A plate of warm pancakes, a mug of coffee and the New York Times is my favorite way to spend Sunday morning. Lately, I'd been avoiding the pancake part of the ritual because, frankly, I was bored with pancakes. So I began to tinker with a new recipe. This is the result.

The recipe combines whole grains, brown sugar and a pinch of ground cinnamon to create what might be my favorite pancake recipe to date. . . . keep reading

I've been a little quiet since 2010 began. So today I come bearing "World Peace Cookies." The original recipe for these cookies was created by Dorie Greenspan, food writer, cookbook author, and all-around baking goddess. For the start of a new year, I thought it would be fun to make them gluten-free.

Dorie created a chocolate sable (French buttery-sugar cookie) recipe that's salty. If you've ever enjoyed the amazing combination of salt and sweet (kettle corn, chocolate covered pretzels, fleur de sol caramels) you know how salt can wonderfully enhance the flavor of sweet foods. And if you've never had a "salty sweet", this is a great recipe to introduce you to the fun of this flavor combination!

To make this recipe gluten-free, I needed to tweak it just a bit. My version contains a little more salt than the original. Gluten-free baking often needs a flavor boost and I found that the original 1/2 teaspoon of salt simply faded into the background. This is not what we wanted. I also use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar. Again, this is a flavor issue. Light brown sugar, while good, didn't have enough "oomph" to make an impression on the cookies. Dark brown sugar, in contrast, was just perfect.

One last word about the salt. Dorie uses fleur de sol. And while I love this salt, I realize that you might not have it kicking around. Since gluten-free bakers don't need another expensive ingredient, I swapped out the fleur de sol for Kosher salt. Even with all of these tweaks, I think my gluten-free version stands up to the original.

So, World Peace cookies. Share these with someone you love. And, in the spirit of peace, maybe share them with someone you don't. Who knows what will happen after a bite of these cookies? . . . keep reading

For years, I have been meaning to make a caramel cake. Recently, while reading Maya Angelou's cookbook, "Hallelujah! The Welcome Table", I finally decided to head into the kitchen to bake one.

Ms. Angelou's book opens with a recipe for caramel cake. And while the recipe looked delicious, it wasn't exactly what I wanted. Her cake had a buttercream icing and I wanted a cake with a caramel sauce icing. I did notice that her recipe used caramel sauce in the cake batter. Now I liked the sound of that!

I dug out my recipe for caramel sauce and went to work. My caramel sauce is really rich and, for caramel sauce, fairly easy to make. Since the sauce needs to be made and cooled, I found it was easiest to make the sauce the night before you wanted to bake the cake. Hence the name, "Weekend Caramel Cake." You can make . . . keep reading

Latkes fresh from the frying pan are one of my favorite holiday treats. I know that everyone thinks their latke recipe is "the best." I'm no exception! This is the recipe I make each year and, I am happy to report, it always wins rave reviews. . . . keep reading

I love baking gingerbread cookies during the holiday season. I think it counts as baking plus aromatherapy because baking gingerbread cookies smell so terrific as they bake. However, I don't always have time to make gingerbread dough, chill it, roll it out and bake it. So, I do the next best thing: I make gingersnaps.

Gingersnap dough can be made and baked in about 30 minutes. That is what I call a holiday treat! Delicious cookies in under an hour? Pass the milk. . . . keep reading

I'd forgotten how much I loved making biscotti until I started working on this recipe. Reader, Maura R., asked me for a "yummy gluten-free almond biscotti." Maura didn't have a recipe in mind. So, I pulled out an old biscotti recipe that--I think--came from my student days at the CIA.

As soon as I looked at the recipe, I was reminded how easy biscotti are to make at home. You whip together a dough, shape it into a log and bake. Once the log is baked, you need to cut it into individual pieces and toast it. That's it!

This recipe makes delicious almond biscotti. For the holiday, you could dip them into some dark chocolate and put them into cello bags. They would make lovely gifts! . . . keep reading

My mom makes dozens of cranberry orange loaves during Christmas. Everyone from her closest friend to her regular bank teller get one. And everyone loves it!

Her recipe uses dried cranberries--and I love this! The flavor of the dried cranberries and the orange juice makes for a lovely little quick bread. We eat this bread on Christmas morning but it really is delightful anytime!

Thanks to my Mom for the recipe! . . . keep reading

Here is a confession: Until recently, I'd never had the classic marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole. Sure, we had sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving but they were roasted and not marshmallow topped.

Apparently the sweet potato fairy decided that I needed to try this dish. So I looked up some recipes. Most of the recipes I found started with a can of candied yams. To that, they added copious amounts of sugar or coca cola/ginger ale and, of course, marshmallows. I know that this is classically a really sweet side dish. However, for my tastes, the recipes I found looked a bit too sweet. I decided that I wanted to honor this dish but make it without using a canned sweet potatoes, soda or a ton of sugar. . . . keep reading

Like most of the internet, I fell in love with Ree Drummond, aka "The Pioneer Woman," several years ago. Anyway, two years ago she posted a recipe for "The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake. Ever." At the time, I wanted to make the recipe gluten-free. Somehow life intervened and I never got around to doing it. Well, I finally adapted the recipe. It is delicious!

You must try this cake. Not only is it totally moist but it is super easy to make! . . . keep reading

I know pie baking can intimidate people. For Thanksgiving, I wanted to create a recipe that used a crumb crust and was so delicious that everyone (even your gluten-eating relatives) would be clamoring for the recipe.

Well, my pumpkin cheesecake pie fits the bill. Not only is it easy to make, it is insanely delicious. For the crust, I use store bought gluten-free gingersnaps. (Of course, you could use homemade gingersnaps, I will leave that up to you!) The crust is then filled with a silky-smooth pumpkin cream cheese filling. Even after a big holiday meal, people will be asking for seconds of this pie! . . . keep reading

I've been working on creating a delectable bran muffin for some time now. Happily, after many tests, I've created a recipe that I know you will love!

This recipe uses buckwheat flour. A wonderful gluten-free flour with an unfortunate name! The buckwheat flour adds a wonderful undertone of grainy-sweetness. This paired with brown rice flour, molasses, and ground flaxseed makes for a wonderfully tasty muffin!

In addition, this muffin is corn-free, xanthan gum-free and dairy-free! The one thing it isn't free of is taste! While testing the recipe, I found that one of these muffins paired with a cup of tea is a delightful way to start the morning. And, like most of my recipes, these muffins freeze well. You can make up a batch, freeze some and you'll have a quick breakfast waiting for you in the freezer! . . . keep reading

I've been calling these "loaded oatmeal cookies"! They are loaded with lots of good stuff! Brown rice flour (don't worry, they aren't gritty!), flaxmeal, raisins and chocolate chips! While baking, these cookies smell wonderful. There is just something about the combined fragrances of brown sugar, vanilla and oatmeal that gets me every time! In fact, I love these cookies so much that I don't mind turning n the oven on the summer to make them!

Speaking of the summer, these cookies make a great ice cream sandwich. Really, chocolate chips, raisins, oatmeal and vanilla ice cream? How could you go wrong! . . . keep reading

Key Lime Pie is one of easiest pies you can make. All it requires is a simple crumb crust and few ingredients for the filling. Since this pie tastes better a day after it is made, I like to make it before I go to bed--you know during the time when you are puttering around in the kitchen anyway. The next day, I am rewarded with a cold, silky, sweet-tart pie.

I serve my key lime pie with whipped cream. However, you could make a meringue with the left over egg whites if the mood strikes you! . . . keep reading

I hate it when I read the words, "There really are no words to describe…" My reaction is always, "Really? Really Ms. Writer? No words? That is your job. Go and find the words. When you do, report back to the rest of us. Thanks!"

Well, when I took my first bite of these whoopie pies, I heard myself saying, "Oh my! There are no words." A snack cake rendering me speechless? You know that is one amazing snack cake. I'll try to describe this luscious cake with the admonition: Once you've read the description you must, you must(!), go and bake a pan for yourself.

This is a classic whoopie pie. It's made up of two moist, flavorful, chocolately cakey-cookies held together with sweet, cloud-light icing. If you've never seen a Whoopie Pie (they are popular in the Northeast, especially Maine.) they look like an Oreo Cakester. However, an Oreo-cakester would take one look at these whoopie pies and hide itself in shame. An Oreo-Cakester is a pale, pale imitation of a Whoopie Pie.

The cake recipe contains brown sugar. I know that is a bit surprising. I don't often think of the earthy flavor of molasses as a complement to chocolate. Yet, it works. The molasses flavor fades into the background, adding just a base note and, somehow, amping up the chocolate flavor. You could eat these cakes on their own. But why would you want to? The icing, lovingly, borrowed from the Twinkie Recipe in my cookbook, puts this recipe over the top. WAY over the top. It is sweet and soft with just the slightest hint of vanilla.

Not only are these Whoopie Pies swoon-worthy, they are also easy to make. So, what are you waiting for? Go and find the ingredients and make some Whoopie (Pie)! . . . keep reading

Several months ago I was listening to NPR (National Public Radio). An author was being interviewed who, I thought, had written a book entitled, "Indemnity Slays the Dragon." I could not get my mind around how the heck "indemnity" could slay anyone. I was intrigued.

After a few minutes, I realized the host had said the title was "Aunt Dimity Slays the Dragon." Ah! That made sense. Of course an Aunt Dimity could slay a dragon. But indemnity? Now that was crazy!

I kept thinking about the book and, finally, found it at my local bookstore. Turns out "Aunt Dimity" is a series of books written by Nancy T. Atherton. So, instead of starting with "Aunt Dimity Slays the Dragon", I picked up the first book in the series, "Aunt Dimity's Death."

Throughout the book (which was a really fun read) oatmeal cookies are mentioned. I won't tell you why but let's just say that I wanted these cookies! Tucked away on the last page was "Beth's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies." (To find out who Beth is and why she made cookies, you will have to read the book.) This recipe just begged me to make it gluten-free! . . . keep reading

Overview/Review Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Mixes

As I sit down to write this overview of the Betty Crocker mixes, I find I am filled with mixed emotions. When I heard that General Mills would be launching a line of Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Mixes, I was excited! What a great way, I thought, to introduce gluten-free baking to those who might be nervous about tackling it.

And who better than Betty Crocker to do it? I must admit something here, folks. I grew up eating Betty Crocker cakes mixes (Duncan Hines, too!). While my mom baked almost everything from scratch, she used mixes for cakes. If I close my eyes, I can almost taste those cakes. Fragrant and damp. The taste and texture of a box cake mix is really unlike any other. Therefore, I was excited to see if Betty Crocker's Gluten-Free Cake mixes would taste like their traditional, wheat-based mixes.

But before we get to the taste test, I need to talk a little about my own expectations and reactions to the mixes. . . . keep reading