Approachable, everyday recipes
Is there anything more comforting or nostalgic than cinnamon and sugar? My mom used to make a version of this coffee cake when I was growing up and the taste and smell take me back to my childhood. I love it!
The sour cream makes the cake incredibly moist and tender. Plus it helps keep the cake moist for a couple days, so it’s the perfect thing to make a head of time for a brunch or holiday. Or to eat warm out of the oven on a snowy Tuesday because, why not?!
…
A few years ago I was at Market 65 in downtown Columbus and grabbed one of their homemade granola bars on a whim. It was SO delicious – full of oatmeal, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. I went back the next day to buy one for an afternoon snack and stopped when I realized they were $4 a bar. $4 a bar!! I decided then and there that I would try to recreate them at home to avoid spending more on granola bars every week than coffee.
This recipe is a result of A LOT of trial and error – especially on the amount of nut butter and honey used to bind them. Outside the proportions, they’re extremely adaptable. Use whatever nuts/seed/dried fruits you like. Even add in some chocolate chips! Plus you can use whatever nut butter or combination of nut butters you like. I hope you like them as much as we do!
…
This is hand’s down one of my mom’s best recipes. It’s stood the test of time – mom got the recipe out of the Columbus Dispatch’s Wednesday cooking section years ago and with a few tweaks it has remained a favorite.
It’s so simple, but that’s the beauty of the cake. In fact calling it a cake is a bit of a stretch. Is it a cake? Yes. But not in the traditional cake covered in buttercream and sprinkles that were used to. Instead it’s a sophisticated cake that’s just as perfect with coffee for breakfast as it is with ice cream for dessert. I made it for Rich’s birthday this year and we enjoyed it both ways.
What makes this cake even more appealing? It’s quick, takes minimal ingredients most of which you likely have on hand, and is just as good the next day as it is straight out of the oven. If that doesn’t convince you to make it, I’m not sure what will. Enjoy!
…
My love for cranberry orange muffins started young. We used to have a great grocery/general store in Columbus called The Andersons. The Andersons was one of those stores where you could buy a bottle of Dom Perignon, local zucchini, and paint. They also had a great bakery that started my love for cranberry orange muffins. Sometimes my mom and I would split one as a treat, and that was it. Love at first taste.
Unfortunately The Andersons closed a few years ago, taking my muffins with them. This means I now have to make my own. After trying multiple recipes, this one is my favorite. It’s a play on my Perfect Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping and I have to say, these are pretty perfect too. While these muffins are good all year, they would make the perfect Thanksgiving morning breakfast or really anytime this holiday season!
…
This recipe is an ode to my Nana. When I was growing up we would go over to Nana and Papa’s house for dinner once a week. It was hands down the best dinner of the week, mainly because Nana would make things my mom wouldn’t. Want honey cinnamon rolls and homemade mac and cheese for dinner? You got it! And don’t forget to save room for dessert! I know my mom was cringing the whole time, but I have some of the best memories from those meals.
One of my favorite things Nana made was blueberry muffins with streusel topping, which she passed off as fancy dinner rolls. This lead to my rabbit hole of trying to find the perfect muffin. I’ve made blueberry muffin after blueberry muffin… it’s amazing how many of them come out dry and dense! But not these. There’s a reason I’m calling these “perfect” blueberry muffins… They’re extremely similar to Nana’s muffins, but dare I say even better?
…
The funny thing about this cake is… Rich and I both don’t like applesauce. I know, why even attempt to make an applesauce cake if you don’t like applesauce? I don’t know, but I’m glad I did because we love this cake!
In the past I was always apprehensive to make an applesauce cake because I thought it would just taste like applesauce. I mean, an applesauce cake I can take or leave, but with an applesauce cake with a ton of warm spices and cream cheese icing… Who wouldn’t like that?
Rich and I ate the whole cake in the span of 3 days. I would say that makes the cake a keeper. It would be great anytime of the year, but is especially perfect in the fall. Plus, the cake keeps extremely well covered with foil and stored in the fridge, making this cake perfect for dessert and then with a cup of coffee the next morning (or afternoon).
…
I always eat breakfast. It’s funny because I was never a “breakfast person”, but something switched in me in the past few years and suddenly I’m all about breakfast. I’m now that girl that turns into a hangry monster if I don’t have breakfast within an hour or so of waking up.
This year I’ve been trying to make a conscious effort to sit down at the table and eat breakfast before I leave for work. A big change from slurping down a smoothie as fast as I can. Something about the act of sitting down at the table and eating breakfast starts my day off on a good note. I feel more relaxed, not to mention full, and ready to take on the day.
One of my favorite breakfasts to make now that it’s starting to feel like fall in Columbus is pumpkin oatmeal. I know what you’re thinking, really, another pumpkin recipe? You’ve already posted two pumpkin recipes in less than two weeks (here and here). I know, I know, but hear me out. It’s easy, filling, and tastes deceivingly decedent. The perfect fall/winter breakfast in my book!
…
I already know what your thinking, “pumpkin, really Gretchen?” I know, I know. But here’s the thing, pumpkin isn’t something I decided I loved when everyone and their brother got on the pumpkin train thanks to pumpkin spice lattes. Honestly, I don’t even like pumpkin spice lattes.
…
It’s that time of year. Zucchini is in full force at the farmers market and I go crazy, buying armfuls of the versatile vegetable without a definitive plan on what to do with it. Next thing I know, I’m roasting it, eating it in pasta, and adding it to any and every dish. One of my favorite ways to use my zucchini bounty? Grate it along with potatoes to make into fritters. Plus, goat cheese never hurts a recipe, right?
…
This is one of those magical “non-recipes, recipes.” Goat cheese tomato toast sounds so simple, but when you use fresh summer tomatoes and good bread, this is something you’ll end up dreaming about. I used heirloom tomatoes, which I think have a deeper, more complex flavor, but fresh on-the vine tomatoes would work great as well. The sweetness of the tomatoes, creaminess of the goat cheese, crunchy-ness of the toast, all topped with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper make the perfect combination.
…