Orange Curd Cheesecake Coffee Crumb Cake

Easy decadence meets springtime in this Orange Curd Cheesecake Coffee Crumb Cake. Indulgent with a tangy twist, this dessert features a feather-light coffee cake and a creamy cheesecake layer topped with bright notes of citrus and softly-spiced brown sugar crumbs.

I posted a Wanted ad in my imagination last week: “Zesty candidate with a tangy twist needed. Looking for dessert with serious seasonal a-peel. The crummier, the better. Lemons need not apply.”

I waited. And I waited. Then one day, this cake suddenly showed up on my oven-step with all the lusty luster of the Old Spice Guy–I took … Read more

Summer Berry Buckle

Are you a fan of tart or super-sweet desserts? I tend to love anything that contains caramel, crumb topping, vanilla, custard–and when I step into an ice cream shop, I will NEVER order anything tart. Not if you chucked Mjolnir straight at my heart; not if you held Thanos’ Infinity Gauntlet over my head for it. (Yes, I just watched Endgame and am still obsessed…Anyone else??) That being said…

Coffee cakes, muffins, and berry buckles are my biggest exception. When it comes to getting a sweet AND tart start to the day, I can always be found munching on … Read more

Knickerbocker Glory

Harry had the best morning he’d had in a long time. He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn’t fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him. They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn’t have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first. 

Harry felt, afterward, that he should have known it was all too good to Read more

Strawberry Cream Cheese Oat Bars

Happy middle of Jul–wait, what?

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I’m not sure how we’re already halfway through the summer–nobody ever consulted with me about this matter, or I would’ve veto’d it faster than you can say “pandas on a water slide”–but here we are, even so…and in spite of me, it seems!

These past two weeks have been unusually crazy ones…which is my way of excusing myself for the recent lack of updates. Whoops! Thankfully, we’ve finally hammered out our final plans for le big Europe trip, which is exciting because I hate travel planning with a passion, and more than one late … Read more

Easy French Apple Pie {15-minute prep!}

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The end of term was last week, and–as one of my graduating friends reminded me–nothing smells comfort-y quite like pie does. And nothing spells comfort when you’re tired and hungry and stressed like a 15-minute prep time!

Yes, none of my jokes here: this is quite possibly the easiest dump-it-all-in French apple pie recipe that I’ve ever made, and my summer-ready self is SO thankful for it.

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In the past two weeks, I taught my (possibly last ever!!!) undergraduate English class and started kicking my butt back into full dissertation writing mode. Oh! And I haven’t shared the biggest news … Read more

Peach Crumble Frozen Delight

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I always knew that I was a fan of the frozen dessert, but THIS. Two weeks ago this dessert happened and I immediately considered abandoning all of my life’s responsibilities & relationships and diving headfirst into a committed romance with this dessert.

Of course, I’m pretty sure I say this exact phrase about once a week, but I really mean it right now. I swear on my entire vintage collection of Disney animated VCR tapes. I mean of course I don’t REALLY because that collection is freakin’ awesome, but still.

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The awesome thing about this Peach Crumble Frozen Delight is–well, … Read more

Healthy Salted Caramel Apple Bars for #studentbloggers

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Thanks so much to everyone who has joined us for this #studentbloggers series. This is our final installment (for now, at least) as the school year revs into gear. See you guys on the other side, and don’t forget to check out all these incredibly TALENTED bloggers who have participated!

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(See our interviews from Week 1 and Week 2.)

QUESTION 1. Let’s be honest: how much time do you spend on schoolwork/research vs. the blog?

Ala: I treat school like a full-time job…and it is one! I still spend a good chunk of time every night blogging though … Read more

Lemon Curd Coffee Crumb Cake for #SundaySupper

By the way, this cake? Is BOMB. So don’t forget to bookmark and Pin it before you read on: just because I’m straying off-topic today (and I will be you’ll see), doesn’t mean this cake wasn’t devoured in about two seconds to the highest accolade. Did I mention it’s probably in my Top 5 Recipes for this year? 

My blog is my Pensieve, and you are all the unfortunate captive witnesses to my unfiltered thoughts. Muahahaha.

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Well I mean, not “captive,” really. It’s not like I can actually keep you here–unless you find my charm so overwhelmingly paralyzing that your … Read more

Lemon Raspberry Squares

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If you’re like me and spent your diaper days thinking you would grow up to be a Disney princess/character, you have probably long since experienced that moment when some well-meaning adult sat you down, looked you straight in your beaming bright baby eyes, and said one of the following:

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Speech A: “Kid, let’s face it. Ariel was the daughter who ran away from her tyrannical sea king of a father who forbade his entire kingdom to sleep when she went missing, and then she ended up marrying a guy she “knew” for 48 hours and having a kid who … Read more

LWOM: Berry Oat-fait in a Bowl

In today’s edition of Literary Wit and an Oven Mitt, we’re throwing aside the mitt and going bear paws all the way…and it is a beary, berry long way indeed to All the Way…

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“What’s a long way?” asked Pooh, who had been poking his nose into a jar of honey to see if there was anything left in it. He recalled that there had been, or at least there had been last Monday, before lunchtime, because his stomach had had that funny feeling in it that meant it was time for a small smackerel, and he had poked his … Read more