Comfort Foods and Indulgences

"I love recipes that don’t require mixers, beaters and lots of bowls. These squares really should be called Date Nut Brownies because of their soft and chewy texture. The combination of dates, nuts and brown sugar make them reminiscent of Sticky Toffee Pudding. These moist bars will make anyone a fan of dates which are one of the best natural sources of potassium."

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup whole wheat flour (4.5 ounces)
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F and adjust rack to middle position. Lightly butter a 9x13 pan and set aside.

Beat butter, sugar, salt, soda, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs, scraping the bowl and mixing until well combined.

Beat in flour, dates, and nuts. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Using wet hands, press the dough and smooth batter into an even thin layer.

Bake the squares until golden brown, about 22 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let cool on wire rack for 30 minutes. Cut into 2” squares and dust squares with confectioners’ sugar.

– Recipe courtesy of Cook Like James

It would be great if I had the time to make "real" focaccia bread, unfortunately my life is just too crammed with a million other activities at the moment. However, this simplistic version of the classic Italian peasant bread comes together in an instant.

This is wonderful finger food and a great party appetizer. In the oven, the grapes become lightly roasted, soft and juicy. The contrast of the salt and sweet really make this a winner.

Because you are using already prepared pizza dough, it takes no time at all to get this on the serving table. Every Mom's dream!

Your friends and family will thank you! 

My oldest son has declared this..."the best thing you have ever made." He's already requesting it for his birthday next March. I don't blame him...it really is so, so good...it's one of those sweets you crave after you've had a slice.

It is the perfect combination of flavor and especially texture. And it's a big cake, perfect for summer parties. It freezes well, unmolds well...it's all around super-easy, just like you want your summer to be. At the same time it's impressive in it's girth and taste. I will be making this again and again.

Growing up we never had ice cream cake/pies. I don't even remember a Baskin-Robbins cake making an appearance. But my mom is a baker so I guess that is the reason.

Anyway, with temps finally hitting the 80's in the Pacific Northwest, this has been the perfect indulgence. I hope you give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

Torrijas, a cross between French Toast and bread pudding, can be found throughout the year in Spain, but they are particularly popular for dessert around the Easter holiday. The tradition of reviving stale bread with eggs and milk dates back to Roman times, and most countries have their own particular version.

I first tried this dish at the Palace Hotel in Madrid and was impressed with the subtle flavors of cinnamon, lemon and honey. There are many variations of this treat – some soften the stale bread by soaking it in a sweet wine, while other variations use milk, and honey. The chef at the Palace was kind enough to share his recipe, which I think is just about perfect.

In Spain, it’s served cool or at room temperature (frankly almost everything in Spain is served at room temperature) and drizzled with honey syrup.