Well this has been an interesting year to say the least and we are not yet finished but we are trying our best to get back into a routine now that school is less than a week away.

Everything looks different this year.

When I was growing up I remember always having these cake-y cookies whenever we had extended family get togethers. Usually they were held at my grandparents house on the North Shore and one of the family would pick up Black and Whites from a Jewish deli/bakery near Boston. I didn’t know they were called Black and White Cookies until after college and that they aren’t a Jewish thing but a New York staple!

This treat is a combo of two of my favorite desserts I have created over the years. My Cecelia named them BB Treats- Blondies and Brownies together. They are decadent and truly addicting! The only hard part about making them is waiting for them to cool while they make the whole house smell so good.

Linzer cookies are something that I remember eating in my grandparents’ kitchen as a child. They always seemed to have tins of cookies and Linzer cookies were one of my favorites with that delicious combo of raspberry jam and buttery cookies.

It’s been a crazy few weeks with social distancing in full swing. Baking has helped ease some anxiety and put smiles on my family’s faces (and maybe a few pounds on their waistlines)

These brownies should be illegal because not only are they fudgy, chocolatey, but also vegan top ten (yes you heard that right!) allergen free.

When you think of vegan cupcakes most people think chocolate. This is because most vanilla cupcakes just aren’t quite right when you change or substitute an ingredient. It’s either too dry, flavorless, or grainy. In other words, it’s not great, so it’s not worth eating. Well that is a thing of the past

It has come to my attention that I had a great variety of tasty baked donuts but I was missing one of the best ones around- chocolate! With my Cecelia being the chocoholic, that she is, this was a huge misstep for me.

With the holidays right around the corner the only thing I want are cut out sugar cookies! The problem with most are they are laden with butter, wheat, eggs, and other off limits ingredients for someone living with food allergies or intolerances.

Pie! Who doesn’t think of pies when the holidays are in full swing? One of my family’s favorites is my blueberry crumble pie. Maybe it’s because I only make it once a year or that I make it with love but whatever the reason people can’t say enough good things about it. So what better way to spread the holiday cheer than to share this recipe with you?

November is here and it’s officially feeling like pumpkin weather! Yes, I may have taken a little longer to jump on the pumpkin spice bandwagon this year but seriously there were so many fabulous apple desserts I needed to get through first before I could happily move onto the next big flavor.

This past Columbus Day/Indigenous weekend he participated and completed his first marathon and I couldn’t be more proud of him! But now that we got all the running talk out of the way, let’s jump to all the delicious foods we ate.

Fall is in full swing here in Massachusetts and of course my family has to go apple picking (multiple times!) at the local orchard(s). We love going for not only the fruit but the family bonding, memories, tractor rides, and the playgrounds.

Now with all these fun excursions there are a ton of apples that come into the house and for a family who does love their apples you can only eat so many before you turn into one so we make lots of fall apple recipes- like cider donuts, apple crisp, and now muffins.

When the weather gets that slight chill in the air I can’t get enough apples and cinnamon. Warm apple crisp is what I crave- it’s not only tasty, it makes the house smell amazing! Growing up in Massachusetts as soon as September comes around apple picking is on the docket!

A great way to make a vegan cake is a Wacky Cake or Depression cake. It’s a cake that has no eggs, milk or butter but tastes yummy! But as we know the more items you take out of any dessert the less it stays together.

Fall, the season of leaves changing colors on the trees and crisp cooler temperatures that beg for recipes that are full of cinnamon and spice! Here in Massachusetts the epitome of Fall is apples and apple picking.

Man: Does this flavor have nuts in it?

Ice Cream Server: Is there an allergy?

M: Yes.

My Cecelia is a social butterfly and loved by her peers. She is invited to many parties and play dates. Most, if not all. Of her friends know she has allergies and let their families know she needs to be safe.

I burnt the first batch horribly. The second batch refused to release from the paper. The third batch was only slightly burnt yet undercooked and foamy. Like how do you get blondies to foam?

I found Smash Mallow by accident while in the health food section of the grocery store.