Food Blog
My Best Halloween Recipes: Desserts, Cocktails, and Trick-or-Treat Meals for your family
I’ve collected my best Halloween recipes, from cookies and desserts to meals for your trick-or-treaters, to share with you this year. I even included some of my best Halloween cocktail recipes for adults (I’ve got you). No tricks, all treats. Let’s get right to it!
Cookie Heritage: Grandma Vivardo's Italian Fig Cookies and Family Recipes
My Grandma Vivardo is my cookie muse; her story is—among other things—the story of how a proud Italian-American culinary tradition crossed an ocean, endured a century of tinkering in the kitchens of America, and thrives today.
Tips & Tools: Keys to Better Baking (Part 1)
Baking can be a daunting proposition. Whether you’re a beginner cook or a whiz in the kitchen, here are general principles to steer you onto the right path to better baking.
A Gift of Cookies: Giving back to vital children’s charities in my community
Lean more about Hephzibah House and Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society, two wonderful organizations dedicated to the health and well-being of the neediest children in our society; and why I’ve chosen to donate all proceeds from my upcoming recipe book to them.
A Gift of Cookies: Book Now Available for Purchase!
My debut book of baking recipes: A Gift of Cookies: Recipes to Share with Family & Friends is officially out now! Learn more about the book, the inspiration behind it, and the charities that will benefit from it.
Tips & Tools: Keys to Better Baking: (Part 2)
Baking can be a daunting proposition. Whether you’re a beginner cook or a whiz in the kitchen, here are general principles to steer you onto the right path to better baking.
Tips for Setting a Perfectly Pretty Thanksgiving Table
This Thanksgiving, many of us will be having smaller gatherings than usual. I believe that makes it all the more important to ensure your table decorations look extra-special. Here are some tips and guidelines that I follow to help create a beautiful Thanksgiving spread with a minimum of chaos and anxiety.
Updates on Charity Partners: Hephzibah Children’s Association & Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society
I am proud to be donating all of the proceeds from my debut baking cookbook to two vital children’s charities: Hephzibah Children’s Association and The Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society. Here is an update of what they have been up to.
Happy Holidays: A special message from Mary
I want to wish a very happy holiday season to all of my readers, and give a huge thanks to all of the people who have visited the site, bought a book, and just generally been so kind and supportive of me.
Baker’s Best Friend: My Favorite Doggie Treat Recipes
My ever-growing list of homemade dog treats includes carrots with cream cheese sandwich cookies and peaches and cream dob biscuits that you can customize with strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries.
