When the holidays come around, we all start thinking about cookies! Cookie swaps, trays, and even parties all centered around holiday themed cookies. I love making the cookies of my youth, cookies I have been eating and making since I was little with my mother. One of our favorite customs was to recreate our favorite Italian American bakery classics at home.
Read MoreTonight 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!
Read MoreI’m a big fan of Sunday Brunch. My kids love bagels and cream cheese on Saturday morning so on Sunday, I try to go big with a few main dishes, home fries, bacon and fresh fruit. Recently, on a rare trip out for brunch, we ordered a Dutch Baby - a huge pancake covered in fruit, jam, syrup, confectioners sugar, or really, anything you want to top it with. It’s a great brunch option because its one huge pancake that cooks in the oven, allowing you to forgo the multitasking of flipping while trying to juggle the bacon, toast and coffee brewing. So, join me on my journey to Germany this weekend and go Dutch!
Read MoreI’m going to keep this short and SWEET - My daughter wanted to make gingersnaps and I found this amazing recipe in one of my favorite baking cookbooks. Tastes just like Nabisco Gingersnaps, but these are so much better because, (1) They are homemade goodness and (2) They have lemon zest - my secret weapon in them. Thanks to my lil’ sister who wrangled all three kids into the kitchen and made these delish cookies with them. They had fun and I got a blog post out of it. Win, win.
Read MoreAs 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.
Read MoreKids love muffins. Why? Because let’s face it, muffins are just cupcakes without the frosting. After a recent 'eat this and stop bugging your brother' muffin impulse purchase, I decided this Friday needed to be dedicated to the glorious muffin. I developed a recipe that has all the bakery goodness and some dried cherries too just to make them interesting. I figure, if a muffin can keep your child well behaved and obedient on the weekly grocery store run, they might just be full of magic powers.
Read MoreMost 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.
Read MoreThis recipe comes to me from my lovely friend Claudia. She is a true Italian girl with both of her parent’s families hailing from the old country, northern Italy and Sicily. Even though Claudia always jokes she isn’t much of a cook, I tend to doubt it because she definitely has some incredible cooking genes. Her father was generous to share a few of his specialties and Claudia has saved many of the wonderful recipes her mother used to make.
Most of Claudia’s mom’s recipes come from her mother, Claudia’s grandmother Mary Zeppieri. Mary came to the US at the age of 25 from Veroli, Italy and raised five children in upstate New York. She was a dedicated wife and mother and always cooked homemade Italian food. Claudia has dear memories of walking to her Nonna’s house every Sunday after church for these wonderful cookies.
Read MoreThis 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.
Read MoreRice Krispie treats have been around since I was a kid. I remember quite vividly, in the early 90s, when Kellogg’s started marketing them through TV commercials and then printing the recipe on the box. I also remember telling my mother about it and making them with her. Even she liked them!
So, at least once or twice a year, my girls and I will grab some marshmallows and cereal and whip up a batch. This year, my daughter Veronica is taking a baking class and came home with a cute variation for Halloween, little rice krispie pumpkins. We decided to make them for her school party today so she ‘taught’ me how to make them.
Read MoreThis 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.
Read MoreWhen 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.
Read MoreTGIF! 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.
Read MoreI 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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