From the monthly archives:

December 2008

Christmas Morning Coffee Cake

December 26, 2008 Pies, Tarts and Cakes

This coffee cake has been a Christmas tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. It stems, oddly enough, from summer vacation. My step-dad’s family had a cottage in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, where we stayed for a week every summer when I was young. Every year, I could count on a fancy breakfast at the White Gull Inn, where my stepdad ordered buckwheat pancakes, I hoped for an overflowing bowl of fresh berries, and we always shared the coffee cake. At some point, my mom purchased the hotel’s cookbook, and the rest was history.

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Merry Christmakkah Cookies

December 24, 2008 Cookies

Thin Mints, that epitome of Girl Scout cookies and wintertime salve of chocolate-mint addictions. Fine, the Samoas are great with the coconut and chocolate, and Tagalongs are the cookie version of Reese’s peanut butter cups. Whatever. Thin Mints are iconic.

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Autumnal Lasagna

December 12, 2008 Pasta and Rice

When the opportunity arose to prepare lasagna for my family’s day-after-Thanksgiving feast, I didn’t want to keep it easy and buy the noodles in a box. I also didn’t want to make a traditional meat-and-cheese lasagna. No, a major family meal is an opportunity to experiment recklessly with new recipes, and I was not going to miss my chance.

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C is for Cookie, but L is for Lawrenceville

December 5, 2008 Pittsburgh

Another thing that’s the-same-but-still-different in Lawrenceville is this weekend’s Joy of Cookies tour. The 9th annual event started on Thursday and runs through Sunday. 18 (non-foodie) business are waiting to share their favorite holiday cookies with you as you peruse their wares.

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Magical Mint Ice Cream

December 2, 2008 Desserts & Ice Creams

Fresh mint ice cream is light years from the chemical confection I grew up loving, which I realize now tastes more like toothpaste than actual mint. Because, you see, mint is an herb. A plant. Something that grows in the ground. Something that artificial peppermint extract and green food coloring are not.

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