Olive Oil Pancakes

Classic buttermilk pancakes made with extra virgin olive oil instead of the typical melted butter. With a hint of lemon zest that plays beautifully with the fruitiness of the olive oil, the result is a unique and utterly delicious twist on a breakfast classic.

Weekends are for brunching, and these olive oil pancakes will satisfy your breakfast cravings without fussy reservations or long waits. Moist, light and utterly fluffy, with a unique flavor that’s all their own, this may well become your new go-to pancake recipe.

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with brunch. I love the food, of course, from French toast and pancakes to huevos rancheros and eggs Benedict. But Brunch is also a major pain: you either have to go early to beat the crowds, have the foresight to have made a reservation, or be willing to wait for a ridiculous long time for a table.

Instead of dealing with the hassle of the Sunday morning hoards, an easy brunch at home is so much more relaxing (pants not required). At the same time, no one really feels like slaving over the stove first thing in the morning, so a quick and easy recipe is key, and I should have you know that these olive oil pancakes can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes.

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Pistachio & Meyer Lemon Mousse Cakes with Mirror Glaze

Lemon lovers, this one’s for you! These bright and sunny entrement cakes feature a core of Meyer lemon curd nestled inside a fluffy lemon and vanilla mousse, with a base of crisp and nutty pistachio dacquoise, all enrobed in a beautifully shiny yellow mirror glaze.

Lemon and pistachio is a match made for springtime. With a tangy lemon curd center and a light and airy lemon mousse, these gorgeous Meyer lemon and pistachio mini mousse cakes are dressed to impress with a shiny yellow mirror glaze and bright green pistachio accents.

Spring means lemons, and while I’m not usually one for lemon desserts, these gorgeous little mousse cakes are most definitely an exception. 

I mean, just look at them! What’s not to love? A joyful combination of lemon, vanilla, and pistachio flavors, they’re like little pops of sunshine… for your tastebuds.

I was the lucky recipient of a box of Meyer lemons from my aunt’s tree in California. Such a delivery always makes me very, very happy, moreso than shoes or clothes or books even. I dedicated about half the lemons for more homemade limoncello (I hope to update the post with more info later this year), but the rest were just sitting in the box, begging me to use them in something unique and delicious.

These lemon and pistachio entremet cakes are certainly that!

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Quick Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa

These fast and flavorful shrimp tacos are topped with a tangy mango salsa, fresh cilantro and a sprinkle of cotija cheese. Perfect for taco Tuesday (or Wednesday… or Thursday…)

Our favorite weeknight dinners are fast, fresh, and flavorful, and these quick & easy shrimp tacos check all the boxes. The chipotle-spiced shrimp cook in mere minutes, and the tangy mango salsa on top is like a little bit of sunshine in every bite.

These shrimp tacos make for a super quick weeknight meal, easily prepared in less than 30 minutes.

It’s a dish we’ve made half a dozen times in the past few months, we’ve taken to keeping a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer for this very reason. Even though it’s not terribly original (mango salsa recipes are a dime a dozen and all of them look pretty darn similar, shrimp tacos too for that matter), we still figured it was a recipe one worth sharing.

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Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Loaf Cake

This moist and flavorful lemon loaf is made with extra virgin olive oil and Meyer lemons for a unique flavor, moist texture and gorgeous golden yellow color.

Winter is citrus season, and Meyer lemons (a cross between lemon and mandarin oranges) are one of my favorites. This lemon loaf cake is a celebration of all things Meyer lemon, with a tender crumb infused with copious amounts of zest, a sweet lemony soaking syrup, AND a crackly lemon glaze on top.

Citrus is the only redeeming part of winter, in my opinion. Sort of like peaches and tomatoes in summer (which are like a delicious consolation prize for dealing with all the darn humidity).

I wanted a beautiful, moist and lemony loaf cake with notes of extra virgin olive oil and a delicately sweet glaze. The EVOO flavor is subtle, but it does come through—you’d certainly taste the difference compared side by side to a cake made with vegetable oil.

This loaf cake falls somewhere between a pound cake and a yellow birthday cake in terms of texture, somehow buttery despite the fact that there’s no butter to be found. Infused with subtle Meyer lemon flavor and hints of fruity, verdant olive oil, it really is a delightful winter cake, and easy and impressive to boot!

Whatever you do, don’t skip the lemon soaking syrup or crackly lemon sugar glaze – that’s *literally* the icing on the cake (the perfect sweet finish where the punchiest lemon flavor comes through!) You may be tempted to just do one or the other, but trust me when I say you won’t regret the extra steps when you take your first bite of the finished cake.

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Sourdough Semolina Parchment Crackers

These ultra thin and delicately crispy parchment crackers are made with semolina flour and sourdough starter for a yeasty, buttery flavor that’s perfect for your next charcuterie board.

Homemade crackers are worth the effort, especially in the case of these parchment crackers that are almost supernaturally thin and crispy, made with the help of a pasta roller and a pizza stone.

Homemade crackers bring me great joy, from cheese to more cheese to everything seasoning.

But out of all the crackers I’ve ever made, these might just be my favorite (and if you know me, you know I don’t throw around terms like best or favorite lightly).

Imagine, if you will, the thinnest, crispiest cracker you’ve ever eaten, so thin it almost melts in your mouth. Lightly seasoned with little more than sea salt, the toasty, slightly yeasty flavor of the cracker serves as a perfect foundation for infinite topping possibilities (a smear of soft, ripe cheese and a dollop of pepper jelly is my personal favorite).

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Blackberry Red Wine Chocolate Cake

This boozy twist on a classic chocolate layer cake is made with red wine for a rich and robust chocolate cake with unique fruity undertones and an incredible depth of flavor unlike any other chocolate cake you’ve had before.

Three layers of moist, deeply chocolate cake, with blackberry preserves and a fluffy vanilla bean buttercream in between, and a drizzle of dark chocolate glaze for a dramatic effect that’s as easy as it is impressive. Top it with some gold-brushed blackberries for some serious flair!

Taylor recently celebrated a milestone birthday, and it felt appropriate to re-make one of our all-time favorite cake recipes (and yours too!) This cake was first made back in 2012, 11 years ago to the day actually (scroll down to the bottom to see the original photos if you’re looking for a laugh). Since then it’s been made and loved by countless readers and fans, for birthdays and celebrations and non-celebrations alike.

Why is it so beloved? Other than being gosh darn delicious, and easy to boot, I suspect the glamor of red wine adds to the mystique of this recipe. It just sounds fancy, doesn’t it? At its most basic it is a classic chocolate layer cake, yes, but the red wine brings out the fruity notes of the chocolate, adding a unique depth of flavor that makes for a truly unforgettable cake. Add to that a layer of blackberry preserves, a fluffy vanilla bean buttercream, and a drizzle of dark chocolate glaze… what you end up with is simply perfection (frankly there’s no other way to put it).

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Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta

Winner winner chicken dinner: this creamy chicken pasta is sure to become a weeknight dinner staple: quick and easy and packed with glorious garlicky flavor (garlic lovers, rejoice!)

With a delightfully creamy sauce made with a surprisingly small amount of cream, this fast, filling, and flavorful pasta recipe is the kind of recipe you’ll want to make again and again.

If you’re the kind of person who sees 2 garlic cloves called for in a recipe and instead throws in no fewer than 5, this recipe is for you. It’s got garlic galore, both fresh and powder, for a double dose of garlicky flavor.

Let’s just say Dracula wouldn’t dare come anywhere near your house after serving this dish.

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