Make This Year’s Mid Week Valentines Day Extra Sweet

This year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday. So, having a romantic night out might not be in the cards. However, there is nothing stopping you from giving your love(s) a mid week treat that shows them how much you care.

If you have ever been out to eat on February 14th, there is a very good chance chocolate lava cake was on the menu. Many times, the server will even point it out when you order your meal because if you want it, the kitchen needs to be told in advance. So, of course, you commit before you have even sipped your cocktail to that delicious little cake that oozes molten chocolate out all over the dish.

While it might seem like magic, it’s really just an undercooked brownie and it only has five ingredients! So, if you are staying in this year, and might even be serving a ho hum dinner as it’s a weekday and the kids have activities and homework, you can still dazzle everyone with this spectacular little dessert.

Sweet Tooth Friday: A Trip to NOLA Beignets

I love to travel. One place that is definitely on my bucket list is New Orleans. I know the food scene there is amazing and for me travel = food. When I do, one of my first stops will be Café Du Monde. They are world famous and serve, ‘the best’ beignets. Beignets are a little square of fried dough, served hot with powdered sugar.

As you can gather from this website, I’m a big fan of trying recipes that are indigenous to a particular area of the globe so when my daughter requested that I make them, I was very excited to comply. Whether you have made it to New Orleans or not, give these little powdered squares a try. It will feel like Mardi Gras in your mouth when you take a bite!

Super Mom Meals: Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

This week was my darling boy’s 3rd birthday. Just like many boys his age, he loves superheroes, legos, and of course, Mickey Mouse. We brought the kids to Disney this year and the love affair with the big mouse grew to epic proportions. So, for his birthday I decided to make Mickey Mouse cupcakes.

His preschool is probably the last school on the planet that allows outside food, so for birthdays we can bring in cupcakes for the kids to share. The night before the big day, I put on my Super Mom cape and tried to make the best Mickey Mouse cupcakes ever.

Sweet Tooth Friday: Pass-Over Some Mandel Bread

Tonight starts the beginning of Passover, so I asked JoAnn Elice (a previous Heirloom featured 'Nonna') to share one of her favorite Passover desserts. Always so generous, ‘Mimi’ Jo immediately obliged with her delicious Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread.

‘Mandelbrot’ known today as Mandel Bread, originates in Eastern European, and simply means almond bread because it included ground almond flour; an acceptable flour for Passover. Just like biscotti, it is cooked twice but is much softer due to the high fat content. They are perfect for dunking!

Sweet Tooth Friday: Tiramisu (Valentine's Edition!)

As I mentioned on Tuesday, this year, I decided to throw a Cupid’s Cocktail Party in honor of the ‘Day of Love’. I needed an excuse for a get together and it seemed like the perfect time to invite my friends for a night of cocktails, yummy bites and of course, dessert.

I have asked my guests to bring a dessert they love to the festivities and I decided to do the same. I went with a favorite, an old stand by, Tiramisu. Just like any great love, it never disappoints and everyone digs in. Layers of delicious lady fingers and creamy mascarpone cheese and of course, lots and lots of espresso. When it’s made right, it’s a dream on a plate.

Five Days of Christmas Cookies (DAY 4): Nonna Gina's Biscotti di Cream Cheese

Most of my most cherished Christmas cookie recipes come from my mom. She always made a number of cookies for Christmas so we could give them to our teachers and friends. This cookie was always in high demand so she made them every year. It’s very delicate looking because of the fringed edges, it’s dusted with powdered sugar and filled with a delicious blend of coconut, jam, dates and chocolate chips.

Sweet Tooth Friday: Time To Give Thanks (For This Pie!)

For dessert, our family tradition, is to make a number of different pies. Everyone has his or her favorite so I like to make at least one per person. So, you have YOUR pie to grab a few slices from and then you can share with your neighbor.

Each year, my husband always asks for the same pie. Chocolate Pecan Pie. it’s the easiest pie you will ever make. Pie crust, toss in the nuts, toss in the chocolate, toss in the egg mixture and bake for 50 minutes. Easy Peasy!

Sweet Tooth Friday: Nonna Olga’s Biscotti

This Friday’s recipe is very special and really encompasses why I started Heirloom Kitchen. A few years ago, my friend Gina made me these biscotti for Christmas. Hands down, these are the most delicious biscotti I have ever had. A delicious combination of anise and almond, they are light, crunchy, and simply perfect with a cup of coffee.

What really makes these biscotti so special however, is not merely how they taste, but where they come from. This recipe was created by Gina’s paternal Nonna, Olga Giovannoni and came here with her, all the way from South Africa.

Special Edition Sweet Tooth Friday: Grandma Harriet's Rugelach

This week, I decided to roll my Nonna recipe and Sweet Tooth Friday all into one sweet rugelach; I mean, blog post. This recipe is extra special to me because it was given to me by one of the best Nonnas I know, Harriet Marks-Nelson - my husband’s wonderful grandmother.

Sweet Tooth Friday: Anna's Apple Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

When I was in college, I had a serious weakness for the Sour Cream Walnut Apple Pie made by The Little Pie Company. They came in mini pie tins and I could eat an entire one by myself - hello, freshman fifteen! I wanted to develop a cookie recipe that showcased the strudel topping AND the sour cream flavor because the combination is just heavenly. Here is my spin on combining cookies with the best pies you can get in NYC.

Sweet Tooth Friday: Delectable Donuts

TGIF! The almighty weekend is coming and its time to make something sweet. Why? Because I said so.

This week, I decided to make some baked donuts. I know, it kind of sounds like an oxymoron because the main reason donuts taste so good is that crispy outside coupled with a fluffy inside achieved by a quick bath in a deep fryer. However, I wanted to see if the baked variety could stand up to its deep fried brother.

Make Your Mamma Proud Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love chocolate chip cookies. I’m not really into cake or ice cream, I’m a cookie person. So, when I get a hankering for something sweet I make chocolate chip cookies. I think the most important component of the chocolate chip cookies is really, good quality chocolate chunks (sorry Nestle). What I want is big globs of melted chocolate pieces held together by a little bit of dough.

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