Remember when we were younger and watermelons could only be bought in the summer? A cold slice of the juicy red melon was always something to be looked forward to at picnics and bbq’s when the weather was nice. And the seeds! Kind of a pain to eat around, but fun to spit at your…read more »
Mango Daiquiris
I think it’s pretty obvious by now that I’m a girly drink kind of gal. I mean, I could try to roll with the boys and throw back beers and booze on the rocks, but why suffer? I like sugar. I like fruit. I don’t like the taste of alcohol. It would just be silly…read more »
Bananas Foster Trifle
I wanted to make trifles out of my strawberry rum pound cake a couple weeks ago, but my stemless wineglasses proved to be less than satisfactory vessels for putting it all together. Nothing layered properly, and my fingers kept smearing stuff. So, I ordered a set of mini trifle bowls, and they arrived a few…read more »
Caramel-Whiskey Banana Bread
I was going to make pate a choux last night, but on my way to the pantry to grab flour, I was stopped in my tracks by the scent of fermented fruit. Again? I just finished those frickin’ strawberries! Have they come back to haunt me? Further investigation led to the discovery of two very…read more »
Strawberry Margaritas
It’s the weekend, the weather is 82 degrees and sunny, and I’ve just been treated to a delicious sushi buffet for lunch. Could my birthday get any better? Yes, but only if you throw in a pitcher of freshly blended strawberry margaritas (and a nap)! Tequila and I never used to be friends. But, that’s…read more »
Mini Lemon Curd Tarts
Remember when you were a kid and after you got a shot the doctor would give you a lollipop for being brave? The lollipops were always red, purple, or yellow, and were cherry, grape, or lemon flavored. I always picked the red lollipop, because red was my favorite color, and cherry tasted the best. Yellow-lemon?…read more »
Strawberry Rum Pound Cake
The problem with strawberries is that (1) my grocery store never has the the really fresh-looking ones, and (2) they go bad so quickly. I bought a big carton of promising-looking berries last weekend, and three days later they were dark in patches, simultaneously shriveled and mushy, and giving off faintly alcoholic fumes. Mmm, over-ripe…read more »
Mini Blueberry Pies
Happy Pi(e) Day, everyone! What is Pi Day, you ask? It’s a holiday commemorating the mathematical constant pi. Invented in 1989 by Larry Shaw, a physicist at the San Francisco Exploratorium, it was officially recognized by the US House of Reps as “National Pi Day” in 2009. Basically, it’s a kind of nerdy day that…read more »
Apple Cheesecake Cupcakes
Last night I was seized with the most irresistible urge to bake something. But what to bake? Nothing chocolate. I’m sick of chocolate, if you can believe it. Maybe a pie? Nah, too much work — no pre-made pie crusts in the freezer, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to start rolling out my…read more »
Cherry Peach Bread
A new day, a new Hannah Swensen recipe to reproduce in my kitchen. Today’s book was “Key Lime Pie Murder,” and it contained a delightful-sounding recipe for Peach Bread. My parents used to love eating my Cranberry Walnut Bread for breakfast, so I figured they might like to try another fruit-flavored loaf. In typical Tina-in-the-kitchen…read more »