Can we turn the clock back a few months to the beginning of cherry season and pretend that I haven’t been hiding this perfectly good brunch recipe from you all summer?  Ok, thanks.  People, I know the calendar says September but, in a very grown-up fashion,  I’m refusing to acknowledge that this summer is rapidly coming to an end.  It’s over 90 degrees in New York.  The beaches are packed.  And, thanks to that whole “being a responsible adult” thing, I haven’t had a chance to wear my new swimsuit even once.  So, no, summer I hereby declare that you are not over yet and this bright, summery cornbread proves it.

This cherry cornbread is a perfect way to make use of those last remaining fresh cherries haunting the markets.  The mild sweetness of the cornbread pairs with the sweet, tangy cherries in a flavorful twist on a classic.  Perfect for a summer brunch, this cornbread is widly moist from the cherries and made with healthy whole wheat flour.  Consider your summer plans extended.

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It’s a tragedy that I’ve been sitting on this recipe since the beginning of apple season (oh, let’s say September) and it’s now full-fledged winter around these parts.  Fortunately, I’m happy to report that despite my belief that the fall is strictly the best season for apples (which it really is), I’ve been informed that apples are truly a season-less fruit thanks to international shipping and year-round growing seasons!  (Shhh! Don’t tell the local eaters about my apples from New Zealand!)  That slightly lessens my guilt over not sharing this recipe sooner.  Carbon footprint guilt?  Well, that’s another story.

With a yogurt base, these apple muffins are moist, tender and spotted with diced apples that truly melt in your mouth.  Topped with toasted walnuts, spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, these make a delicious quick breakfast or afternoon snack.  Made with whole wheat flour, low-fat yogurt and olive oil, these muffins land much closer to the Good-For-You side of the scale rather than the Just-Kill-Yourself-Now prepackaged muffins from most chain coffee shops.  Healthy-ish and delicious?  Ok, sign me up.

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The air is getting crisp and chilled, football is everywhere and good television shows have returned to prime time …. this can only mean one thing … Welcome Back Fall!!  Something about the fall season begs for all things spicy, apple-related and pumpkin-flavored.  The days are perfect for chili, tailgating, and stick to your ribs soups.

I know that I’ve been on a bit of a scone kick lately, but the change in temperature makes me want to curl up with a hot cup of tea and a homemade scone.  Unlike the almond scones which were only mildly sweet, these pumpkin scones are for those people who prefer a sweeter, more dessert-like scone.  They are tender, moist and studded with toasted pecans.  Topped with crunchy sugar they have a nice sweetness and a tangy spiced pumpkin flavor.  These pumpkin scones are a perfect way to welcome the new season.

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I may be the only person who doesn’t like the sugar-crusted, cake-like, sugar bombs that coffeehouses are regularly passing off as scones.  They generally taste like overly sweet bricks.  Hard, bland and more appropriate for breaking windows than eating for breakfast.  Once I discovered that this is not the true incarnation of a scone, I was more willing to give them a try.  A proper scone is light, moist yet crumbly and only mildly sweet.  That’s my kind of scone.

These almond scones perfectly fit the bill.  With only two tablespoons of sugar in a full dozen scones, these only have a hint of sweetness.  Toasted almonds permeate the dough and when served fresh from the oven they are moist, flaky and a perfect accompaniment to a morning cup of coffee or tea.  Feel free to slather them with butter or lemon curd. We won’t judge you.

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The most challenging aspect of assembling a mini-burger is the bun.  Everything else can just be cut down to size.  Make your patties smaller.  Cut your cheese in smaller slices.  Trim your lettuce and tomatoes.  But what to do for a bun?  Cutting a regular-sized bun into quarters would just look silly.  Dinner rolls might work but they would still be a bit too big.  Well, I suppose there is no excuse like adorable mini-burgers to get you making your own hamburger buns!

I adapted a recipe for whole wheat hamburger buns to make perfectly sized mini-buns.  These little buns were perfect for mini versions of my favorite turkey burger and mini-cheeseburgers.  The buns have a strong nutty flavor from the whole wheat and while the crust became crisp the inside remained moist and dense.  At last, mini-burger perfection can be obtained!

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I may be the only person who buys bananas with the intention of letting them turn brown and squishy.  To me, a banana is nothing more than the jumping off point for moist, nutty loaves of banana bread.  Heaping piles of banana muffins.  Sweet roasted banana cakes.  This whole wheat banana muffin is a portable, travel-sized companion that packs all the punch of it’s larger banana bread alter-ego.

Whole wheat flour works perfectly with banana breads and muffins.  It basically acts like a shot in the arm to the already nutty flavor.  This recipe is especially moist thanks to the use of yogurt in the place of milk.  The toasted walnuts create a sweet level of depth to this unbelievably simple recipe.  These muffins are so easy to make that you’ll probably end up trying to speed up the ripening process so that your bananas go bad faster (Hint: Put them in a paper bag with an apple. Does the trick every time.).

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This time of year, the beginning of summer, is usually known as the Era of Competing Interests.  Interest #1: The loads of sweet summery desserts that are practically mandatory for the plethora of upcoming BBQs, picnics, and outdoor parties.  Interest #2: The ability to wear a new bathing suit/tiny summer dress to said BBQ, picnic or party.  These two interests rarely get along and are the cause of many internal battles concerning the exact calorie count in a 1-inch brownie versus the actual calories burned on the elliptical machine.  The mounds of fresh fruit appearing at the grocery stores and farmer’s markets have been known to inject in this debate an intense desires to make berry pies, cobblers and all things representing sticky sweet, summery goodness.

I don’t want to alarm you, but I may have found a solution to this annual occurrence.  How does a sweet, cakey cookie packed with fresh blueberries, lemon zest and toasted almonds sound?  Pretty darn good.  Ok, let’s make this official … Do you, Antioxidant-Packed Blueberry, take you, Fiber-Filled Almond, to be your partner in cookie making magic for summers to come?  They do!!  And now, I introduce you to the results of a marriage made in cookie heaven.

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