Desserts and Treats

Appetizers and Snacks

Chewy and sweet red bean mochi

My pantry holds the goods for many recipes I hope to make, some get made while others do not. I bought a box of mochiko (sweet rice flour) and azuki beans (dried red beans) with the intent of making mochi. They’ve sat in my cupboard for some time, just waiting for their day in the [...]

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Baked Goods

Sweet polenta cake with caramelized apples & almonds

I am a horrible sucker for cheap cookbooks — they lure me in with their big colorful photos and promise of a few good recipes. The books are not written by any particular expert, merely ‘edited by’ a staffer with a passing interest in food. The books are strategically placed into the bargain bins. And, [...]

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Baked Goods

Orange Sour Cream Cake w/Orange Icing

My favorite use of oranges so far — a rich and moist orange cake drizzled with a sweet orange icing. It was the perfect end to our dinner party last night. I’ve used this recipe to makes cakes for giving away as presents — everyone raves about it (just see the comments below!). The cake [...]

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Desserts and Treats

Orangettes and Meyer Lemonettes

We all have our faults. Every winter I feel guilty for not utilizing my orange and meyer lemon trees to their full potential. Two years ago I attempted orange marmalade and it turned out a thick gluey mess. Last year, I focused on juicing as much as I could stand to drink. We had extremely [...]

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