I hope you’ll find it reassuring to learn that I do 95 percent of my cookie decorating with this simple DIY tool, also called a cornet. Rarely do I go as far as rigging a reusable bag with a metal
So how do you use my favorite decorating tool once it’s made? Regardless of the decorating technique you choose, there are some basic cone handling instructions to always apply! Read on, and/or check out Lesson 4 in my cookie decorating video
My rendition of aioli, though very garlicky, isn’t as biting as some, since the roasting of the garlic bulbs mellows their inherent sharpness. It’s also as delicious atop meat (see my Red, White, and Blue Burgers) as it is mixed into
I’m not proud to admit to this behavior, but I await the arrival of rhubarb like a spoiled child anticipating the reckless ripping open of presents on Christmas Day. Once I spot the season’s first stalks, my eyes widen, visions
Though perfect for your Memorial Day or Fourth of July fête, this burger is tasty all year ‘round – and colorful, too! The red refers to the roasted red peppers and sundried tomatoes mixed into the meat; the white to
Need some name tags or place cards, but hate your handwriting? Or tired of store-bought options and canned clip art, yet not the best artist? It’s all good – you can still craft beautiful tags using special fonts and ephemera
More assembly instructions than detailed baking how-to, this interactive (read: get-your-hands-dirty) dessert is infinitely adaptable! The concept? Each party-goer gets his/her own personalized roasting fork to deck out to taste. Here, I give two options for topping the forks: a
Even though I’ve been food-styling for publications for a few years, it’s not everyday that a national magazine emails to say they want to photograph me doing my cookie thing. Usually I’m hired to make someone else’s food or space look camera-ready.
I call rubber stamping my ultimate cheater technique, because it allows anyone – even those without God-given artistic talent – to create show-stopping cookies with very little work. Simply choose a lovely stamp and grab some soft-gel food coloring, and
I liken this dessert to tiramisu, but without all of the carbs. Sans the traditional ladyfingers and with the espresso turned into ice, its luscious layers are more “light” and summer-like. I originally wrote this recipe in 2006 for an
OK, so this feature isn’t my usual special party, but it is a celebration in its own right – of the smaller things in life that we (or at least, I) too often take for granted. After a whirlwind winter
Ever since developing the projects for Ultimate Cookies, I’ve been smitten with the notion of 3-D cookies. (You’ll see everything from 3-D lizards and peacocks to handbags and other edible bling in my new book!) These treats are as tasty as
My husband often questions my habit of collecting throughout the year. In fact, my last antiques mall-find elicited a frown and dismissive, “What is that @#%*$?!!” Granted, I rarely return from my foraging with anything of real monetary value or
Alfresco is one of my favorite ways to entertain. Late September into early October, after the summer swelter has passed, is usually the best time to do it here in Missouri. Fortunately, June was unseasonably cool when this farm-to-table dinner
Courtesy of my friends Deborah and Steve Nathe, owners of Winding Brook Estate, a 16-acre lavender farm in Eureka, Missouri, this recipe is one of their favorite ways to use farm-fresh (or dried) lavender in the dog days of summer
A slightly more conservative, but equally tasty, spin on my orange-scented White Chocolate-Basil Panna Cotta! Yield: About five 1/2- to 3/4-cup servings Prep Talk: Either fresh or dried lavender buds will work just fine. Expect some trial and error to adjust the
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