After I made Orange Olive Oil Brownies plus a Raspberry Chipotle Cheesecake last week, it felt like a good time to make something quite healthy. No Bake Energy Bites fit the bill-and then some. This is also a terrific recipe choice when you want a sweet treat but don't have a lot of time to make one. 

Equipment list:

-measuring cups
-measuring spoons
-large spoon
​-rubber spatula
-sheet pan
-silicone baking mat 

I've gathered all of my ingredients here, including the toasted coconut. As I had never toasted coconut before, I did a quick Internet search and found an easy tutorial here. However, my toasting time was closer to 10-12 minutes. After tasting the amazing results here's my V.O.E. - BE SURE TO INCLUDE THIS STEP   :) 

Although the original recipe calls for semi-sweet chips, I always use bittersweet in my recipes. In this case, I think they provide a nice counterpoint to the honey and sweetened coconut flakes. 

V.O.E. - When combining ingredients, pour the toasted coconut, oatmeal and flax meal into a large bowl and combine thoroughly (a whisk may be helpful for this step). Then add vanilla, peanut butter and honey. Finally, add chocolate chips.
​V.O.E. - Be prepared to mash ingredients together so they combine well and keep your rubber spatula handy so you can clean off the spoon from time to time, and facilitate blending. 

Now that I've made these No Bake Energy Balls once, I agree with the idea of adding a little more peanut butter if the original combination of ingredients doesn't stay together well. Not a fan of messy hands when working in the kitchen? Do opt for bars instead. 

Here is our first recipe for 2023. Many years ago one of my coworkers at The Tasteful Olive created a recipe for Orange Olive Oil Brownies. Although it has long been a customer favorite, this is the first time I've gotten around to making the recipe.

Ultra-dark chocolate merges with the store's (blood) orange olive oil, creating a delicious, complex flavor profile. Check out the recipe link, and then follow along for my notes and photos.

Equipment list:
-9 x 13 pan
​-measuring cup
-spatula
-two mixing bowls (mine are stainless steel)
-double boiler (I used a small stainless steel bowl nesting in a large saucepan)
-sifter to blend dry ingredients (I substituted a large whisk)
-measuring/mixing spoons
-food processor/blender to crush the walnuts ​

Despite my sweet tooth - especially for chocolate - I don't like super sweet treats. So I reduced the sugar in this recipe by 1/4 cup. (V.O.E. - The result was slightly 'ooey-gooey.' For a more solid brownie, reduce the butter too, by 1-2 tablespoons.) 

It's hard to believe the New Year will begin this weekend - and this is my final blog post of 2022. I definitely feel like celebrating the next holiday, but I also feel like 'the easier the better' in the kitchen, at this point.

A word of caution: if you don't like the idea of eating raw eggs, this recipe is definitely not for you. A second word of caution: you'll have plenty of dishes to wash.

But the results are worth it. I always use bittersweet chocolate in recipes; however, feel free to use semisweet chips if you prefer a slightly sweeter result. Either way, this dessert is easy, delicious, and a great way to celebrate. Happy New Year to all!

​Chocolate Mousse
4-6 servings (depending on the dishes you use)
 
Ingredients

6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
6 egg yolks
6 egg whites
2 tablespoons vanilla
 
Whipped cream
Sprinkled cocoa powder and/or cinnamon

​1. In a double boiler, melt chocolate and set aside.

​2. Beat yolks until thick and lemon colored. Gradually add melted chocolate and vanilla and stir together thoroughly. Set aside.

​3. Beat egg whites until stiff and fluffy. Gradually fold into chocolate and egg yolk combination.

​4. Spoon into individual dishes. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours. Serve with whipped cream. Top with lightly chocolate powder and/or cinnamon.

The recipe that you find here is a riff on this recipe: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a20128728/black-bean-sweet-potato-brownies/. That's because a family member isn't fond of sweet potato flavor and, after doing a little research, I learned that pumpkin is a suitable 'stand-in' for this ingredient. It also helped that I had one lonely can of pumpkin in my cupboard. With the shift to pumpkin I added cinnamon and nutmeg too, because, well, pumpkin!  :)

We liked the results and served some of these brownies to dinner guests. But instead of adding thick chocolate sauce to the top (as above), we sprinkled the whipped cream with additional cinnamon. Either way, this dessert is a pleasant surprise. 

Want to have a little fun? Share these brownies with friends and family first, and then tell them what ingredients you used!
 
Black Bean Pumpkin Fudge Brownies
Makes 9-12 servings
 
Ingredients
 
 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 c. unsalted butter
1 can black beans (15 oz), drained and rinsed
3/4 c. canned pumpkin
1 egg
1/3 c. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of kosher or sea salt
 
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, with ends overhanging the sides. Spray lightly with cooking spray. (V.O.E. – I don’t use cooking spray so I lightly greased the parchment with olive oil and a paper towel.)

​2. In a double boiler over barely simmering water, melt chocolate and butter until smooth. Meanwhile, in a food processor, puree black beans, pumpkin, egg, syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Add chocolate mixture and process until smooth. 

What makes a cake, a cake? With so little flour, and so many eggs, this is nowhere near a traditional cake. And, although this week's recipe has dense, creamy texture, it is definitely not a cheesecake. What you'll get is a pudding-like interior, which is especially appealing after letting your slice reach room temperature or - if you have trouble waiting to indulge - taking the chill off for less than 20 seconds in the microwave.

I found this recipe during my annual chocolate recipes search for this blog. The original provided a great starting point but, as always, I've made a few modifications. Follow the original, or my version, according to your individual tastes. Enjoy!

Chocolate Truffle Cake
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook
Makes 16 servings
 
INGREDIENTS 
Crust
1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely ground
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 quarter cup butter melted
2 tablespoons sugar, optional
(V.O.E. – I substituted walnuts here, as that’s what I keep on-hand. And the next time I make this recipe I will cut these ingredients in half, because I prefer a bottom crust, only)
 
Filling
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut up (V.O.E. – As always, I used bittersweet)
1 cup whipping cream
6 beaten eggs
¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
 
Whipped cream or ice cream
Cocoa powder, optional

1. For crust, combine pecans, cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press onto bottom and about 1 ½ inches up the sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan (V.O.E. - if using ½ crust recipe, press to just above the bottom inside edge). Set aside.

​2. In a large saucepan cook and stir chocolate and whipping cream over low heat till the chocolate melts. Transfer the mixture to a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl combine beaten eggs, the ¾ cup sugar and flour. Beat for 10 minutes or until thick and lemon colored (V.O.E. - My batter never became lemon colored, although it did thicken). Fold ¼ of egg mixture into the chocolate mixture and then fold chocolate mixture into remaining egg mixture. Pour into crust-lined pan.

​4. Bake the cake in a 325 degree oven, for about 45 minutes or until puffed around the edge and halfway to center, which will be slightly soft. (V.O.E.-Watch the top cake texture from about 40 minutes and remove earlier as needed; my cake became slightly dry and crumbly around the upper edge, at 45 minutes).
 
5. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Using a table knife, gently release cake from sides of pan before removing the sides. Cool for four hours. Top with whipped cream or ice cream. Dust with cocoa powder, if desired. Cover any leftovers and store in the refrigerator. 

My husband, Mark, and I both grew up with moms who crafted confectioners sugar-dusted Almond Crescent Cookies, during each holiday season. Following their lead, I made those same cookies for many years as Christmas approached, with one small tweak-because we always have walnuts on hand and rarely purchase almonds, I used walnuts, instead.

Then came the day when I stumbled upon a recipe for Chocolate Mexican Wedding Cookies. With the addition of cocoa powder and cinnamon, this recipe provided a pleasant 'riff' on the classic recipe. These cookies are still full of butter, but include a little olive oil to reduce the saturated fat a bit. And they have become a new holiday favorite in our house. See if you don't agree!

V.O.E. - Be sure you allow plenty of time to complete this recipe, from start to finish. I had already had a long day when I decided to make the cookies and was then reminded of the need for dough set time in the refrigerator. I ended up going to bed an hour later than usual and grateful for a rerun of 'Titanic' to keep me company.  :) 

Chocolate Mexican Wedding Cookies
Makes 2-2 1/2 dozen
 
1/2 cup pecan or walnut halves, toasted (toast in a 300-degree oven for about 20 minutes, turning once)
1 cup confectioner’s sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
 
Confectioner’s sugar
Cinnamon

1. Place nuts and 1/4 cup of confectioner’s sugar in the work bowl of a food processor. Process, until nuts are powder-fine.
 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt and nut mixture.

3. In a large bowl, cream butter, oil, and remaining 3/4 cup of confectioners sugar, until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.

4. On low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture just until mixed. Refrigerate dough, tightly covered, for at least one hour and preferably no longer than three hours.

5. Measure dough by 1 1/4-inch scoop or scant measuring tablespoons and roll it between the well-floured palms of your hands to form one inch balls. Place balls 1 1/2 inches apart on unbuttered cookie sheets. Bake in 350-degree oven 16-18 minutes or until set (the tops will dull slightly).
 
6. Cool cookies on sheets two to three minutes. Combine powdered sugar and cinnamon for coating, at a ratio of 1 cup sugar to 2 teaspoons cinnamon; make more as needed to thoroughly coat all cookies. Roll cookies in confectioners sugar mixture while still hot, coating heavily. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. 

7. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator, for up to one week, or freeze up to 3 months.

V.O.E. - If your cookies seem a little dry, place 1/2 slice of fresh bread in the cookie container. The bread contributes some moisture that causes the cookies to soften slightly.

Looking for another luscious, last minute Thanksgiving dessert? This Wacky (Chocolate) Cake couldn’t be easier or faster. If you enjoy baking, you likely have plenty of butter and confectioner’s sugar on hand. But you only need those if you also make the icing.

As stated in Southern Living’s recipe notes, “This cake was created when many common ingredients were hard to acquire, or food items were being rationed, so the recipe doesn't include any butter, eggs, or milk.” 
​
Click on the recipe link above-which includes an embedded link for the frosting-and follow along, as I share my thoughts/V.O.E.s. 

Although this recipe features sifted flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda, I’ve never owned a sifter, so I filtered each of these ingredients through my sieve. I also initially ‘sifted’ them into a large bowl, before transferring the whole combination into an 8- by 8-inch ungreased pan. 

I created three wells in the mixture, but I should have made the oil well larger (I used safflower oil because that is what I had on hand). Thankfully, the oil run-off didn’t hurt the recipe, and everything blended easily after I added the water. 

FROSTING NOTES

Although recipe instructions mention pouring this mixture atop the cake, I found it too dense, even while blending the ingredients. At a certain point my whisk couldn’t adequately handle the frosting density, so I switched to a large spoon. I also incorporated two extra tablespoons of milk. And, because I wanted to temper the frosting sweetness a bit, I had already reduced the amount of powdered sugar by ¼ cup.

Southern Living recommends topping this finished cake with pecans, but I again worked with what I already had and substituted walnuts. About that nut-free section of cake. With two toddler grandsons, nuts just won't cut it  :)

The results? Moist, dense, decadent, and tough to stop eating. But we did, to make sure there was some left for tomorrow. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

I've exhausted stories about chefs I have actually met, in previous posts, but other cookbooks remain in my collection with more, delectable chocolate recipes. This recipe for chocolate cherry shortbread cookies comes from my copy of giada's ITALY, by Giada De Laurentiis. But it's also available here, so click the link and follow along  :) 

The first thing I learned about this recipe is I couldn't assume availability of a couple ingredients. Fortunately, I suspected that might be the case and made a few phone calls before getting in my car. Although my 'regular' grocery store didn't carry dried cherries, another nearby grocer did.

After I found out that my favorite food store also didn't carry pink peppercorns, I seriously debated substituting black peppercorns that we always have on hand. Although this is allowable in the culinary realm it does impart a slightly different flavor. I found the pink variety in a local spice store and hope to find plenty of other uses for them in the future. 

Then there was the matter of adequately crushing the peppercorns for this sweet recipe. I pulled out an extra coffee grinder that I long ago relegated to grinding spices and gave them a good 'zap.'

The peppercorns made a pretty addition to the combo of flour, cocoa powder, and salt.

I chopped the dried cherries on a cutting board with a sharp knife because I thought they might become a gummy mess if I used my food processor. After combining the sugar + butter + egg yolks + the flour blend with my mixer, I stirred in cherries and chips by hand.

Although Giada's recipe calls for semisweet chocolate chips, I used Ghirardelli bittersweet, instead. I love the quality, but I'm also sentimental about watching early morning deliveries at the flagship store many years ago, on a chilly, early February morning near Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.

Giada's recipe says to wrap the cookie dough 'log' in plastic wrap before placing it in the refrigerator. Since I avoid plastic wrap due to environmental concerns, I crafted the log atop parchment paper before wrapping it tightly.

I couldn't wait for the log to become thoroughly chilled, baked, and cooled again. The result? A mildly sweet nice crunch with occasional bites of chewy cherry and unexpected bursts of chocolate chip flavor. The peppercorn flavor didn't stand out on my palate but I'm sure the cookies would have tasted different without it.  

And I still have plenty of dried cherries-and pink peppercorns-for my next batch of cookies. 

In fall 2020, RowHouse Restaurant, Topeka, KS, closed after 14 years of operation. Housed in an antique building, downtown, the fine dining restaurant offered frequently changing ‘American fusion’ cuisine, with a big focus on using fresh local ingredients. One of many restaurants that closed during the pandemic, its chef/owner, Greg Fox, now creates food-focused events in the city.   
​
I felt honored to dine at RowHouse a decade ago, while doing research for a regional travel magazine. I also feel honored to own a signed copy of Fox’s first cookbook, FRESH. It features a full-page history of the 1876 rowhouse where the restaurant operated and a group photo of restaurant staff.
 
A self-professed visual learner and cook, Fox illustrated each recipe with a gorgeous, full-page photo of the completed dish. One of my favorite features in the book was his notations regarding ‘things you will need’ to create a dish, such as ‘2, 9 x 13 pans & whisk,’ when making his mocha chocolate brownies.
 
These simple but luscious brownies are packed with chocolate and a hint of java. I have provided Fox’s original recipe plus measurements to make a half-recipe, as I did. For serving, I topped my brownies with a small scoop of ice cream, a big drizzle of chocolate balsamic vinegar, and plenty of grated chocolate. Enjoy!

mocha chocolate brownies
Makes 24 brownies
 
INGREDIENTS
1 cup sugar (1/2 cup)
½ cup boiling water (1/8 cup because my brownies turned out almost like pudding)
2 teaspoons instant coffee (1 more if you want more coffee flavor) (1 teaspoon)
 
3 sticks salted butter (1 ½ sticks; V.O.E – I used 1 stick salted butter and ½ stick unsalted)
10 ½ ounces of chocolate chips (no more) (5 ¼ ounces)
4 cups sugar (2 cups)
 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon, may also use fine sea salt)
8 eggs (4 eggs)
2 cups flour (1 cup; as noted elsewhere in the book, Fox uses all-purpose flour)
1 ¾ cups additional chocolate chips, no more (7/8 cup)
 
INSTRUCTIONS 
Preheat oven to 375 and prepare two 9 x 13 pans. (Elsewhere in FRESH, Fox defines prepared pans as layers of cooking spray, parchment, and more cooking spray, because of how many dishes the restaurant had to wash. V.O.E.- I buttered & floured my pan, instead, using a ‘butter brush’ to spread the flour evenly)

Mix 1 (1/2) cup of the sugar with the instant coffee and boiling hot water and whisk together until coffee granules dissolve. Set aside until later. In a separate bowl mix flour with the additional 1 ¾ cups (7/8 cup) chocolate chips and set aside. 

​Use a double boiler, or a pan in a water bath (a pan large enough to make all these brownies). I use a chafing dish on the stove, starting with hot water in the base, and always on the lowest flame. Put butter in this pan, then add the chocolate chips.

​Before the butter and chocolate get too hot (butter will melt to clear, and chips will start to get soft) remove from heat and stir together until smooth. If the chips don’t melt, put back on the heat for just a bit, just get it off the heat as soon as the butter and chocolate smoothly combine.

​​​Add the coffee and sugar mixture you made earlier. Using a sturdy wire whisk, add the rest of the sugar (3 ½ cups; 1 ¾ cups), vanilla, and salt. Whisk together. 

It has been several decades since my husband and I dined at Jasper’s Italian Restaurant in its original location. For those of you who live in the Kansas City area, that’s when the Mirabile family operated their upscale dining destination  near  75th Street, in Kansas City, Missouri (Marco Polo's Italian Market arrived a bit later).
 
Little did I know that I would later interview Jasper J. Mirabile, Jr. for a national magazine, serve on the board of Slow Food Kansas City with him for many years, or win one of his dessert recipe contests (he adored my Chocolate Lover’s Pumpkin Pie). Although we don’t see each other often now, we stay connected over social media and our love of great food.
 
Through our long acquaintance I have often enjoyed Jasper’s Tartufo at the end of meals. Mine aren’t anywhere near as ‘polished’ as the ones that he serves in the restaurant but they taste great. I also asked him several questions about the recipe before I began.

As always, V.O.E. notations indicate my experience in trying to recreate a dish. Enjoy!

FROM JASPER’S KITCHEN COOKBOOK (Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, 2009)
 
                                                       JASPER’S TARTUFO
                                                                  Serves 8 
                                                               INGREDIENTS
 
1 cup vanilla ice cream, slightly softened                              1 ½ cups chocolate shavings
8 maraschino cherries                                                            Chocolate syrup, for serving
2 cups chocolate ice cream, slightly softened                        Whipped cream, for serving
 
                                                            INSTRUCTIONS
 
With a small ice cream scoop, make 8, walnut-sized balls of the vanilla ice cream. Place a cherry in the center of each ball, then place the balls in the freezer to harden, while you prepare the chocolate ice cream. (V.O.E. - I quickly decided to use rubber gloves against the cold, when handling the ice cream in this recipe. I also frequently washed and dried my gloves during the process).

Put the chocolate shavings on a piece of wax paper. Remove the frozen tartufo balls from the freezer and roll them in the chocolate shavings. Serve with chocolate syrup and freshly whipped cream. (V.O.E. - Because we had espresso-flavored balsamic vinegar in the cupboard, we used it as a substitute for chocolate syrup. In addition, if you aren't sharing all eight servings at once, wait to add the shavings until you DO enjoy more servings.)

Early last evening, I stepped beyond my kitchen comfort zone when I set out to replicate this divine dessert from Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Kitchen Expedition (1997).

​I can't remember the last time I attempted to make crêpes-if ever! I also haven't owned any non-stick cookware in decades, so made-do with our well-seasoned iron skillets. And, when it came time to 'pipe' whipped cream with a pastry bag, the paper pastry bags from a long-forgotten corner of a kitchen cupboard didn't quite measure up.

That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the results, during today's lunch with a couple of writing friends. With or without these chocolate crêpes, the sauce is absolutely AMAZING, too. Set aside several hours to put this dessert together and then savor every last bite.

Chocolate Crêpes with Pecan-Banana Sauce
Makes servings 
                                                     V.O.E.
    (‘Voice of Experience’) notes reflect my experience when making a recipe
                                     Special equipment needed 
8” non-stick or well-seasoned frying pan
12” non-stick or well-seasoned frying pan
A pastry bag fitted with a medium-size star tip (V.O.E. – my paper pastry bag didn’t work well, so I made small, whipped cream dollops with a table knife)

​INGREDIENTS
                                                     Crêpes
¾ cup all-purpose flour                                   ½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup buckwheat flour                                   ¼ teaspoon salt
  (a gluten-free flour!)
4 tablespoons unsweetened                           2 cups milk
  cocoa powder                                               2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons sugar                                       3 large eggs, lightly beaten

                                                       Sauce
 
6 tablespoons unsalted butter                        4 medium-size bananas, peeled
1 ½ cups dark brown sugar                               and sliced, about 3 cups               
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon                            (use bananas that still have a little
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg                                 green on the tips)
1 tablespoon vanilla                                        1 ½ cups toasted pecans
1 cup heavy cream                                         ¼ cup Kahlua (V.O.E. – I made a
2 ounces butterscotch chips                           non-alcoholic substitute by combining
                                                                        1/8 cup heavy cream and 1/8 cup
                                                                        coffee balsamic vinegar)

INSTRUCTIONS
 
Toast the nuts (V.O.E.) Set the oven at 350 degrees. Cover the bottom of a small baking pan with parchment paper and spread the nuts evenly across the paper. Bake/toast for 7 to 10 minutes, watching the nuts closely so they don’t burn. Allow to cool. If desired, chop them coarsely in a food processor. Set aside. I substituted walnuts for pecans.
 
Make the crêpes Combine the flours, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and whisk together for about 1 minute until well blended (or use the paddle attachment for a standing mixer). Add the milk, oil, and eggs and whisk until the batter is well combined, about 5 minutes.
 
Preheat an 8-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat for 4 minutes. Pour ¼ cup batter into the skillet, tilting the pan to distribute the batter evenly and come slightly up the sides of the pan. Cook until the edges of the crêpe become slightly crisp, about 2 minutes. Then with a plastic spatula or your fingers, turn the crêpe over and cook for 1 minutes. Transfer the cooked crêpe to a sheet pan (it’s ok to stack them) and set aside. Repeat the process, wiping or scraping the spatula clean between uses, until you have made 12 crêpes. (V.O.E. – These instructions are spot-on. Follow them closely!)
 
Make the sauce  In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, over high heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Whisk constantly until the butter melts and combines with the brown sugar, then whisk in the cream. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly to avoid burning, then reduce the heat to medium and add the butterscotch chips. Whisk until the chips melt, then reduce the heat to low, add the bananas and stir gently for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the toasted nuts and Kahlua. Set aside to cool, to room temperature. (V.O.E. – These instructions are also spot-on.)

Assembly
 
Whip the cream in an electric mixer at medium-high speed until it forms still peaks. Place the whipped cream in a pastry bag fitted with a medium-size star tip.
 
Place one crêpe on a large serving plate. Pipe a circle of whipped cream around the edge of the crêpe and spread ¼ cup of sauce inside the whipped cream circle. Top with another crêpe and repeat the process until you have 6 layers. Repeat the process to create another 6-layer stack. Cut each stack into 4 quarters to make 8 desserts (V.O.E. This is a very rich dessert from which you can easily get at least 12 servings). Serve each quarter on a dessert plate and garnish with a rosette of whipped cream, if desired.
****************************************************************************************************
Looking at this cookbook again reminded me of the day-a couple of decades ago-when Prudhomme gave me a signed copy as we sampled potential dishes for his new restaurant in a Kansas City casino. He was warm, welcoming and very personable.

​

 

I had the pleasure of meeting Ruth Reichl around 2009, when she spoke during a gourmet meal in an upscale Kansas City, MO restaurant (which has since closed). Her massive Gourmet Today cookbook had recently published, as the beloved Gourmet magazine-where she was editor for a decade-prepared to shut down after nearly 70 years of operation.

As I sought recipes for this year's chocolate blog, I found Reichl's Devil's Food Cake with Marshmallow Frosting, inside ​Gourmet Today. Full of butter and brown sugar, this  dense cake topped the edge of the 8" x 8" pan in which I baked it.    

​Although I've long known that bringing eggs to room temperature before using them in a recipe is good practice, I appreciated Reichl specifically noting these eggs should stand out for a full half hour. I also appreciated her note that the recipe should not incorporate Dutch-process cocoa powder, especially after I recently completed a story on cocoa powder differences, for The Chocolate Professor (stay tuned for the specific story URL).

​I baked the cake just over 45 minutes and the top cracked open a bit, so I would definitely watch the baking process closely, from about 35 minutes.​

This wasn't anything close to a whipped frosting. Would I have preferred Reichl's recipe? Perhaps. But, in the meantime, we're thoroughly enjoying the flavors of this decadent dessert.

Over many years of food writing, I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with several well-known chefs. I met the gracious and friendly Lidia while dining at one of her New York restaurants, during the 1990s. I also had the pleasure of ‘introducing’ her to the larger Kansas City community via my news article for a local alternative newspaper-before she opened her first non-NYC restaurant, Lidia’s Kansas City. Since then, I’ve met Lidia and dined at her Kansas City restaurant a number of times.

For my first chocolate recipe of 2022, I chose her delicious Chocolate Biscotti Pudding/Budino di Gianduia. It appears in my autographed copy of the cookbook, Lidia’s Favorite Recipes, written with her daughter, Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Now, I’m thrilled to share my experiences making this creamy, decadent dessert, with you. Buon appetito!

Hazelnuts are an integral part of both the texture and flavor in this recipe, and I highly recommend preparing them before you assemble other ingredients for the dessert. Though time consuming, removing the skin from hazelnuts is quite easy if you follow these instructions, that originally came from five-time James Beard award-winning chef, Alice Medrich.

You'll feel like you're doing a chemistry experiment as baking soda meets boiling water meets unpeeled nuts, creating a pinkish black liquid in the pan. But it's really amazing how readily the skins come off when you follow this method.

Now you're ready for the rest of the recipe (see link above). Allow plenty of time!

Lidia suggests that you finely chop the bittersweet chocolate for this pudding. But with a food processor on hand, I used it instead. I also crunched up biscotti and hazelnuts in the processor. And when it came time to sift the cocoa powder, I used a sieve because i don't own a sifter. 

This was the moment when I added hot milk and cream to my egg and sugar mixture, before stirring the entire combination together and then adding other ingredients. 

With no plastic wrap in the house, I cut open several eco-friendly plastic bags to place beneath and atop the completed pudding mixture, and then placed it in the refrigerator.

We savored this mouthwatering treat with large dollops of whipped cream that I slightly sweetened. Because, despite Lidia's suggestion that the cream didn't need sugar, that isn't how we roll in our house. Enjoy, to the max.

Wherever you go in Santa Fe, evidence of creativity abounds. Although this photo doesn't reflect my first visit to Loretto Chapel, I was mesmerized by the signature staircase from the moment I saw it. If you've never visited there, you must see this 'miraculous staircase' that provides access to the choir loft. Built in the late 1800s, it represents the work of an unnamed carpenter who supposedly arrived at the moment of need and then disappeared afterwards, with no request for payment.

Was Santa Fe where I learned to also look above me, for views of artistic work? I wouldn't be surprised. Inside one of more than 100 galleries, throughout the city's Canyon Road neighborhood, gorgeous art covered the skylight along one ceiling too. Elsewhere, handcrafted woodwork decorated a small balcony on a vintage building. ​

For a Midwestern girl, dining in The City Different provides even more artistic experiences, from pillow and rustic shutter designs, to rows of handcrafted pottery along a bar wall. 

During the fall, local chiles also create a different kind of art at the Santa Fe Farmers Market. Whether you're a green chile fan or prefer the flavor of deep red chiles, the aroma of roasting fruit complements this huge and gorgeous array of seasonal, artful edibles.

Please note: As is common in the travel industry, I may have received accommodations and other compensation for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this post, the writer believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.

​

​I took my first hot air balloon ride in Albuquerque, with Rainbow Ryders. From the moment we arrived members of our tour group were an integral part of the action. We held the pulling and straining balloon as it filled with cold air, and then stepped back as small flames pushed heat waves towards its bulging crown.

​Once aloft we crossed the Rio Grande, skirted treetops, and observed cars the size of ants. In the next hour we traveled three ground miles and up to 1,700 feet in elevation.
After we landed and the balloon was deflated and packed away, our guide read The Balloonist's Prayer aloud as we enjoyed a late-morning champagne toast: 

                              The winds have welcomed you with softness.
                              The sun has blessed you with his warm hands.
                              You have flown so high and so well that
                              God has joined us together in laughter and set us
                                     gently back into the loving arms of Mother Earth.
​

​I became hooked on the experience within minutes and attended the decades-old Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® with my husband, several years later.
VIP credentials even allowed us to visit the launch field just after sunrise, as balloons gradually filled and rose from the ground in an ever-changing kaleidoscope of neon patchwork, patriotic, pig-shaped, and saguaro-decorated designs.

​The cobalt sky framed two more hours of magic. Balloons rose like popcorn on a stove, clustering closely and then drifting apart. Some flew low enough for passengers to converse with us, while others were only colorful blips on the horizon. Balloons finally landed again and shrank onto the grass, until the afternoon event began. After dark, lit balloons created a gorgeous, ghostly panorama.

​​A private birthday party with hot air balloons provided the impetus for the first Albuquerque Balloon Festival. Today, this city is considered ‘the ballooning capital of the world,’ drawing nearly one million people annually to Albuquerque's largest party. Balloonists harness a natural phenomenon in the Sandia Valley, known as ‘The Box’ - a cycle of wind currents that facilitates ballooning.
 
For other magnificent views of this singular, nine-day event, check out multi-story windows at the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum. The 52,000-square-foot structure-which resembles a hot air balloon lying on its side-depicts ballooning history while honoring early Albuquerque balloonists, Ben Abruzzo, and Maxie Anderson. 

There's no place like Albuquerque to enjoy the magic of hot air ballooning.

​​Please note: As is common in the travel industry, I may have received accommodations and other compensation for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this post, the writer believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.

Just as food reflects an area’s culture, so do passionate food artisans. It’s been a decade since I met the irrepressible Pratt Morales, at his Golden Crown Panaderia, in Albuquerque's Old Town. Rising dough, sweet cinnamon, and pungent green chiles perfumed the air inside, where the wiry Morales removed freshly baked cookies, sugar-dusted cherry empanadas, and rustic signature green chile bread.

During our early morning visit Pratt’s adult son, Christopher, shared samples of the bakery's legendary freshly baked biscochitos - New Mexico's state cookie. Please join me as I recall our visit and celebrate the founder of this now-50-year-old bakery: 

Inside an adobe building painted with bright pastel flowers and the names of baked goods such as 'empañadas' and 'pan dulce,' Pratt Morales rarely stops moving while he talks with curious customers. "We focus on nutritious, delicious, and beautiful products," he says, as he lays a cooled green chile loaf in a basket of brilliant hued chiles. Pratt says his bread is fit for a king, which is why Golden Crown became part of the bakery's name.

​Born and raised in San Antonio, baking captured Morales’ heart while he worked with the Air Force and the New Mexico Air National Guard. He then studied bread baking all over the world before opening Golden Crown Panaderia Neighborhood Bakery. Since 1972, he has inhabited a world full of rising dough, sweet cinnamon, and pungent green chiles. 

Pratt has created bread dough horse-drawn carriages, and full-sized turkeys that bear an uncanny resemblance to real birds, and his sculpted bread was featured on Food Network's Food Finds show. The bakery has also supplied local businesses with biscochitos, pastries, sculpted bread, and pizza, for decades, including the Hyatt Hotel and Albuquerque Convention Center, "A little bakery like this is an art that should be preserved and shared with future generations," Pratt says.

A single father, Pratt sometimes allowed four-year-old Christopher to sleep on massive flour sacks. By age five or six, the boy greeted customers and helped to fill cookie bags. Today, Christopher is Golden Crown's general manager and architect of the bakery's thriving Internet business, with customers from as far away as Beijing, Buenos Aires, and Moscow.  

At the bakery, daily, Pratt attributes his boundless energy to his love of sports, and passion for his work. He runs for exercise, snowshoes, paddles a kayak, rides his bicycle, and walks wherever he can. 'I believe the mind controls the body," Pratt says.  "Find your passion and you won't grow old."

​Please note: As is common in the travel industry, I may have received accommodations and other compensation for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this post, the writer believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.

There's nothing like sampling local food & drink to get a true 'taste' of a destination. Layer on the influence of cuisines that reflect multiple cultures and I'm especially excited. Such has always been the case, during my Northern New Mexico travels. 

I stumbled upon Michael’s Kitchen, Restaurant & Bakery during my first Taos visit, in 1982. At that time, the restaurant had only been open for about eight years. But it has been a ‘must-do’ for me, through many additional visits. I love the restaurant's old-school vibe, with its creaking floors and handcarved, wood sun 'mural,' almost as much as I love the Atole (blue corn)-Piñon Pancakes and drooling over their enormous bakery case.

I've always been a sucker for an authentic soda fountain too. Taos Mercantile Co.'s soda fountain was another welcome surprise when I stumbled upon it. Yum! The funny thing is I had shopped in the retail area of this business multiple times, over the years, but hadn't previously zeroed in on this classic counter.

But perhaps my favorite Taos dining spot is Orlando’s New Mexican Café. Not far from Taos Pueblo, it's a world away from the pueblo's serene vibe (the Pueblo is not currently open). The restaurant is tiny and bright on the inside, with a comfortable patio full of tables with umbrellas and a wait list. We saw a gorgeous sunset on one evening, while toasting our recent arrival over big margaritas and tasty plates.

What are your favorite dining spots in Taos? I need to update my list, for my next visit!

From her first visit to New Mexico the natural landscape, with its blend of indigenous and Hispanic cultures, captivated renowned artist, Georgia O'Keeffe. By 1929, she called northern New Mexico home, each summer. Twenty years later, upon her husband's death in New York, O'Keeffe became a permanent resident of the state.

​There is haunting natural beauty at O'Keeffe's Ghost Ranch property. Sixty-five miles northwest of Santa Fe, it functioned as her summer home. Rock spires thrust into the brilliant blue sky atop massive rock walls colored with wide mineral striations. 

O'Keeffe bought this house and surrounding acreage, and then occupied the property for decades. She painted many of her landscapes at the west end of the ranch, including numerous, naturally twisted juniper trees. 

O’Keeffe’s other New Mexico property, in Abiquiú, is only 12 miles from Ghost Ranch, and more suitable for year-round occupancy. Here she looked out massive picture windows onto quiet mesas, mountain vistas, and wide fields from her simple, unadorned white bedroom, where stones and bones lined the windowsill. 

With construction of some rooms likely dating to the 1700s, the property combines indigenous and Spanish Colonial architecture influences. After a four-year renovation of the 5,000-square-foot buildings and courtyards, O’Keeffe adopted the Abiquiú property as her primary home.

​Since 1998, the artist’s O’Keeffe Home and Studio has been a designated National Historic Landmark.

​Please note: As is common in the travel industry, I may have received accommodations and other compensation for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this post, the writer believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.

Whether I have traveled through Taos, Santa Fe, or Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa, rustic wood and painted doors in this area have always captivated me. 

If you have followed this series of New Mexico-focused blog posts, you already know I have a very special affinity for Taos Pueblo (not currently open to the public, due to COVID concerns). The above photos come from several visits I had the privilege of making in the past. 

In Taos, I visited a private home, several times. A garden gate, and a carved door, welcomed guests through a tall adobe wall, which surrounded the entire property. The carved door opened onto a broad courtyard where numerous chile ristras hung.

While traveling with an artist friend, we toured The Mabel Dodge Luhan House, at the end of a quiet Taos country road. Once home to a renowned patron of the arts, it also served as a magnet for artistic luminaries that included Georgia O’Keeffe, D.H. Lawrence, Ansel Adams and Martha Graham, to name a few.

During a different visit, our press group had the pleasure of spending several nights at Taos' El Monte Sagrado, a luxury hotel that sits only blocks from the city's historic plaza-full of shops and restaurants, where individual casitas had brightly painted doors.

​Almost everywhere there's a patio, in Taos, you'll find another one-of-a-kind door, too.

For classic New Mexico and other inventive cuisine, a meal at Cafe Pasquale's is a must. Opened in 1979, the bustling restaurant, shop, and gallery offers breakfast, lunch or dinner favorites, from green chile-flecked griddled polenta to a Oaxacan tamale or Mole Enchiladas.

There's more great food inside the cozy dining room at Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, where an unexpected dusting of snow greeted us on a chilly spring morning.

And arts lovers can indulge their passion while visiting more than 100 galleries in the Canyon Road neighborhood. Jewelry outposts and restaurants also dot this vibrant area.

There are many lodging choices at Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa but a gorgeous door leads inside, no matter where you stay. And when it comes to using one of Ojo's private pools this entryway-though not a door-is especially inviting. 

Please note: As is common in the travel industry, I may have received accommodations and other compensation for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this post, the writer believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.​