At summer camp in Vermont, we used to make a cheater's version of Rice Krispie treats: melted marshmallows, butter, and puffed rice cereal in a scratched old pot over a campfire. Instead of smoothing them into a pan and waiting for them to cool, we'd reach into the pot and grab handfuls, letting it harden as we ate it. It was exceptionally messy, but far more fun to eat. The smokiness of the fire gave the dessert a wilder taste and took the intense sugar high down a notch. Despite the proliferation of high-end, dressed-up Rice Krispie treats, I hadn't tasted any that came close to the campfire ones, until I tried these hippie crispy treats. Bound with almond butter, maple syrup, and bittersweet chocolate, they have an adult, addictive quality to them.
Read moreChocolate & Coconut Raspberry Tarts
There's something incredibly appealing about miniature desserts. They're adorable and you're allowed to eat an entire one by yourself (say it with me: YES PLEASE). You can easily scale this recipe up to make a full-sized tart, but I like making individual ones for a party or to make a otherwise ordinary weeknight dinner feel a little more special.
Read moreDAY-CHANGING PEACH-STRAWBERRY PIE
I am a firm believer in changing the exterior to change the interior. If you think about it, it's asking an awful lot of yourself to break a habit, get out of a rut, or change a routine while everything else stays the same.
Read moreCHEWY SPELT OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES
A good novel will always be waiting. Listening to "Latch" by Disclosure will always make you want to dance. And these particular oatmeal cookies will always come out chewy and just a bit sweet.
Read moreRAW KEY LIME PIE
I developed a serious key lime pie habit in college. I was living on Block Island for the summer, and working as a waitress in the evenings. After a long, exhausting shift in the restaurant, sweaty and tired from running in and out of a hot kitchen, I would take the longer route home so I could pass a tiny hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant. Perched above the harbor, the restaurant is run by a Maine native with a taste for excellent flat noodles, pad Thai, and oddly enough, key lime pie (a man after my own heart!). I'd order noodles and a huge slice of pie to go and cap off my meal with a handful of spicy, chewy ginger candies from a bowl on the hostess stand.
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