Chronicles of a Domestic Dilettante

As you all know, I am very much a beginner in the kitchen. So when my friends assigned both appetizers AND dessert to me for this year’s Thanksgiving, I was in full panic mode as I didn’t want to ruin our entire Thanksgiving dinner. Dessert, afterall, is the most important part of the meal. Furthermore, I was instructed that store-bought items were not welcome – because we all know I was already planning a trip to Whole Foods. After consulting Pinterest for some Apple Pie recipes, I came across this recipe for Apple Pie Baked in the Apple – I thought it was a nice blend of simple instructions and a gourmet look. Step 1: Cut off the top of 4 apples off and discard. If you’re a skilled interior apple excavator, salvage as much as you can so you can use it for Step 2. This recipe will make 4 baked apple pies (in the apple). Step 2: Remove skin from remaining apple(s) and slice very thinly. Mix sliced apples with sugars and cinnamon in a bowl. Scoop sliced apples into hollow apples.

Cheesecake Filled Chocolate Easter Eggs It's hard to believe Easter is just around the corner. This year is going too fast for me to keep up! I swear it felt like yesterday that I was laughing at how quickly the Easter displays went up to replace the Christmas stuff at the beginning of the year, it has managed to creep up on me. My days are getting busier and busier, so I am easily drawn to the simpler, quicker desserts that I can pull together at the last minute. I took it as a compliment when Lisa (who hates eating eggs) said that these looked so much like real eggs that she was a little creeped out by them. I used my regular chilled cheesecake filling recipe for this, and made up a sauce using passionfruit pulp, apricot jam and a little bit of butter. Alright, I admit I may have taken a few too many photos of these little treats. So if you're looking for a really, really, REALLY easy and light dessert to serve up after a big meal during the Easter break then these are for you.

Crack Pie Recipe at Epicurious photo by Christopher Griffith yield Makes 10 to 12 servings active time 40 minutes total time 15 hours (includes baking, cooling, and chilling time) Anyone who has taken a bite of this Milk Bar best seller immediately knows the reason for the sassy name. Oat cookie crust: Nonstick vegetable oil spray 9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided 5 1/2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar, divided 2 tablespoons sugar 1 large egg 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats 1/2 cup all purpose flour 1/8 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt Filling: 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar 1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly 6 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream 4 large egg yolks 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Powdered sugar (for dusting) Preparation For oat cookie crust: Preheat oven to 350°F.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Truffles Thursday, October 30, 2008 Pumpkin Cream Cheese Truffles **UPDATE** I originally made these in 2008, back in my early stages of blogging. There seems to be a renewed interest in them, and since it had been 3 years since I made them, I decided to make them again and have a new photo shoot. You get new pretty pictures to look at, I get to eat these truffles again. I tried to come up with a creative/catchy title for this post. The mixture is really soft, and I highly suggest putting it in the fridge before for 30 minutes or so until you roll them into balls. PrintSave Pumpkin Cream Cheese Truffles Yield: Approximately 18, depending on how large or small you roll them. Ah yes… the old point & shoot pictures.

www.thesweetslife.com/2011/08/cheesecake-stuffed-strawberries.html These aren't anything complicated. With five ingredients, they take only a few minutes to put together. In fact, these were probably the least time-intensive food at my Cheesecake Extravaganza. Yet, I had more than a few people come up and proclaim their love for the finger food. You don't have to throw a cheesecake party to serve these....I imagine they'd be welcomed just about anytime! Another great party food, these can be made ahead of time. Next time, I'll make more... this was the first food to go at the Cheesecake Extravaganza, and with good reason! Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberriesfrom Nutmeg NannyIngredients: -1 lb large strawberries -8 oz. cream cheese, softened (can use 1/3 less fat) -3-4 tbsp powdered sugar (4 tbsp for a sweeter filling) -1 tsp vanilla extract -graham cracker crumbs Directions: 1.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cookie Dough "Frosting" Recipe This past Friday night was meant for celebrating. The weather was sit-out-on-the-deck-in-the-cool-evening-breeze perfection. Friends gathered from all around the city with chips and salsa and salads and popcorn and laughter and stories to share. The fire pit was aflame. And a very special birthday girl turned the big 3-0. Friends, meet Stacey. Read more TGIF, friends. Hope that you all have had a lovely week, and that a relaxing weekend lies ahead. Did I mention on here that I’m leading an Easter choir at my church?! I’m kind of over the moon about it. Anyway, warm wishes coming your way for a good weekend ahead. Read more Ever since my friends and I met for a tapas happy hour at our neighborhood Spanish restaurant a few weeks ago, I’ve had sangria on my mind. So of course, when I found myself in the fruit section at the market this week trying to decide what kind of sangria to make for our weekly neighbor night, I immediately thought of sangria. Read more Read more Read more Happy day, friends!