It’s Valentine’s Day! Have you made dessert yet? Have you thought about dessert yet? If your busy schedule has left you trying to think of something at the last minute, I have a few chocolate desserts that you can whip up today. And I’ve included preparation time estimates to help you plan. Vaina Cocktail from [...]
Sparkling Pomegranate Punch
December 31, 2010 By 3 Comments
We’ve gotten hooked on pomegranates and eagerly look forward to the autumn pomegranate season. Our love for the fruit led us to plant a pomegranate tree this year, which will hopefully give us a harvest of our own pomegranates in a couple years. And of course we will promptly toss the arils into a bowl [...]
Hot Mulled Wine
December 29, 2010 By 7 Comments
Years ago I had my first taste of hot spiced wine at a friend’s apartment in Bogotá, Colombia, which we sipped while listening to Edith Piaf after a glorious dinner of beef tenderloin (lomo). Maria Consuela had spent time in the U.S. and Europe during her college years and liked to share her cultural experiences [...]
Pisco Sour Cocktail
December 28, 2010 By 5 Comments
While on a trip to Chile, Michael got to sample some of the local beverages, including the vaina and the pisco sour, and he came back with plans to make them for us. I’m a tad bit envious that he got to sample these at the source without me, so a home version will have to [...]
Vaina Cocktail (Chile)
December 27, 2010 By 5 Comments
A couple years ago we decided to highlight a few of our favorite cocktails during the last week before New Year’s Eve, and it’s turned into a fun tradition for us. This week we’ll continue the tradition with four or five of our favorite drinks from this year, the cocktails that we think will make [...]
Prune Cake
December 22, 2010 By 6 Comments
It’s a shame that fruitcake has earned such a horrible reputation. When I was growing up I didn’t like them, I think because the flavor seemed strong to my kid-size palette, but now I love a good moist fruitcake with plenty of real dried fruits and a dash of rum or other baking alcohol. Michael’s [...]
Good Bite: Easy Holiday Entertaining with Betty Crocker, Hot Cranberry Apple Cider
December 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment
I can’t imagine the holidays without this hot cranberry apple cider. The aroma is wonderful and makes the house smell so festive, and it’s also easy to make and won’t keep you hovering over the pot when you’d rather celebrate time with family and friends.
Speculaas (Molded Ginger Cookies)
December 20, 2010 By 37 Comments
This is my final cookie in the Saveur Cookies We Love event, a spiced molded cookie from the Netherlands. Molded cookies are common in Europe and the tradition is often passed down through families along with the old wooden cookie molds. If you are fortunate you may even have an heirloom mold that’s been in [...]
Spiced Applesauce Cake with Black Walnuts, Rum Raisins, and Dates
December 15, 2010 By 3 Comments
In the autumn, my dad used to go hunting with his dad and brothers. They would set off before daylight and spend a day out in the woods hoping to bring home a deer to help feed the family for winter. Grandma packed a little breakfast and lunch for them, and she always included pieces [...]
