark chocolate skull cakes are a scary fun dessert to serve at a Halloween party or just to have in the kitchen to celebrate the coming holiday. 

With pomegranate arils for eyes and vanilla sprinkles for teeth, these little two-bite dark chocolate cakelets are a great way to have a decadent dessert without over indulging. Unless you are like me and secretly grab one every time you pass through the kitchen. 

Homemade Sourdough Hawaiian-Style Rolls

These sourdough Hawaiian-style rolls are soft and fluffy. They will remind you of the soft and tasty rolls sold in grocery stores, but with a little sourdough tang. 

You can use Hawaiian-style rolls in so many ways. They are great for all kinds of sliders, sandwiches, and breakfast buns. You can also dress them up to make sticky buns, stuff them with cheese, or use leftovers for bread pudding. Of course, just warm them and toss them in your breadbasket on the table. They also make the most excellent dinner rolls. 

Graveyard Brownies

These graveyard brownies are super fun to make and even more fun to serve. Share them for a kids' party, your book club, or even after dinner with friends. 

I had so much fun shopping for and playing around with different ingredients and ideas for putting these brownies together. For once, I was happy to see that stores had their Halloween sections set up even though it was still September! 

Sourdough Pumpkin Rolls

These sourdough pumpkin rolls are so soft and fluffy, yet they have just the right amount of tang that you expect from a sourdough bread. 

Serve these rolls with your holiday dinner, and, if you have any leftovers, use them to make tasty leftover Thanksgiving dinner sandwiches. So good! In fact, you might want to make an extra batch for just that purpose. 

Mummy Meatballs

These mummy meatballs are a scary good appetizer. They are perfect for serving at your Halloween party or for a fun kids' dinner. 

These mummy meatballs are great to bring to a Halloween-themed potluck or party too. Pair them with my mini mummy dogs, breadstick snakes, or deviled Halloween tea eggs. 

Black and Orange Cookies

These Black and Orange Cookies are a Halloween take on the famous Black and White cookies sold in New York City bakeries. 

The cookies are soft and "cake-like," and are iced on one half with chocolate icing and on the other half with vanilla icing. They are sometimes called half-and-half cookies or half moon cookies. They are traditionally black and white, but to celebrate Halloween, you can make them black and orange. 

Pork and Chinese Chive Steamed Buns

These Pork and Chinese Chive Steamed Buns represent a cross between two of my favorite hobbies, bread baking and wok cooking. 

These pork-filled buns are made with a yeasted dough, the same dough that you would make bao buns, but shaped like a dumpling or pan-fried bun. This is the type of dough that might be used in array of dishes for dim sum. 

Ube Pandesal - Three Ways

Ube pandesal is a bright purple and uniquely flavored variation of the classic Filipino breakfast and snack roll, the pandesal. 

This ube pandesal, a tasty roll flavored with purple yam, has a sweet, faintly nutty, vanilla-ish flavor. It is a newer twist on the popular Filipino breakfast treat. I made it three ways, plain, filled with ube jam (halaya), and filled with cheese. It is so good!

Tofu Chocolate Mousse

This tofu chocolate mousse is rich, creamy, and so easy to make. With only about 15 minutes of prep time you can make this decadent tasting dessert. 

 

This tofu chocolate mousse is a no cook, no bake dessert with a rich chocolatey taste. With just a few ingredients and a food processor, you can assemble and this dessert in just a few minutes. Everyone will love it and have no idea that it is made with tofu. 

Coconut Bran Muffins

Start your day with a super moist and tasty coconut bran muffin with a hint of cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar. 

These muffins are filled with wheat bran, which is the outer layer of the wheat kernel. These muffins are loaded with fiber yet are pretty light, likely because they contain actual wheat bran instead of bran cereal, which can also include other ingredients. 

Potato, Cheddar, and Chive Torpedo Bread Loaves

This potato, cheddar, and chive torpedo bread is a "mixed method" loaf, in that it includes both a sourdough starter and instant yeast. You can enjoy the sourdough flavor without the uncertainty! 

Between the cooked potatoes and the cheddar cheese, this bread is super soft and totally cheesy. Add some fresh chives and you have a bread that is completely flavorful on its own. 

Michelada Recipe

A michelada is a refreshing Mexican beer cocktail. It's great for brunch or hanging out on a warm day. 

It's also great for celebrating National Drink a Beer Day, which is September 28. It's made with a light Mexican beer and Clamato or tomato juice, as well as salty, sour, spicy, and umami flavors. 

Tangerine Ricotta Cookies

These tangerine ricotta cookies are soft, tender, and cake-like. Finish them with a sweet glaze, tangerine zest, and your favorite sprinkles or nonpareils. 

These Italian-inspired cookies are like little bites of soft cake. They are super moist from the ricotta in the dough. They also make wonderful Christmas cookies. Just change the colors of the sprinkles! 

Iced Apple Drop Cookies

These apple cookies are super soft and full of apple flavor. 

These cookies contain five versions of apple, including chopped fresh apples, dried apples, apple jelly, apple juice, and boiled apple cider. The flavor of apples truly shines in these cookies. 

Roasted Tricolor Carrots with Coconut Orange Glaze

These roasted tricolor carrots with a coconut orange glaze are a wonderful side dish for fall and the holidays. They might just emerge as one of your favorite vegetable recipes. 

Roasting carrots really brings out the flavor and sweetness in this vegetable, and using multicolored heirloom carrots adds so much to the appeal of this dish. Plus, the variety of carrots adds a more complex depth of flavor that is beyond what you expect, from earthy, to savory, to sweet. You can even roast the carrots, let them cool, and combine them in a pasta salad with kale. 

Sourdough Focaccia

This sourdough focaccia is light and airy, and loaded with flavor. You can top it simply with some olive oil, herbs, and sea salt for a delicious dipping bread to go with your meal. 

You can split squares of this bread through the middle to make sandwiches like you might find in an Italian American deli and load it up with deli meats, cheeses, pesto, and veggies. You'll have the perfect sandwich for a picnic. 

Sourdough Seeded Bread with Tangzhong

This sourdough seeded bread with tangzhong is loaded with whole grains and fiber. Plus, it's surprisingly soft enough for making your favorite sandwiches. 

This bread may be filled with fiber and nutritious whole grains, but the flavor and the texture of the crumb appeal to any bread lover because.... after all, it's a soft and tender bread! 

Peanut Butter Chip Brownies

These brownies may look like standard chocolate chip brownies, but there's a surprise inside, peanut butter chips along with the chocolate chips. 

 

These peanut butter chip brownies are super moist and fudgy. Pack these into a lunchbox (yours or someone else's) for a sweet treat in the middle of the day. These brownies are perfect for both kids and grown-ups alike. Who doesn't love chocolate and peanut butter?

Crispy Molasses Cookies

These crispy molasses cookies, spiced with ginger and cinnnamon, will satisfy any cravings you may have for the flavors of fall and the upcoming holidays. 

These cookies are so tasty. They will be calling your name to return to the cookie jar in the kitchen and have "just one more." I sure couldn't resist. 

Apple Oatmeal Bread

This apple oatmeal bread, with a hint of cinnamon and brown sugar, brings the flavors of fall to your favorite sandwiches. Pair it with your favorite artisan cheese for a leveled up grilled cheese sandwich. 

This bread also includes the crunch of chopped walnuts for a savory and sweet bread that is amazingly versatile. Use if for making your favorite turkey or chicken sandwiches, French toast, cinnamon toast, and even PB & J.

Caramel Pear Pudding Cake

This caramel pear pudding cake is loaded with fresh pears and crunchy pecans. It is easy to assemble and creates its own sauce, or "pudding," while it bakes. 

You can make this cake in one larger pan and then scoop out servings onto everyone's plates, or you can bake servings in individual eight ounce ramekins. 

Quick Pork Liver Pâté

This quick pork liver pâté recipe is an easy way to create a tasty appetizer for your next cocktail party or elegant picnic. 

Instead of sourcing fresh pork liver from a specialty butcher or market and starting from scratch, get a head start by preparing this quick pork liver pâté with either liverwurst or mild braunschweiger, doctoring it up with ingredients you might add to liver to make the spread. 

Caprese Ricotta Toast

With a topping of burst tomatoes, basil, and a balsamic glaze, this caprese ricotta toast is wonderful as a savory breakfast or lunch. 

This ricotta toast is so hearty and flavorful. Just one slice of this toast is plenty, although I have been known to easily polish off two slices. 

Mango Muffins with Coconut Streusel

These mango muffins with coconut streusel are a tasty way to bake with mango, a sweet and juicy tropical fruit. 

With the addition of a mild coconut flavor from unsweetened coconut and coconut oil, these muffins are a little sweet, a little tropical, and totally wonderful for your breakfast or snack. 

Gingerbread Waffles

These waffles are flavored with the warm spices of gingerbread. They are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and are wonderful for enjoying the flavors of the holidays any time of year. 

Although you might think of making these gingerbread waffles around the holidays, once you try these, you will want to enjoy them all year long.   

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This double chocolate zucchini bread contains both cocoa powder and half of a pound of chocolate chunks.... and two medium zucchinis. It's the perfect recipe for hiding your extra zucchini. 

Yes, it's zucchini season, that time of year when everyone has an overabundance. This is a great and tasty way to use some of that zucchini. If you look very closely, you can see evidence of the zucchini, but just don't tell the kids.

Caramel Pulled Pork Banh Mi Sandwiches

These banh mi sandwiches are filled with pork that is broiled and then simmered in a caramel sauce of almost burnt sugar and fish sauce. The flavor is a wonderful combination of sweet and savory. 

The caramel pork is shredded or "pulled" after cooking and then used for banh mi sandwiches, along with all of the goodies that go into the sandwiches, including mayonnaise, cucumber, cilantro, pickled vegetables, and chiles. 

Sourdough Croissant Bread

Sourdough croissant bread - take your favorite sourdough bread dough recipe and fill it with lots of butter pieces - and you will end up with a wonderful loaf of bread that looks like a standard boule at first glance but actually has a crispy flaky crust and an amazing pull-apart crumb. 

This sourdough croissant bread emerges from the oven with a shatteringly crispy and flaky crust and a soft and distinctly buttery crumb. On the day that it bakes, be sure to treat yourself to a couple of slices right after the bread has cooled. 

Sourdough Quinoa Bread

This sourdough quinoa bread, with its long fermentation time and added whole wheat flour and quinoa has a wonderfully distinct sourdough flavor. 

 

This quinoa bread makes great deli-style sandwiches, burger melts, and toast for breakfast. It's also delicious freshly sliced and slathered in butter. 

Gingerbread Scones

These gingerbread scones, with both ground ginger and candied ginger, are a wonderful way to spice up your morning. 

These gingerbread scones are pretty much my new favorite breakfast treat. In fact, I had a hard time sharing them! They are deeply flavored with ginger and molasses, along with brown sugar. 

Korean Style Beef Short Ribs with Bok Choy

These Korean style beef short ribs with bok choy are savory with a hint of sweet and are super tender and succulent. 

Beef short ribs, on their own, are incredibly flavorful. Add an amazing sauce that evokes the flavors of Korean beef for an amazing dinner. 

Crème Caramel a l'Orange Fraîche {Fresh Orange Crème Caramel}

This Crème Caramel a l'Orange Fraîche is a fresh and citrus-y take on the classic vanilla Parisian brasserie and restaurant dessert. 

This dessert has a "fancy" feel, but it is super easy to make and you can make it ahead of time. It's perfect for both an elegant or casual dinner party too. 

Easy Summer Vegetable Soup

This simple summer vegetable soup recipe is so flexible and versatile. Pick up your favorite summer vegetables at the farmers' market and use them to make this fresh and easy soup. 

This summer soup is so flavorful and satisfying. It's wonderful for lunch or a light dinner. Serve it with a slice of cheesy garlic toast or a crusty dinner roll for a quick and satisfying meal. 

Corn and Cantaloupe Salad

Make this corn and cantaloupe salad with pickled red onions and roasted chile when fresh corn is at its sweetest. 

Enjoy this summery salad for lunch or as a side for dinner. It's also great for bringing to a potluck, cookout, or a picnic. The ingredients hold up well, even when the salad is made a day ahead of time. The corn stays crunchy and the cantaloupe stays juicy. 

Peaches and Cream Mini Cheesecakes

Aren't these Peaches and Cream Mini Cheesecakes cute? I love making bite-sized and mini-sized desserts. They just taste better! 

These peaches and cream mini cheesecakes are super creamy and subtly flavored with peach puree. I topped them with a dab of peach jam and a swirl of whipped cream. 

Pasta and Pea Soup

This pasta and pea soup, with an onion and celery base, is both fresh and hearty. Plus, it only takes about 30 minutes to make. 

Along with the pasta, peas, celery, and onions, this soup includes diced pancetta, an Italian salt cured meat from pork belly, which adds a tasty rich flavor. This soup makes a wonderful light lunch. It's just filling enough to satisfy your hunger without weighing you down. 

Funfetti Muffins

Both kids and grown-ups love these funfetti muffins. They are flavored with vanilla and are totally fun to make. 

These muffins are sweet, moist, and super easy to make. You can pretty much have warm fresh muffins on the table within 35 to 40 minutes whenever you need a special treat. 

Sriracha-Honey Chicken Wings (Air Fryer)

These Air Fryer Sriracha-Honey Wings are super crispy, spicy sweet, and ready in 30 minutes. Let's just say, These wings are outstanding. 

I'm so happy with these Air Fryer Sriracha-Honey Chicken Wings! It was really difficult to not keep them all to myself. 

Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

This Milk Chocolate Ice Cream is dense and creamy and has a super chocolate flavor that is both intense but still captures the essence of milk chocolate. 

The texture of this ice cream is almost like a cold, creamy candy bar, if you can imagine. 

Homemade Drumstick Ice Cream Cones

These homemade drumstick ice cream cones will take you back to your childhood... chasing the ice cream truck to buy your favorite frozen treat. 

Ice Cream Drumsticks were one of my favorite things from the ice cream truck. I love everything about this old school treat... the sweet crunchy cone filled with ice cream and topped with a chocolate shell and sprinkled with chopped peanuts. And don't forget the chocolate surprise at the bottom of the cone. 

Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches

These homemade ice cream sandwiches, with vanilla ice cream tucked between two brownie-style cookies, are a fun way to beat the heat. 

 

Ice cream sandwiches have always been one of my favorite desserts. They are so portable and versatile. In fact, you can think of this recipe as a base that you can play with to customize and make it your own.