Four Nights A Week

Adventures in Eating

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

Category: Special Treats

  • 18 Feb. 2022: Prosecco Chocolate Truffles

    For my birthday this year, Adrien gifted me with 2 Sur La Table online cooking classes, and they’ve been terrific. Not only have we had some really wonderful meals, but I’ve learned a lot from the Chef at each demonstration and cook-along. Beside the reasonable cost ($29/class which allows for household to be online) the…

  • 22 Jan. 2022: Almond Cloud Cookies

    Yesterday I discovered a roll of leftover almond paste in our freezer. “Leftover” from holiday baking and Italian Rainbow Cookies. Last December in my baking frenzy, I discovered I couldn’t purchase a pre-made roll of almond paste, I rolled my own. That was very satisfying, but I had quite a bit more paste than I…

  • 19 December 2021: Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

    Until this year, I don’t recall ever attempting a swirl cookie. They’re not a simple cut-out or drop, so the intimidation factor was high. This recipe from Alton Brown, however, was too delicious sounding to prevent me from giving it a try, and frankly, it was a bit of a challenge to get the dough…

  • 13 December 2021: Gingerbread Biscotti

    My Italian ancestry (Sicilian really, no surprise there) dictates that every Christmas holiday I made at least one biscotti recipe. As I’ve written before, I’ve got the baking part down to a personal science, and I often ignore the baking directions on a particular biscotti recipe. For me, the best bake comes from a usual…

  • 05 Dec 2021: Peanut Butter Blossoms

    These peanut butter cookies have been a family cookie tradition for a lot of years and, honestly, they never get tired! Bakers can find a ton of “variations” on the original out there; in fact this recipe was recently published in the New York Times and adapted from the Gerraro Family. The version I first…

  • 29 November 2021: Dairy- and Egg-Free Molasses Cookies

    Now that we’ve passed Thanksgiving, the Holiday Baking season has begun in earnest in our kitchen. As our granddaughter has an egg allergy, we are always on the hunt for egg-free recipes and this one from Kelly Rudnicki, author of The Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book, was a hit. In addition to the usual ball…

  • 23 July 2021: Easy Zucchini Bread

    Sonja and Alex Overhiser are the couple behind the award winning website (and books! don’t forget books!) A Couple Cooks. I’ve often found their creations to be not only delicious, but healthy. And the website’s photos are stunning! When our daughter-in-law, Beth – who most decidedly does have a green thumb – shared a zucchini…

  • 11 July 2021: Lemon-Almond Biscotti

    For a family cookout, I was asked to bring dessert, which if I’m being honest, is my favorite food course. Not wanting to have to bring plates, bowls or utensils, I decided a plateful of cookies sounded just about right. And along with a chocolate-based cookie and a nut-based one, I felt like a more…

  • 06 July 2021: Joanne Chang’s Homemade Oreos (egg-free style)

    Flour Bakery + Cafe Homemade Oreos – egg-free version My favorite stop for a quick(er) bite in Boston is Joanne Chang’s Flour Bakery + Cafe. I think I’ve been to all of them at one time or another! And a natural follow-on for those times when I can’t get into the City (looking at YOU…

  • 23 June 2021: Sugar Cookie Bars

    Always on the lookout for an easy cookie recipe, I recently came across this one in the New York Times Food section. Adapted by Margaux Laskey, it originated with American Girl, presumably that’s a reference to American Girl dolls, which as a boy-mom but an elementary teacher, I have only a passing acquaintance with. We…