Bake or Break

Several weeks ago, I went to my very first pop-up shop since moving to New York. Martha Stewart opened up a weekend pie and tart shop to celebrate the release of her new cookbook, Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts.

Sadly, there was a one-pie-per-person limit. There was a lot of pressure in making just the right choice. After no small amount of deliberation, I chose this Chewy Chess Tart.
[...]

I’ve never been a great fan of Spring. Living in the South, I knew all too well that it would last a few weeks, and then we’d be mired in Summer for what seemed like years. Since our move last fall to New York, though, it seems I’ve had a change of heart. I am actually excited about Spring! I stop on the streets and in the parks to take pictures of flowers and blooming trees. I have happily put away my scarves and boots until cooler weather.

This Easter, as I was basking in the early Spring-ness of New York, I decided that our meal should include something befitting of this beautiful season. In an unusual turn of events, I went with a non-chocolate dessert. You’re shocked, I know.
[...]

Not only am I posting two cookie recipes in a row, but they both also feature pecans. That probably doesn’t surprise many of you, as I am a proud pecan fan.

One of the beauties of these cookies is how easy they are to make. They are one of those elusive one-bowl recipes for when you want to bake but you don’t want to clean up endless bowls, beaters, etc. Honestly, that’s most of the time for me these days.
[...]

I loved, loved, loved pecan sandies as a child. You know, the store-bought ones that have been around for ages. In my adult years, I have come to appreciate and prefer homemade baked goods. I simply couldn’t pass up the chance to make my very own pecan sandies.

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart Makes Cookies, an iPad and iPhone app that’s been around for a few months now. I was first introduced to the app when I was invited to The Martha Stewart Show to live Tweet her cookies episode in November. As you can imagine, that was quite an experience, and I’m still in awe of both her and that set.
[...]

One of my favorite bakeries is one I’ve never visited. I dream of going to Baked, but I haven’t made it there yet. Until I do, I console myself with making their recipes and mapping the best routes to Red Hook.

This recipe is from the Baked guys’ latest cookbook, Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented. I like to flag recipes I want to try in my cookbooks, and this one is spilling over with post-its.
[...]