Red, White and Blueberry Tart

I took this Fourth of July treat out of the fridge, and it was gone in approximately 3 minutes. Literally. On a hot day in my parents' backyard, a cold tart with fresh fruit was gold. The graham cracker crust came out great, and the blueberry jam was sweet and delicious. NOTE: Make at least two of these when you take them to cookouts...you'll need the extra.

Chocolate Marshmallow Brownies

Now this is a brownie - moist, chewy and densely chocolate. I was in the mood to bake last night, and decided I'd use what I had in my pantry (or, you know, the tiny cabinet in my tiny kitchen) instead of going to the store. This is exactly what I wanted...plus, I added some mini marshmallows to keep things interesting.

Golden Grahams Cookies

This was a random find on my favorite site - Baking Bites. I never really had Golden Grahams as a kid (we were a Life and Cheerios family), but I was interested in how they would taste in a cookie. Um, they taste really good. I just finished dunking my second "test cookie" in a glass of cold milk and am wondering if I need a third just to be safe. My one change for future batches - I'd keep the cereal crumbs a bit larger.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

So what does a pacifist hippie bring to a UFC fight on a Saturday night you ask? Pineapple upside down cake - perfect choice. I was surprised at how easy it was to make - and was quite pleased that the texture of the brown sugar and butter topping came out so well. As I was making this I kept thinking how delicious some sort of peach upside down cake would be. Stay tuned - I'm about to turn all the summer fruit upside down.

S'mores bread pudding

Um, this is insane. Insane. Bread pudding is my new favorite food - this is a dangerous discovery because it is so easy to make. I know you can throw whatever you want into a basic recipe, but something about the mini marshmallows, Hershey's chocolate and crunchy graham crackers makes me want to eat this for dinner every night. It was a big hit with my guinea pigs as well.

Blueberry Banana Bread

I had this overpowering craving for banana bread last week and ran across a recipe that includes blueberries. After being on the receiving end of baked goodness recently that included blueberries (thank you S), I was in the mood for more and excited to try this combo. It was the perfect match of sweet fruit and the bread itself was moist and perfectly done. I typically do smaller bread pans when making any kind of banana bread to ensure an even bake. This recipe turned out four mini loaves that were perfect for sharing.

Pineapple Coconut Cake

I have the best mom in the world. This cake was just a small tribute to the millions of amazing things she's done for me over the years. She's always been exactly what I need, and for that I am grateful. Oh, and this cake rocks.