Pumpkin Raisin Bran Muffins

These Pumpkin Raisin Bran Muffins are light and moist, and the pumpkin flavor shines through.

These pumpkin raisin bran muffins get all of their moisture from pumpkin puree. Plus, they are fairly low in fat compared to most muffins.

Ginger and Amber Ale Cookies

These crystalized ginger and amber ale cookies are chewy and spicy, and have a wonderful caramel flavor from the amber ale.

These ginger and amber ale cookies are also deeply flavored with molasses along with golden raisins, which provide little bursts of sweetness. They're really good.

Paella with Shrimp, Chorizo, Chicken, and Mussels

Paella with Shrimp, Chorizo, Chicken and Mussels - a simplified recipe for paella made in a Dutch oven instead of a specialty pan.

This Dutch oven paella, a simplified version of traditional paella, takes only about an hour to make, including prep time.

Cider-Glazed Apple Bundt Cake

This Cider-Glazed Apple Bundt Cake is filled with an apple cider reduction and one and a half pounds of grated apples. It's super moist, and filled with the flavor of apples.

 It's been a long time since I've made a bundt cake. I don't know what I've been waiting for, because bundt cakes are so easy to make, and, unlike layer cakes, you don't have to worry too much about how they look. The pan does all of the work.

Hearty Fisherman's Stew

Hearty Fisherman's Stew - a delicious combination of Spanish Chorizo or Portuguese Linguiça, white fish, tomatoes, leeks, and lots of fresh parsley.

This fish stew is hearty and warming, and great for serving when the temperature outside begins to cool.

Shrimp and Pork Pot Stickers with Soy-Vinegar Dipping Sauce

Shrimp and Pork Pot Stickers - chopped pork and shrimp with shallots and ginger plus whole pieces of shrimp stuffed into a gyoza wrapper and simultaneously fried to a crispy brown on one side, while the rest of the dumpling is steamed and tender.

These pot stickers, or gyoza, are filled with a delicious mixture of ground pork and shrimp. Just before wrapping up the dumplings, you add a nice fat chunk of shrimp before enclosing the mixture up in a thin wrapper.

Chocolate and Caramel Tiny Tarts

These chocolate and caramel tiny tarts are prepared in little Mason jar lids, which makes them so much fun to serve. They are like little truffle candy bars that you can eat with a spoon.

These chocolate and caramel tiny tarts are super easy to make, and because they are so small, it's easy to exercise portion control... well... maybe not.... I may have had two in one sitting....

When chocolate and caramel get married, I have a really hard time resisting.

Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cookies {Small Batch}

These Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cookies are deeply chocolaty. The dough is bittersweet, and the cookies are filled with semisweet chocolate chips and dried cherries.

What I love about this recipe for chocolate cherry chunk cookies is that it is "small batch." It yields just eight cookies, which means that I won't be finishing off three dozen cookies in one sitting.

Lasagna for Two {or Three}

When you want classic lasagna for dinner, but do not want to make a full casserole of this hearty dish, make this lasagna for two.

This lasagna for two is wonderful for folks living alone, newlyweds and empty nesters, as well as families with small children. It would also be a wonderful treat to deliver to couples who are bringing home a new baby.

Steamed Bao Buns | World Bread Day

These Steamed Bao Buns (Chinese Steamed Rolls also know as Gua Bao) are classic light and fluffy dim sum breads that are typically filled with Chinese barbecue pork and pickled vegetables. 

These Bao buns are easy to find in the frozen food section of fully stocked Chinese markets, but I thought it would be fun to make my own. Think of them as soft and fat taco shells or folded hamburger buns.

Mexican Hot Chocolate No Churn Ice Cream

This Mexican hot chocolate no churn ice cream makes the most of the flavors of traditional Mexican hot chocolate, such as cinnamon, vanilla, and chiles to create this tasty dessert.

Mexican hot chocolate is usually made by dissolving bars of Mexican drinking chocolate in hot milk or water by using a molinillo, a wooden tool that you hand spin in your cup to dissolve the chocolate and froth the drink.

Broccoli-Cheese Nuggets

This recipe for these Broccoli-Cheese Nuggets is wonderful for cooking with your little chef. These cheesy nuggets may actually get your kiddo to eat broccoli.

Broccoli is a tough vegetable to get kids to eat. It has a strong aroma, and is very green. You know what that means when it comes to kids (at least the kids I know).

Prosciutto and Fennel Pizza with Olives and Mascarpone

This Prosciutto and Fennel Pizza with Olives and Mascarpone is such an interesting combination of flavors.

It's topped with slices of prosciutto placed over mascarpone, fennel, olives, as well as Sriracha sauce. It's a pretty amazing combination of flavors.

Jerusalem Bagels

Jerusalem bagels are oblong sesame coated breads that are baked in wood fired ovens sold by street vendors in the streets of the Old City. They are a version of ka'ak, sold throughout the region, but, according to some, the ka'ak in Jerusalem are better than anywhere else in the region.

These Jerusalem bagels are smaller than the ones sold on the streets of the city, making them more home oven friendly.

Pork and Shrimp Meatballs

These pork and shrimp meatballs are an easy cocktail party appetizer. They are a snap to make and loaded with flavor.

To make these pork and shrimp meatballs, you combine pork shoulder and shrimp in a food processor. Once you process the proteins, you add some scallions, cilantro, white pepper, and some fish sauce to the mixture.

Kale and Garlic Ciabatta

This Kale and Garlic Ciabatta begins with one of my favorite doughs, Peter Reinhart's Pain à l'Ancienne. It's a rustic high hydration dough that is cold fermented. You can also use this dough for rustic baguettes and focaccia.

The dough for this kale and garlic ciabatta requires very little mixing, thanks to the "stretch-and-fold" method of mixing bread dough. I first tried it after reading Peter Reinhart's book, Artisan Bread Every Day, which I bought seven years ago. I highly recommend this book.

Mini Mummy Dogs

Mini Mummy Dogs, little smoked sausages wrapped in crescent roll "bandages" for your Halloween party.

These mini mummy dogs are just so fun and easy to make and will probably be the most popular item on your appetizer tray at your Halloween party.

Halloween Deviled Tea Eggs

Serve these Halloween Deviled Tea Eggs at your Halloween party. I'm pretty sure they would magically vanish.

This post and recipe were created for #HalloweenTreatsWeek! I was sent samples by some of the sponsor companies but as always opinions are 100% mine. 

Chinese tea eggs are traditionally boiled twice, first in water, and then, after cracking the shells, in a mixture of tea, soy sauce, and spices. They are often sold by street vendors. They are subtly flavored with the fragrance of tea, the sweet dark soy sauce, and Chinese five-spice powder.

Chicken, Pumpkin, and Bean Enchiladas

Chicken, Pumpkin, and Bean Enchiladas made with pumpkin puree instead of tomatoes for the enchilada sauce.

Fall is approaching, and winter squash is beginning to appear in farmers' markets and grocery stores. Of course, what would the fall season be without pumpkin recipes?

White Bean Dip with Herbs

This White Bean Dip with Herbs is a great appetizer to whip up when you're expecting last minute guests. It's fabulous spread on bread, pita chips, or crackers.

This dip is simple to make, and can be thrown together with ingredients you probably have in your pantry and refrigerator. While I used dill, mint, and parsley for the herbs, you could substitute any herbs you have on hand.

Black and Orange Cookies

These Black and Orange Cookies are a Halloween take on the famous Black and White cookies sold in New York City bakeries. The cookies are soft and "cake-like," and are iced on one half with chocolate icing and on the other half with vanilla icing.

This post and recipe were created for #HalloweenTreatsWeek! I was sent samples by some of the sponsor companies but as always opinions are 100% mine. 

I have it on good authority that black and white cookies are a "thing" in New York. There are even arguments about which bakery makes the best one. Should the icing be thin or should it be thick? Do you combine both icing flavors in one bite or eat them separately? It's all very, very, very controversial.