Avidly Ravenous

Sometimes even an introvert like myself decides to take on feeding a number of guests. While I both love to cook and enjoy time with my people, it is much simpler when the majority of the food is made ahead of time. This list of make ahead party foods also comes in handy when you […]

These white chocolate macadamia nut cookies are creamy, nutty, and sweet. Like my chocolate chip cookie recipe, these cookies have an extra egg yolk, which creates a soft and chewy texture. The chewiness contrasted with the crunchy toasted macadamia nuts, makes for an ideal mouthfeel. These cookies are perfect on a good or bad day, […]

I’m not saying that my marriage hinges on my ability to prepare a solid oatmeal chocolate chip cookie…but it might rank in his top ten favorite things about me (Note: Elias was not consulted about this claim but it’s my blog so I can say what I want). Anyway, there really is something special about […]

These shortbread pecan bars are perfect for when you want a pie but don’t want to go through the hassle of making a pie crust. Because look, if I couldn’t even go through the effort of putting real pants on today, there’s no way I’m rolling and crimping. This shortbread crust is simply smushed into […]

Smores remind me of fall. Of camping and spending all night in front of a big ol’ campfire. As much as I love fires, many summer days are just too hot for them. These smores bars are the perfect flavor fix to get you through until weather permits. Besides, it’s way easier to perfectly brown […]

Layer bars are a super simple but very flavorful dessert. They are also the first dessert my husband requests when asked. I rarely use condensed milk in my cooking but it is practically made to be used for this recipe. It oozes through the layers of dark and milk chocolate, toffee, and flaky coconut, wrapping […]

Brownies are sort of the casseroles of the dessert world (Why yes, I am midwestern, how did you know?). You can throw in a huge variety of chocolate sources, practically any nut, candy pieces, etc. and it will still taste good. Plus the preferred texture varies wildly. That means that it’s hard to truly ruin […]

Chocolate chip and pecan cookies still on the cookie sheet, right out of the oven.