The Wileys were in town last weekend. Which means that chocolate peanut butter ice cream had to be on the menu. Now, typically, we would just visit The Meadows. Unfortunately, they were not featuring the family favorite, and so what did I do? I broke in my new ice cream maker (thanks to BJ, Megs, [...]

There are few summer activities I enjoy more than sitting around the campfire. Except perhaps eating strawberries and sweet corn and napping in the hammock. But this is about the campfire. Dad starts the fire as the sun sets. I tuck a flannel blanket beneath my thighs and watch the flames start to dance. Nick [...]

You don’t have to be pregnant to crave chocolate. Yes, I desired a daily dose of sweetness well before Peanut took up residence in my belly. Perhaps it’s hereditary? Because my mom is a fan of chocolate, too — especially chocolate of the dark and bitter variety. So what better dessert to make for her [...]

What happens when a girl is left alone with a pan of brownies? She buys ice cream. At least that’s what I do. Nick suggested we bake brownies on Sunday night. And then he left for New York on Monday. I guarantee the pan will be empty when he gets home on Friday. I have [...]

We baked plenty of family favorites this holiday season: Oreo truffles, sugar cookies, snickerdoodles, and peanut butter kisses. But, of course, I had to add a new recipe to our repertoire, too. Dorie Greenspan is an accomplished food writer and cookbook author, and her World Peace cookies are all over the Internet — including inside [...]

Think truffles are all fancy and complicated? Well, I’m here to prove otherwise. All you need is a bag of Oreos and a block of cream cheese. Oh, you’ll need a food processor, too. Add the Oreos and room temperature cream cheese to the food processor, and pulse until the mixture is sticky and shiny. [...]

My mom returned from a picnic earlier this summer with a recipe in hand. “Poke Cake,” she called it. Until my sister’s boyfriend read it and remembered it as “Better Than Sex Cake.” Which explains why the guests at the picnic couldn’t get enough of it. Whether you choose to use the G-rated title or [...]

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte is the traditional dessert of southern Germany. Literally, it means “black forest cherry torte,” and it consists of whipped cream and cherries between layers of dark chocolate cake. Kirschwasser (a clear liquor distilled from tart cherries) is often added, and the cake is typically decorated with chocolate shavings and maraschino cherries. Obviously we had [...]

Last Saturday we visited 2 of 19 farms that participated in the Central PA Farm Tour. We met a sixth generation farmer who showed us how apples are pressed into cider and blended into butter, and we learned from an organic farmer how to properly trellis tomatoes and keep away the deer. I also talked [...]

I’ve mentioned before that no Wiley can resist the combination of chocolate and peanut butter. So what better dessert to serve after our cookout than one featuring this duo? The whoopie pie is a Pennsylvania Amish tradition and consists of fluffy filling sandwiched between two small round cakes. My grandma has been baking these little [...]