My father’s mother, Mary Rich, made the best Honey Cake that I can remember. She died when I was young, but I have never forgotten it. For years, my sisters and I have been searching for a Honey Cake recipe that would rival hers. Last year, my mom’s incredible friend, Rosalie, brought a Honey Cake to our families Rosh Hashanah holiday dinner, and it was a winner! We loved the recipe so much, and it reminded us of Mary. I hope you will like it as much as we do. It’s perfect for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah or any fall celebration. Note: the batter will be slightly liquid, but the recipe turns out moist as can be.

Sangria is so refreshing this time of the year, and this recipe is so easy to make. Enjoy both versions of an alcoholic and nonalcoholic Sangria and serve with any of your favorite fruits. I also love to put frozen red grapes on top instead of ice cubes. I am teaching a Paella class on October 15th, and I will be trying various sangria recipes to go with it. See my media page for more information. 

This recipe is my son, Alec’s favorite. It will be featured on NBC 13 Daytime Alabama next month, but I thought I would share the recipe with you now. It’s really simple and tastes fabulous with or without tequila. I am in the process of making some new adjustments to my site so my posts might be few and far between for the next few weeks. It’s also my kid’s last week out of school so I want to spend all the time with them that I can. Please bare with me during this transition and thanks for all of your support for my blog.

I love sliders, as many of your know since I feature them a lot on my blog. I am taping a “Slider” cooking segment for NBC 13 “Daytime Alabama” tomorrow, and I thought a Salmon Slider would be fabulous paired with two other beef slider recipes. This recipe is really easy and delicious. It uses canned salmon but fresh salmon works great as well. Enjoy and stay tuned to the air date on NBC 13.

I recently put together a cookbook which is a compilation of recipes for college students or busy people who want healthy, easy recipes. It’s been a hit so far. If you’re interested, just send me an email. It’s $15 plus shipping. I will have it in my “Shop” on my site in the next few weeks. Thanks for your support, Alison

My only daughter, Leigh, has been gone for 4 weeks at camp and comes home tomorrow (today for all of you reading this). I cried so hard when she left-I couldn’t even take her to camp as I didn’t want her to see how upset I would be missing her. So in her honor, I thought I would post one of her favorite recipes that was on my blog a long time ago which she created herself and makes all on her own. She is so special, and I can’t wait to see her!

My three kids are the best, and I try to treat them with something new and different all of the time from the kitchen. I came up with the idea of a healthier version of Shirley Temples using pomegranate-cherry juice 100% juice and fresh cherries. This recipe is so simple, and they love it! It’s perfect for this time of year when cherries are in abundance.

I had some leftover shrimp, fresh chopped onions, zucchini and squash from the farmer’s markets over the weekend and decided to make a really easy, healthy main dish. I love cooking in the skillet and then finishing it off in the oven, and that works great with this dish which is like a shrimp vegetable lasagna without the noodles. It’s high in protein, low in carbs and delicious.

With spring parties, graduations and celebrations this month, I thought I would share the simplest recipe for Brie that you can prepare in under 20 minutes. It’s so easy to prepare and makes a pretty presentation. Feel free to serve with some of your favorite fruits, crackers and breads. You may substitute your favorite nuts for the walnuts and other dried fruit. Just be sure to watch it carefully in the oven so you don’t over-melt it.

See me preparing easy, budget-friendly skillet meals today on NBC 13 Daytime Alabama today at http://www.nbc13.com/vtm/daytime/

Guacamole is so easy to make, but I have many friends and college student blog fans always asking me for an easy really good guacamole recipe. This one works great and is just in time for Cinco De Mayo next week. In 15 minutes, you will have wonderful, fresh guacamole. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips. I love the new multigrain tortilla chips with flaxseeds and sea salt made by Garden of Eatin’.