Makes two delectable drinks.

This is one of my favorite cakes. It is not overly sweet, so you can have it at any time of day. Delicious with a cup of hot tea.
Another Czech family recipe for Christmas-time cookies. In our family we called them “My Dad’s” favorite, but technically-originally they were my grandfather’s favorite.
I never got to meet my grandfather. But I also love these cookies! And I feel close to family when I’m making them, even if we are far apart.
Continue readingSouth Shore Bar Pizza is a phenomenon on the South Shore of Boston. It is a 10″ pie, some might say it has a thin crust, and is characterized by lacey burnt edges. The lacing comes about when the sugars in the tomato sauce sizzle and intermingle with the cheese against the side of the steel pan as it bakes. These pies tend to either have a more cracker-like, or a thin foccaccia-like, dough.
It is a simple pizza, but absolutely delicious when done right.
Continue readingMakes enough for dinner with lunch leftovers for 2.
Adapted from: NYTimes Cooking https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4304-spicy-sichuan-noodles (which was Adapted from “The Taste of China” by Ken Hom; Simon & Schuster, 1990).
These vanilla-walnut-butter crescent cookies are perhaps my childhood favorite. Every Christmas our family would get to work in the kitchen, making these and at least four other types of traditional Czech cookies. Generous amounts of butter and a healthy coating of powdered sugar result in a melt-in-your-mouth treat.
Otherwise known as nuts and bolts mix (or more famously, Chex Mix), this crunchy, savory snack packs an addictive flavor punch. Making your own snack mix at home is a great way to customize the mix according to your own flavor preferences.
Many recipes call for using store bought seasoned salt mixes, such as the ones sold by Penzey’s. Those are delicious, and you can use those if you prefer, but the recipe here builds a seasoning from scratch. This of course gives you more control over the end result. If you don’t have one of the many spices listed, don’t despair, substitute!
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