I’m not sure who was more thrilled to see the “STRAWBERRIES 99 cents per pound” sign hanging at the grocery store, my berry obsessed daughter, or me, her penny-pinching mother. My first thought after seeing the unbelievably low price for fresh strawberries in April was: Rotten fruit. I figured the market was trying to get rid of expired produce and would be happy to take 99 cents rather than dump the berries and take a hit. As it turns out, the cheap strawberries are perfectly wonderful and come courtesy of unusually cold weather in Florida. According to our market’s produce … Continue reading →

After a quick search on Google I’ve come to the conclusion that the words “leftover” and “chocolate” are rarely used in the same sentence. I suppose after the collective sugar coma most of us endured on Easter; there wouldn’t be so much as a tip of a chocolate bunny’s ear left amongst the plastic grass and broken eggs. Then again, my family rarely follows conventional wisdom. Despite the sugar fest that took place here last week, we still had a basket full of chocolate sitting on the kitchen counter. The leftover chocolate taunted me for days, and a few hours … Continue reading →

Growing up, my grandma always made sure that our family’s Easter buffet included at least two non-chocolate desserts. My mom’s traditional bunny cake didn’t include chocolate, but our Easter baskets featured huge quantities of chocolate treats. To offset a potential chocolate overload, my nutritionally-conscious grandma would show up at our home with the following fruity desserts: SIMPLE STRAWBERRY TRIFLE Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups sugar 4 tablespoons cornstarch 1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin 2 cups water 2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled, divided 1 package (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened 1 can (14-ounce) sweetened condensed milk 1 container (12-ounce) Cool Whip, thawed … Continue reading →

Valentine’s Day is almost here and if you haven’t been to the store to pick out that special something for your sweetie, you might want to reconsider. I just got back from the mall, and frankly, I wouldn’t go back if you paid me money. I say spare yourself the drama and headache of battling pre-Valentine’s Day crowds and head to the kitchen to whip up these simple, sweet homemade treats: CHOCOLATE MOCHA CAKE Ingredients: 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup strong freshly brewed coffee 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons water … Continue reading →

They’re deliciously sweet, but surprisingly, they don’t include a single piece of chocolate. And so continues my non-traditional, non-chocolate Valentine’s Day dessert offerings. Chocolate may be the king of Love Day treats, but it’s not the only sweet option available. If you are looking for a unique dessert to serve up to your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day, then consider these yummy coconut creations: COCONUT PUDDING DESSERT Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar 3/4 cup butter 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 1 (12 ounce) container Cool Whip, … Continue reading →

When you think of traditional Valentine’s Day desserts, chocolate is usually the first thing that comes to mind. However, in my family, Love Day is always celebrated with fruit (and a little chocolate). My mother is a huge fan of fresh fruit and would typically serve fruit tarts to us on Valentine’s Day. I started doing the same when I became a mother, and to this day, my daughter would prefer to devour a bowl of fresh strawberries than chocolate pudding. If you have fruit lovers in your family, then consider making the following dishes to serve with love this … Continue reading →