Gifts from the Kitchen

Sunday, December 11, 2011

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Every year, long before the Thanksgiving dishes are even dried and put away, the Christmas rush is on. That’s when so many of us find ourselves racing around, spending money we don’t have on lots of things we don’t need. It’s crazy! One way that I’ve found to minimize the stress of Holiday shopping – and spending – is to make delicious gifts for family and friends in my own kitchen. Not only are homemade gifts often more economical, but they can also be much more meaningful to their recipients.

Each year, I choose a different assortment of tasty treats to give as holiday gifts.  I package each in pretty decorative packaging and make up cheery goodie bags to deliver to the lucky recipients.  I usually choose a few easy recipes along with some that are a little more complex to get a nice balance in my bags.   I really enjoy doing this, and the whole process helps to get me into the Holiday spirit.  And, after all that has happened around here lately, I could really use some help getting my Christmas mojo on!  read more >>

more of what\'s cooking...

Pumpkin Pie Parfaits with Gingersnap Crumbles Recipe

Tuesday, November 22, 201113 Comments

Thanksgiving is, without a doubt, the most food centric holiday of the year. And, anyone who has ever prepared a Thanksgiving dinner knows how much work – and stress – is involved. We obsess over every little detail as we strive to wow our families and friends with our …

New York Crumb Cake Recipe

Wednesday, November 9, 201134 Comments

My father wasn’t much of a dessert kind of guy, but there were certain sweets that he really enjoyed, like Carvel ice cream cones, sfogiatelle, and crumb cake.  Not any old kind of crumb cake, mind you. It had to be New York crumb cake – the kind with …

Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie in a Jar Recipe

Saturday, November 5, 201116 Comments

Seriously!  Are these little jars filled with creamy peanut butter and banana lusciousness not the cutest things ever?  I could just eat them up with a spoon.  As a matter of fact, I did just that.  And they were wonderful. I call them Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pies in …

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Caramel Cream Cheese Filling Recipe

Thursday, October 27, 201110 Comments

While cupcakes will always hold a special place in my heart, the newest trend in sweet treats these days is whoopee pies.  Yessiree folks, whoopie pies are hot, hot, hot!  And, it’s no surprise either.  What’s not to love about a creamy, cloud-like filling sandwiched between two moist and …

Irresistible Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Tuesday, October 25, 201119 Comments

Anyone remember the old Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups commercials?  In them, two unsuspecting souls would be strolling down the street – one eating peanut butter and the other eating a chocolate bar -  and would somehow collide with each other, smushing the peanut butter and chocolate together.  Each would …

Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Friday, October 21, 201114 Comments

Remember the joys of early air travel?  You know, those days where they showed you a movie that you could hear without having to pay for ear buds,  stowed your luggage without a fee and actually fed you a free meal on any flight that was longer than two …

Faux Nutella Recipe

Thursday, October 6, 201120 Comments

I’ve made no secret about the fact that I’m addicted to Nutella.  Just leave me alone with my own jar of that creamy, dreamy, chocolatey deliciousness and a great, big spoon, and I’m happy.  But, let’s face it. Nutella isn’t exactly considered a health food.  It contains gobs of …

The Fig Tree, the Cardinal and a Fig and Honey Clafoutis Recipe

Tuesday, August 30, 201124 Comments

My father had the most magnificent fig tree in his yard.  It was about twenty-five feet tall and the breadth of its branches was almost as wide.  Though he would never actually confirm it, the rumor is that he bred the tree using cuttings smuggled here from a bigger …

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe?

Monday, August 22, 201127 Comments

When Ruth Graves Wakefield mixed bits of semi-sweet chocolate into a vat of cookie dough back in the 1930’s, she unwittingly created what is arguably the most popular recipe of all time – the chocolate chip cookie.  By some accounts, it was an accident.  Others claim that Wakefield intentionally …

kiss the cook!

Hello and welcome to SGCC! I’m Susan, a professional writer, food columnist, recipe developer, wife, mother, daughter and sister, who used to be a lawyer in a previous life. My love of food comes from a long line of wonderful and creative Italian home cooks who didn’t always have a lot, but knew how to make a lot out of what they had. I hope that you enjoy yourself while you’re here, and visit often! read more >>

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