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My dear friend Dano requested a ham for Thanksgiving. I said what I usually say, “Of course, I’ll make ham for Thanksgiving, in addition to the turkey.” I didn’t tell him that until this Thanksgiving I had never baked a ham. My only memories of my mother baking a ham involved a canned ham decorated […]
Thanksgiving is the perfect time of year to make a spice cake. This recipe fits the bill and takes the idea of spice cake to the new heights. It’s dense and simply loaded with chunks of apples, bourbon soaked raisins and a full 3 1/2 cups of toasted pecans. The cake by itself is sensational, […]
I always keep homemade cookies in my freezer for friends who drop by for a cup of tea or spur of the moment dinner guests. These are not your typical oatmeal raisin cookies. They are loaded with shredded coconut, crystallized ginger and golden raisins. They are dense, chewy and perfect with fresh fruit or dish […]
This is another one of my go-to appetizers for parties. The richness of a triple cream brie or a camembert combined with the sweet surprise of fig jam is always a hit. It’s perfect when you are having a large number of guests and want to have something already out while waiting for everyone’s arrival. […]
Fruit crisps or crumble are one of my favorite desserts. In summer, I use luscious berries and juicy stone fruit. In fall and winter, I use apples combined with dried fruit. Usually, I make these for dessert and serve them with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream, and I make sure there is plenty […]
This is a recipe I used to make years ago using store bought biscuits. I was testing it two weeks before the New Year’s Day party and it was cooling on my kitchen counter one evening when two friends stopped by for an impromptu dinner. We sat at dinner commiserating about how we had eaten […]
