Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy

One of the things I love about native Italians is that they say what they mean, and they don’t mince words. Take these cookies, for instance. They’re called Brutti ma Buoni, which means “ugly, but good”. Don’t you love it? These unassuming, delicate little puffs of meringue studded with nuts and in this case, chocolate, are kind of ugly. But at the same time, they are crunchy, chewy and downright delicious.

These cookies were on the menu at my last cooking class and as my students were “oohing” and “aahing” over them, it hit me that I had never shared them with all of you before. And, what a crying shame it is, because not only were they one of my childhood favorites, but they are also super easy to make.

$more of what\'s cooking...$

Tuesday, March 23, 2010 • 39 Comments

I have a terrible cold and I feel like crap, so this post is going to be short and “sweet”. This week’s Tuesdays with Dorie recipe is Dulce de Leche Duos, selected by Jodie from Beansy Loves Cake. Basically, they are sandwich cookies that contain dulce de leche right …

Wednesday, February 17, 2010 • 56 Comments

I’ve always considered myself to to be a hip and trendy kind of girl, especially when I was in my twenties. As you get older, though, it gets a little harder to pull it off. Still, I try to keep up with the times. Having a sixteen year old …

Wednesday, January 27, 2010 • 56 Comments

The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca.
The Nanaimo bar is …

Thursday, December 17, 2009 • 19 Comments

The other day, I was frantically racing strolling down the baking aisle at the market when I saw these Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips by Andes. You know Andes, don’t you? They’re the ones that make those little Crème de Menthe chocolates that you get at many restaurants along with …

Tuesday, December 15, 2009 • 24 Comments

I remember when I was in high school, my mother once tried to convince me to go out with the dorky son of one of her bridge buddies. “What does he look like?” I asked. She replied, “Looks aren’t everything. He’s got such a great personality!” I knew I …

Tuesday, December 8, 2009 • 25 Comments

I call this week’s TWD recipe the Clark Kent of cookies. These sables appear to be unassuming little wallflowers of a cookie. Yet, one bite is all it takes to realize that they are quite special. Sables are basically a butter cookie. While they are sumptuously rich and buttery, …

Friday, November 13, 2009 • 11 Comments

Each year around this time our mail boxes and our inboxes are inundated with requests for help and financial support from almost every nonprofit organization under the sun. While most, if not all, are very worthy causes, it can still be a bit daunting! This year, perhaps more than …

Sunday, August 16, 2009 • 54 Comments

The minute I saw the August issue of Gourmet Magazine, I knew what this month’s Flavor of the Month would be. On the cover was a gorgeous photo of the most luscious ice cream sandwiches I’d ever laid eyes on! They were called Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches with Blueberry …

Friday, January 9, 2009 • 44 Comments

Several weeks ago, I received an email from Tanya of Mr. Youth, a dynamic advertising and marketing firm based in NYC, which has been promoting the U.S. release of Tim Tam cookies. Tanya wanted to know if I would be interested in sampling some Tim Tams and graciously …