There’s nothing like a warm scone from the oven for breakfast. In England scones are served for afternoon tea, but at my house they’re my morning snack. This recipe makes a lot, so if I’m not feeding a crowd I put them in a freezer bag and pull them out to reheat anytime I need a baked treat. They’re not too sweet, which is my preference, but feel free to add a bit more brown sugar if you’ve got a sweet tooth.

This may be one of the best desserts in my collection. I’ve even been told by friends who claim they don’t like white chocolate that this is the best cheesecake they’ve ever eaten. If you want to make it extra decadent, substitute crème fraiche for the sour cream. It tastes richer and less tangy, and results in a creamier texture. Although this cheesecake is delicious on its own, it can be served with chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, or simply with berries and whipped cream.

I once cooked an al fresco dinner in Santa Fe at the home of a local artist, a fundraiser supporting a community art school for children. For the appetizer I served each guest a spoon with a single scallop in a pool of a citrusy chipotle sauce. Everyone asked for a second serving, which I gladly provided, thankful I’d made plenty. I’ve since added this dish to many of my dinner menus, both as an appetizer and a main course. Sometimes I serve the scallops over pasta or polenta, but I think they’re perfect on their own. The sauce, which has a splash of cognac, not only goes well with scallops, but also shrimp and most any fish.

My family had a tradition every Christmas eve. Mom made a huge pot of chili, and we all filled our bowls with Fritos, chili, cheese, and sour cream before loading up in Dad’s car to go looking at the neighborhood Christmas lights. After my mom passed away, my sisters and I continued the tradition of making chili, but when it’s my turn I put my own spin on the recipe. No matter who makes the chili each year, we always have to have Fritos and cheese, or it’s just not right. Here’s my version of Christmas eve chili, and you can make it as spicy as you like by adding or reducing the amount of dried chiles you use.

One of my favorite flavor combinations is chocolate and orange, and these muffins showcase the duo perfectly. I learned to make muffins in high school home economics class, and I can still hear my teacher, Miss Craig telling us to not overmix the batter. We did tests with different muffins that were overmixed and those that weren’t. The ones that were, had big “tunnels” inside and were heavy and dense. The ones that had been mixed just until the flour disappeared were light and airy. It was as lesson I’ll always remember. Make a batch of these muffins for breakfast or dessert, and put the leftovers in the freezer, ready to be heated when you’re craving this marvelous flavor duo.

I’ve made this bread pudding so many times for dessert, breakfast, brunch, and parties. It is one of the most requested recipes I have, and it is so easy to prepare. The use of fresh blueberries and dried blueberries add two different flavors and textures. Be sure to use high quality white chocolate and never use whole wheat bread for this dessert.

This is no ordinary chicken salad! The addition of fresh lemons and tarragon make it so special, especially in the summer. If you don’t have tarragon, you can use any fresh herb, such as basil or cilantro. My favorite way to eat chicken salad is with Frito Scoops!

This is a decadent dessert that is easy and a crowd-pleaser. You can prepare the batter and fill the ramekins hours before baking them. The key is to cook them until they have just a little “jiggle” when you shake the baking sheet. If you cook them too long, you won’t have the molten chocolate oozing out, but the cake is still delicious. 

If you want to make a big impression in your kitchen I recommend baking a pan of these cheesy popovers. They come out of the oven puffed up like pillows, and the centers are filled with air pockets that capture the aromas of chiles and smoked cheese inside. I recommend roasting your own green chiles for this recipe, but if you can find canned Hatch chiles at your grocer they will work fine.

These cookies take a bit of time to make since you must make a custard a few hours before forming the cookies. You can do this the day before you plan to bake them or just plan well ahead. I promise it’s worth the trouble because these cookies are unbelievably tasty. They’re best to be eaten the day you bake them, but if you store them in an air-tight container, they’ll keep a couple of days.

To make perfect cookies, I’ve got three tips: First, cream the butter and sugar really really well. Second, after adding the dry ingredients just stir to combine; don’t overmix. Lastly, use a cookie scoop to make the cookies uniform in size. These cookies freeze really well….if you actually have any leftovers.

This is my most popular cookie recipe, and I’ve used it to make a lot of people happy. Sometimes I make them big, and often I make small bite-sized cookies for larger events. Either way, this is how you win friends and put smiles on their faces!

Egg salad is one of life’s best treats! It’s inexpensive to make, and great for feeding a crowd. You can eat it by itself, on a sandwich, in a lettuce leaf, or my favorite way….on Frito Scoops. Here’s my version, and you can decide yourself how it should be eaten.

It took several times making this recipe until it was perfectly lemony. Using edible quality lemon essential oil really amplified the flavors in this cheesecake! If you don’t have it you can double the lemon zest. This is that dessert you want to make for a special person who will love you for making the effort.

Key lime pie was invented in Key West, Florida in the 1800’s, but I’ve had versions of it many times in the Caribbean islands. My favorite was in Costa Rica at a beachside café where it was made with Mandarin limes, native to the island, and tasted less tart than a traditional key lime pie.

I never met a deviled egg I didn’t like, but I absolutely love these, and so does everyone I make them for! The addition of chipotle chiles and capers make these so good, you really need to double the recipe. 

I've never been a fan of cooked Brussels sprouts, but I love them raw. I shave them on a mandoline and toss with sliced shallots and crispy celery. I make a tangy dressing with pomegranate molasses to compliment the slight bitterness of the Brussels sprouts.

These muffins might just change your life because they are just so good! Use good quality ham and cheese because their flavors are going to explode when you bite into these gems. They freeze well, but really taste their best shortly after they’re baked.

German Chocolate Cake originated in the United States, and has no German ties at all. The layers of chocolate cake are filled with a buttery coconut icing that is so rich and decadent, it doesn’t even need to be completely covered. But why not add some chocolate ganache drizzled on top to make it the perfect dessert for the chocolate lover in your life!

My mother made an apple pie once a year, and she always served the slices in a bowl with milk poured over.  I never had her recipe, but I’ve been making a yummy apple pie for many years, and this is my recipe.