Last fall, I canned some apple butter for the first time. I don’t think I’d ever even had it before, and I had no clue what I would do with it other than giving it as gifts. Why did I make it? Because I could! I only started canning a couple of years ago and…
Category: Desserts
Pure Pistachio Ice Cream
“If you like ice cream, why stop at one scoop? Have two, have three. Too much is never enough.” — Morris Lapidus Childhood memories are funny. Sometimes, there’s a big gap where nothing is remembered; other times, those memories are larger than life. Maybe it’s because as adults, we’ve had years to build things up in…
Vanilla Bean Frozen Custard
Once a decade. That’s how often I’m wrong about something. At least that’s what I told my kids when they were little — that they should make a note of it because it’s that rare. It’s not, of course, I’m wrong all too often, like any other human being. I made Vanilla Bean Ice Cream…
Homemade Buttermints
These tasty little after-dinner mints are great for gift-giving as well as enjoying yourself. And they’re ridiculously easy to make! I made three batches to give for the holidays, one each of red, green, and white. The recipe comes from The Spruce Eats. When I was a kid, my dad used to go on business trips several…
Vanilla Sugar
It doesn’t get much easier than this! So much flavor, so little effort! But what’s it for? Almost anything, really. It’s delicious on cereal, in tea or coffee, and can be used in any baked goods you fancy. Just that hint of vanilla flavor gives a delightful boost. In a cute jar, it also makes…
Julie’s Best Ever Blueberry Pie
“It ain’t braggin’ if it’s true!” — Anonymous This is the best blueberry pie you’ll ever make. Or eat, for that matter! I tried other recipes but was never satisfied with them. Some require that you cook the berries on the stove before assembling the pie. No thanks. They end up mushy, and you have…
Gooseberry Custard Tart
Deliciously tart gooseberries, creamy vanilla custard, and rich, crumbly Butter Shortcrust: This might be one of my new favorite desserts! And it’s remarkably quick and easy (once you have the crust) for something that looks and tastes so fancy. Okay, when I made Kale With Golden Gooseberries, I said I didn’t need any more dessert…
Butter Shortcrust
I go back and forth between butter and shortening for my pie crusts. I love the flakiness of a shortening crust, as well as its suitability for using my Perfect-A-Crust to roll it out. (Perfect-A-Crust is an aid for rolling consistent crusts. They don’t make them anymore, but you can sometimes find them on eBay. You…
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