Recipes

Dessert

Peach & Blueberry Crumble with Gingersnap Crust

Summertime is made for crumbles. And crisps and cobblers and buckles. Thought I’m a little fuzzy on the exact distinctions, I know that I’d happily eat any of them on a warm summer night with a scoop of ice cream. Also, for breakfast. The only problem with peach season is that I can’t control myself […]

Black Sesame Banana Bread with Tahini Almond Butter

With the arrival of summer (and hello, long weekend!) the internet is ablaze with no-oven-required, outdoor-friendly recipes. And while I love a fresh-from-the-grill feast on Memorial Day just as much as the next gal, I find that my favorite long weekend-moments tend to be those that take place before the party begins. Before the hot […]

How to Frost a Layer Cake

My birthday is on Sunday, and I’m already dreaming of cake. And although I find baking them to be extremely enjoyable, I’ve never been that great at making my layer cakes look as good as they taste. I decided to call in the expert, Chef Callie Speer of Geraldine’s here in Austin — you guys might remember the epic homemade donuts […]

Phyllo Napoleans with Strawberries and Lemon-Vanilla Cream

Warmer weather is officially here to stay in Austin, and as a sun-loving, Texas gal, I can’t tell you how pumped I am to spend the next four months sporting tropical pink toenail polish and my favorite new bikini. And while I love the cakes and cookies that cooler weather brings, with the change of […]

Mocha Coconut Quinoa Bark

When you think of quinoa, dessert may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but trust me on this one, it’s a perfect fit. Since quinoa’s rise to superfood stardom, the internet has exploded with recipes for salads, sides, burgers and more, all featuring this hearty little seed, front and center. And for good […]

Blood Orange Upside Down Cake

The minute I laid eyes on this cake perched on the marble counter at Josephine House, I knew I had to have a slice… and find a way to talk pastry chef Jen Tucker into giving me the recipe. It tastes as bright and sunny as it looks, oozing with a triple dose of citrus: […]

Rose Macarons

Don’t miss the full story: How to Make Macarons at Elizabeth Street Café *photos by Buff Strickland

How to Make Macarons at Elizabeth Street Cafe

Anytime out-of-town friends come to Austin, one of the first places I take them is Elizabeth Street Cafe. I know I can’t go wrong with what is arguably the cutest café in town (I mean, have you seen the bright pink and turquoise exterior?!) and treating them to the fresh mango and cucumber salad or a warm bowl of bún accompanied […]

DIY Mini Éclairs

If you’ve ever traveled to France, you likely associate éclairs with the oblong pastries found preciously lined up behind glass cases in patisseries all over the country. Well, today’s versions are a little less pristine, but a lot more fun. Seriously, how can you look at these little guys and not say, “Aww”? They’re miniature versions […]

Gluten-Free Olive Oil Chocolate Cake

Given my history, not to mention the title of my personal blog, it may come as a slight surprise that when Camille told me about her plans for the wellness makeover, I was absolutely thrilled. While I may have made my mark on the web by slinging over-the-top, decadent creations, the way I satisfy my […]

Mexican Wedding Cookies

Most of us have a few foods that instantly take us back to childhood, and these cookies are one of them for me. Growing up, my grandmother “Mo” made batches of her famous sand tarts as the centerpiece to our Christmas Eve gathering each year, and I always looked forward to biting into the buttery […]