Course: dessert

Rhubarb Carrot Cake

CELEBRATING MOTHER’S DAY!

Here in Canada, we set aside the second Sunday in May to honor our mother’s with expressions of love and gratitude.

As I grow older, I realize how many ways I unconsciously emulate my mother. I loved everything about her and as a kid I could never imagine life without her. But in the natural sequence of events, that’s not how it works. I guess along with many other things, I’m grateful for the fact that she was there through my childhood. She passed away at the age of sixty and although she is no longer on this earth, her wonderful memory will live on in our hearts forever.

We are fortunate to still have Brion’s mother, Dolores. We have been able to spend a bit of time with her recently, which was so precious.

This blog is especially to honor: the special memories of my mother for her endless giving of selfless love – my mother-in-law, Dolores, for her kind ways and raising that ‘special’ man I love sharing my life with –my sister Loretta who passed away 3 years ago and to my sisters, Marilyn & Rita, who give so much of themselves to be the great mom’s they are.

In honor of these special women, I’d like to post something to ‘celebrate’ this day. My choice this year is a rhubarb carrot cake with rhubarb cream cheese frosting.

Rhubarb has been a staple in Canadian history since the days of early European settlement, valued for its hardiness, versatility, and medicinal properties. Rhubarb was a reliable perennial for homesteaders and pioneers due to its ability to thrive in Canada’s cold climate. When the homesteaders moved on, and their farms crumbled back into the ground, the rhubarb patch often persisted. The same is true of modern-day cities; every time a house in an older neighborhood is demolished, the rhubarb often remains. The distinctive plants that remain on abandoned farmsteads across the country are a testament to this hardy heritage.

I recall with fond memory, my mother having at least six huge rhubarb plants that bordered her large produce garden on our family farm. At that time I really didn’t take a lot of interest in them, they were just always there and grew huge without anything more than rain and sunshine. Now, of course I love using rhubarb in everything I can think of, sweet or savory.

Vegetable cakes are great for making the most of the seasons. This recipe for rhubarb carrot cake is a recent, modern fusion of two older dessert traditions: carrot cake and rhubarb cake. The combination likely emerged in the late 20th or early 21st century as bakers experimented with popular seasonal flavors. What makes this rhubarb carrot cake so appealing is how the sweet, earthy carrots balance out the sharp tartness of fresh rhubarb. The carrots add this incredible moisture and natural sweetness, while the rhubarb provides these amazing tangy bursts that keep every bite interesting.

This ‘sophisticated’ cake features winter carrots and the first rhubarb of the year in a marvelous merging of two seasons. Of course, the rhubarb cream cheese frosting is truly ‘the icing on the cake’.

I hope anyone trying this recipe enjoys it as much as Brion & I did.

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 Rhubarb Carrot Cake
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword rhubarb carrot cake
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Rhubarb Cream Cheese Frosting
Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword rhubarb carrot cake
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Rhubarb Cream Cheese Frosting
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Rhubarb Frosting
  1. Combine chopped rhubarb, sugar & a splash of water in a saucepan on medium low heat. Stir regularly until rhubarb reduces. Adjust heat to low & continue stirring for 20 minutes until rhubarb thickens into a jam. Transfer rhubarb jam to a glass bowl & cool in the refrigerator.
  2. Whip butter & cream cheese on high until creamy. Add the rhubarb jam & vanilla to cream cheese mixture. Beat until combined. Add powdered sugar 1/2 a cup at a time & beat until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter either a 9 x 13-inch baking pan or 2 round 8-inch cake pans.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, sugar, brown sugar & buttermilk.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger & salt. Add to the egg mixture & blend well. Add the carrots & rhubarb, gently fold until evenly incorporated into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) & bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
Assembly
  1. If baking cake in the 2 layer version, spread the bottom of one cake with a bit of the frosting then top it with the other layer. Frost entire cake with remaining rhubarb frosting & decorate as you wish.
Recipe Notes

• Since there is only the two of us, I only used one layer & froze the other one for another time.

Lemon Poppy Seed Linzer Butterflies

Who says you can’t have a Linzer cookie in April? Add some lemon-y zing and a butterfly shape and what’s not to love! A descendent of the famous Linzer torte, it’s hard to go wrong with a shortbread-like dough that melts in your mouth and a sweet/tart filling that glues it all together. Linzer cookies employ the same basic recipe as a Linzer torte, but the dough is cut into cookies and form a sandwich around the filling. The top cookie has a small cutout in its center to show off the filling underneath.  

The Linzer Torte, the Austrian mother of the Linzer Cookie, is the oldest known written recipe in history. A copy of the recipe was found in the Veronese Admont Abbey’s journals, dated 1653!  The tart was baked like a pie with a buttery almond crust, filled with black currant preserves and topped with a latticework crust. The recipe was developed using a crust made of nuts since they were easier to come by at times than wheat for flour. While a black currant tart is a perfect way to end a meal, bakers came up with a cookie version they could stock in their shops.

When the Linzer torte was bought to North America in the 19th century, it became very popular. Today, the Linzer cookie is still very commonly used not only for the holidays but anytime of the year in different applications.

This cookie is crisp if served on the same day it is assembled but becomes soft when stored with filling.

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 Lemon Poppy Seed Linzer Butterflies
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Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword lemon poppy seed Linzer butterflies
Servings
Ingredients
Shortbread
Lemon Curd
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword lemon poppy seed Linzer butterflies
Servings
Ingredients
Shortbread
Lemon Curd
Votes: 1
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Instructions
Shortbread
  1. In a large bowl, cream butter, white sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla, lemon juice & lemon zest with an electric mixer until light & fluffy. Reduce speed to low & add the flour & salt. Continue to mix until well incorporated. Slowly add poppyseeds & mix until just combined, about 1 minute.
  2. Remove dough from bowl, form into a disk & wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for at least an hour or overnight.
Lemon Curd
  1. Fill a medium saucepan, about halfway full with water & bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Fill a large bowl with ice water & set aside.
  2. In a glass or metal bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest & salt. Set over the saucepan of simmering water, ensuring that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Whisk the mixture constantly until it reaches 170 F. Immediately remove the bowl from the heat, add butter & whisk until smooth. Place over the bowl of ice water. Cover with plastic wrap making sure it is touching the lemon curd surface so a 'skin' will not form. Let mixture stand at room temperature until cooled & thickened.
Baking
  1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
  2. Roll out shortbread dough on a large sheet of parchment paper to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a butterfly cookie cutter, cut out 36 cookies. Leave 18 of them as is & cut some designs in the wings of the remaining 18 cookies. At this point you may need to place the cookies in the freezer for about 10 minutes so you can remove them easily to the baking sheet without destroying their shapes.
  3. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper & transfer cookies to baking sheet. Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until just baked. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool completely.
Assembly
  1. Spread desired amount of lemon curd on the bottom cookies. If desired, dust the tops with powdered sugar. Lightly press on a top cookie to sandwich the curd. Repeat with remaining tops. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes

• Don’t hesitate to speed up the process by purchasing a jar of lemon curd. There are a lot of real good ones available.

Pineapple Carrot Cake

Today, March 28th, marks the date of my mother’s birth. Although she left this earth 48 years ago, her memory remains crystal clear. She was a wonderful mother who made our lives so much better in ways we never realized. She set a good example just by the way she lived the ‘best version of herself’.

When this date rolls around each year, I like to post something on the blog that I think she would have enjoyed making. Baking was a ‘job’ she really seemed to enjoy, and our family certainly reaped the benefits of that.

Carrot cake is considered a spring dessert primarily due to its strong association with Easter celebrations, the bright, vibrant color of carrots representing the season. With Easter being just a week away I thought it would be a fitting recipe for today’s blog.

While it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact first instance of carrot cake being made in Canada, it’s likely that it became popular in the mid-20th century, alongside its rise in popularity in the United States. In the 1970’s, carrot cake was perceived as being ‘healthy’ due to the fact that carrots, raisins and nuts are all ‘good for us.’ Then along came that glorious cream cheese frosting that forever bonded the pair. While raisins are undoubtedly the oldest compliment to carrots, pineapple, apples or applesauce as well as walnuts have all become modern day add-ins of choice.

Today’s blog recipe for layered pineapple carrot cake is moist, not too sweet and filled with crushed pineapple and pecans. I’ve used a fluffy, pineapple cream cheese frosting for the filling as well as topping for this decadent dessert.

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 Pineapple Carrot Cake
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Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword pineapple carrot cake
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting
Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword pineapple carrot cake
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Cake
  1. Place crushed pineapple in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl & push down on pineapple with a spoon to eliminate excess moisture. Set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 325 F. Line three 8” round cake pans with parchment paper then spray with nonstick cooking spray WITH FLOUR or grease and flour pans.
  3. In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, gently whisk eggs then stir in remaining wet ingredients, including drained pineapple, just until combined. DON'T OVERMIX.
  4. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until moistened, then stir in 2 ½ cups grated carrots until evenly combined, being careful NOT TO OVERMIX.
  5. Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Gently tap the pans a few times on the counter to get rid of air bubbles. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean & the cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans.
  6. Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese & butter until creamy. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla & salt. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until the desired consistency is reached. Mix in pineapple preserves.
Assembly
  1. Place a small dollop of frosting in the center of the cake stand to keep the cake from moving and top with one leveled cake.
  2. Top cake with ¾ cup frosting & spread evenly. Top with a second cake & spread evenly with ¾ cup frosting. Top with remaining cake.
  3. Create Crumb Layer by scooping 1 cup of frosting into a smaller bowl. Frost cake starting with the top and working down until the cake is evenly frosted, removing any excess frosting. Refrigerate cake 30 minutes or until crumb layer has set. Refrigerate remaining frosting until ready to use.
  4. Frost the outside of cake with the remaining frosting. Decorate as you wish. Serve cake cold or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes

As you may have noticed in the blog picture, I divided the batter into thirds. We gifted a friend with a 2 layer cake & Brion & I kept 1 layer for us.
For the decorations, I simmered some dried apricots in the extra pineapple juice for a few minutes then sliced them & added some pepita seeds as well as black sesame.

Green Sunflower Seed Cookies

CELEBRATING ST. PATRICK’S DAY!

The term ‘green food’ can mean several things. More and more households are ‘going green’ with their menus, buying food from sustainable local sources. People who are ‘eating greener’ include those who grow their own food and compost all their waste to those who simply take a re-useable bag to the supermarket. Most of us are interested in making decisions that are better for the environment.

Others immediately think ‘green vegetables’. Then of course there are those who, especially at this time of year, may think of the color green and foods with which to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. There is so much you could do with this holiday in terms of food such as rainbows, leprechauns, shamrocks, pot of gold ………

In North America, St. Patrick’s Day is pretty much just a fun day here. Green food has been getting more and more ‘creative’ on this particular holiday. For the most part, it’s an excuse to party and drink some green beer.

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, I wanted to incorporate some ‘green’ food into our day. I decided on some ‘magic’ sunflower seed cookies. These cookies are quite unique in that when you use sunflower butter combined with baking soda in the batter the bread turns green. The green color is a harmless result of natural chemical reactions and doesn’t affect the taste or safety of the cookies.

Sunflower seed butter, often called Sunbutter, naturally turns green when these two ingredients meet during baking. The alkaline baking soda interacts with the acidic chlorogenic acid, producing a green pigment called chlorophyllin. This reaction intensifies as the cookies cool down, leading to the characteristic green hue.

Nevertheless, I thought it was a fun way to put a different twist on today’s green celebrations.

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 Green Sunflower Seed Cookies
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Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine North American
Keyword green sunflower seed cookies, sunflower bread
Servings
Ingredients
Cookies
Topping
Course dessert
Cuisine North American
Keyword green sunflower seed cookies, sunflower bread
Servings
Ingredients
Cookies
Topping
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Mix everything together in one bowl until well combined.
  3. Scoop the dough, roll in seeds & place onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. This amount will make 12 large balls or 15 small ones.
  4. Bake 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven & cool on wire rack.
Recipe Notes
  • It's definitely very important to use baking soda and make sure to mix the batter adequately to disperse the baking soda fully,  otherwise the chemical reaction that produces the green color won't happen. It also needs to sit for a few minutes after baking. Some brands (or even jars) of sunflower butter do work better than others, whether it has to do with freshness, added ingredients, or what. It's the secret ingredient to the green color - any other nut butter will just be brown! Look for a jar with as few additives as possible.
  

 

Blueberry, Oatmeal, Rice Chewies

This is not just an ordinary oatmeal cookie; this oatmeal cookie has a surprise ingredient. Rice cereal, which adds a crispy crunch that gives a unique texture and flavor to this soft and chewy cookie with wonderfully crisp edges.

I have given these cookies the name of ‘blueberry, oatmeal, rice chewies’ but the original idea dates back to the 1930s. It seems they went by different names at that time, such as ranger cookies, Texas ranger cookies or cowboy cookies. There are a lot of opinions, not facts, about why this delicious oatmeal cookie recipe is called a ‘ranger cookie’.

There’s no real reason for either of the names, except for possibly because the cookies kept well in saddlebags and, thanks to the eggs, oats, and cereal, provided a bit of energy for long days in the field.

Regardless of their title, these cookies were frequently shared in community cookbooks because the recipe is easy to make and always pleases a crowd. Distinguishing itself from other types of cookies, this ranger cookies recipe has a blend of oats and crispy rice cereal, giving each cookie an intriguing mix of textures: light and tender with a crisp edge and a chewy middle. With the addition of some dried blueberries and pepita seeds, it gives them a whole new dimension.

The result is a cookie with a delightful harmony of flavor in every bite. With both oatmeal and rice krispies cereal in the cookies, I think you would be justified in having these for breakfast.

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 Blueberry, Oatmeal, Rice Chewies
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Keyword blueberry, oatmeal, rice chewies
Servings
DOZEN
Ingredients
Course dessert
Keyword blueberry, oatmeal, rice chewies
Servings
DOZEN
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt.
  2. In a large bowl, beat butter & both sugars on medium speed of an electric mixer until well combined. Add eggs, applesauce & vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in rice krispies, oatmeal, pepitas & dried blueberries. Chill dough for 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  4. Scoop dough onto parchment lined cookie sheets.
  5. Bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets & cool on wire racks. Store in airtight container.
Recipe Notes

Due to the fact that I have a nut allergy, I always tend to use seeds to add some crunch. Feel free to change it up with your choice of nuts or dried fruit if you wish.

Cinnamon Roll Variety Pack

Baking a variety pack of four different cinnamon roll flavors transforms a single-flavor tray into a versatile, gourmet experience. A visually appealing experience that blends the comfort of a homemade dessert with the excitement of modern flavor experimentation. It caters to different tastes within a single batch, making it an ideal choice for brunch, gifts, or, as some suggest, sharing. 

Moving beyond the classic brown sugar and cinnamon, you can incorporate modern, diverse fillings and toppings. Examples include raspberry-lemon, apple pie, salted caramel, chocolate-hazelnut, orange zest, carrot cake, cardamom, pumpkin or even cream cheese icing variations.

Use one consistent, high-quality yeasted dough for all four variations to ensure even baking times. By packing them together in a small pan, they stay soft and pillowy, a common goal in high-quality homemade baking.

Who doesn’t love a tray of warm, gooey rolls? If you’re a fan of the variety pack, you’re likely drawn to the balance of textures and the social, flexible nature of the format.

 It caters to different palates. While some people crave the classic ‘ooey-gooey’ cinnamon, others might prefer more adventurous toppings.

Including plain rolls in a variety pack ensures that even if you don’t love the experimental flavors, you still have the ‘good ole plain’ ones to fall back on.

Recently, Brion & I had to make a trip out to BC. While waiting in the airport I picked up a magazine to look at and came across a great looking cinnamon roll recipe I thought I should try. For something different I thought it would be nice to do a variety pack instead of just one filling. This is what developed from that idea.

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 Cinnamon Roll Variety Pack
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Course dessert
Cuisine German
Keyword cinnamon roll variety pack
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Raspberry Filling
Blueberry Filling
Cinnamon Filling
Lemon Curd Filling
Cream Cheese Drizzle
Course dessert
Cuisine German
Keyword cinnamon roll variety pack
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Raspberry Filling
Blueberry Filling
Cinnamon Filling
Lemon Curd Filling
Cream Cheese Drizzle
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, combine lukewarm milk, & 2 Tbsp of the sugar; stir until sugar is dissolved. Add in the yeast & allow to sit until frothy.
  2. In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, eggs, salt & butter. When yeast mixture is proofed, add to potato mixture, combining well.
  3. In another bowl, whisk together flour & remaining sugar. Combine with wet mixture until dough forms a ball. Knead on a work surface for about 10 minutes then place in a greased bowl.
  4. Cover with plastic wrap & a towel. Allow to rise in a draft-free place for about 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
  5. While the dough rises, make fillings so they have time to chill before using them. IF YOU FEEL THEY WILL NOT BE CHILLED ENOUGH, PREPARE THEM A DAY AHEAD & KEEP IN THE REFRIGERATOR. TAKE FILLINGS OUT WHILE THE DOUGH IS RISING.
  6. RASPBERRY & BLUEBERRY FILLING: Add the raspberries (or blueberries), sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest & salt to a saucepan over low heat. Keep stirring until they begin to break down. Once the berries have broken down & released their juices, turn the heat to medium & allow the mixture to boil, stirring for around 4-5 minutes. As the mixture boils, it will thicken & become jelly-like. Make sure to keep stirring so it doesn't burn. Once thick, remove it from the heat, scrape it into a bowl & allow to cool.
  7. CINNAMON FILLING: In a small bowl stir together brown sugar & cinnamon. Measure out 1/4 cup softened butter for spreading.
  8. LEMON CURD FILLING: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the eggs, sugar, cornstarch, if using, lemon juice, zest, & salt until smooth. Place the pan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, making sure to scrape the corners of the pan to prevent scrambling. Cook for 5–8 minutes until the mixture thickens & coats the back of the spoon. It should just begin to bubble. Remove from heat immediately. Stir in the cold, cubed butter one piece at a time until completely melted and smooth. Pour the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a jar or bowl to remove any bits of zest or egg. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until completely cold and firm.
  9. Lightly grease a 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan; set aside. Punch down the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into an 18 x 12-inch rectangle & cut into four sections. Apply the 4 different fillings, tightly roll up filled rectangles into spirals. Pinch dough to seal seams.
  10. Cut each roll into 3 slices; arrange in prepared baking pan. Cover; let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (30 minutes).
  11. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  12. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown & done in center. While rolls are baking prepare cream cheese drizzle.
  13. CREAM CHEESE DRIZZLE: In a bowl, beat softened cream cheese, softened butter & vanilla with a mixer on medium until combined. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in enough milk, 1 tsp at a time, to reach drizzle consistency.
  14. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using a small spatula, loosen rolls from pan. Place a wire rack on top of pan; place one hand on top of rack & other hand under pan & carefully invert pan with rack (use pot holders to protect your hands). Lift pan off rolls.
  15. Drizzle as many of the rolls as you wish. Serve warm.
Recipe Notes

For the mashed potato, prick a 10-ounce unpeeled potato all over with a fork. Microwave on 100% power (high) for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Halve potato and scoop pulp out of skin into a small bowl; discard skin. Mash the potato pulp with a potato masher or an electric mixer on low speed.

Celebrating 10 Years of Blogging!

Today, February 14th 2026, is the tenth anniversary of the blog ‘Good Food & Treasured Memories’. Ten years ago, I decided to start writing a food blog. Brion and I had just spent three months in Ecuador. Prior to going, I needed to have a shoulder replacement operation. After we returned, I had the operation and with Brion’s help recovered successfully. The only thing was, even though my shoulder was much improved, it pretty much took me out of the workforce as I had known it before. After having been so busy in the previous years, it took a lot of ‘regrouping’ to settle it with myself that I had reached a different phase of my life. Prior to our time spent in Ecuador I had written and with Brion’s technical savvy, published two books.

In 2014, Good Food & Treasured Memories, my first ‘print’ copy memorabilia/cookbook was published with good success in Northern Alberta. It was followed by a second book in 2015 titled ‘The Taste of a Memory’. This book was written in memory of my parents, which took its readers back to a gentler time with some personal childhood memories. The book also contains a sweet and savory collection of at least 160 recipes about the ultimate ‘comfort food’ – bread pudding!

With the turndown in our economy, I wrote my first eBook, Living Large on a Lean Food Budget’, which outlines smart strategies for navigating a realistic food budget to keep ‘life in balance’. It was published on Amazon.com in March 2016 and is still available today.

With these projects finished, it seemed only natural to continue this passion for food and writing in the form of a food blog. Once again, Brion’s technical abilities came into play as I needed a very specific site to work with. I wasn’t interested in working with lots of sponsors that required me to advertise their products, etc. The whole purpose of the site was to post interesting articles along with some great food. Having spent 35 years in the food industry, food and food history is something I always gravitate to.

With much time and effort, Brion built a website with a clean, precise format I could work with. We decided to use the ‘Good Food & Treasured Memories’ name again as it was so fitting of its content.

With blogs, it’s not only the award winning sites that have something to offer; its the blogs written by people in their pajama’s at late hours of the night, created because those writers are dying to make something, to publish something, to give a voice to all the thoughts in their head, its the blogs written by people who don’t want to forget their recipes, who want them recorded somewhere for their friends and their nieces and nephews and their kids, its the blogs pursed for no other reason than because they’re fun.

Over the course of ten years I have enjoyed the many aspects of writing a food blog. In order to write about food and its history, I have done many hours of research to keep my articles accurate and interesting. Recipe development is and has always been something I love doing, so creating relevant recipes for each blog article put the icing on the cake so to speak.

Each year, at least 120 blogs with new articles and recipes have been added. When I first started writing the blog I had no idea how time consuming it would be. When I would look at other personal blogs and see they had only kept them up for a few years I wondered why. After ten years of blogging I now understand why. It definitely takes commitment to keep it current but I have also learned that good organization still allows you lots of time to do the other things that make life enjoyable such as spending time with my husband Brion.

With the website being available online at Google, Pinterest, Instagram as well as Facebook it is being read around the world. It has been so unique and rewarding receiving feed back from readers worldwide.

Thanks to everyone who has read and enjoyed the blog for the last ten years. It has been an incredible journey for me and I hope to continue blogging for many more.

Alice & Brion

Since it’s Valentines Day, I thought this strawberry rhubarb cake would be a fitting dessert for the occasion as well.

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 Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Cake
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword strawberry rhubarb crumble cake
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Compote
Crumble
Buttercream
Fruit + For Garnish
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword strawberry rhubarb crumble cake
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Compote
Crumble
Buttercream
Fruit + For Garnish
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Cake
  1. Preheat your oven to 325 F. Spray two 9 x 13 baking pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the egg whites, whole egg, and vanilla. Set aside.
  3. In a bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients together on low speed for 30 seconds.
  4. Add the butter one piece at a time, about every 10 seconds. Once all the butter is added, pour in the buttermilk and mix on low for about 1 minute, until the ingredients are incorporated.
  5. Scrape down the sides of bowl and begin to add the egg mixture in 3 separate batches, mixing on medium-low until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Fold once or twice to ensure the batter at the bottom of the bowl is incorporated and mix for another 20 to 30 seconds.
  6. Scrape down the sides of bowl and begin to add the egg mixture in 3 separate batches, mixing on medium-low until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Fold once or twice to ensure the batter at the bottom of the bowl is incorporated and mix for another 20 to 30 seconds.
  7. Divide batter evenly between the 2 pans (about ------- ounces of batter in each of the two 9 x 13 pans), spreading evenly with a small offset palette knife.
  8. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. Check cake around 23 to 25 minutes and then set the timer for 2-to-3-minute intervals if the cake needs to bake longer. You're looking for a few moist crumbs to come out on the toothpick when inserted into the center of the cake.
  9. Let the cake layers cool on racks for 10 minutes before inverting onto greased wire racks. Gently turn the cakes back up so the tops are up and cool completely. Once the cakes are cooled completely, level the tops if needed.
  10. Wrap each cake layer with plastic wrap and chill in freezer for at least an hour before using. The cake layers can be stored for up to a few days wrapped once in plastic wrap and frozen. To store longer than a few days, wrap twice in plastic wrap, then in foil, and seal in a zip-lock bag.
Compote
  1. In a medium size saucepan, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar & vanilla over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to low & let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is tender. Let cool completely before using in the cake. Can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for up to a week.
Crumble
  1. Preheat your oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt & cinnamon. Whisk to blend. Add the cubes of butter & rub in with your fingertips. The mixture will stick together like clumps. Mix in the oats & nuts.
  3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring the crumble halfway through. Let cool completely before using in the cake.
Buttercream
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter on medium speed for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Adjust the mixer to low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar, followed by the heavy cream, clear vanilla extract & a dash of salt. Continue to beat the buttercream on medium-high speed for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Before frosting your cake, mix the frosting by hand with a wooden spoon to push out the air pockets.
Assembly
  1. Place the first cake layer, top side up, on a cake board. Using an offset icing spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting over the cake layer. This creates a barrier between the cake and fruit filling, so the cake doesn't become soggy.
  2. Pipe a rim of frosting around the edge of the cake layer. This will help support the cake layers and prevent the fruit filling from spilling out. 2. Spread about 1/2 cup of the fruit filling on the cake layer. 3. Sprinkle about half of the crumble over the fruit filling. 4. Gently place the second cake layer top side down on the filling and crumble.
  3. Spread about 1/2 cup of the fruit filling on the cake layer. Sprinkle crumble over the fruit filling. Gently place the second cake layer top side down on the filling and crumble.
  4. Freeze the cake for about 10 minutes to help set the frosting and filling, making it a bit more stable for when you frost.
  5. After the filling is set, use a small amount of frosting to apply a crumb coat around the entire cake. Freeze the cake again for another 10 minutes to set the crumb coat.
  6. After the crumbs are locked in, continue to frost and decorate the cake.

Adzuki Bean & Persimmon Thumbprint Cookies

The other day I was thinking of how I could pair two food groups that I have enjoyed using over the years. One being the Japanese red adzuki beans and the other was the persimmon fruit.

The intriguing world of azuki beans has strong roots in Japanese culinary traditions as well, playing a versatile role in sweet and savory dishes.

Likewise, persimmons are a cherished aspect of the Japanese culinary culture. With their vibrant orange hue and sweet, honey-like flavor, they are a favorite autumn and winter fruit. Persimmons have been cultivated in Japan for over a thousand years and are celebrated in art, poetry, and cuisine.

Combining the two in a dessert seems only logical as the red bean paste complements persimmons so nicely, it works out real well. The red bean paste, also known as ‘anko’ in Japanese, is made from adzuki beans that are boiled with sugar. Its flavor is sweet and savory at the same time, with notes of chocolate and walnuts.

Red Bean paste comes in many shapes and forms, but one thing is constant: the ingredient is a special and meaningful component of different East Asian cultures. You can find red bean paste in many different dishes out of Japan, China, Korea and in recipes used all over the world. 

Today, my recipe development is centered around two kinds of thumbprint cookies:

  • Adzuki Bean Oatmeal Flax Cookies w/ Persimmon Compote
  • Persimmon Oatmeal Cookies w/ Adzuki Red Bean Paste
Print Recipe
 Adzuki Bean & Persimmon Thumbprint Cookies
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine Asia
Keyword adzuki bean & persimmon thumbprint cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Persimmon Compote for Adzuki Bean Cookies
Coarse Adzuki Bean Paste for Persimmon Cookies
Adzuki Bean Cookies
Topping to Roll Adzuki Cookies In
Persimmon Oatmeal Cookies
Course dessert
Cuisine Asia
Keyword adzuki bean & persimmon thumbprint cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Persimmon Compote for Adzuki Bean Cookies
Coarse Adzuki Bean Paste for Persimmon Cookies
Adzuki Bean Cookies
Topping to Roll Adzuki Cookies In
Persimmon Oatmeal Cookies
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Persimmon Compote
  1. Peel persimmon, dice & puree in a cup processor. Place persimmon, sugar & lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over a medium high heat, stirring constantly for about 5-8 minutes until mixture becomes sticky & jam like. Set aside to cool.
Adzuki Bean Cookies
  1. Place the oats in the bowl of a food processor & pulse until it resembles coarse flour. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon & salt & process until combined. Transfer to a large bowl.
  2. Place the bean paste in another bowl along with the butter, 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolk & vanilla. Mix with an electric hand mixer until combined, scraping down sides of bowl.
  3. Pour bean mixture into the oat mixture & stir by hand until almost combined; add the nuts & flaxseed & stir until just blended.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  5. Place egg white in a small dish. Combine 1/4 cup each of ground flaxseed & brown sugar in a shallow dish. Roll slightly rounded Tbsp of dough into balls. Dip one ball at a time into egg white & then in the sugar mixture. Place 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Press your thumb or index finger into the middle of each cookie. Divide persimmon compote between cookies filling each indentation.
  6. Bake for about 16 minutes until set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Yield is about 32 cookies depending on the size you prefer to make them.
Persimmon Oatmeal Cookies
  1. Place the oats in the bowl of a food processor & pulse until it resembles coarse flour. Add flour, 5-spice, baking powder, salt & ground flaxseeds & process until combined. Transfer to a large bowl.
  2. Peel persimmon, dice & puree in a cup processor. In a separate bowl, place the persimmon puree, sugar, oil & vanilla & mix until smooth.
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing with a wide spatula just until batter begins to come together, being careful not to overwork it. Add walnuts, folding to distribute them evenly throughout.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  5. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out cookie dough onto prepared cookie sheet. Make a well or thumbprint shaped indent in the center of each ball of dough. Divide reserved adzuki bean paste between cookies filling each indentation.
  6. Bake for 11-12 minutes. Don't overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Yield is about 30 cookies depending on the size you prefer to make them.

Small Batch Caramel Sour Cream Buns

When it comes to desserts, I’ve always liked the idea of the mini sizes or smaller amounts. Small batch recipes have become popular because they align with modern lifestyle needs for portion control, reduced food waste, flexibility, and the desire for fresh, homemade quality.

For single people, couples, or small families, large recipes often yield more food than needed. Smaller portions mean you can try a wider range of recipes without being stuck eating the same dish for days, allowing individuals and small households to enjoy freshly baked goods and diverse meals without the commitment or excess of a full-sized recipe. 

One small batch recipe that really appeals to me is this one for these nostalgic little caramel sour cream buns. Baked in a caramel sour cream sauce, these buns are a specific type of caramel roll with origins tied to German and Scandinavian immigrants. The cream provides moisture and a rich, distinct flavor that differentiates these from other sticky buns or cinnamon rolls, which might use different kinds of syrup or frosting.

A defining characteristic of these baked goods is how they are prepared: the caramel sour cream sauce is placed at the bottom of the pan before baking. After baking, the pan is immediately inverted, so the gooey, self-saucing caramel topping cascades over the top of the finished rolls. 

In today’s post, I would like to share a recipe my mother called ‘Bake Day Surprises’. I remember this dessert being so incredibly good. Since she baked bread once a week, an extra treat stemming from that bread dough was something we could always count on. Since there are just the two of us, it’s nice to be able to try and replicate this special dessert without having to make a large pan of them (that we really don’t need, right!)

Print Recipe
 Small Batch Caramel Sour Cream Buns
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine German
Keyword caramel sour cream buns
Servings
BUNS
Ingredients
Caramel Sour Cream Sauce
Bun Dough
Course dessert
Cuisine German
Keyword caramel sour cream buns
Servings
BUNS
Ingredients
Caramel Sour Cream Sauce
Bun Dough
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Caramel Sour Cream Sauce
  1. In a small bowl combine all sauce ingredients; pour into a small round baking dish. Set aside.
Bun Dough
  1. In a bowl, combine water , yeast & sugar. Allow to proof for 5 minutes. Add oil, flour, salt & egg. With a fork or a wooden spoon, mix into a shaggy dough.
  2. Turn dough out onto a floured surface & knead for 5 minutes.
  3. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces & shape into balls. Place balls on top of sour cream sauce mixture in small round baking dish, cover with a towel & let rise for 40 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven & immediately invert pan over a serving platter. Be VERY CAREFUL that the HOT sauce does not burn your hands when inverting the pan.

German Rhubarb Crumble Rice Pudding

I recall my mother’s rice pudding with much fondness. It was a creamy pudding with raisins and a nice cinnamon flavor. Although, as a kid, raisins didn’t really appeal to me, they seemed to belong in this pudding. My father was a ‘meat and potatoes’ kind of man with an inherited love of sweets. I rarely ever remember my mother preparing a meal that didn’t end with some kind of dessert. It didn’t have to be anything elaborate. To this day, I still think a meal isn’t complete without a little sweetness at the end. Not a good thing as we get older.

Rice puddings are found in nearly every corner of the world. Milchreis is the German version, made by cooking short grain rice on the stove top in milk with sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.

Due to the mildness of this pudding, you can change the flavor significantly by just making a few changes such as nutmeg or cardamom instead of cinnamon, adding fresh or dried fruits and/or nuts.

That brings me to rhubarb — I love everything about the plant — how good it tastes, the beautiful huge foliage in the garden and how it can keep on producing all season long. The uses of rhubarb are endless, both sweet and savory.

Bordering one side of my mother’s large country garden grew six or eight rhubarb plants. I can’t even remember all the things she made with it but one thing still remains and that’s my love for it.

Today, January 22, our family celebrates the birthday of my sister, Marilyn. Birthdays were always made to be special as we were growing up. Not so much as to gifts but in regard to the family acknowledgement of ‘your’ day especially food wise.

For something I think holds a special nostalgic memory and to mark the occasion even if we can’t be together, I have prepared a German rhubarb crumble rice pudding.

 BRION & I ARE THINKING OF YOU MARILYN & SEND OUR LOVE & BIRTHDAY WISHES.

Print Recipe
 German Rhubarb Crumble Rice Pudding
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Cuisine German
Keyword German rhubarb crumble rice pudding
Servings
PUDDINGS
Ingredients
Pudding
Rhubarb Compote
Crumble Topping
Course dessert
Cuisine German
Keyword German rhubarb crumble rice pudding
Servings
PUDDINGS
Ingredients
Pudding
Rhubarb Compote
Crumble Topping
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Rice
  1. Place the milk, rice & sugar in a heavy bottomed pot on medium heat & bring to a simmer. Cook 45-55 minutes on medium low, stirring occasionally so bottom doesn't scorch, until it reduces by about half.
  2. When thickened, remove from the heat, let it cool. Pour into a bowl or 4-6 individual custard cups you will serve from. Pudding can be served warm or cover & refrigerate.
Rhubarb Compote
  1. Add rhubarb, sugar & ginger to a small pot. Over medium heat, cover & bring to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes at a simmer until rhubarb has softened but still keeps its shape. Set aside to cool.
Crumble
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. In a bowl mix all the ingredients & bring it together with your fingers or a fork. When fully mixed, spread it on a lined baking sheet & bake for 15-20 minutes, until browned & crispy. Remove & cool.
Serving
  1. Spoon a generous portion of the rhubarb compote on top of the pudding, followed by a generous portion of the crumble mixture.