Four Nights A Week

Adventures in Eating

recent posts

Amy’s Writing, Photography and Art can be found at amybisson.com

Category: Special Treats

  • 23 December 2023: Nanaimo Bars

    As of today, my holiday bakes are done! Our house smells outrageously of butter, sugar and spices. After the past four weeks, I admit I have a new and deep appreciation for professional bakers. These Nanaimo Bars were among the last sweet that I baked this season. I’d seen recipes for them quite frequently and,…

  • 14 May 2023: Cinnamon-Crisp Coffee Cake

    Our Mother’s Day celebrations are a bit more low-key than most with family members spread across the continent. Usually I’ve brought something breakfast-like to my own Mom’s house and indulged in a quick visit. This year, I was looking for a sweet treat to bring and discovered this delicious coffee cake on King Arthur Baking’s…

  • 06 Apr 2023: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

    While these wonderfully, rich and chocolaty cookies appear around the winter Holiday Season, they are delightful just about any time of year. I’ve seen the dough made spicy with cloves, cinnamon and even pepper, and also found a lemon-y based dough. The possibilities are infinite. This recipe comes from cookbook author, Rosemary Molloy and can…

  • 02 Apr 2023: Lidia Bastianich’s Ricotta Cookies

    As a kid, I remember my Sicilian-born grandfather bringing the biggest box of Italian cookies to us whenever we visited family in Buffalo, NY. That bakery, The Virginia Bakery, is long gone and our trips to Buffalo have long since stopped, but the memory of of that box of treats remains among the fondest remembrances…

  • 08 Mar 2023: Low-Fat Lemon Yogurt Muffins

    Maybe it is because my Dad worked in a business related to livestock and agriculture, but I think I’ve always been aware of what a great resource County- and State-sponsored cooperative extension services can be. This recipe comes from the University of Maine’s Food and Health, and is a real treasure trove of nutritious food…

  • 14 Feb 2023: Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

    Who doesn’t love an oatmeal cookie? There’s something satisfyingly warm and fuzzy about them, and, they seem to be a favorite in this house. This rendition comes from Melissa Clark and can be found in the New York Times cooking section. Butter, eggs, sugar and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, once baked, they won’t…

  • 17 Dec 2022: Concha Cookies

    Finding new cookies for holiday baking is a passion. While all of us in this house enjoy traditional cookie recipes, sometimes we’ll find one – or two – that seem to be stand-outs. This recipe for a twist on the Mexican sweet bread, concha, was published in the Washington Post food section and comes via…

  • 16 Dec 2022: NYT M&M Cookies

    Eric Kim, a writer for the New York Times Cooking and food sections, shared this recipe for M&M Cookies in the New York Times’ 24 Days of Cookies in 2021. It’s one of my favorites not only because the cookie itself is delicious, but because the entire bag of M&Ms is not used. Definitely enjoyed…

  • 10 Dec 2022: Eggless Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

    At this time of the year when baked goods and treats are everywhere, I always try to ensure there are appealing cookie options for our granddaughter who has an egg allergy. Luckily, finding baked treats that are safe for her is not the challenge it once was as there are many excellent allergy-aware and vegan…

  • 06 Dec 2022: Nonfat Gingersnaps

    Holiday baking has begun in earnest in our kitchen. Initially I started looking for a cookie to balance out all of the chocolate confections I had been making – something spicy and warming. Leafing through David Lebovit’z Ready for Dessert (page 213), I discovered this wonderfully ginger-forward cookie. Trust me, you won’t have any idea…