Last weekend we celebrated a family birthday with a small but festive brunch. Our menu included a cheesy egg casserole along with crunchy green salad. Ellen contributed cornmeal drop biscuits and a beautiful chocolate and vanilla layer cake adorned with sprinkles. Somewhere within our meal–Read more

Imagine a Valentine’s dessert that’s warm, spicy and the color of an old-fashioned Cupid’s heart.  That’s where my brain went to when I saw Ina Garten’s recipe for an oven-roasted applesauce flavored with fresh raspberries in her latest book, Cooking for Jeffrey.  Ina is famous–Read more

When friends gather for a Mexican meal, it’s fun to offer homemade margaritas during the cocktail hour. Serving margaritas after dinner—in dessert form–makes for a festive ending to the meal.   A cooling dish that combines a sign of spring—strawberries—with a ritual of summertime—margaritas—is a great way to–Read more