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Gingerbread Cookies
Ring in the holiday season with a batch of my classic gingerbread cookies, with patterns that fit your holiday mood. Snowflakes, trees, and a scattering of stars filled my baking racks over the weekend while I made the season’s first batch of homemade Christmas cookies. Since my family always made gingerbread without icing, I decorate the centers of each cookie with cut-out patterns so each one is unique. Save plenty of the little shapes and bake them to serve alongside the larger cookies. With warm spices and rich flavor, these cookies lend festivity to the table with their cheerful designs. Once you get into a merry rhythm of rolling and…
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Baked Apples
With apples in peak season from autumn until the beginning of winter, now is the time for warm apple desserts made with brown sugar and cinnamon, ones that make you want to cozy up at home today and pick more from the orchard tomorrow. For these baked apples, I top halves generously like a crisp and bake until the middles become tender. Before they make it to the oven, the cut sides briefly soak up a bit of rum, then the apples are flipped onto their wobbly edges and generously packed with oats, brown sugar, flake coconut, and cinnamon. The topping stays crunchy, but those rounded edges melt into a…
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Parmesan Focaccia with Rosemary and Olives
With a dimpled surface and plenty of air holes, focaccia is the quilted pillow of breads. When I’m in the mood for a freshly baked loaf with flavorful toppings, I want to enjoy it within a few hours, which means making the dough and baking the bread on the same day. Recipes that require letting dough rest in the refrigerator until tomorrow won’t have my kitchen smelling like a bakery or pizza shop today. This Parmesan focaccia with rosemary and olives comes together quickly and yields a bread that’s delicious on its own but also perfect sliced for a sandwich with roasted vegetables, cured meats, and all your favorite fillings.…
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Triple Berry Crisp
“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit…” – Henry David Thoreau The berries have been just so good this year. After plucking some from the refrigerator, I realized it was time for their brightness to be matched with a buttery crumb. On went the oven. Even as the months get warmer, I don’t hesitate to bake up a fruit-based dessert such as this triple berry crisp. In this recipe, I combine strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries because they’re delicious alone but even more so when combined. As they bubble and thicken in the oven, the berries mingle, some burst, but quite…
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Caramelized Red Onion Tart with Seasonal Vegetables
Tarts are some of my favorite things to bake…and eat. With the perfect balance of crust and filling, this red onion version makes use of a variety of vegetables and cheeses already on hand – a handful of green beans, a few cherry tomatoes just about to become too ripe. They combine beautifully to top a caramelized onion layer. Tucked beneath the vegetables are goat cheese and feta as well as Parmesan, which lends a nutty quality. I love dishes such as this one that change throughout the seasons. Certainly the assorted leftover vegetables in my kitchen could make a salad, but here the beautiful slices are celebrated even more…
