Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie Cake

This is definitely one of the most unusual (in a fantastic way) confections I've ever come across. It's hard, really, to pinpoint exactly where in the baking realm it falls (pie? cake?) but what is certain is that this is a beautiful way to showcase the standout fruit of early summer, namely rhubarb and strawberries. A light, cloudlike cake gives some structure to the dessert, topped with fruit and finished with a brown sugar crumb. The original name for this was "snacking cake" and it's easy to see why. When this is sitting out on the counter it sort of beckons you over every time you walk by.

Chocolate Fudge Sauce

I figure you and I are friends by now, dear reader, so I'm going to let you in on a little secret: this is one of the best recipes ever. Are you spending a lot of time on a fancy dinner and don't want to worry as much about dessert but still want something nice to serve to your guests? Don't want to buy a lot of weird ingredients? Make this. It uses one saucepan, is ready (literally) in ten minutes from start to finish and never fails to impress.

Pad Thai

I don't know about you, dear reader, but when I see something advertised as "pleasantly funky," hoo boy, I'm the first one to line up. (Is there anything better than "pleasantly funky" cheese? No.) I've been wanting to attempt Pad Thai for a while now, and when I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit--from Pok Pok overlord Andy Ricker, no less--I knew I had to give it a try. And I'm glad I did. You should too.

Almond Apricot Macarons

Trust me: these wee little fellows pack quite the punch. I'd made a fairly large batch of apricot-habanero jam and after consulting flavor wizard Hallie for compatible flavors (I'd half-expected her to text back "CLAMS! CLAM MACARON! NO ONE'S EVER DONE IT BEFORE!") decided to up the almond ante and see what came of it. These sweet and spicy treats are perfect for a little midday pick-me-up, which is probably why I made quite a few bite sized ones (like those pictured here). 

Rhubarb Cream Cheese Hand Pies

Remember that book called How to Win Friends and Influence People? There should have been only one page in that book and it should have been a picture of a hand pie. Hand pies hold the answers to so many of life's little dilemmas. For example, how does one maintain one's dignity when one is caught by one's roommate shaving off a wee bit of pie slice in the middle of the morning? What if one's roommate gives himself a larger slice of pie than you and rather than speak out against this gross injustice one must accept one's cruel fate? The answer, dear friends, to all these problems is the hand pie; a perfect medley of fruit filling and dough, appropriate for any occasion.

English Muffins

Breakfast can be beautiful in its simplicity or astonishing in its breadth and complexity. What is not beautiful or astonishing is when your boyfriend (a grown, 26-year-old man) informs you that for breakfast he had a cookie and some yerba mate. I am not a nutritionist and I am a professed fan of ramen noodles, but that sort of thing strikes me as not the best thing you can do for your body, especially after you've made it wake up at 6:55 in the morning. And while I religiously eat cereal for breakfast most days of the week, I can appreciate those who, like Peter, are in search of something more. Enter the English muffin.

Soft Pretzels

Pretzels have always held a soft, salty, comforting place in my heart. I can't tell you the number of times I've been schlepping through a train station in a distant Germanic country only to realize that I have just enough money/time to quickly snatch a pretzel and some mustard before I have to make a train. They've kept me going, and for this I thank them.

Summer Cherry Pie

Is there anything more summery than cherry pie? Maybe, but things such as sunlight, sand, and soft green grass aren't as edible (or at least as tasty). Now that I'm back in Portland and she has decided to temporarily bestow warm, sunny days on all of us I've had summer on my mind pretty much nonstop. Peter's had to break out the fan for the room, and I'm cranking my way through Agatha Christie books like no one's business. And, of course, I'm baking pie.