Comfort Foods and Indulgences

Day 29 of 31 Days Of Pie is Lemon Meringue Pie from Kate McDermott, Art Of The Pie

Our 31 Days Of Pie is drawing to a close, and yes, I am sad to see it go! Will we stop making pies? Never. Will we take a quick break from them? Most likely, but I’m sure it won’t be long. Today’s pie comes from America’s Test Kitchen, and happened rather last minute as we looked at the calendar and realized we made 30 pies, not 31, over the course of the month. We were at home enjoying down time and not at the studio, so this pie was whipped up quickly at home and photographed in the backyard. A quick sidenote: I’m always trying to keep myself busy creatively and realized “hey! I have the afternoon off! hey! it’s sunny! hey! I want to photograph a little backyard vignette!” I’ve included that photo and it also explains why this luscious key lime pie doesn’t match the series all that much. But no biggie, right? As with all things America’s Test Kitchen, it works and is delicious. Whenever you crave that zippy zing of citrus I hope you’ll think of this.

I see every glass half-full especially if it is a first growth! So, one reason why winter’s grey pall makes me sunny is that it is BLACK TRUFFLE SEASON! Think of all the lovely winter dishes one can indulge in during Black Truffle Season…

Last year, I had the pleasure of reviewing Simply Truffles, by Patricia Wells – a book of recipes and stories “that capture the essence of the Black Diamond.” What delicious prey!

Many of the recipes are French in taste and design – understandable since the Black Beauty is also known as “Black Perigord Truffle.” Grown in that region among the Oak and Hazelnut trees, it is less aromatic and exotic than the Italian White Truffle, and considerably less expensive – allowing a casual sense of freedom to its use.

Shave away! And crumbs make wonderful Truffle butter which can be frozen.

In terms of sports-watching food, desserts are often neglected. And this just isn't right -- you have to balance out the nachos and wings with something sweet.

Granted, desserts aren't exactly the most fan-friendly food. Wielding a spoon while booing and cheering is a potentially dangerous (and definitely frustrating) endeavor. Which is why we've compiled a list of the best handheld desserts we could find. Classic cookies, rice krispies, blondies and brownies are all included.

Whether you're a fan of butterscotch, chocolate or peanut butter, we've got you covered. Check out our 35 dessert recipes that are perfect for football season.

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This dish is so good that I had to hold my self back from eating the entire dish. A new Sunday morning favorite has just arrived. I inevitably always have left over Challah.

We start our weekend, each Friday night by celebrating Shabbat dinner. Inevitably, we always have left over challah. Eli usually gets egg in the hole on Saturday mornings, Isaac and Levi like it toasted with a little cinnamon butter smeared on top and sometimes I make croutons or bread crumbs with the left overs.

Last night, I was watching an episode of Nigella Lawson. She was making a caramel croissant bread pudding. Bingo. I was inspired to use up our challah and make something similar for breakfast. I changed it a bit yet I am sure the results are just as good as the original!