Wacky Cake with Easy Chocolate Frosting (Egg- & Dairy-Free with GF option)

This clever cake mixes up in a single bowl without the need for eggs or milk, making it ideal when ingredients are low or working around dietary requirements. The size is perfect for smaller celebrations, although the foolproof recipe can easily be doubled.   Celebrations of all kinds have taken decidedly different twists and turns over…

Protein Packed Peanut Butter Balls

A wholesome list of pantry staples comes together easily for a good-for-you treat with a protein punch!         Over the years, my grandmotherโ€™s chocolate peanut butter egg recipeย recipe has acquired a vast and devoted fanbase. The eggs (which can be rolled into balls if preferred) are pretty close to confectionary perfection, if…

Cranberry Apple Crispย 

A delightful balance of sweet and tart adds something special to this easy crisp, which can be made dairy- and gluten-free if needed.   While I will always have a fond place in my heart for my grandmother’s black raspberry and apple pies, with their flaky, buttery crusts and sweet-tart fillings, I’ve broken with holiday tradition…

Apple Crumb Cake

From holiday meals and casual entertaining to easy weeknight desserts, one-bowl Apple Crumb Cake is a go-to dessert for fall and winter–and it even passes as coffee cake!   My grandmotherโ€™s apple cake has long been a family favorite. For years, we focused on the sheer deliciousness of it, as well as the fact that we could whip it…

Congo Bars

Congo Bars = the ultimate blondie! Perfectly chewy and so much easier to make than a batch of cookies, this foolproof recipe is a childhood favorite that has stood the test of time.    Readers occasionally ask me if I ever really mess up a recipe โ€“ and the answer is a definite โ€œYes!โ€ Earlier this…

Homemade Frappuccino (healthy, creamy & dairy-free)

Frappuccino fans rejoice! This healthy, dairy-free coffee smoothie is creamy and decadent like a Frosty but naturallyย sweetened with dates๏ผand because not everyone loves them, no bananas! Dessert-worthy but loaded with enough nutrients and staying power to be a meal.   ย    If you have yet to dream about coffees smoothies, you surely will after…

Easy Mud Pie

This easy, make-ahead recipe is sure to become a favorite for casual entertaining and special occasions. The quick, no-bake homemade crust adds something special (and allows for a gluten-free option) but a store-bought cookie crust works well, too. After a recent swim, I overheard a mother attempting to prepare her young daughter for a nap…

Emma’s Favorite Cupcakes (dairy- and gluten-free optional)

What happens when a dear friend requests a spot-on replica of the utterly perfect cupcakes her mom used to make๏ผminus the dairy and gluten? You figure out a way, of course! This cupcake recipe, however, is bigger than any one birthday or Valentineโ€™s Day. It represents love and loss and how we can form everlasting…

Crustless Cranberry Pie

Festive, seasonal and so easy to make with pantry staples, this sweet-tart treat is fruit forward like a pie but somewhat cakier in texture.   This recipe is rooted in practicality: Years ago, I had fresh cranberries that needed to be used before we left town for a week. (I later learned cranberries freeze well!)…

Fruitcake Quick Bread

Finallyโ€ฆa fruitcake youโ€™ll want to eat! This quick and easy batter bread is packed with fruit and nuts but unlike traditional fruitcake is lighter, less sweet, and more mildly spiced.       A name isnโ€™t just a name. Itโ€™s an identity, and with that, it conjures up feelings and memories.  In some cases, it also carries baggage. …

Salty Sweet Gourmet Sprinkles

Sprinkles are all grown up thanks to this stellar 3-ingredient combination that’s perfect for holiday gift giving! 🎁   The season of gift giving is upon us, and so often we need just a little something to give to a teacher, a co-worker or party host. But it’s fun when that “little something” has a…

No-Churn Kahlua Chip Ice Cream

No-Churn Kahlua Chip Ice Cream is fun to make and oh so delicious to eatโ€”and no fancy ice cream maker is required!   It all began with 5-Ingredient No-Churn Vanilla Bean Ice Cream waaaay back in the summer of 2015.  At the time, I made a note to share some of the other no-churn ice cream flavors…

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