Pumpkin Almond Cake with Almond Butter Frosting

I’m back with yet another pumpkin recipe!  Third in a row, I know (even though the first of the three – Spiced Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Seed Cookies – only contain pumpkin seeds, and no actual pumpkin puree).  But hear me out!  I got a last-minute opportunity to participate in a fun blogger event called #virtualpumpkinparty; over 70… Read More Pumpkin Almond Cake with Almond Butter Frosting

Simple Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Autumn is a magnificent season.  Even in the evergreen-filled Pacific Northwest, we still see some deciduous trees turn vivid colors of yellow, orange, and red.  We wrap ourselves in cozy layers and drive out of the cities to pick apples and pumpkins.  We stroll down the streets while smelling the warmth of roaring fireplaces.  Eventually, a quiet but beautiful melancholy sets in. Autumn… Read More Simple Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Chocolate and Lemon Biscotti

Oh look, another biscotti post.  “Really, Mary Ellen?”  Yes, really!  They are my true love.  Okay, maybe not my true love, but they are certainly my biggest baking vice. So imagine my joy when earlier this year, an entire book of biscotti recipes came out.  It even has a cute name – Ciao Biscotti!  It’s almost… Read More Chocolate and Lemon Biscotti

Popcorn Toffee Crack Bars

Over the last few years, I’ve enjoyed a low-key Superbowl.  I hosted a few exceptionally fun ladies-only Superbowl Parties when I lived in NYC (during which I made things like the best brisket ever and a sweet potato black bean chili), but perhaps I’ve welcomed the break from the pressures of entertaining since moving out west.  For this year’s… Read More Popcorn Toffee Crack Bars