Fresh Peach Galette (Rustic Peach Tart)

I love French food.  There's something about the sound of the words that makes everything sound fancy...and delicious. Take for example, today's recipe: Peach Galette. It's made with Pate Brisee. Yep...it's French.  Doesn't it sound fancy and like it would take some special culinary skill to make it?

                                                                                                                     Well, it 's not...and it doesn't.

Knock You Naked Brownies {Easy Recipe}

I probably don't need to tell you that I've never found a chocolate recipe that I didn't like and that if anyone ever asked me, chocolate and caramel should be considered their own food group.

Yep. Right there on the food pyramid...up at the very top...in a little triangle all their own.

They should be right there...next to licorice...and gummy bears.

When I found this recipe on Group Recipes and the name of them was, "Knock You Naked Brownies" I've got to admit, they had my attention.

Chocolate French Silk Pie {Recipe}

This year, I'm sending Valentine's Day dinner to my oldest and a few of his friends at college. I needed a dessert recipe that could be transported  for 3 hours in a cooler without a lot of trouble. That meant that  my usual "go to" recipe for Crème Brûlée  was out of the question.

Valentine's Day Fresh Strawberry Cream Bread {Recipe}

When I woke up this morning, it was  four degrees Fahrenheit...before the wind.... and I live the suburbs of the "windy city" so you can imagine how cold it was.  Our furnace ran continuously through the night and it was still chilly in the kitchen this morning.  Baking anything seemed like a good idea. Baking bread that didn't require leaving home for ingredients seemed like a great  one.

Cream Filled Chocolate Sandwich and Sugar Cookies

 I took part in  my very first cover shoot this morning.

                                                                                     In my kitchen.

Actually, I was the baker, the stylist and the photographer. I pretty much was the shoot...

                                                              ...me, and a couple of  my favorite Martha Stewart cookie recipes.

Lavender Milk Steamer {Recipe}

As promised, here's a quick post to share the recipe for drink that was in the photo that I posted on the Facebook page Friday afternoon. (See below)

Lavender Milk Steamers are one of my favorite warm drinks for cold winter days (and nights).

Mini Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecakes with Chocolate Hearts {Recipe}

I'll bet that you've been wondering about what I did with the mini peanut butter cups that I mentioned in last week's Secret Santa post,  haven't you?!

Layered Peppermint Bark Recipe Tutorial

Have you ever heard the saying "His bark is worse than his bite."?

I remember the first time I heard it, I think that it was my Grandma who said it to me when our kick ball went into the neighboring yard and we tried, unsuccessfully, to retrieve it from the less than pleased man who lived there.  Holy smacks, was he crabby...  And loud about it..

Pumpkin Pecan Bars: Celebrating a Departure

I had a little celebration at my home yesterday afternoon.

It was a going away party....of sorts.

Old Fashioned Applesauce

My youngest and I were having a conversation tonight as I was preparing dinner.  It's fun to chat while I'm chopping or slicing or browning and he generally sets the table while I'm doing it.

After my usual inquiries as to how school went today, I casually asked him,

"Hey, do you think that I'm old fashioned?"

He shot me a quizzical look.

(Insert long, thoughtful, pause here.)

Kitchen Gadget Exchange - Small Tools, Big Impact

I don't know about you, but I'm a HUGE fan of kitchen gadgets! Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a fan of virtually any type of tool but kitchen tools are pretty high up on my list. 

Triple Berry Pie with Crumb Topping

 When summer berries look like this right now, how could I possibly not bake some type of berry pie tonight?! As I was running through the market at 5:15 tonight, picking up a gallon of milk and some hamburger buns, my heart skipped a beat when I saw that berries were on sale!!! I stopped, dead in my tracks, grabbed a basket and filled it with a couple of containers of each.  I couldn't help myself. There's nothing quite as sweet as summer berries and absolutely  nothing better than berry pie. After all, when it's over 85 degrees outside anyway, why not turn on the oven?! What's a few more degrees among friends?!

French Country Omelette Recipe

Memorial Day Breakfast

Adapted from Ina Garten. Quick and easy to make.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 5 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch-diced) unpeeled Yukon Gold Potatoes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 extra-large eggs
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat olive oil in a 10-inch, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 3 to 5 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is browned but not crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Place the potatoes in the pan and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Cook the potatoes over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until very tender and browned, stirring occasionally to brown evenly. Remove with a slotted spoon to the same plate as the bacon.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together: the eggs, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. After the potatoes are removed, pour the fat out of the pan and discard. Add the butter, lower the heat to low, and pour the eggs into the hot pan. Sprinkle the bacon, potatoes, and chives evenly over the top and place the pan in the oven for about 8 minutes, just until the eggs are set. Serve hot with fresh fruit and muffins or hearty toast.

 

Yep, I'm a foodie. I admit it. I love cooking for family and friends.

xo, 

S 

Linking to:

Live Laugh Rowe 

The Farmhouse Porch - Cowgirl up 

Get Outta My Head Please 

You Are Talking Too Much

Easy Crème Brûlée - {Recipe} {Tutorial}

Crème Brûlée (that's "fancyspeak" for baked vanilla custard with caramelized sugar on top) is my "go to" dessert when I need something really easy that can be made ahead and that nearly anyone of any age will eat.

My Favorite Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Photo credit: The Pioneer Woman

One of my favorite bloggers and chef extraordinaire, The Pioneer Woman comes through again with what I consider to be THE best Hot Cross Buns recipe EVER.  They take a little over three hours from start to finish but are worth the effort.  The link above contains beautifully photographed, step-by-step directions that are far better than whatever I would show you so, rather than try to duplicate perfection, I'll let you take a look at Rhee's blog.

Here's my version:

Photo credit: Serendipity.

 If you space the rolls out a little more, they will be "prettier" because the sides don't touch. The good news is that they don't taste any different.  *wink*

 Enjoy!

A friend of mine posted this on her FB page today. A beautiful reminder on this glorious day.

Happy Easter!

xo,

 S