From the category archives:

Recipes for Easter

Maple Pudding Cakes (Pouding Chomeur) + Sugarbush Spring

by Laura 23 March 2012

Spring came in with such a rush this year. By mid-March—mid-March!—the snow had receded, the grass greened, the buds burst, the crocuses bloomed, and people were out swilling cold beer on patios, the smell of charcoal grills in the air. A week later now, the ice on Lake Minnetonka has gone out, the first vinca [...]

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Italian Cream Cake

by Laura 21 March 2012

Work is so engrossing for me that, when my Sweet Boy is away, I often realize I am sitting in total darkness, the sun has set, the black sky has swallowed up the day, and the moon has appeared out my window. The television set in my neighbor’s window flickers across the way and lights [...]

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Braised Lamb Shanks

by Laura 1 March 2012

My grandma was a letter writer. I have sheaves of her letters, all typed and on thin, pale green paper. They detail the buses she took, and in what weather, to the bank, to Mass, to help with the church rummage sale; the breakfasts and lunches and dinners she ate—toast with butter or peanut butter, [...]

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A Warren of Bunny Cakes

by Laura 22 April 2011

There are bunnies in these woods… I woke to hoar frost this morning. (Is there anything lovelier?) And the first daffodil of the spring, nestled in a bed of snow not yet melted. Spring and winter are currently colliding in Minnesota in a month-long tug of war. I know spring will prevail eventually, but right [...]

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Coffee Custard Tart

by Laura 18 April 2011

I baked eight cakes yesterday, but I couldn’t resist making something for Food52’s coffee-themed contest last night, too. I made a thin, crisp shortbread crust flavored with concentrated coffee, whole wheat pastry flour, and turbinado sugar and filled it with a barely sweet, egg-rich, coffee scented custard. Since there are only two tablespoons of sugar [...]

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Champagne Jelly

by Laura 6 April 2011

Yesterday a childhood friend from France came for a visit. I served caramel rolls and pecan sticky buns and cinnamon rolls and pots of coffee. And then we moved on to champagne. I had half a bottle left and decided this morning to mold it into a shimmering champagne jelly. I used a small mold, [...]

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Boozy Hot Cross Buns with Rum Brown Sugar Butter

by Laura 5 April 2011

When you’re done with the egg hunt, the Easter bonnet has been pulled off and tossed aside, when churching and snapping pictures are past, and you’re ready for a buttery breakfast roll or something sweet next to your slice of ham, make these. They are a bit on the time intensive side, but nearly all [...]

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Crustless Quiche with Bacon, Gruyere, Fat Whole Asparagus Spears, and Leeks & Roasted Sugarplum Tomatoes

by Laura 2 April 2011

I think a lot of people can’t be bothered with making a quiche at home because they don’t want to fiddle with pastry for a crust. Some years ago I discovered that a quiche will bake up beautifully without one. Here’s the latest quiche from my oven, served with a side of sweet roasted sugarplum [...]

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