Fried Plantains

I'll let you in on a little secret - up until yesterday, I had never deep-fried anything in my entire life. Truth be told, I was always a little scared of it. It seems like it would be easy to accidentally deep fry your fingers along with the food, and I like my fingers just how they are, thank you very much.

But the other day at the store, I saw a bunch of fresh plantains.

I can put aside my fear of deep-frying for delicious, delicious plantains. Have you ever had them before? If the answer is "no," you are seriously missing out! Plantains are relatives of the banana, and in fact look very much like oversized, thick-skinned bananas. They are more starchy, however, and taste kind of like a cross between a potato and a banana. Or something like that.

Almond Peach Tart with Whole Wheat Crust

Did you know that almonds and peaches are closely related? It's true! So it's no wonder that they taste so good together. A match made with science!

This almond peach tart is a delicious way to appreciate the season's freshest peaches, which you can find everywhere from farmer's markets to grocery stores this time of year. I've made the recipe a few times already this year, and each time I've gotten rave reviews. It never lasts more than a day!

Tiramisu

Maybe it's the Italian in my blood, or maybe it's just my love of creamy things and coffee and chocolate. But no matter the reason, tiramisu is my favorite dessert EVER. And that's saying something, folks, because there are a lot of delicious desserts out there that I and my sweet tooth dearly love.

But tiramisu beats them all.

If you've never heard of it, tiramisu is an Italian dessert made with coffee-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cheese, whipped cream, and dusted with cocoa powder. In other words, heaven on a plate. The word literally means "pick-me-up" or, metaphorically speaking, "make me happy."

Fudge Frosting

A quick post today for a quick but delicious frosting recipe. This is easy to make in a single saucepan, simple to whip up, and delectable enough for company - or just for yourself and a spoon!

I'm going to go ahead and warn you right now: this is evil frosting. It's made with lots of butter and sugar and chocolate, and it practically begs to be eaten right out of the pot. That's okay with me. That's VERY okay with me. But if it's not okay with you, you might want to check out a different post. A healthy post. Like tofu. Or soup.

Johnnycake (Northern Cornbread)

I'll preface this by saying that real johnnycake is actually more of a flatbread made with cornmeal, rather than this lightly-sweetened cornbread. However, that's the title of the recipe passed down in my family for goodness knows how many generations, and who am I to argue with my ancestors?

This is one of those recipes that needs no augmentation, no experimentation. It may be ancient, but it's perfect exactly as it is. We eat it most often with chili or bean soup, but it's good with anything you like - greens, pork barbeque, fried chicken - you name it.

And while the debate between sweetened and unsweetened cornbread rages on, as a Northern gal, I prefer a little sweetness in mine. No matter how you like your cornbread, I would encourage you to try this recipe, with its dense yet not cloying texture, fluffy crumb, and just the perfect amount of sugar. It will keep for several days - but don't expect it to last that long!

Strawberry Oreo Creme Dessert

It's been so nice this past week, with temperatures in the mid-70s, that I can almost imagine it's already summer! My roommates and I wanted a cool, creamy dessert this weekend in honor of the balmy weather, and so I came up with this not-too-sweet layered confection using strawberries, since they are in season right now.

Considering I was sort of cooking by the seat of my pants, it came out quite splendidly. The only thing I would do differently is to leave out the cinnamon that I dashed in a little too generously, which I have reflected in the recipe below. If you're looking for a springy dessert that is decadent without being too rich and cloying, this is your new best friend - especially since there's absolutely no baking involved!

Cherry Chocolate Bars

Have you ever had one of those days where you just need to bake something? No? Well I do, perhaps more than I care to admit, and today was one of them. I was tired of studying for finals, tired of the dreary, rainy weather that made me have to cancel my hike with a friend. But baking makes everything better! Trust me on this one.

I had set my mind on making Swedish Almond Bars, but we were all out of almonds. Also I was running low on Swedes, although those are optional. They really improve the flavor though... (insert laughter here).

So I decided it was improvisation time. Oh wait, that happens every day around here because I fail at keeping a well-stocked pantry. But sitting there on the shelf was a lovely bag of dried cherries, just begging to be used. "Eat me!" they cried. You know you're in trouble when the produce starts to talk to you.