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I normally make two cakes with this much batter but you can make one as the recipe suggests. However, it is better to divide the batter and make two smaller cakes and use double the amount of pears which is really outstanding. You must make this recipe even if you are not a fan of pear, you will be after making this cake.

Ginger Pear Upside-Down Cake
Adapted from Leslie Mackie’s Macrina Bakery & Café Cookbook

For the topping:
3 Tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup light brown sugar
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
4-5 medium to large ripe pears, peeled, cored, and quartered lengthwise
For the batter:
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 Tbs peeled, grated ginger
3 large eggs
2/3 cup molasses
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil a (2) 9-inch springform pan(s), and line the bottom with a 10-inch circle of parchment paper.
Double the topping to make two cakes:
To make the topping, combine 3 Tbs butter, ½ cup brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Melt the butter over medium heat for about 1 minute; then pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan, completely coating the parchment paper. Place the quartered pears on top of the butter-sugar mixture, lining the pieces up tightly in a decorative circle so that none of the bottom shows through.

To make the batter, cut 2 sticks of butter into 1-inch pieces, and put them in a large mixing bowl. Add ¾ cup brown sugar, and cream the mixture on medium speed for 3-5 minutes, until it is smooth and a pale tan color. Add the grated ginger, and beat 1 minute more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low speed and making sure that each egg is fully incorporated before adding another. When all the eggs have been added, slowly pour in the molasses and beat to fully mix. The mixture will look as though it is “breaking” or curdling, but don’t worry—it will come together when the dry ingredients are added.

In a separate medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to fully combine.

Alternately add small amounts of flour and buttermilk to the batter, stirring and folding with a rubber spatula until the dry ingredients are just absorbed. Do not overmix the batter. Pour and scrape the batter into the pear-lined pan, smoothing the top with a rubber surface. The pan will be nearly full.

Carefully transfer the pan to the center rack of the oven, and bake for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the cake’s center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cover the pan with an upside-down serving plate; then carefully invert them together. Release the sides of the pan, and lift it away. Gently lift the pan’s base off the cake, and peel away the parchment paper. Allow the cake to cool for a half hour or so, and serve warm, with whipped cream.

Yield: One big cake, likely serving 10-12 people
or 2 small ones, Enjoy!

I am not even italian but people love my marinara sauce. I use it for everything, too.
Here is the recipe:
1/4 cup olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 28 oz. can of crushed or whole tomatoes (crush them by hand)
5-8 basil leaves, fine chiffonade depending on the size of the leaves
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup parmesan reggiano
salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste

In a medium size sauce pan, heat olive oil, add finely chopped onion and garlic, stirring until translucant. Add the tomatoes, all the other ingredients except cheese and cook covered on a gentle heat for 30-40 minutes or until slightly thicker. Add the parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and serve over pasta, meatballs or use it as pizza sauce.

Box Brownies: Ghiradelli, without a doubt
Homemade: I use Schraffenberger recipe with a little tweaking:

1 1/2 sticks, unsalted butter, made clarified
2 3.5 oz bars of valrohna chocolate bars (70% dark and 45% milk chocolate bars)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp instant coffee (or espresso)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder or flour
3 eggs
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup toasted walnuts or 1 bar chocolate in chunks, optional

Heat oven to 350 F.
In a sauce pan melt butter and clarify it. Transfer butter to a glass bowl and melt chocolate with butter in a double boiler over simmering water.

Stir sugar into chocolate until blended. Add eggs, espresso powder and vanilla and whisk until it falls in ribbons. Sift in flour, gently fold and stir nuts or chocolate chunks, if using. Spread into a buttered 13" x 9" baking pan. Sprinkle salt on top. Preapare a water bath and gently place the batter dish in it.
Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes up with crumbs (not batter). Cool in pan.
These brownies are unbelieveably lush and gooey.
*Skip water bath if you like solid bownies.
Enjoy!

use it with caution!!!! only a pinch is more than enough.

I like everything sweet but if I have to pick one or two then, it's a yellow cake with fresh berries and real whipped cream frosting or my chocolate chip cookies.

nothing but soda bread!!!

sorry, fenugreek seeds are not interchangable for kasurimethi leaves. They are entirely different texture and flavor. I would not use celery leaves, instead leave out the kasurimethi, all together. Fenugreek seends are delicious in fish curry dishes.

I make this chicken dish called Achari Chicken (pickle spice Chicken)
1 tsp each: fenugreek, coriander, cumin, caraway, black peppercorns, black mustard, nigella seeds, 2-3 dried chile peppers. In 2 tbsp of oil, fry all these spices together until fragrant, add 3-4 curry leaves. set aside.
1 chicken (8-12 pieces)
1/2 cup canola oil, divided
2 big cloves of garlic and a piece of ginger, minced
1 tsp each ground cumin, coriander, tumeric, salt, 1/2 tsp cayenne
3-4 large tomatoes or 1 can of crushed tomatoes

Put the remaining oil in the pot large enough, add the chicken and cook until it gets a little color, make sure it doesn't steam but fries. Now add, a medium size piece of cinnamon, 3-4 cloves, 1 black cardamom. Cook until the chicken looks nice and golden brown and oil starts to seperate. Add the ginger, garlic and tomatoes along with dry spices. stir to combine. cover and cook until the liquid is reduced to about half. Add the whole spices that you set aside earlier and cook until very little liquid remains and oil seperates and the chicken is cooked thoroughly. If you want, thin out the sauce by adding a little water. Serve with rice.

Once I brought a plate of food, mixed beans, wild rice and peppers salad, baba ghonoush with pita chips and a slice of almond-apricot bundt cake for one of my patients who happens to be a very picky eater. She took a bite of each and asked me to come closer. I kind of freaked out until she hugged me and wiping her tears she said, you have no idea how you've made my day.

Swedish Bakery in Andersonville, Chicago, IL. They make the best fresh fruit and real whipped cream cake in the whole wide world.

Gelato, gelato and more gelato. My favorite kinds were Pistachio, Salted Caramel and espresso hazelnut gelato.

How about some rice pudding (Kheer)? Super simple and affordable plus you don't have to stand at the stove forever.

1 half gallon milk
1/2 cup long grain rice, soaked in luke warn water for 30-45 minutes.
1 1/2 cups sugar
3-4 cardamom pods
1/2 slivered almonds, pistachios
1/2 tsp rose water (optional)
a few threads of Saffron (optional)

Boil milk over medium heat, once it comes to a bubble turn the heat down and simmer for almost two hours, reducing the milk. Add cardamom.
drain the soaking rice, slightly crush them with a wooden spoon. add to the milk and cook until the rice is throughtly cooked and integrated into the milk. Stir frequently to avoid burning. Add the slivered almonds, add sugar and bring it to another bubble. Taste test. Turn off the heat. Add rose water and saffron, if using. Pour into serving dishes and sprinkle more slivered almonds. Cool to room temp, then refrigerate.

I don't have a desk job since I work in a hospital setting. So, I keep snacks that won't spoil and can be eaten anytime and anywhere such as coffee-coated almonds, nuts, whole grain crackers, dry cereal, sugar-free granola, dried fruits, freeze-dried berries, string cheese, etc.