All About "baking"

Cookie Dough Bites

I don't know anyone who doesn't like chocolate chip cookie dough. These are the perfect treat for dough lovers made without eggs and bite sized.

Mini Apple Turnovers

I've heard tell of those who find the football game secondary to the tailgate party. I'm one of those people. Don't get me wrong; I love a good football game, but the fun had with others on a crisp fall day sharing our favorite hearty fall foods just can't be beat.

Moravian Sugar Cake

Two hundred sixty-six years ago this Christmas Eve, the city where I reside was named by Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, a Moravian leader, in the first house erected in this area. I can almost imagine the Count, said to have been watching the stable animals and listening to hymns being sung, suddenly standing tall and proclaiming the community, "Bethlehem," named after the birthplace of Jesus Christ.

It may have been less dramatic than that, but with our city having officially been dubbed "Christmas City, USA" in 1937, it's hard not to think of a more exciting beginning.This is a Christmas cake recipe well-loved by Moravians everywhere and devoured in record time by my own kids.

Morning Energy Muffins

If your family faces a rush in the morning, as does mine, eating a nutritious breakfast can often be a challenge. With everyone leaving at various times and heading to different locations quick, easy and nutritious fare is what I look for. These muffins can be made in advance and frozen. Just pop them into the microwave in the morning for an energizing and delicious start to your day.

Shamrock Drops

These fun cookies are a version of my grandmother's. They originally call for shortening, but in the face of all that is known about trans fats these days, I opted for butter this time. We usually make these cookies pink. These are the best go-with for ice cream and I think chocolate chip mint or pistachio would be great for St. Pat's.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Ooze-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes

Even though Trick-or-Treat is usually the highlight of our Halloween festivities, it falls on a night other than Halloween in our city, so the actual holiday is often times overlooked. I wanted things to be a little different today, so I took our "plain Jane" dinner menu, added some new titles to our dishes, created a cute menu to print out and a more interesting meal suddenly took the place of hot dogs and fries. The pumpkin cupckakes were my own favorite Pumpkin Chip Muffins (without the chips), filled with a cream cheese mixture and topped with chocolate chips before baking.

Cranberry Velvet Pie

Let someone else make the apple and pumpkin pies. You bring along this little gem and watch the other pie-bakers shrivel up with jealousy. You can prepare all the components a couple of days ahead of time and make the pie (or tart) itself 24 hours in advance. It may not be the easiest pie you'll ever make — but it's the best, and most beautiful, Thanksgiving pie there is.

Cherry Pie

Fresh cherries are the star of this summer favorite. The kid-friendly recipe makes for a fun collaboration between you and your junior baker.

Best-Ever Cowboy Cookies

Bursting with oats and chocolate chips, these flavor-packed cookies are an irresistible treat for kids, whether you customize them with special ingredients or stick to the delicious basics.