One of the reasons that vanilla baked goods are often thought of as being “plain” is that they lack the pops of color that you might find in other foods, like Funfetti cakes, blueberry muffins or chocolate chip cookies and quick breads. I love “plain” vanilla goodies, but I’ll admit that it is nice to get some color into your baked goods, too. Adding berries, ... Read More »
One way to breathe some new life into a simple chocolate chip cookie recipe is to start by adding some new mix-ins to the cookie dough. Nuts will add crunch and a little extra flavor, but adding dried fruit can really change the overall taste of the cookie. Dried cranberries, for instance, can add a sweet-tart flavor and a lot of color to cookies, while ... Read More »
Scones are an easy afternoon treat to make. They don’t need many ingredients and don’t take long to put together. I also like the fact that a basic scone recipe is so versatile and can include just about anything that I have in the kitchen – and sometimes I find inspiration for a new combination just by looking through my pantry. These Dried Apricot, Ginger ... Read More »
Apricots are a slightly under-appreciated fruit. They are delicious and sweet, with an almost honeyed flavor when they’re perfectly ripe, but they don’t find their way into baked goods like pies and cobblers as often as other stone fruits do. Apricots are great for baking, however. They have an excellent flavor and are firm enough to stand up to a little time in the oven ... Read More »
There is something about these Lemon Apricot Walnut Bars that tastes like summertime. They certainly look summery, with their bright yellow-orange apricot filling, though it is the combination of that flavorful filling with the citrusy cookie dough that is what really makes them addictive. They’re tender and slightly chewy, with a little bit of crunch to them from the generous amount of walnuts included in ... Read More »
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you can’t go wrong with a chocolate chip cookie. With that in mind, a chocolate chip cookie makes a great jumping off point for other flavors in a cookie and you can transform an old classic into a new one without missing out on anything. With these Apricot Pecan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, I was looking ... Read More »
When all kinds of fruits come into season at around the same time, I end up trying to cram all kinds of things into each dish I make. It takes a lot of editing to pick out one or two fruits to include in the final result, but it’s necessary editing as no one really wants fruit salad muffins regardless of how delicious a fruit ... Read More »
Scones are one food that can illicit surprisingly strong reactions from people. Some people love them (usually people who have had good scones) and others hate them (usually people who have had bad scones. Some like a traditional scone that wants to be topped with jam and cream, others want something more tender, moist and sweet on its own, a cross between a muffin and ... Read More »
Baking Bites An award winning food and baking blog featuring recipes, tips and more