I love to cook. I love to bake. And inventing new recipes (especially when they're recipes for friends or family members with special dietary needs) is one of my favorite stress-relievers! I especially love it when someone challenges me to create a recipe using unexpected ingredients--And I have a standing promise to all of my friends that if they send me a letter to tell me about a minor miracle they've witnessed in their daily life, I will create any kind of cookie they request in return.

I don't always remember to write down the new recipes I invent, but I'm trying to get better about doing that, so I can share them when people ask. Here are some of our favorites. Most of the posts include the stories behind the recipes too: who I made it for, and why.

As you almost assuredly know, I also love books and reading. Especially KidLit (books written for children, from picture books to young adult novels). I used to sometimes create special recipes to celebrate my friends' books when they were published, and some of those recipes are shared here. Recently, I've been diving back into creating delicious dessert recipes for the books I love and sharing them with the hashtag #KidLitConfections on #KidLitChat (Tuesdays at 9pm on the Bluesky app) and on the new #KidLitConfections page of my website, where you can sort recipes by category or dietary needs, just like on this page, or by the age category (picture book, middle grade, or young adult) and the title of the book that pairs with the recipe.

Coming soon: I sometimes (though admittedly rarely) read books written and intended for grown-ups. Every once in a while, I think of the perfect recipes to pair with these books as well. After all, book club folks deserve treats too! I am working on putting together a collection of recipes for some of these grown-up books to go along with my #KidLitConfections.