Breads & Baked Goods

Thumbnail image for Pesto & Greens Pizza Recipe

Pesto & Greens Pizza Recipe

May 22, 2013

When it comes to filling my locavore fix, the Sacramento region has no shortage of farms for me to choose from. Feeding Crane Farms is one of my favorites! Let […]

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Thumbnail image for Rhubarb French Toast Recipe

Rhubarb French Toast Recipe

May 11, 2013

I was recently asked what fruit or vegetable I would want to be. I picked rhubarb. Rhubarb represents my roots: my grandma’s recipes, my parents’ backyard garden, and carefree summers […]

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Thumbnail image for Meyer Lemon Rosemary Biscuits

Meyer Lemon Rosemary Biscuits

February 14, 2013

I’d never heard of Meyer lemons until I moved to Sacramento. I read an article about growing citrus trees in pots and immediately began daydreaming about gazing out my kitchen […]

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Thumbnail image for Scandinavian Christmas Rice Pudding or Ris a l’amande

Scandinavian Christmas Rice Pudding or Ris a l’amande

December 17, 2012

Danes know how to celebrate Christmas! Their traditions are rich and plentiful. You’ll find live candles burning around a freshly cut Christmas tree. Instead of cardboard advent calendars, Danes hang […]

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Thumbnail image for Cardamom Cookies

Cardamom Cookies

December 14, 2012

Cardamom is my favorite spice. The sweet bite that rolls around your mouth like a warm hello just makes me smile. Maybe it’s my Scandinavian blood. I’m really not sure, […]

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Thumbnail image for Holiday Orange Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Holiday Orange Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

December 3, 2012

Every Christmas morning, I remember waking to the warm, surrounding tang in the air of bread baking coupled by the bright spice of orange zest. The aroma filled my lungs […]

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Thumbnail image for Persimmon Cornmeal Pancakes

Persimmon Cornmeal Pancakes

November 20, 2012

My first Thanksgiving in California was a disaster. My now-husband and I were grad school sweethearts and had just moved across the country together from Illinois. This would be our […]

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Thumbnail image for Pumpkin Oatmeal for Sacramento Food Stamp Challenge

Pumpkin Oatmeal for Sacramento Food Stamp Challenge

November 9, 2012

I’m joining Sacramento’s Food Stamp Challenge! For the next week, I’ll be eating on about $4.90 per day per person. This is the approximate equivalent budget of someone on California’s […]

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Thumbnail image for Green Onion Buttermilk Biscuits

Green Onion Buttermilk Biscuits

September 26, 2012

Busy is the theme of my life these days. Yet, I never allow being busy to get in the way of a homemade meal—especially breakfast. On the weekends, no matter […]

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Thumbnail image for Cheese Plate Fruit Pizza Recipe

Cheese Plate Fruit Pizza Recipe

August 1, 2012

If you think you know what fruit pizza is, think again. This isn’t the ultra sweet stuff made from cookie dough. This is a pizza—four kinds of cheese, yeasted pizza […]

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Thumbnail image for Blackberry Corn Cardamom Cake with Olive Oil

Blackberry Corn Cardamom Cake with Olive Oil

July 21, 2012

Wild blackberry bushes are my happy place. I don’t mind the thorns or the gnarly bramble. Send me into the middle on a 100 degree day, bare arms and all, […]

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Thumbnail image for Breakfast Toast of Grilled Apricots, Figs and Caramelized Onion

Breakfast Toast of Grilled Apricots, Figs and Caramelized Onion

July 5, 2012

Perk up breakfast with some farmers’ market tricks. Take simple toast (made from mouth-watering, freshly baked bread) and top it with the sweet essence of caramelized onion, and instead of […]

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Thumbnail image for Cherry Chocolate Scones for Dad

Cherry Chocolate Scones for Dad

June 11, 2012

I’m one of the lucky girls. This Father’s Day, my dad will spend it in traditional style: caring not a whit about himself, but instead, devoting his time and energy […]

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Thumbnail image for Red Walnut Cookie Recipe & Red Walnut Facts

Red Walnut Cookie Recipe & Red Walnut Facts

January 16, 2012

Red walnuts. Ever heard of them? This rare blood-red California crop grows on only five contiguous acres in the state, and is hard to find. I’m a big nut fan—I […]

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Thumbnail image for Easy Persimmon Cornmeal Pudding Recipe

Easy Persimmon Cornmeal Pudding Recipe

December 27, 2011

Heavens to Betsy! This pudding ranks as one of my all-time favorite food experiences. The process of baking it lights up your kitchen with a show of vibrant colors. The […]

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Thumbnail image for Grandma’s Lefse Recipe: A Scandinavian Holiday Tradition

Grandma’s Lefse Recipe: A Scandinavian Holiday Tradition

December 20, 2011

I’m a proud Scandinavian. Eating lefse, a potato-based flatbread, for the holidays is one of my favorite traditions. This week, I finally had time to sit down with my grandma […]

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Thumbnail image for Coconut Cornmeal Pancakes with Homemade Pluot Syrup Recipe

Coconut Cornmeal Pancakes with Homemade Pluot Syrup Recipe

August 28, 2011

What’s a pluot?—you ask. Only the finest fruit on earth—I say! This mad genius combination of the apricot and plum creates a fruit that’s sweet, chin-dripping juicy, and with the […]

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Thumbnail image for Gram Burde’s Fresh Apple Glazed Cookie Recipe

Gram Burde’s Fresh Apple Glazed Cookie Recipe

April 28, 2011

Love for baking and for homegrown food runs in my family. I inherited my passion from a line of women: Mom, Grandma, Great Aunt, and Great Grandma. All of these […]

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Thumbnail image for Orange Ginger Scones Recipe

Orange Ginger Scones Recipe

April 7, 2011

I feel so lucky to have my very own orange tree that grows happy, colorful fruit all winter. In the dreariest part of the year, in the midst of a […]

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Marmalade Popover Recipe

March 6, 2011

I’m not sure how I made it to the age of 34 without ever eating a popover, but I’m sure glad I’ve corrected this culinary error. Allow me to share […]

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Honey Whole Wheat Micro-Brew Bread Recipe

February 28, 2011

I seem to be drawn to things made of yeast: bread, beer, pastries. As my fair city celebrates Sacramento Beer Week with a host of yeasty festivities, I thought I’d […]

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Thumbnail image for Angel Food Cake with 7-Minute Frosting Recipe from Grandma’s Cookbook

Angel Food Cake with 7-Minute Frosting Recipe from Grandma’s Cookbook

January 20, 2011

It’s my birthday! And that means cake. So, what kind of cake will hold this food writer’s candles? There are so many endlessly delicious combinations of the spongy, sweet stuff. […]

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Thumbnail image for Pumpkin Waffles with Vanilla Whipped Cream

Pumpkin Waffles with Vanilla Whipped Cream

March 23, 2010

Welcome to my favorite breakfast. I love waffles. I love how they fill the whole house with their unmistakable aroma. I love how pretty they look stacked on a plate. […]

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Thumbnail image for Grandma’s Aebleskivers

Grandma’s Aebleskivers

December 30, 2009

Christmas eating is best when steeped in tradition! That’s why I woke up Christmas morning and decided to do what I had fond memories of experiencing as a youngin’: eating […]

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Thumbnail image for Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

October 29, 2009

Open up and say, “Ahhhh!” It’s pumpkin season, and that means bliss upon your palette. I never met a pumpkin recipe I didn’t like, and I have never failed in […]

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Thumbnail image for Whole Grain French Toast with Fresh Berries

Whole Grain French Toast with Fresh Berries

July 9, 2009

  I love to start my morning with whole grain goodness! That nutty, chewy, crunchy experience makes my mouth happy. It fills my belly and keeps it full clear till […]

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Thumbnail image for Cucumber Cake

Cucumber Cake

July 30, 2008

  My garden is bursting with cucumbers! I needed to find some fresh ways to use them, and of course, I immediately wanted to put them into cake. This recipe […]

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