Peanut butter cups are a staple in most grocery stores and homes around the world but when you have allergies they may look good but they are a big no no. But that doesn’t mean chocolate cups are out of the question.

The best way to not have someone miss something is to replace it with something that looks even better than the original and these allergen free chocolate chip cookie cups are exactly that!

Have you ever had an idea in your head that you just became obsessed with? Well sometimes that happens to me with flavors and recipes. This week I was craving butterscotch pudding but none were available that were completely top eight free.

I decided I needed to create my own that was easy, simple and tasted delightful.

The thing with allergy friendly recipes is that they never quite feel or taste like the original items they are trying to mimic but this new and improved “cream cheese” frosting I think gets as close as possible. This frosting can even be piped!

Fondant is a fun dessert decorating medium that can add some flair or elegance. But did you know that it doesn’t have to be bought online or in a store? Most of the ready made fondants are made in shared facilities or contain soy. Great for the non-allergy families but a big no no to us suffering from food restrictions.

It sounds impossible but it’s true I have found a cream cheese that is not only dairy free but top eight allergen free that tastes really good!

This recipe is dedicated to my Nana. She passed away this week and was the matriarch of the family who also had a knack for baking. She was the original artist who painted huge watercolors that were not only beautiful but full of life.

One of her favorite treats was chocolate. If it had chocolate in it she was a fan. So with this time of year it was appropriate to not only make a pumpkin treat but have it mixed with chocolate because Nana loved it so much. This recipe is a no bake and takes less than fifteen minutes from start to finish.

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!

It has been close to two full months since we have been socially distant due to Covid-19. What do we all seek when we are stuck at home with limited activities and plans? Food of course. It makes us happy and gives us something to do until, well, the next meal comes around.

With this whole social distancing all I want are comfort foods or foods I grew up loving. One of those desserts is rice pudding. I don’t know about you but there is something so warm and inviting, eating something so rich and creamy.

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 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.

My Cecelia is a chocoholic it seems. She loves everything she can get her hands on, as long as it’s nut free, that’s chocolate. Since the holiday season started she has also become a really big pie fan. So what do you do when you have a chocolate fan who loves pie? You make her the best chocolate pudding pie you can!

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.

The actual renovation is quickly approaching! This means we are in high anxiety mode. Not only do we have to pack up our existing kitchen but still have to live in a house without a working one for at least a few weeks.

If your life is anything like mine it is always go, go, go! And with life going faster than the speed of sound remembering to eat isn’t always on the top of the priority list.  

Marshmallow fluff is a staple in Massachusetts. It is fun and versatile addition. It adds some excitement to traditional desserts or sandwiches for great texture or just ooey gooey deliciousness! 

Here’s a simple, not cloyingly sweet, vegan buttercream frosting recipe that is easy to add whatever flavors your heart desires.