I did a bit of research and came up with this fabulous recipe.

I got all the ingredients together- which, by the way are all that you normally have on hand.

It didn’t take me very long to put together and baking in the oven. Once it came out, my daughter was hovering around it like a dog on a bone. I cut a slice for her and she immediately complained about taking this cake to someone’s house and not having any for us. I promised her I would make another one for her soon- and honestly I haven’t yet. As I write this, I have already decided to bake one this evening. She will be thrilled.

So, if you want to be equally thrilled, make this delicious strawberry bread this summer…

• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries (pureed in a blender)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup evaporated cane juice
• ½ cup extra light olive oil
• 1½ cups white whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan and keep aside.
Beat the sugar and olive oil for 2-3 minutes on high. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in between. Add the pureed strawberries and keep aside.
In the meantime, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt into a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Mix well and pour into the loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes or till the bread is done. Invert onto a platter and top with confectioners sugar.

The usual base is potatoes, onions with a bit of garlic. Those three things are always in my pantry. So are the eggs, cheese and some kind of vegetable in the crisper.

In this case, we were getting together with family for brunch and my cousin was making blueberry pancakes. I decided to make something savory. She was also serving bacon with the pancakes so I decided to keep the frittata vegetarian. In the past I have made it with baby spinach, asparagus or green beans. This time, I decided to top it with a baby arugula salad. It looks pretty and tastes delicious. It took me no time to put the omelet together. I sliced the potatoes really thin and sauteed them with onions and garlic. I then covered the potato mixer with eggs beaten with a bit of half and half and cheese. Any kind of cheese can be used. I had a pack of four Italian cheeses- it was delicious. Once the frittata was fully cooked, I mixed arugula with a bit of lemon juice, salt and olive oil.  I then topped the dish with the arugula salad right before serving. It looked gorgeous- the bright green against the creamy yellow eggs. The taste was not so shabby either- the slight bite of the arugula went perfectly well with the savory, creamy eggs and potatoes. We all enjoyed the brunch with the delicious pancakes, bacon and mimosas.

• 6 eggs
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Pepper
• ¼ cup half and half
• 1 cup shredded four-cheese mix (asiago, provolone, parmesan, mozzarella) divided

Add the eggs, salt, pepper, half and half and half cup cheese. Beat well and keep aside.

• 5 to 6 red skinned potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Heat a non-stick large pan with the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté on medium high heat for a minute. Add garlic and the potatoes. Add the thyme, salt and pepper. Saute on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the eggs and cook on a medium low heat for another 10 minutes. Top the frittata with the remaining half-cup cheese and place under a broiler on low heat. Cook till the top is golden brown- about 5 minutes (depends on the broiler heat, so keep a close eye). Take out and let sit for a few minutes. Slide out on a large platter.

• 2 cups wild arugula
• Juice of half a lemon
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Mix the arugula, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Top the frittata with the salad and serve.

Most of all, my daughter thinks these are the best things she has ever eaten. I do love making them as well, especially because they are so easy to make.

My daughter has been reminding me everyday to make these jelly filled duffins- and finally I did. I made them while she was skiing with her Daddy and was gone all day. When she came back, she sniffed her way into the kitchen and discovered these on the counter. Although she was extremely tired, she still found the energy to eat her dinner and devour a duffin.

I used raspberry jam but of course any flavor will be fabulous as a filling. The key is to make sure the filling is added in the middle of the duffin mixture. I added about two tablespoons of the mixture and then added a teaspoon of filling before covering the filling with the rest of the mixture.

A duffin is perfect snack to give your kids, especially with a tall, cold glass of milk. My daughter has it as a snack after school with some fruit on the side. It is keeps her going until dinner and I feel good about giving her something homemade and not processed.

Make these treats for your kids..

• ¾ cup raw sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1½ cups white whole-wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup extra light olive oil
• 1 cup 1% milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Filling

• ½ cup raspberry jam

Topping

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• ½ cup fine raw sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Lightly grease a 12 muffin tin with a bit of oil in each cup.
In a large bowl, beat together sugar and egg till light and fluffy. Pour in vegetable oil, milk, vanilla and almond extracts. Mix to combine.
In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour into the egg mixture and stir well.
Pour about 2 tablespoons batter into the muffin cups. Add one teaspoon jam each on top of the batter, in the center. Cover the jam with the remaining batter, filling the cups about ½ full.

Bake for 15 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

While muffins are baking, melt butter in a small bowl. Pour ½ cup sugar into another small bowl and mix well.

Once the muffins are done, lightly brush the top with melted butter, remove from the pan and roll in the sugar, coating all parts of the duffin.

It is also easy to make since most of the ingredients are always available. I have green chilies, green onions, tomatoes and of course cheese at home. I feel lost if there is no cilantro in the house. It is a pantry meal- pair it with a delicious green salad and it is a healthy, balanced meal.

You can make this omelet with almost anything in the fridge. My daughter was eating some leftovers and my husband was going out after work and so I was the only one without dinner plans. I made this delicious meal for myself and enjoyed it with a glass of white wine.

Make this spiced omelet when you run out of ideas…

• 2 eggs, beaten with a teaspoon of water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• ¼ cup shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend)

Add the salt, cayenne pepper, cilantro and cheese. Beat well and keep aside.

• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped grape tomatoes
• 1 serrano chili, chopped and seeds taken out if you don’t want the heat
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

Heat a large non-stick frying pan on high heat. Add the olive oil and add the green onions and chili. Saute for 2 minutes on medium heat. Add the tomatoes and sauté on medium heat for another 2 minutes. Beat the eggs well and add to the onion mixture. Lower the heat and cook the eggs distributing them evenly in the pan. Cook for a minute and then start folding the omelet from one side towards the middle. Continue to fold till you reach the other end. Flip the folded omelet and cook for another minute. Serve with a fresh, hot baguette.

I first had them at a bakery, Brownie Points at the Mall at Short hills. They were oblong shaped muffins, covered with sugar. When we tasted them, we were hooked immediately. They tasted fresh and light and not too sweet.

After finding out the bakery was not there anymore I got obsessed with making them at home. It was quite difficult to find the recipe on the Internet but I was able to get something and tweaked it to my taste.

The great thing about this treat is that it is healthy. I have used white whole wheat flour, extra light olive oil and turbinado sugar.

My daughter loves it and has one everyday for a snack after school. She washed it down with a glass of milk and then has some fruit. I have already made duffins with apples as well as jelly filled ones. My husband has one in the morning as well.

Try the duffins- you will love them!

• ¾ cup raw sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1½ cups white whole-wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup extra light olive oil
• ¾ cup 1% milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Topping

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup fine raw sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Lightly grease a 12 muffin tin with a bit of oil in each cup.
In a large bowl, beat together sugar and egg till light and fluffy. Pour in vegetable oil, milk, vanilla and almond extracts. Mix to combine.
In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour into the egg mixture and stir well.
Divide batter evenly into the muffin cups, filling about ½ full.
Bake for 15 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

While muffins are baking, melt butter in a small bowl. Pour ½ cup sugar and cinnamon into another small bowl and mix well.

Once the muffins are done, lightly brush the top with melted butter, remove from the pan and roll in the cinnamon sugar, coating all parts of the duffin.