There is no reason why foods like pancakes and waffles should be saved for Sunday brunch, especially when they look as delicious as the Banana-Oatmeal Hot Cakes that Joe, at Culinary in the Desert, made recently. The pancakes are hearty, and include cooked oatmeal, which gives them a satisfying denseness that will fill you up at least until lunchtime. The best part about this breakfast was probably the spiced maple syrup that was served to top the cakes. It was made by steeping cinnamon and whole cloves in pure, buttery maple syrup, which was poured (while still warm) over the fresh stack of pancakes. Who wouldn't want to start their morning that way? The only way that these pancakes could look better is if they were sitting in front of me right now.

I have to confess that I don't really care for fish tacos, but I imagine that if I could taste these that they would change my mind. Joe, at Culinary in the Desert, whipped up a batch of these very colorful Fish Tacos based on a recipe from Cooking Light magazine and if they taste even half as good as they look, they're probably outstanding. They use cod, fresh tomatoes, green onions, lime and cilantro, along with a little chili powder for some heat. The cod is cooked quickly in a skillet, so this sounds like it would work well as a summer dinner when you don't want to heat up the kitchen too much. Check out the recipe if you're interested in making them at home!

Yesterday's New York Times food section was all about cocktails and ways to make refreshing summer drinks. It put me in the mood for something cold and refreshing, but since I read the food section before breakfast and most of the recipes were alcoholic, the urge had passed long before the heat of the day was beating down. It returned when I saw Joe's post about Watermelon Agua Fresca at Culinary in the Desert. It has watermelon, sugar, lime juice and seltzer and is something that I can actually indulge in early in the morning as well as when the California sun is beating down. Now, if only I hadn't just used up the rest of my watermelon...

Easter is just about my favorite holiday. I know this is the holiest week out of the Catholic year and that I should be reflecting and doing some serious soul searching, but in all honesty I'm thinking about food and decorations. I can't help it. I am giddy with Easter fever. So imagine my delight when I recently ran across a recipe for Easter Biscotti that uses jelly beans. What a beautiful union of colors to dip in my caffeine.

I found it on a site devoted almost entirely to recipes and food experimentation. The author, Joe, has had a lifelong love of food exploration and has created Culinary in the Desert to his wanderings and discoveries. Joe mentions that he had to somewhat modify his typical biscotti recipe to accommodate the jelly beans. He used butter, which made the recipe somewhat more sticky than usual, but by wetting his hands he was able to easily shape the loaf. He also states that the loaf must cool somewhat after baking so that the jelly beans can harden to prevent any sticking when cutting the bicottie pieces. I very much appreciate his tips about the stickiness because the sticky factor is what typically prevents my forays into cooking and baking endeavors. Biscotti is one of the few recipes I have successfully created in my kitchen so I am definitely going to give this one a try.

Sometimes the simplest things are the best and these amazing looking treats from Culinary in the Desert certainly fit the bill of being both simple and delicious. Oreo Truffle Balls have, at their center, a combination of Oreo cookies and cream cheese. The truffle centers are coated in white chocolate, which perfectly compliments the cookie filling. Making truffles in this manner is unique and much easier than doing a more traditional truffle, because the ganache centers - melted chocolate and cream - take more effort and practice than using a food processor. It goes without saying that any treat based on Oreos, a cookie that comes in over 12 varieties with at least another half dozen Oreo-based products, will be a huge hit with anyone lucky enough to sample one.

There are many elements of Joe's photograph that make his Coffee Cupcakes with Espresso Syrup an excellent example of food porn. The wintry backdrop with its illustration of falling snow perfect pairs with the dusting of confectioners sugar that he used to top the cakes, making it look as though they really are snow-covered! He expertly captured the melting center of the cupcake, created by placing a large, chocolate-covered espresso bean in the center of the batter right before baking. Of course, you can never really go too far wrong with the combination of coffee and chocolate, so the taste of the cakes is sure to equal their visual appeal.

[photo: Culinary in the Desert]

I have been wondering how well silicone muffin cups work since they first appeared on the market. Designed as a reusable alternative to paper muffin/baking cups, their main advantage is that no muffin or cupcake crumbs will stick to them, so not a single delicious morsel of your favorite baked good will be lost. Not only did I doubt this claim, I found it to be ridiculous. Who cares if a small bit of cake is stuck on your wrapper? Better yet, why don't you simply grease the pan and put your batter directly into the muffin tin?

My friend Joe, at Culinary in the Desert, tested out his set of silicone muffin cups this week. As you can see from the photo above of his Whole Grain Raisin Muffin, they turned out very well. The muffins held their shape and popped easily out of the silicone liners. Joe liked them enough to order a second set, and while I'm glad to know that they work, I still don't see the need to use them. I also find the little ridges on the muffin a bit disconcerting; it's just not natural.

Angel food cakes are considered by some to be diet food. They are, after all, fat free. On the other hand, they're loaded with sugar, which keeps the cakes moist and fluffy after baking. Sugar and fat always seem to be a tradeoff when it comes to "healthier" desserts, and I , for one, will take the sugar every time.

A good angel food cake should be moist, not overly sweet and very tender, not to mention that it must have a good flavor. Culinary in the Desert's Mocha Angel Food Cake has all these properties,  in addition to being a beautiful chocolate color and having both cocoa and coffee in the cake.

 If you're looking for something lighter than the usual holiday fare, Culinary in the Desert's Peppermint Kisses are sure to spark your fancy. These lighter-than-air meringues have a peppermint twist to their taste and a great holiday look. By piping the meringues onto the baking sheet and decorating them with festive sprinkles and multi-colored dragées, Joe dressed up these relatively plain treats into something worthy of Santa himself. Personally, I'm still a bit jealous that he is able to find the elusive dragées - and multi-colored ones, no less -  because they look like the perfect way to top off a kiss.