Dessert

A white peach grilled, filled with mascarpone cheese and drizzled with honey served on a wooden saucer.

Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone

Filled with creamy mascarpone cheese, these quick and easy grilled peaches make a dessert that is light, juicy and tangy sweet. A drizzle of golden honey adds the perfect sticky sweet finishing touch…there are some things that, no matter where you find yourself, just take you back home again.

Fork Sculpture in Lake Geneva at the Alimentarium in Vevey, Switzerland

Choux Pastry in Vevey

Vevey, Switzerland is another beautiful town gracing the shoreline of Lake Geneva. It is much smaller than Lausanne but sounded just as picturesque when described in the travel guides I was reading. One early afternoon, as I took the train back to Lausanne, I thought it would be fun to […]

Summer Berry Basil Sauce over a peach half topped with whipped cream and basil leaf in a Glass dish on stone

Summer Berry Basil Sauce

Summer Berry Basil Sauce is sweetened with a touch of honey and spiced with warm notes of cinnamon and the soothing summer aroma of fresh basil. This sweet treat takes only a few minutes to prepare and the result is simply fabulous.

Honey Chocolate Cake topped with marzipan bees.

Honey Bees

Another thing I discovered in California was a mild obsession with bees. As I lingered around the pool enjoying the sunshine and pleasant temperatures I couldn’t help but notice..

Served in a wobbly blue sake glass, fresh local strawberries are drenched in Golden Sake Sauce and garnished with lemon zest and brown sugar.

Strawberries in Golden Sake Sauce

Strawberries with Golden Sake Sauce combines sour cream and sake to make an easy, slightly sweet and creamy sauce. Spooned over berries, it is pretty and elegant. It also adds a touch of thoughtful interest to fresh berries creating a beautifully simple dessert.

Sangria Fruit Salad served in a cut glass compote.

Sangria Fruit Salad

From the sunny shores of Macedonia comes this recipe for “summertime in a bowl.” Sangria Fruit Salad combines a variety of seasonal fruits and embellishes them with a taste of Spain. Enjoy the sweetness of summer and the expressive flavor of Sangria in this beautiful fresh fruit salad.

Chocolate Fire Ice Cream Cupcakes topped with Cocao Nibs and Sprinkled with Cinnamon on a glass plate

Chocolate Fire Ice Cream Cupcakes

To learn how to have fun with ice cream there’s no better place to start than with children. For my cupcake recipe I turned to my vintage “Betty Crocker’s Cookbook for Boys and Girls.” It no longer has a cover or pages 1 through 8…

A side view of a square-cut slice of Bread Pudding drizzled with Bourbon Sauce.

Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Cream and sugar laced with vanilla and cinnamon wrap around nuts and tangy fruit in the heart of this delicious Bread Pudding. Drizzle Bourbon Sauce over the top for a note of sweet punctuation.

A Slice of Upside Down Lemon Meringue Pie topped with a big dollop of whipped cream and dusted with lemon zest. This photo highlights the crispy crust.

Upside Down Lemon Meringue Pie

This unusual crust puts a layer of crisp meringue on the bottom and turns this Lemon Meringue Pie upside-down. Using meringue for the crust is perfect for those who don’t care for pie pastry or simply prefer something lighter. Here the meringue provides a pleasing crunch while the nuts and crumbs add interest in contrast to the smooth lemon filling.

Chocolate Decadence

February simply cries out for chocolate! When the Christmas holidays have become but a pleasant memory and our bodies have forgotten the overindulgence of holiday feasting, when our moods are challenged by a long succession of wet gray January days and the sweet occasion of Valentine’s Day peeps at us […]