Midnight madness meringue cake

There's nothing I like more than alliteration and this is why I made this cake. OK, I'm lying but I must admit I like the name of this cake. Now that I have my Grammar Geek confession out of the way .... To be honest, I don't really see it as a cake. It's much more airy and light than a traditional cake. And this is why it's the perfect dessert for a Canada Day barbecue, which is where this made its appearance. (I told you I was catching up with old posts).

Tiers of hazelnut meringue (which I have finally conquered) sandwiched between berries and whipped cream make this an easy dessert to create in steps. And a dramatic-looking one at that. Imagine displaying this on a beautiful cake plattered in candlelight. Sensual, no?

Chocolate Mousse Igloo

This chocolate mousse igloo would be the ideal dessert to make with young children, but perhaps not the most sophisticated dessert to serve your adult guests. I decided to make this recipe after seeing a photo for it in one of the Kraft Kitchens magazines, but even before I began the ingredient list made me inwardly cringe(melted margarine mixed with Oreo crumbs as the base, for example).

Chocolate Gingerbread House Petits Fours

If you are looking for Christmas cheer, you will be disappointed, tonight. I'm rather more Grinch-like than Cindy Lou-like tonight, but with good reason. In less than two months I've had bronchitis - twice - and my son's sick with his own eye and ear infections. I'm nearly at the end of my rope but the show, as they say, must go on. No rest for the weary. Bah humbug. Bah.

Crisp maple shortbread cookies

The recipe for these gems comes from the latest issue of Chatelaine but you can also find them here. Unlike other more traditional shortbread recipes, these were just buttery enough, just light enough that you can eat more than a couple without feeling like you are going to keel over from the sheer weight of the butter.

And the maple glaze is the perfect touch to elevate a, let's face it, often boring and overexposed cookie.

Add this to your repertoire and you won't be sorry.
Best of all? This isn't one of those recipes that produces a sorry output of a whole 20 cookies. I got dozens of cookies out of this batch and froze most of them for the holiday season. (I already took a few out to see how they freeze and after spending some time at room temperature, they are as good as new).

Boston Cream Cupcakes

I was inspired to make these cupcakes after seeing a variation of them in Martha Stewart's cupcakes book I am always writing about.

I had my sister-in-law over for lunch as I wanted to indulge her request for cupcakes with dulce de leche, which I've used as a filling before. I wanted to try something different, however, than the same old same old and I remembered seeing these in the book I mentioned (they also appeared in the February 2009 issue of Martha Stewart Living).

Cook's Illustrated perfect chocolate chip cookies

A few days ago it was a miserably rainy day and all I could think about was whipping up a batch of warm, gooey, chewy, chocolate chip cookies.

Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles my son actually sat in his high chair long enough for me to make these cookies and bake them (all the while I fed him his dinner - yes, I'm a good multi-tasker).

I came across this recipe a few weeks ago, during my online travels searching for the perfect chocolate chip cookie (see my previous posts on David Lebovitz's chocolate chip cookies, and Amy Lewis' ultimate chocolate chip cookies).

Bourbon and orange pecan pie

I have already made this four times in as many weeks. You've heard me whingeing about my lack of time before, so what's the deal?

I tore this recipe out of one of my favourite magazines, "Real Simple." And sure enough, this recipe is real simple.

What's the secret? Well, as the labour and delivery nurse told me while I was delaying getting the epidural during my labour "Don't be a shero."

After having a child I no longer try to be a shero. If there are shortcuts, I might just take them.