Naptime Everyday: Recipes for Everyday Cooking and Baking

Gingerbread Bundt Cake | The Naptime Chef

Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze

My daughter’s favorite holiday flavor is ginger. She loves all kinds of ginger flavored things including cookies, ice cream, whipped cream, and, of course, gingerbread. There is just no form of ginger she doesn’t love. For a recent celebration, I decided to make her a ginger dessert she wouldn’t forget: Gingerbread Bundt Cake with a Chocolate Glaze.

Gifts for Mom 2017 | The Naptime Che

10 Faves: Gifts for Best Friends

Gifts for Best Friends 2017

Pumpkin Pot de Creme | The Naptime Chef

Pumpkin Pot de Créme

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I am all about mixing it up at the dessert table this year. I recently made this delicious Pumpkin Pot de Crème for a dinner party and think it will certainly have to make a reappearance at our table in a few short weeks.

Gingerbread House Nut Roll | The Naptime Chef

Gingerbread House Gourmet Nut Roll for the Holidays

As we round the corner to the holiday season it’s time to ramp up your cooking strategy. This is a time to be practical. Do not sacrifice yourself to the kitchen in the name of all that is homemade from scratch. Buy some food, make some food, and just make sure it all tastes amazing. I was recently introduced to this delicious Gingerbread House Gourmet Nut Roll. It came in the mail ready to be eaten and my family was delighted.

Stuffed Cookies | The Naptime Chef

Fun Tip: Chocolate Hazelnut Stuffed Cookies

My kids have gone wild for chocolate hazelnut spread and use it on everything these days! Of course, I totally get it because I introduced them to the magic of it. I’ve been loving the flavor ever since I tried my first spoonful in Italy in 1994! Recently we tried a new, delicious treat with this amazing Nocciolata Dairy Free spread sample I received in the mail: I stuffed it into cookies!

Martha Stewart Wine. Co | The Naptime Chef

Wine Love: Martha Stewart Wine Co. is Your New Favorite Wine Company + Discount

Over the summer I received a shipment of wine from the Martha Stewart Wine Co. It was their Sip of Summer package featuring six varieties of wine selected specifically for summer enjoyment. Needless to say, I loved it. Ever since I started my journey with WSET I’ve become very picky and selective about the wine I drink. I want each bottle to be a learning experience, an education for my palate. It’s not about spending lots of money, it’s about noting quality, reading tasting notes, and generally paying attention to the details.

Football Cheese Platter | The Naptime Chef

The Home Team Against Hunger with Feeding America

Friends! I took a lot of the summer off to be with my kids. They are growing so fast and I really need to take time just to enjoy having them around. It was also a good time to take a brief break from the blog because I really needed to replenish my cooking repertoire. The good news is that I’ve done just that and later this month you’ll find lots of new and interesting content here. Today I am starting off with a topic that is near and dear to my heart, Feeding America.

Prosecco

Lovely Bubbles for Mother’s Day (or Anytime!)

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and it’s time to start stocking up on her (your) favorites. Prosecco is one of my favorite drinks this time of year. Each bubbly sip is light and refreshing, and it pairs so well with all kinds of foods. It is reminiscent of champagne, but with a slightly sweeter flavor. Prosecco comes from a specific region on northern Italy, similar to the way Champagne comes from Champagne, France. It is known for being less expensive than Champagne since it is cheaper to produce, and is an excellent base for popular cocktails like Bellini’s and spritzers.

Quick Lemony Spring Cake

Quick Lemony Cake for Spring

I almost called this an Easter cake but it really is so much more versatile than that. It is bright and cheery and perfect for spring. Yes, my children decorated it for Easter, but it honestly could be served nearly any time of year. The best part is that the batter comes together in one bowl, which makes it convenient for anyone short on time or interest in doing dishes. I also was able to enlist the help of my 4 year old in making it to begin with – a fun project for both of us! Here is the recipe if you need a fun, quick recipe for this spring and summer. Enjoy!

Banana Crumb Muffins | The Naptime Chef

Easy Banana Crumb Muffins

Sometimes I buy bananas and they last for a week on the counter and the kids eat them all time. Other times they turn brown within 24 hours of coming home from the store! It’s so frustrating, but that just gives me another excuse to bake. In an attempt to break away from our favorite banana bread recipe I made this easy banana crumb muffins with our latest round of brown bananas.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake | The Naptime Chef

Toasted Brown Sugar Pound Cake

When I get into a cooking rut the first thing I do is turn to recipes and books I love. Sometimes I just spend a week or so revisiting old recipes. Other times I decide to crack open favorite books and challenge myself to try something new. It can be anything from a full dinner recipe, to a quick baked treat, to a cocktail. There is no limit to what I’ll try and having someone else already have written the recipe for me a huge help. Not to mention, reading the recipes of others is a terrific learning opportunity. Hardly a recipe goes by when I don’t learn a new technique or flavor pairing.

Salted Butter Cookie Chocolate Truffles

Today I am catching up from two days of work on a super exciting new project I can’t wait to reveal. In the mean time, I have to post about this super recipe I found on My Little Paris when it landed in my inbox last week. It is a recipe from Poilane, one of the many amazing places we visited when we traveled to Paris a few springs ago. It is the best kind of sweet in that it is delicious and it barely takes any effort.