Fresh fruit pies are an absolute must this time of year! Especially if you live somewhere with a VERY tiny window to buy berries locally and you really, really love pie. And really, who doesn’t love berries and pie?

These mini portable versions are cute, easy to share (although you really may struggle with that part!), and still go perfectly with a scoop of vanilla! I used 3 different kinds of berries, (because 3 is better than one, right?!) but you can definitely just adjust the portion and use one or two if that works better for you. Make them your own!

Start to finish, these only took about an hour and 15 minutes, and a lot of that time was the dough doing its own thing (chilling and stuff) – not bad for completely homemade hand pies!

And the taste?! Oh the taste!!! I give em’ 5 stars! And with their rich buttery crust (it’s flaky, too!), and sweet berry middle, you will too. xo

Triple Berry Hand Pies – Baker by Nature

Makes 8 hand pies

Ingredients:

For the Pie Pastry:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup COLD unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces

1/2 cup greek yogurt

Instructions:

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, zest, salt, and baking powder. Add the butter, working it in with your hands until it resembles a coarse mixture. The butter should be pea sized when you stop working it in.

Stir in the sour Greek yogurt. The dough will still be very scraggly. Turn it out onto a well floured surface, and bring it together with a few quick kneads.

Pat the dough into a log, and roll it into a large rectangle. Lightly flour the top of the dough, then fold it in half, then in half again, and re-roll it out into another large rectangle. Fold dough in half, then in half, and wrap tightly in saran wrap.

Chill for at least 30.

Preheat the oven to 425°F; place a rack on the middle shelf. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll the dough into a large square that’s about 1/8 of an inch thick. With a straight edge and pastry wheel, cut out sixteen 3 inch squares. Using a small cutter, make a small cut out shape (you can really get creative here… I used an old wine cap) on 8 of the squares. Fill the other uncut 8 squares with a heaping tablespoon of the berry filling, then match up each one with a cut out piece of dough. I feel like that just got confusing! What I’m trying to say is there are 16 squares. 8 squares get fruit topping; 8 squares get small cuts. Once you’ve done this, match them up. Makes sense, right? At this point you’ll want your beaten egg close by. Lightly brush the edges and tops of each pie and crimp the sides together using a small fork.

For the Triple Berry Filling:

1 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup fresh raspberries

1/2 cup fresh black berries

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions:

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan set over medium high heat. Simmer, stirring almost constantly, until the mixture starts to thicken – about 5 minutes. Turn to very low and let cook for another 2 minutes before removing from the heat. Transfer the cooked berry mixture to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.

For the tops:

1 large egg, beaten

sugar for sprinkling

Instructions:

Top each filled square with a cut out square, and gently press the edges with a fork to seal.

Lightly brush the top of each pie with the beaten egg, and then generously sprinkle with sugar. Transfer the pies to the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the pies for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Having people over for dinner is one of my favorite things to do lately! After a long day, it’s just so nice to hop in the kitchen, muster up a little creativity (vino always helps with that!), and make a meal to share with someone I love. Friends + Food to me is just the ultimate combination.

I’ve had 4 friends over for dinner in the last week and I’ve just been enjoying every minute of it! Dirty dishes not included But really, even that’s something a glass of wine and some good tunes can turn into a fun thing. It’s all about those silver linings!

Simple pasta meals like this make weeknight entertaining carefree and possible. I know a lot of you work during the day too, so I thought this meal would just be perfect for busy folks that still want a real meal with real flavors ready when they get home at night. And I love that it’s all baked together in one big pan, since sharing and serving is so much easier and laid back that way.

This meal definitely is BIG on the flavor thanks to kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, marinated artichoke hearts, feta AND mozzarella cheese, and lots of garlic, onion, and parsley! Oh, and there’s some roasted chicken in there, too. I don’t normally like chicken too much – I find it kind of blah most days – but roasting it before hand really helps pump up the flavor and add some extra oomph to this meal. However if you’re not into meat (or chicken) I think this dish can easily be turned vegetarian by just leaving it out.

So many good things in one dish!!! It’s a total winner

I hope you guys are having a great day and feel inspired to cook someone you love dinner SOON!

Loaded Greek Pasta Bake – Baker by Nature

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

8 ounces ditalini (or other small noodle of your choice, cooked al dente

(1) 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup kalamata olives, roughly chopped

1/2 cup roasted red (and yellow, if you like) peppers, chopped

(1) 8 ounce jar marinated artichokes, drained and roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions:

For the Chicken:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Sprinkle the chicken with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne, then drizzle with one tablespoon of the oil. Place chicken on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool slightly before cutting into smaller pieces (if desired).

For the vegetables:

Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet and set over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms, and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the onions are softened and the mushrooms have taken a slightly more golden color. Add the artichokes, peppers, olives, parsley, and crushed red pepper and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, cook for another 2 minutes, then stir in the crushed tomatoes. Let the mixture come to a light simmer, then cover and continue to simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Make your pasta bake:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Spread 1/2 of the vegetable sauce evenly into a deep baking dish, then add the pasta, then the chicken, then the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with both cheeses, and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly golden and bubbling. Serve with bread and wine (optional, of course, but highly suggested!).

I don’t know about you, but once the heat rolls into town, I cannot get enough lemonade! It’s definitely one of our favorite “it” drinks of the Summer season.

It’s a classic! And with good reason. It’s so refreshing and simple and well, addicting! I find myself making big pitchers of this citrusy beverage on the constant!

Last week I thought it would be fun to try a few pitchers that had funky, unexpected flavors mixed in, and this rosemary version was definitely my favorite!

The rosemary gets incorporated by making a super easy simple syrup that gets mixed into the lemonade. I made a batch for a last minute gathering a few days ago, and it was a major HIT! You can even garnish the cups with little sprigs of rosemary if you want to get all cute about it.

Happy beginning of the week, friends! I hope it’s an awesome one for you. xo

Rosemary Lemonade – Baker by Nature

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice

4 cups water

3 large sprigs fresh rosemary

1 cups sugar

lots of ice, lemon wedges, and rosemary sprigs for serving

Instructions:

In a large pot combine 1 cup of water, sugar, and rosemary. Set pot over medium heat, and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Let the mixture simmer on very low heat for about 5 minutes, then remove from heat and discard the rosemary. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Once cooled, combine simple syrup mixture with the fresh lemon juice, and remaining water, stir to combine. At this point you can taste the lemonade and adjust the water/sugar if you feel like it needs more. Pour into glasses with ice, and drink!

My friend Tessa wrote a book! It’s called Cookies & Cream, and it’s a book ALL about ice cream sandwiches. And well, it’s just awesome. Cookies + Ice cream?! Yes yes yes!

Since it’s pretty much almost Summer, I feel like we ALL should be indulging in some major ice cream sandwich consumption, and this book is the ultimate guide to finding your perfect ice cream/ cookie sandwich situation. Incredible stuff!!!  They’re even selling it at Anthropolgie, which just totally tickles me since that’s one of my favorite stores, and Tessa is one of my favorite people! We met at The Big Travelling Potluck a few months ago, and well, I just adore her! I adore her (and her book) SO much, in fact, that I bought an extra copy to give away to one lucky reader! Yay giveaways!

With so many amazing sandwiches to choose from, it was definitely hard to pick which one I was going to make and share with you guys.

I chose this one for a few reasons: it’s a classic, it involves chocolate, and um, well, I just couldn’t resist the idea of butterscotch ice cream! Tessa knows I like my booze, so I’m sure she’s not surprised.

Soft, chewy, and GIANT chocolate chip cookies! I could have seriously eaten 12 of these on their own… and maybe I did. I’m not telling!

What I will tell you is that you need to make sure you don’t eat all of the cookies before the ice cream is ready, because you WANT to make these into a sandwich! It’s their destiny. And scoop it on with a generous hand!

Don’t forget to roll them in chocolate chips, too! I like to think of the chocolate chips as a sandwich accessory. And we all know accessories are totally essential.

This recipe makes A LOT of ice cream sandwiches. Since there’s only one of me, I just wrapped them really well in saran wrap and have been enjoying them as an afterwork treat. It’s nice coming home to ice cream and cookies! It really, really is.

About the giveaway!

All you need to do is leave a comment telling me your favorite ice cream flavor! Das it! I’ll be picking a random winning by next week. Good luck xo!!!

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches - Taken from Cookies & Cream by Tessa Arias

Butterscotch Ice Cream - Makes almost 1 quart

2 tablespoons butter, unsalted

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups heavy cream, divided

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

4 large egg yolks

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan over medium flame, melt the butter. Add sugar and vanilla and whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is bubbling, about 3 or minutes. Add a 1/2 cup of the cream, and whisk until smooth. Remove pan from heat and allow it to cool while you make your ice cream.

Make an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and about 2 cups of water. Place a medium bowl fitted with a fine mesh strainer inside the ice bath. In a medium saucepan combine the milk, the remaining cream, and salt. Set saucepan over a medium flame and cook – stirring occasionally – until mixture is warm and begins to steam, about 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Whisk half of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, one ladleful at a time, until the mixture is warm and smooth. Pour the egg/milk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to boil the mixture.

Immediately strain the mixture through the fine mesh strainer into the prepared ice bath. Add the butterscotch into the ice cream custard and stir to combine. Cool the custard in the ice bath until it’s at room temperature, stirring often. Press plastic wrap against the surface of the custard and refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours or up to a day.

Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to product directions. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

Chocolate Chip Cookies: Makes about 18 cookies

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulate sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium sized bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt. In  a large bowl beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Gradually add the flour mixture and stir until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop 2 tablespoon – sized balls of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets, flatten the tops slightly with your palm, and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Freeze the cookies until frozen, at least an hour. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month.

For Decorating

Ingredients:

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions:

Top one cookie with a scoop of ice cream. Place another cookie on top of the ice cream and gently press down to form a sandwich. Roll the edges in chocolate chips and immediately place the sandwich in the freezer. Freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

Tomato Pie!!!!!! I’m so excited to share this with you guys! I adore tomato pie, and it’s one of those foods I could eat almost everyday. Growing up, any pool party, family BBQ, or game day (Go, Phils!) always had one thing in common: Tomato pie! It was Summer tradition.

What is tomato pie you may ask? Ummm… It’s  only my childhood Summers in a slice!

Ok, ok. You deserve a better explanation than that! Tomato pie is basically a cold sicilian pizza, with no cheese (except a sprinkle of grated locatelli). It has a thick, chewy, utterly delicious crust and a thick layer of sweet, tangy sauce.

It’s absolutely amazing, you guys! It wasn’t until I moved away from home that I realized tomato pie was a local gem; a hidden treasure all our own. I also didn’t realize how much I would miss it!

Obviously I missed it a lot, because for the last week I finally broke out the yeast and got to creating my very own version. It only took 5 (yes, I’m serious!) attempts before I found a pie that made my mouth sing to high heavens and fall back in time to my Summer days in Pennsylvania. I seriously ate the whole pie in 3 days, and I didn’t even share with the guy! Bad girlfriend…? Nah! I’ll just make another one.

Trust me when I say, you need a slice! xo

Tomato Pie – Baker by Nature

FOR THE CRUST

Ingredients:

2 packets active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups water, very warm (about 110 degrees)

2 tablespoons sugar

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 cup olive oil

Extra olive oil for greasing pan

Grated Locatelli for sprinkling

Instructions:

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast with the warm water. Stir to dissolve and let stand until it looks foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in sugar, salt, and olive oil. Turn the mixer on low, and slowly add the flour to the bowl. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Mix until the dough is smooth, glossy, and elastic – about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and place in a well oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour

When you’re ready to bake! Preheat oven to 500 degrees (F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with olive oil. Place the dough on the baking sheet, and using your fingertips, press dough out toward edges of pan until it’s a large rectangle. Using a fork or small pointed knife, poke the top of the dough, popping any large bubbles. Cover pan with plastic and let dough rest for another 30 minutes. Place baking sheet on your baking stone (or just the oven wrack) and lower oven temperature to 425 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove pie from ove, top with tomato sauce, rotate pan, and bake for another 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing the tomato pie from the pan and placing on a cooling rack to finish cooling. Top with some grated cheese and serve warm or cold. I love it both ways!

FOR THE SAUCE

Ingredients:

6 roma tomatoes, cut in half

3 tablespoons olive oil

15 ounces tomato puree

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Slice the tomatoes in half, sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and roast in oven for 45 minutes

While your tomatoes are roasting, combine the rest of your ingredients in a large saucepan and simmer for about 30 minutes (or until your tomatoes are done roasting. Once your tomatoes are out of the oven, give them a quick whirl in the blender, pulsing until it’s a chunky consistency. Add roasted tomatoes to saucepan and continue to simmer until most of the water has evaporated and the sauce is very thick. Set aside until needed for pie.

I LOVE breakfast food. It’s probably my favorite – if I had to choose – since you can pretty much call anything breakfast (or brunch) and get away with it.

So, yesterday when I wanted pancakes for breakfast, but only had zucchini, some cheese, and half of an avocado, I got funky (i.e. creative – wink wink) and made due with what I had.

Yes, friends – I made green pancakes. And they… were awesome!

Really, they were! I mean, no… they weren’t exactly what you think of when you think pancakes, but if you’re into the whole savory breakfast thing, these green guys are totally for you! I topped ours with poached eggs – and sriracha (of course!) – and 20 minutes later there was nothing left but a pile of dirty dishes (and I didn’t even have to wash em’ – I’ve got GOOD friends). I call that a win!

So… will you go green?

Sriracha Spiked Zucchini – Avocado Pancakes – Baker by Nature

1 cup shredded zucchini, packed well

1/2 avocado, pitted and mashed

2 tablespoons sriracha

1 large egg

1/2 cup manchego cheese

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons olive oil for the pan

Poached eggs – optional

Instructions:

Grate zucchini and transfer to a cheesecloth or lint free and very clean towel, and squeeze as dry as possible. Let the zucchini sit for 5 minutes, then squeeze again. In a large bowl whisk together the avocado, sriracha, egg, cheese, bread crumbs, and flour, mixing until well combined. Stir in zucchini. Heat olive oil in skillet until it simmers. Drop 1/4 cup sized pancakes into the oil, and cook until the edges are golden (4-5 minutes), then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Repeat until batter is finished. Top pancakes with an egg if you like, and eat at once!

I love carnival food. I mean, I don’t eat it a lot, but when I do, it’s just so seriously satisfying. It’s definitely one of those hurt-so-good situations, but I think we all deserve a deep fried day once in a while, don’t ya think?

These mini bacon batter corn dogs were inspired by a recent trip I took to Coney Island.

I find Coney Island so enchanting and full of nostalgic charm, and after spending a day there – eating my face off on hot dogs, funnel cake, and cotton candy! – I felt inspired to bring a little bit of the boardwalk into my very own kitchen.

Hello, Corn dogs!

I don’t fry a lot (like ever…) but I made an exception for this occasion and whipped out the heavy bottomed pan and cooking oil! I’m a wild woman when I want to be. Ha.

We were entertaining friends and so I figured these little baby corn dogs would be a fun appetizer – and a good excuse for me to fry! It was actually really fun, and not even a little bit scary. (oh, and I didn’t even use a thermometer – ooops!).

I’m currently taking part in a Saucy Mama mustard contest, so I thought these corn dogs would be a super fun way to incorporate their awesome chili hatch mustard into this recipe. I used it in both the batter and the sauce, and I just loved the subtle hint of chili that popped out in both. The sauce is insanely easy, but it has a great POP of flavor, and it’s perfect for an easy entertaining dip.

Psssst – If you’re having guests, I highly recommend you make double the portions; these babies fly off the platter! Plus, you’re going to gobble 3 hot out of the oil… just trust me.

Mini Bacon Batter Corn Dogs with “Special Sauce” - Baker by Nature

Makes 16 mini corn dogs

Ingredients:

8 hot dogs, grilled (or cooked in a skillet until charred on all sides) and cut in half

1/2 cup flour extra to douse hot dogs in

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon chili mustard

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 egg

1/2 cup well shaken butter milk

1 quart vegetable oil

16 wooden skewers

Instructions:

In a medium bowl combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, bacon, sugar, chili powder, cayenne, and baking powder. Stir in the egg, buttermilk, mustard, and honey.

Preheat oil in a deep, heavy bottomed pan until it reaches 350 degrees (F). Insert the skewers into the end of each cut hotdog, roll in flour (shake off any excess), then roll in the batter until well coated.

Fry 2 or 3 corn dogs at a time, keeping a close eye they don’t get too brown (they should be done in about 2 or 3 minutes). Place corn dogs on a paper towel to soak up any excess oil.

“Special Sauce” 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons sour cream

2 tablespoons Saucy Mama Hatch Chili Mustard

2 tablespoons ketchup

Instructions:

Whisk ingredients together in a small bowl and serve with corn dogs.

There’s nothing like a warm batch of biscuits fresh from the oven! Since we eat biscuits -or, ah, shortcakes- a lot around here, I thought it would be fun (and kind of seasonally appropriate) to mix things up and turn them into a salad situation. I even whipped some feta for the occasion!

Yeah… we fancy.

Oooooh, hey greek yogurt biscuits! You look GOOD! So light and fluffy.

This is where things get really fun. Fresh biscuits + creamy whipped feta + Greek salad = a seriously delicious thing going on. Yum!

I made these as a super quick lunch last week, and we happily ate the leftovers for the lunch the next day… but I wouldn’t count these out as a breakfast deal. I mean, why not?

Woohoo for shortcakes and salad!

Greek Salad Shortcakes with Whipped Feta – Baker by Nature

* this recipe was inspired by the tomato scallion shortcakes in the smitten kitchen cookbook 

For the Greek Yogurt Short Cakes -

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold and cut into tiny pieces

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1/2 cup buttermilk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Using your fingertips, cut the cold butter into the dry mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. Stir in the greek yogurt and buttermilk, and mix until evenly combined. Turn the dough onto a well floured surface and pat the dough out until it is about 1 inch thick. Cut into 3 inch rounds, reforming dough scraps as needed. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until they are lightly golden brown on top. Transfer to wrack for cooling.

For the Whipped Feta

Ingredients:

5 ounces feta cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons greek yogurt

Instructions:

Place feta and greek yogurt in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth.

For the Greek Salad

Ingredients:

1 english cucumber, quartered then chopped into small chunks

1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced (you can use less if you don’t like too much onion)

20 kalamata olives, roughly chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 heaping teaspoon dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Pinch of sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the vegetables to the bowl and toss gently together.

Assembly

Split each biscuit in half, generously slater one side with whipped feta, then spoon on about a 1/4 cup of the greek salad mixture. Aaaaaand Eat!

Growing up my mom was the Queen of making awesome cakes. Although she wasn’t much of a baker, and we didn’t have a ton of money to spend on frivolous things like decorations, she really put her whole heart and soul into her baked creations, and I was always mega proud when my friends would oooh and aaah over the showcase worthy cake she made for my birthday, a holiday party, or just dessert.

Hmmm… Wonder where I got my love of baking from, eh?

I have no doubt in my mind it’s those fond memories that have given cake and I a very strong and special bond. So strong and special, in fact, that I usually bake some form of cake at least one a week.

What can I say? We love our cake here. Oh, and thanks, mama!

I’m just kind of obsessed with limes right now, and when I found them 10 for $1.00 last week, I knew a lime cake was in the stars. The raspberry sauce was last minute and totally improvised by what I had sitting around, but it didn’t suffer from my lack of planning one bit! Don’t you love when things like that happen?

The batter is thick and gorgeous thanks to greek yogurt, whole milk, lots and lots of lime zest, and - wait for it… BUTTER! As I’m sure you know, I’ve been baking with a ton of olive oil lately, so it was nice to be back to the butter for this cake. I missed it!

Once the cake is baked, and sitting on its wrack to chill for a minute, you’ll make your raspberry sauce. Let me tell you guys about this sauce!!! I LOVED it. Like, I loved it so much I made a second batch later in the week to pour on pancakes, ice cream, and greek yogurt. It’s amazing stuff, my friends. And it’s so, so simple to make.

All you need is some raspberries (fresh or frozen will both do you justice), a plump little lime, sugar, and water. Dump all these ingredients into your handy little blender or food processor, and blend-it-up.

Look! You made sauce! Isn’t it so pretty and pink? Ok… maybe I’m being a little girly here, but even if it weren’t pink I’d still be raving over it!

Once the cake has cooled, you can slice it up, pour on the sauce, and do what you were made to do: destroy it in under ten minutes!

Or… you could put it on a platter and serve it family style. I bet people would think you quite nice if you did it that way. Up to you! Either way, I say it’s time to bust out the limes and make yo’ self a bundt!

Luscious Lime Bundt with Raspberry Sauce – Baker by Nature

Ingredients:

For the Luscious Lime Bundt Cake

3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup greek yogurt

3/4 cup whole milk

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Zest of 5 (medium sized) limes

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray a bundt pan with non-stick spray (I used the new coconut oil spray Trader Joe’s is not carrying and it worked perfectly), set aside.

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring well. Stir together the greek yogurt and milk, and set aside for later use.

In a small bowl mix the sugar and lime zest together with your hands, mixing until the lime zest has really worked its way into the sugar. Once the sugar is mixed, beat it with the butter until light and fluffy, scrapping the sides down as needed. Add the vanilla. Then add the eggs, one at a time, letting each egg full incorporate into the mix before adding the next. Let the batter mix for one minute after all the eggs have been added, then Reduce speed to low. Add the dry mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk/yogurt mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry mixture. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Place the pan in the oven and bake for 65-70 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake rest in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring cake onto a cooling rack or platter to cool completely. Pour sauce over slices before serving.

For the Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh or frozen (if using frozen do not defrost first) raspberries

Juice of one lime (really squeeze it all out!)

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

Instructions:

Pulse ingredients in a blender or food processor until completely smooth. Strain if desired (I didn’t), and drizzle over cake slices. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

I call this banana bread sneaky for a very good reason - it is just that.

From the outside, it’s a picture of pure and utter indulgence. I mean, that glaze? With the bourbon! And the vanilla beans! Oh, mama. It’s ridic. It’s what all glazes should aspire to be!

Buuuuuuuuuuuut! That’s totally not the sneaky part (although, if you eat enough of that glaze, a little buzz will sneak up on you – no doubt!). The sneaky part is what’s hiding on the inside. Because, it’s what’s inside that counts, right?

Inside this luscious loaf is – go ahead, roll your eyes(!) – olive oil and maple syrup! Yes – I am obsessed. No – I cannot stop. No… I haven’t even tried.

P.S. I do have copious amount of butter on the way, too – I pwomise!

One of the most important parts to baking a beautiful loaf is choosing the most butterfaced bananas possible. You want them dark, disgusting, and close to death. They should look something like this:

They might not be lookers, but they make a darn good loaf of bread. Sometimes ugly works.

When it comes to choosing your olive oil and maple syrup, I find using quality choices in both categories really makes all the difference in the final product.

Note – when I say quality, I don’t mean fancy. Although fancy would be fine, I’m just asking you to explore using a nicer bottle than the Aunt-Ja-you-know-who one that they sell next to the cereal or the olive oil that is mixed with other crappy oils that won’t taste as lovely as the pure stuff. A nice bottle of maple and olive oil are key kitchen investments if you use them frequently. I promise you won’t regret the upgrade.

Let’s move on to the glaze. The glaaaaaze! Dude, I don’t even want to tell you how many tablespoons of this boozed up bourbon/maple/vanilla bean concontion were consumed before 9 am… good thing I walk to work.

Overall, this banana bread is a win. It’s got bananas, olive oil, maple syrup, AND flippin’ bourbon. Let’s make a loaf, share the love, and be happy un-hungry people. It’s the thing to do!

Sneaky Banana Bread with Vanilla Bean – Bourbon Glaze – Baker by Nature

Yields one large loaf, or three mini loaves

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger powder

1/2 cup olive oil

2/3 cup maple syrup

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 large, very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup plain yogurt (greek will work)

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. In a separate (large) mixing bowl whisk together the maple syrup, olive oil, eggs, banana, and vanilla, stirring until well combined. Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet one, stirring until most of the flour has disappeared. Fold in yogurt, and then pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool bread in baking pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a baking sheet to cool completely. Once bread is on baking sheet, gently pour on glaze, letting it drip whichever way it pleases. It’s a good idea to put a piece of parchment paper underneath the cooling wrack so you can re-glaze it with the drippings, and have an easier clean up.

Vanilla Bean – Bourbon Glaze – Baker by Nature

Yields about 1/2 cup of glaze

1 vanilla bean, sliced and scraped

1 tablespoon bourbon (you can add more if it’s not strong enough)

2 tablespoons maple syrup

6 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until evenly combined. Pour glaze over baked cake.

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