Banana Cream Pie

For the longest time I had been craving a slice of banana cream pie.  I know I could have probably satisfied that craving by heading to the local Village Inn, but why do such a thing when baking my own would much that much more satisfying?  Cream pies are, in my opinion, overlooked in the

Peach and Bourbon Bars

The farmers market is in full force here in Omaha and I absolutely could not pass up the opportunity to bring home a few lovely peaches.  As they sat on my counter, I thought about what I might do with them besides just slice and eat (which is perfectly fine).  I ran across a few

Chocolate Banana Bread

If you’re like me at all, you have a collection of overripe bananas in your freezer, destined for bread.  I have a pretty fool-proof (and delicious) recipe for banana bread given to me by my mother, but I wanted to change things up this time around.  And what better way to do that than with

Apple Brown Butter Upside-Down Cake

If you’ve followed this blog at all, you know that I have a special place in my heart reserved for America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Illustrated Magazine.  Last April, I was chosen as a finalist for their “Learn To Cook” series.  Alas, I did not win, but I still love them and put my full

Tarte Au Citron et Aux Amandes (Lemon and Almond Tart)

As the saying goes, “Imitation is the highest form of flattery.”  Now, I would never claim to have the culinary skills of the venerable Julia Child, but hey, I can imitate, and that’s good enough for me. I know, I know, you’re probably thinking, “Sara, we’ve already seen Julie and Julia, we don’t need to

Nothing to Fear But Pastry Dough

Okay, so it’s pretty widely known that although I thoroughly enjoy baking and making desserts, I don’t possess a very distinct sweet tooth.  I have never been one to get too excited over a box of chocolates or squeal with delight at the sight of a dessert menu.  I prefer salty over sugared.  Savory over

Dessert First…Naturally

Last night I chose to tackle a cheesecake for the Thanksgiving dessert.  Now, understand this:  I love making cheesecakes, but I find them to be too rich for my taste.  The funny thing about me, I suppose, is that I lack the requisite sweet tooth for most desserts.  I find a lot of joy in