I really wanted to make cherry amaretto hand pies similar to these for July 4th, but that just wasn't happening given the sheer number of people that needed to be baked for. Instead, I swapped the hand pies out for bars, adapting the recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I was sold after reading brown butter, but I knew I had to incorporate amaretto into...

I had a mini freak out on July 3rd that we wouldn't have enough desserts for the party (or at least enough options), and I also realized I didn't have anything with chocolate in it. So the day before the big event I whipped up a batch of chocolate chip cookies to add to the menu. They ended up being the most complemented dessert of the night and...

The 4th of July party and all of the desserts were a success. We started baking at 7 AM, but before that, we ate a delicious and somewhat decadent breakfast— buttermilk chocolate chip waffles with bourbon maple syrup, decorated to look like an American flag with blueberries, strawberries, and whipped cream. I definitely dug the bourbon maple...

Happy 4th of July! Today we are preparing for D's parents coming into town and a big party at our apartment complex with neighbors and friends. I, of course, volunteered to make desserts, so I've been frantically preparing doughs, custards, pie crusts, and more over the last few days. I made the dough for these a few days ago, wrapped the logs...

Last year I saw a recipe on the 4th of July for red, white, bleu macaroni and cheese. Not having the ingredients to make such a dish on a whim and thinking it wasn't nearly as exciting to make after the holiday, I made a mental note to make my own version of this "patriotic" dish when the the 4th rolled around next time. Well here we are, July...

There is a joke here in Seattle that summer starts on July 5. Last year that was no joke at all. I was literally wearing a sweatshirt and jeans when we watched fireworks last year. Well that is not the case this year. Summer has started! Over the last few days it has reached 90 degrees several times, and we are supposed to be in the 80s for most...

One of my favorite things about hanging out at the mall and shopping with friends in middle and high school was that we'd share a slice of cookie cake from The Great American Cookie Company— more bang for your buck, which you could save for the clothing stores, rather than buying the Double Doozies. However, if nobody was willing to share, then...

Our Homemade Caesar dressing can be counted as a partial success. We were just slightly off on the flavor because we added waaaay too much garlic. When we bought our garlic, the grocery store was only stocked with purple garlic, something we had never actually purchased before. Note to future self: be more careful when using unfamiliar garlic....

Last week at Trader Joe's we sampled some of their frozen pizza burgers in-store. Dustin and I both thought they were pretty tasty, so I grabbed a box to eat for quick weekday lunches. Dustin was surprised to find out that their pizza burgers are completely vegetarian, soy patties. He said he remembered distinctly tasting sausage in them. I...

I really enjoyed the panzanella we made last summer, and looking for a fresh twist on the dish this time around, I decided to make it with cornbread rather than a crusty white bread. I didn't exactly like any of the recipes I found online, so I combined elements from several different salads and just sort of winged it. I don't usually get too...