A Taste of History Following our snow day last Thursday, it got cold. Cold for Portland, that is. The roads cleared and life got back to normal but snow lingered in the back yard and the air stayed fresh and chilly. My craving for Hot Chocolate lingered too. I have […]
Looking for a reason to celebrate? The calendar is full of happy occasions that are perfect for sharing a slice of this intimate little Cherry Cheesecake. Made with honey flavored chèvre and topped with beautiful Honeyed Balsamic Cherries in a gingersnap crust, this small cheesecake goes a long way toward […]
How is cooking like writing poetry? It is, in the end, all a process of alchemy. To make a chocolate truffle or pen a verse, we begin with a bit of this and a bit of that. Soon, the happy affinity of one bit for another transforms the whole into a new creation. What we end up with is often quite delicious and so much more than the sum of its parts.
Rich and luscious, the recipe for Chocolate Orange Olive Oil Cookies incorporates a variety of superfood ingredients, often recommended as smart additions to a healthy diet, into these wonderfully indulgent two-bite sized gems.
Fresh Local Seafood One of the best things about living in the Pacific Northwest is the ready availability of fresh regional seafood. It is easy to find a variety of salmon, Pacific halibut, shrimp, clams, oysters and Dungeness crab. Most can be found at the local grocery store. Still, I […]
Along Cedar street in downtown Camas you will find a new shop that has this small town talking…
A few chocolate chips and a handful of chopped almonds give luscious flavor to these heart-shaped Meringue Cookies. Drizzled with chocolate, or adorned with a few Chocolate Filigree Hearts, these cookies make a pretty Valentine treat or a thoughtful gift to celebrate a special occasion.
A personalized fortune folded inside a freshly baked circle of sweet dough makes these homemade Fortune Cookies the perfect punctuation to conclude a romantic dinner. They might also serve as a thoughtful token, a heartfelt expression or simply a sweet surprise.
This dough holds its shape beautifully through baking. It makes firm Sugar Cookies that are easy to work with and perfect for decorating. Topped with Royal Icing and colorful decorator sprinkles they make an attractively sweet holiday expression.
I go to Vosges Chocolat and find the inspiration to make truffles laced with the richness of vanilla cream, the exotic depth of cinnamon and the heat of two fiery ground chile peppers. I don’t have time to dip them and I don’t have the perfect garnish to make them individually gorgeous but I have chocolate and I’m making truffles and I know they’ll taste great!
Lightly steamed spears of tender asparagus are enhanced with Asian inspired flavors and nutty texture in this flavorful side dish. Asparagus with Walnut Dressing is easy to prepare yet takes a simple weeknight meal a step beyond the ordinary.