• Pumpkin coconut bars

    pumpkin bars | marshmallows and margaritas

    Several years ago, when I was living in South Carolina, I had to work the day before and the day after Thanksgiving, so I couldn’t go to my family’s house in Michigan. Instead, I drove up to Charleston to have Thanksgiving dinner with my grandparents and my aunt and uncle. But said dinner wasn’t in […]

  • Summer strawberry cake

    strawberry cake

    Have you ever gone strawberry picking? We lived less than 5 miles from a strawberry field for two years and kept promising ourselves that we would go, but we never did. However, we did manage to at least go and buy some of the freshly picked strawberries, which are approximately nine trillion times better than […]

  • Gluten free banana-coconut-pecan muffins

    gluten free banana coconut pecan muffins

    I hate diet food. I have always thought fat-free cookies, sugar-free ice cream and “lite” anything is just plain gross. I’d rather drink water than Diet Coke, and I’d rather eat nothing than some kind of weird, allegedly healthy frankenfood. But since I have a few very serious allergies, I certainly understand that many people need to […]

  • Coconut bird’s nest cupcakes

    coconut bird's nest cupcakes

    About 10 years ago, my go-to cake recipe involved a box of cake mix, a can of crushed pineapple, a can of sweetened condensed milk, a bag of coconut and a tub of Cool Whip. It wasn’t very fancy, but it was definitely good: I won an office baking competition with that cake. Since then, […]

  • Chocolate souffle cupcakes with chocolate buttercream

    mexican spiced chocolate souffle cupcakes

    Since Valentine’s Day is creeping up on us, I thought I’d start my Super Bowl recipe sharing with these amazingly rich, fudgy (and gluten-free) chocolate cupcakes. Whether you decorate them like footballs or sprinkle them with hearts is up to you. The first thing you need to know about these cupcakes is that there is […]

  • Oatmeal-coconut-chocolate chip cookies

    cookie dough balls

    Remember how I said the Christmas ornament cookies weren’t the best thing to make if you’ve never baked anything before? These cookies are a much better option for beginners… or for anyone who wants some delicious cookies without a ton of fuss. The recipe has developed over time: It all started a few years ago, […]

  • Christmas ornament cookies

    christmas ornament sugar cookies

    I had very grand plans for Christmas cookies this year. But, as usual, work and life got in the way. I’m hoping to make a few more batches in the next week, but in the meantime, I wanted to share the cookies I have managed to make so far. The first are these sugar cookies […]

  • Sweet potato-pecan pie (with gluten-free crust!)

    sweet potato pecan pie slice

    Turkey gets all the attention, and you know I love me some cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes. But if we’re being honest, pie is really the best thing about Thanksgiving, right?   I’m definitely in the “a little of each” camp when it comes to pie — I can’t choose between pumpkin and pecan, and […]

  • Peach-pecan upside-down cake

    peach pecan upside down cake

    A couple of years ago, I learned that my friend Dan’s favorite dessert is pineapple upside-down cake. I had never made (or even eaten!) pineapple upside-down cake, but it sounded pretty good, so I figured I’d try it. Long story short: It was delicious and really easy to make. Anyway, I saw this recipe when […]

  • Tiny pecan pies

    teeny tiny pecan pies

    Miniature food isn’t always tastier than regular-sized food, but it’s almost always cuter. Evidence? Tiny hamsters eating tiny burritos. But this post isn’t about adorableness. This is about pecan pie. In my experience, pecan pie is frequently relegated to Thanksgiving or Christmas, and not enjoyed year-round. That is a travesty, really, because the combination of pecans, […]