Pies & Tarts

Thumbnail image for Pretending to be Patriotic: Traditional Apple Pie

Pretending to be Patriotic: Traditional Apple Pie

September 2, 2011

For some people Labor Day is a festive weekend, full of cookouts and pool parties and friends and sun and summer fun and blah blah blah blah. Well, I did the cookouts and parties and friends and blah blah blah on Memorial Day and subsequently, on the Fourth of July, so this weekend is going [...]

Read the full article →
Thumbnail image for Baking for Loved Ones: Lemon Chess Pie

Baking for Loved Ones: Lemon Chess Pie

August 12, 2011

When I was in college, my mother would send me newspaper clippings about teenagers and young adults who died in car accidents. They were morbid stories that I didn’t want to read: straight-A students who were killed by a drunk driver on their way home from the  movies,  seniors in high school who would never [...]

Read the full article →
Thumbnail image for Lazy Summer Dessert: Rustic Peach Galette

Lazy Summer Dessert: Rustic Peach Galette

July 25, 2011

Have you ever been afraid to do something…and then once you did it, realized it was one of the best decisions you’ve ever made? This galette was a product of one such scenario, as until recently I had never made a galette and found them moderately intimidating. Then, out of nowhere one day I made [...]

Read the full article →
Thumbnail image for A Healthy Balance [Recipe: Cherry Hand Pies]

A Healthy Balance [Recipe: Cherry Hand Pies]

July 4, 2011

Giveaway winner: Congratulations to Julie of The Little Kitchen, the winner of the Babycakes Cake Pop giveaway! Please email me your address so we can send your prize. Thanks to all who entered! Even though they’ve become trite and cliched, I love miniature desserts. First of all, you can have more than one without feeling [...]

Read the full article →
Thumbnail image for Asparagus and Goat Cheese Galette

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Galette

June 20, 2011

I love shopping at farmer’s markets. I mean, I know that everyone loves shopping local and buying fresh food blah blah blah, but I can’t help it. I love that at each farmer’s stand, there is the possibility of a new recipe, a new idea, an inspiration that I never would have thought of standing [...]

Read the full article →
spiced pear pie

If You Love Fall: Spiced Ginger Pear Pie (Tea Giveaway)

August 22, 2010

I’m sorry to all of you summer-holics out there, but I can’t wait until this swampy, sweaty, humid, feel-like-fainting-on-the-bus-in-the-morning heat is over and done with. I’m ready for triple-digit heat indexes to be a distant memory and I’m ready for sweater weather. In short: I’m ready for summer to yield to fall. I love everything [...]

Read the full article →
Thumbnail image for Pate Brisee (aka a fancy way to say “Pie Crust”)

Pate Brisee (aka a fancy way to say “Pie Crust”)

August 22, 2010

I am going to come right out here and say that I swiped this recipe from Martha Stewart and I don’t feel bad about it. You know what? If you go to just about any other food blog out there, you’ll probably see this exact same recipe because there are only so many ways to [...]

Read the full article →
Thumbnail image for Elegant Appetizer: Asparagus Tart with Prosciutto and Parmesan

Elegant Appetizer: Asparagus Tart with Prosciutto and Parmesan

May 26, 2010

Angie and I were sitting around my kitchen table on a Sunday night, chatting, sipping wine and recapping our weekends. Her infamous puppy, a mini-dachshund affectionately known as Princess Lulu was snuggled in my lap, likely positioned as such because she knows from experience that I drop food. In any event, we were enjoying the [...]

Read the full article →
Blueberry-Peach Crisp with Ginger Cookie Topping

Summer Sneak Peek: Blueberry-Peach Crisp with Ginger Cookie Topping

May 23, 2010

Today was the first really hot day Chicago has had since I’ve lived here. Every time I’ve had a conversation with anyone – from good friends and coworkers to hairdressers and grocery clerks – about being new to the city, they’ve all said the same thing: “if you think you like Chicago now, just wait [...]

Read the full article →
pumpkin cheesecake pie

A Reason to Give Thanks: Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie with Gingersnap Crust

November 7, 2009

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s already November. I’m not saying this to be condescending; I almost didn’t notice it was November because, well, wasn’t it just August? Yesterday I read a tweet from Kristen that echoed my sentiments about how quickly time moves. When you’re in a four-hour meeting, yes, time moves quite slowly. [...]

Read the full article →
Thumbnail image for Puff Pastry To Paris: Raspberry Almond Breakfast Tart Recipe

Puff Pastry To Paris: Raspberry Almond Breakfast Tart Recipe

February 3, 2009

Even though it might seem like I spend 24 hours a day on the internet, my day job is actually in public relations. Therefore, when a good family friend, Lisa, who has been a talented home cook and recipe contest maven for as long as I’ve known her told me about a recent contest she [...]

Read the full article →