This pie was declared by several members of my family to be the best pie they had ever eaten; one was so bold as to say it was the best thing I'd ever baked.

Here's the secret: between the graham cracker crust and the key lime filling, there is a layer of caramel sauce and toasted pecans. Ohmygosh. It is serious, people. Seriously good.

Because I'm catching up on my posts from China and am short on time, I'm not going to rewrite the recipe here. If you want to make it (and trust me, you want to make it), just click on this link from Southern Living:

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/praline-key-lime-pie-50400000121697/

The only remark I would have about it is that I've made it twice now, and the first time was better. The only difference was that the first time I made it, I was lucky enough to score a bottle of fresh key lime juice, and managed to avoid squeezing 25 tiny key limes myself. The second time, I couldn't find the pre-made stuff, so I recruited my loving boyfriend to squeeze said limes for me. The resulting filling was, for some reason, much more bitter than the first time I made it. So word to the wise: Take the short cut on this one, and use the pre-made juice if you can find it. If not, maybe go easier on the amount of zest you use.

Sheet cakes are probably the simplest kind of cake you can make. There's no layering involved, no scary moment of truth where you discover whether or not you greased the pan well enough. They are casual cakes, begging to be taken to a school or work function, a picnic, or (in my case) a potluck dinner. Everyone will know and appreciate the fact that you made something with your own two hands, and you can smile secretly to yourself because you didn't have to work all that hard.

This sheet cake in particular was a great find for me, because I was trying to accommodate one friend who doesn't like chocolate (I know! Horrors!) and one who prefers fruit-less desserts. Not only were they pleased, but so was everyone else!

Recipe for Walnut Cake with Praline Frosting
Adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 16 servings.


Ingredients
For the cake:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
7 tbsp butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted; divided
Cooking Spray

For the frosting:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 tbsp milk, divided
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp light corn syrup
Dash of salt
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. 

Place 7 tbsp butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl; beat at medium-high until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in egg white. Beat in vanilla. Add flour alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in 6 tbsp walnuts. Scrape batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

For the frosting:
Place brown sugar, 1/4 cup milk, 2 tbsp butter, corn syrup, and dash of salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook two minutes. Scrape brown sugar mixture into a bowl. Add remaining two tbsp milk and powdered sugar; beat with mixer at high speed 2 minutes or until slightly cooled and thick. Beat in 1/2 tsp vanilla. Spread frosting in an even layer over cooled cake; sprinkle with 2 tbsp chopped walnuts. Let cake stand until frosting sets; cut into squares. 

My mom turned thirty (for several years in a row now!) on July 25th, and this was her birthday cake. It was very rich, especially with the frosting, and very lemony. And did I mention that it was also very, very tasty?

Recipe for Lemonade Layer Cake (Scroll down for frosting recipe.) 
Adapted from Cooking Light
Makes two nine-inch round cakes, or approximately 16 servings.


Ingredients:
1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
6 tbsp butter, softened
1 tbsp grated lemon zest (about 3 medium lemons)
3 tbsp thawed lemonade concentrate
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt 
1-1/4 cups buttermilk

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two nine-inch round baking pans. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. 

In a large bowl, beat first five ingredients (through vanilla) with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour and beating well after each addition.

Pour batter into prepared pans; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool on a wire rack. 


Lemonade Buttercream Frosting
Adapted from Brown Bag Specials
Makes enough frosting for one nine-inch two-layer cake or 12 cupcakes. 


Ingredients:
3 cups confectioner's sugar
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
2-3 tbsp thawed lemonade concentrate

Mix all ingredients at medium speed until well combined. Spread onto cooled cake and allow frosting to set before cutting.

We have five chickens in the backyard, two of which are laying eggs right now. I get asked a lot if it's possible to actually taste a difference between our eggs and the store-bought kind, and the answer is a resounding YES! Our chickens' eggs are creamier and less 'eggy' tasting. I firmly believe that happy, healthy animals lead to happy, healthy humans, and my mother's little backyard farm is a step in the right direction.

There's no "recipe" for this; it's more like a process. I lightly toasted a piece of sourdough bread from Companion, and then topped it with thinly sliced tomatoes from the garden and shredded parmesan cheese. I then broiled the toast for a few more minutes while I fried up the egg in some butter. Top it all off with some slivers of fresh basil, salt and pepper, and you have just started your morning off right. I promise.

Since making it for the first time in the summer of 2009, this cake has become my go-to recipe when I need (or want) to bake for something important. It's simple, dependable, and it tastes wonderful every time. I know I can make it when I'm short on time, or in an unfamiliar kitchen, or when I really, really don't want to mess up.

So when I went to Columbus to meet my boyfriend's parents for the first time, I knew this would be the perfect thing to make for them. They loved it! They even asked me to make them another one before I left. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to do that. But I did give Matt's mom a copy of Molly Wizenburg's book, A Homemade Life. Next time I visit, I hope we can make it together. 

I usually make it in a round baking pan, but it's such an adaptable recipe that a square one works just as well. It would probably make good cupcakes, too! I'll be posting a recipe for a different lemon cake (it's my mom's' favorite kind of cake, so I'm constantly trying different variations) that has a lemonade buttercream frosting. That would go well with this, too . . . Hmm . . . 

Recipe for French-Style Lemon Yogurt Cake
From A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenburg
Makes one 9-inch round cake.

Ingredients
For the Cake:
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
Zest of one lemon
1/2 cup well-stirred plain whole-milk yogurt
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

For the Lemon Syrup:
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

For the Lemon Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
3 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, sugar and eggs and mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and lemon zest. Add the flour mixture in with the yogurt mixture and blend. Mix in the oil and stir until well combined. The batter should be very smooth.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes and then turn out onto a cake rack or serving plate to cool.

While cake is still warm, mix together lemon syrup ingredients and spoon over cake. Let cake cool completely.

For the lemon icing, whisk together ingredients and spoon over cooled cake. Wait until icing has set, about one hour. Serve. 

(If you can't wait, don't. Who cares.)

This is the most delicious American-style potato salad out there. I'm convinced. 

If you haven't read Molly Wizenburg's A Homemade Life, please go get yourself a copy! I haven't made everything from the book (yet), but that's definitely a life goal of mine. Her stories about cooking and family will warm your heart and make your mouth water, I promise.

Her father's recipe for potato salad is one of the first things I tried from the book, and it does not disappoint! My mom and I were skeptical when we read the list of ingredients (ranch dressing? really?), but just trust us. It's great. 

One note--please do not try to make a "lighter version" of this recipe. I'm all about cutting calories when and where I can, but this is an all-or-nothing potato salad. If you substitute lite or non-fat or low-fat ingredients, don't blame me when this recipe doesn't blow your mind. 

Finally, this potato salad tastes *way* better if you make it the day before you want to serve it. It will still be good the day of, but the flavors won't mesh as well. 

Recipe for Burg's Potato Salad
From Molly Wizenburg's A Homemade Life

Ingredients
For the Salad:
1 3/4 lbs red waxy potatoes, scrubbed
4 large eggs
8 scallions (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
1/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste

For the Dressing:
3/4 cup mayonnaise (preferably Hellman's)
4 tbsp bottled Ranch dressing (preferably Hidden Valley)
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
1-2 tsp caraway seeds, optional (I usually omit)

Instructions:
Place potatoes in a Dutch oven or large saucepan and add cold water to cover by one inch. Add a generous dash of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, until potatoes are tender when pierced with a small, thin knife, about 15 minutes. Drain into a colander, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool. (If you're in a hurry, stick them in the refrigerator to speed things up. The potatoes should be completely cool when you dress them.) When potatoes have cooled, slice them into rough 1-inch chunks. Smaller potatoes should be cut in half, while larger ones can be chopped into quarters or eighths. Place them in a large bowl. 

Meanwhile, cook the eggs. Place them in a small saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When water begins to boil, remove them pan immediately from the heat, cover it, and let it sit for exactly 12 minutes. Immediately pour off the hot water and run plenty of cold water over the eggs. When the eggs have cooled, peel  them, chop them coarsely, and add them to the bowl of potatoes. Add scallions, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt, and toss to mix.

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, Ranch, dill, and caraway seeds. Pour dressing over potato mixture and stir evenly to coat. Taste, and adjust salt if needed. 

Cover and refrigerate the night before serving.

This cake, dear readers, is a birthday cake classic. The person lucky enough to receive one of these from your kitchen for his or her birthday will thank you. So will everyone at the party. 

This is not a "light" cake. (In case you were wondering, cakes aren't really supposed to be in that category to begin with.) This one is particularly rich, with a generous coating of chocolate malt frosting to round out the moist, yellow cake inside.

I made it for my best friend from college, Katie, who turned 24 on June 2nd. It may have taken me nearly two months to get this posted, but I wasn't about to forget to share it. No-way-josé.

Recipe for Yellow Cake with Chocolate Malt Frosting
From She Wears Many Hats
Makes 2 9-inch round cakes.

Ingredients
For Cake:
2 3/4 cups flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature 
1 cup milk, divided
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

For Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup malted milk powder
7 tbsp milk

Instructions
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two nine-inch round baking pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. In large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and 3/4 cup milk to the mixture and beat until just combined. 

In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs, remaining 1/4 cup milk, and vanilla extract together. Gradually add to the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Do not over beat. 

Divide batter into prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting.

For frosting:
Beat butter and vanilla extract together until smooth. Add in powdered sugar, cocoa powder and malted milk powder; lightly mix. Add in milk, one tbsp at a time, until smooth. 

Note: When I frost cakes, I line the cake stand with strips of wax paper. After the frosting has set, I just pull the strips out, and the cake stand or platter is free of errant icing globs. Voila!

Two things. First, you'll notice that I'm posting a savory recipe. I know, right? I told you I eat vegetables . . . Second, I made this casserole for Mother's Day. So yes, it has been that long since I've posted anything. I've been busy.

Recipe for Swiss Chard, White Bean & Sweet Potato Gratin
Adapted from Eats Well with Others
Makes approximately 6 side-dish servings.


Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 bunches swiss chard, stems and leaves cut into one-inch pieces
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 large sweet potato, peeled and sliced 1/8th of an inch thick
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup coarsely shredded gruyere

Instructions:
Heat olive oil in heavy skillet on medium high heat. Sauté onion until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add chard, sprinkle with salt, and cook until chard wilts and no more moisture is in the pan. Transfer to a bowl.

Add butter and flour to skillet and whisk together to form a paste. Whisk in milk, add garlic and bring to a simmer. Boil 2 minutes, whisking. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Spread half the sweet potatoes along the bottom of the dish. Top with half the beans, salt and pepper, half the greens mixture, half the cheese, and half the sauce. Add another layer of sweet potatoes, beans, greens, sauce, and top with cheese. 

Cover with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

I made my mom's favorite cake again! And I took a prettier picture of it that I wanted to share. 

Click here for the recipe. Mmm.

First of all, let me apologize for the poor photo quality. It was nighttime, and my father's birthday, so I didn't want to make a fuss about taking cake pictures before the man got to eat.

Over it? So am I. Moving on. My dad's all-time favorite dessert is carrot cake, and since I'm finally in town for his birthday, I got to make him one from scratch! It turned out really well--the right texture (thanks to the carrots, walnuts, golden raisins, coconut, and crushed pineapple) and the right amount of sweetness, thanks to the cream cheese frosting. Honestly, there could have been more frosting in my book. But I always want more frosting. So maybe that's just me.

While the coconut paired well with the carrots in terms of texture, it didn't add much in terms of flavor. There was general agreement that the amount of coconut should be increased for next time. If you do end up adding extra, let me know how it turns out!

Mmm, frosting . . .

Recipe for Carrot Cake
Slightly adapted from Simply Scratch
Makes 2 9-inch cakes (for one layer cake).

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
2 cups grated carrots (I used two jumbo-sized carrots)
1 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup golden raisins
1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 16-oz. package powdered sugar

Instructions:
For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.

Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg until combined. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one and a time, and mix well. *Alternating,* add flour mixture and milk, beating well after each addition. Mix in carrots, coconut, pineapple, raisins, and walnuts; mix well. Pour evenly into prepared pans.

Bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

For the Frosting:
With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a medium bowl until well combined. Gradually sift in powdered sugar, beating well after each addition.

To assemble, remove parchment paper and place one layer upside down on a serving platter and spread a layer of frosting. Cover with remaining cake layer (upside down), remove parchment paper, and spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.

Store in the refrigerator.