Homemade Salted Caramels

I am very excited about these homemade salted caramels. They are just as delicious as the caramels you'll find in a gourmet candy shop. They are so unbelievably tasty!

I've been totally intimidated about making candy. For example, what the heck is "hard ball stage?" How is it different than "soft crack stage?" How do these caramels end up chewy while this pecan brittle ends up crunchy?

Espresso Chiffon Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

This Espresso Chiffon Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is both light from the chiffon layers, and rich from the fudge buttercream.

I don't make cakes very often, mostly because I'm pretty bad at frosting them (and stacking the layers so they don't look like the leaning tower of Pisa).

Brownie Cookies

These Brownie Cookies are just about the most chocolaty cookie I've ever made... or eaten.  

These Brownie Cookies have such a deep chocolate flavor. They include both chopped unsweetened chocolate as well as unsweetened dark cocoa powder, and a good amount of bittersweet chocolate chips.

Spinach and Bacon Sheet Pan Quiche

This Spinach and Bacon Sheet Pan Quiche is so "spinachy" and delicious! 

I love this Spinach and Bacon Sheet Pan Quiche. It is loaded with spinach, enough so that I'm pretty sure you're getting a complete serving of leafy greens.
 

Pumpkin Rolls with Salted Maple Butter

These pumpkin rolls with salted maple butter are over the top wonderful for a holiday dinner. They're also perfect for sandwiching leftovers the next day. 

You can pull the dough for these rolls together and set it aside in the morning to rise while you are assembling the rest of the holiday meal. You can even make the dough a day in advance, and let it rise in the refrigerator. The rolls themselves only take about 15 to 17 minutes to bake, which is perfect timing while your turkey or roast is resting.

Mini Fougasse with Sourdough Starter

These Mini Fougasse are so flavorful, and are perfect with dips, tapas, and sauces. 

Break them apart warm from the oven and drag them through your favorite stew or olive oil and balsamic.

Mini Cheese Puff Crackers

These mini cheese puff crackers are made from a dough of equal parts flour, cheese, and butter. They are crumbly and cheesy, and are the perfect nibble with a glass of dry white wine. 

It's very hard to stop at just one. They are fabulous straight out of the oven, and pretty much melt in your mouth.

No Knead Brioche Hamburger Buns

I've always been curious about brioche hamburger buns. The idea of serving a juicy hamburger in a rich and buttery bun sounds totally decadent.

Gruyere, Caramelized Onions, and Watercress Buns

I'm pretty thrilled with these savory vegetable buns with Gruyere, caramelized onions, and watercress.

First, Gruyere cheese is a wonderful thing. It's a hard cheese with a fairly mild flavor, and is totally amazing when melted. Then, how can you resist caramelized onions? Combined with the Gruyere, it's kind of like French onion soup in a roll. I added a handful of watercress for its peppery flavor. These were very tasty.