Insanely addictive.
Chocolate doesn't have to be a guilty pleasure. In fact, it can be downright good for you! This Valentine's Day, give the gift of decadence without guilt; check out these recipes that will satisfy chocolate cravings without the added calories. Read more
Sweetheart candies are an essential on Valentine's Day, and recently Williams-Sonoma took the same idea to cookies with Message in a Cookie, a kit that comes with three different cookie-cutter shapes: a heart, a star, and a scalloped square. Each cookie cutter features slots for text, where you can use the accompanying letter stamps to make your own talking sugar cookies. I whipped up a quick Read more
Chickpeas seem to be everywhere lately — and with good reason: they're high in protein, fiber, folate, and zinc. And in a small study, chickpeas have also been shown to aid in weight loss. I love how versatile they are: whether roasted on their own, tossed in a salad, or even used in dessert, chickpeas seem to make every recipe better! See a few of our favorites here. Read more
What's sugar and spice and everything nice? Cupcakes! And no one knows more about our obsession with the lil confections than Sophie LaMontagne and Katherine Kallinis, co-owners of Georgetown Cupcake and stars of TLC's DC Cupcakes. The sisters, who learned their kitchen skills from their grandmother ("We followed her around the kitchen and always begged to help"), have been known to bake up to Read more
After enjoying a frothy dessert cocktail on Valentine's Day, I decided to try another recipe, this one with a St. Patty's theme. It combines vanilla vodka with coffee and chocolate liqueur to create a decadent liquid dessert. My favorite part is the frothy whipped cream that gets poured into the mixture at the last minute — it reminds me of the thick cream that sits atop a classic Irish coffee. Read more
Whether you're celebrating Valentine's Day with a special someone, friends, or family, or you're going solo, this holiday just isn't the same without delving into a sweet, creamy, dreamy treat. I know you don't want to burst out of your new Valentine's Day outfit, so here's a frozen dessert that's full of fresh flavor and a luscious texture that screams decadence, but won't break the calorie Read more
Valentine's Day is the perfect time to make sweet treats for the ones we love, and since my love is a chocoholic, I get to try out a couple of new chocolate recipes every February. This month: a decadent Nutella pound cake that will make your sweetheart swoon. Traditionally a pound cake is exactly that: one pound each of the essential ingredients — flour, sugar, eggs, and of course, butter. Read more
Perhaps it's the rainbow of cheerful hues, the adorable two-bite size, or — most likely — the perfect crisp-chewy texture, but I just can't get enough of French macarons. Even when I'm stuffed to the gills, I can always make room for these tiny, delicate pastries. True, macarons can be temperamental (meringue is the capricious culprit), but they do respond wonderfully to patience, Read more
Whenever you're complaining about the ferocity of Winter, just remember things are much, much colder in other parts of the world. But while Russian Winters may be brutal, they've got plenty of amazing, comforting recipes with flavors designed to take that chill out of your bones. It's time to call up your babushka, put on your copy of Doctor Zhivago, and grab a tall glass of vodka, if you see Read more
If there's one thing I could eat every day, it's chocolate and fruit. Chocolate-covered strawberries are one of those decadent desserts that people save for special, romantic occasions, but I don't really understand that. This technique for dipping your strawberries in melted chocolate is so simple, it can and should be enjoyed regularly. While many recipes tell you to melt chocolate and butter Read more
