Homemade Flour Tortillas

As I basked in the sun on my front porch last week I suddenly realized that it had been a while, a LONG while, since I had spent time in the kitchen.  I had put granola and yogurt in a bowl, brown rice in a pot of boiling water, and fried a few eggs here and there, but I hadn’t spent more than 30 minutes making anything.  And so, I vowed to make dinner…a big, elaborate dinner.

I went to the “to make” folder on my computer and came across Alexandra’s recipe for homemade tortillas.  Yes, the recipe is a little bit tedious, but I was sure it would be worth the effort.  Oh boy, was I right!

Homemade tortillas are fantastic: soft, yet chewy, with far more flavor than their store-bought cousins.  I topped the misshapen beauties with spiced, shredded chicken thighs, citrus-jicama slaw, corn salsa, and queso fresco.  Served with spicy black beans, and chips and salsa, the meal was a hit.

-

-

The Best Lemon Bars

When signs of spring begin to pop up around town, I always make lemon bars.  Lemon has the power to wake you up from the cloudy fog of winter with one, slightly tart bite.  Quite the powerful fruit!

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that these lemon bars will be the best you’ll find.  I’ve adapted the recipe from the creator of my favorite brownies, Alice Medrich.  The bars are slightly more tart than a traditional lemon bar, but I think that’s the key to their success.

I always add a dash of ginger to any lemon sweet that I am making, convinced that the spice lets the lemon sing.  One day, I’ll experiment with earl gray or jasmine tea in the crust as well. For now though, get yourself ready for spring by whipping up a batch of these easy, and utterly delicious lemon bars.  Let me know what you think!

-

-

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ok folks, get your self-restraint ready.

Got it?

No?

It may be hidden in the fridge behind the carrots, or perhaps under the whole grain bread.

Alright, ready? Excellent, because you’re definitely going to need it when these treats are in the cookie jar.

-

-

Apple-Cranberry Pie

There are cake people, and then there are pie people.  Although I treat myself to a cupcake now and then, I am-when forced to choose-a pie person.  After all, how can you deny a plateful of just-from-the-oven apple pie, topped with a big scoop of vanilla bean-flecked ice cream? Answer: you can’t.

Naturally then, when my friend came over to bake yesterday, I couldn’t help but be thrilled with his desire to bake pie.  Not to mention that he had all the ingredients for one of my favorite pie pairings: apple and cranberry.  There’s something about the way those bouncy and bright little cranberries make the filling really pop.  And the crust, OH THE CRUST, it’s perfectly buttery, with a hint of lemon and a little crunch.  Serve up a slice warm from the oven, with a big scoop of ice cream, and you’ll never find it difficult to choose between pie and cake again.