Suspiros

This is the type of recipe I love best. My mom has been making these (cookies? meringues? some weird hybrid of both?) for as long as I could remember. She got them from my great-grandmother Mary, who we used to visit at her retirement home in Santa Fe. I have nothing but the most magical memories of our trips to Santa Fe, and these magical little confections are a fitting reminder of those visits. The name is Spanish for "breath," and it's an apt moniker. One bite and the cookies dissolve into air.

A Fairly Swanky Summer Luncheon

As much as I love the feeling of discovering a new cookbook, selecting a recipe, putting together a grocery list, and finally concocting the dish there are nevertheless some days when I love to go to the grocery store, pick up whatever is looking fresh and delicious and just arrange all that goodness on a plate. And then eat it all up with a loved one. This is one such lunch Peter and I enjoyed this summer and I hope it inspires you to try a swanky summer lunch of your own. Keeping it classy also justifies drinking white wine before 1 p.m., at least in my book.

Poached Chicken Risotto with Tarragon and White Truffle Oil

Oh, creamy, cheesy, truffle-y, chicken-y risotto heaven. How I love thee. This is an incredibly rich weeknight (or party time) meal; it requires a lot of attention and stirring but the results are fairly heavenly. There are some pretty decadent ingredients (saffron, truffle oil) which you can decide to use if you want to splurge. (Bailey note: I would suggest looking in Trader Joe's for the saffron--$5.99, yeeha!--and our HEB in College Station has very modestly priced truffle oil that I've been steadily been making my way through for over a year). The creamy rice is sumptuous and addictive and the chicken is tender, flavorful and really bolsters the satisfaction of the dish. A little goes a long way here and the serving described can easily serve five. A real winner.

Tuckers

Is there a coconut hound in your life? When you make a steak, do they casually suggest that you use dried coconut flakes as a crust? Do they buy coconut rum and then endlessly try to foist in on you? Then I have the cookie for you. It's got, like, four ingredients, it has a fun, unusual method of preparation, it's adorable and surprising in its shape and presentation, and it will get snapped up before you know what's happening. This little helped endear me to Peter's dad when I went to his house over Christmas; apparently the coconut fiend gene is hereditary.

Prosciutto and Arugula Pappardelle

The reaction to this dish was pretty much as good as I could have hoped for. Peter cleaned his plate, looked at me and said, "This might be the best thing you've ever cooked for me." Part of me could have been a little miffed (as this dish is far easier than some of the others I've made for him over the years) but when your goal is to satisfy and please the ones you love with food, well...that's a job well done right there.

Lemon Cheesecake with Fresh Summer Berries

First of all, hello from Austin! I know I've fallen off the posting train as of late but trust me, I've got a lot of fun stuff queued up, which will hopefully all be out in the next few weeks. It's not like Peter and I weren't cooking. Quite the opposite. This first recipe is one of my favorites and is ideal for a brunch or lunch party; this particular instance I used it as a fresh, lemony, berry-filled treat for a 4th of July barbecue. Hence the overwhelming patriotism of the berry arrangement.