It's a royal bummer when your bananas go over-ripe. They're brown and squishy and no longer suitable for regular consumption. Freeze them and use them for bread. more ›

Classic chocolate chip cookies are a year-round favorite, but here’s a fun way to give them a citrusy, wintery kick: add orange zest and walnuts. more ›

Now you don't have to wait for the Girl Scouts. Make the insanely popular cookies any time of the year, whenever you want. more ›

If you need some last-minute treats for your sweetheart (or for yourself, let's be honest) try these two decadent chocolate recipes. more ›

The firing is a loss for Chicago bread lovers, and may signal a rocky future for the River North gourmet store. more ›

Here are some new recipes to inspire your baking, courtesy of Lottie + Doof. more ›

It's that time of year again - pumpkin time! If you aren't a fan of pumpkin pie, try these tasty and entertaining bars! Because everything is better in bar form. more ›

Entertaining doesn't get much easier than our banana and chocolate puff pastries with a crispy brown sugar topping. Frozen puff pastry is a great go-to when you don't have time to monkey around with making your own dough. Also, we know that you are just as lazy as we are, so shortcuts are welcome when there's other fun stuff to do. These single-serving sized pastries are perfect for making a quick breakfast or brunch for guests - pick up some naners and chocolate chips and make some yourself this week. more ›

Last week we reminded you to take advantage of the season's abundances, and this week we''ll do the same. Stone fruits are a fleeting summer treat, and right now peaches from Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and even Illinois are popping up at farmers markets and grocery stores. Pair those peaches with some Chicago honey and crunchy granola and you've got yourself a real summertime treat. more ›

Baked goods are the downfall of many a healthy eater. There are few things as deliciously decadent as freshly baked cookies and cakes. Sadly, they are not often the healthiest of choices. Baked goods tend to be high in sugar, processed carbs, trans-fats, and even preservatives. Of course, this does not have to be the case. Thanks to the culinary artistry of the folks at B True Bakery, pastry lovers can now be true to themselves. more ›

It doesn't seem like restaurant news is going to be a very high priority today. Our general advice? Assume everything except Starbucks is closed until you call and confirm - as of this morning, there are so many closing notes in our inbox and on twitter that we can't keep updating. But all is not lost! Let's say you are stuck at home and looking for a project to keep you busy and keep the house warm. You could make an edible football stadium, but that doesn't use the oven. Or, you could make girl scout cookies. While we love buying girl scout cookies, what do you do during the other 11 months of the year? You could go survivalist and stockpile them, but in case you don't have a pantry, the Seattle Weekly has broken the code for you. more ›

It will hardly shock you that my holiday traditions to share with the readers of Chicagoist are about… you guessed it… food. And alcohol. Lord, the alcohol. But to me, and many of you out there, the holidays are just that: people you simultaneously love and can’t stand, in one room, eating and drinking until someone can’t take it anymore and bursts into flames. Or until the wine is gone. Same difference. more ›

Joanne Chang, the owner of Boston's Flour Bakery and Cafe and the author of Flour, has been writing an excellent series for the Atlantic on baking and pastry. Her theme will speak to many of the home cooks among us - don't be afraid of pastry! I need to read these articles because (gulp) I am a little bit afraid of pastry. When I'm around other home cooking geniuses, I often feel like I am at an AA meeting; "Hello, my name is Anthony, and I'm terrified of baking." I can whip up some mean Toll House cookies, and I actually make a pretty amazing shortbread. But anything beyond cookies and i start to break out in fear-induced hives. Despite my many articles on pastry cooks and my general proficiency at savory cooking, put a bag of flour in my hand and I start quaking in my boots. more ›

Much like the Rambutan, the Buddha's Hand looks at first glance like some sort of alien life form. Less like an egg and more like a creature, we thought it could possibly be a fruit version of the facehugger from Alien. As such, we were sure to securely wrap it in a shopping bag and carry it at arms length, lest it try to impregnate us with its lemon-y goodness. more ›

Anytime an event is held every few years instead of annually, it takes on some added importance (we're thinking, for example, presidential elections, the Olympics and the World Cup). In the culinary world, this event is the Coupe De Monde De Boulangerie, a bread-baking contest that takes place every three years in Paris. This year, it's part of the Europain exhibition, held March 29–April 2. more ›