Diary of a Mad Hausfrau

If autumn had a signature cocktail, this Orange Brown Sugar Bourbon Cocktail would be wearing the crown. It practically begs for a crackling fireplace, a cozy sweater, and a comfortable chair. Bonus points if someone else handles Thanksgiving dinner cleanup.

This fabulous fall cocktail combines brown sugar-infused bourbon, freshly squeezed orange juice, brown sugar sim...

Some soups require hours of simmering, a laundry list of ingredients, and the patience of a saint. Not this one. Peanut Butter Butternut Squash Soup is easily the most ridiculously simple soup you can make this fall. And yet, somehow, it tastes like you put considerably more effort into it. We love a recipe that keeps our secrets.

The secret to this creamy, com...

Fall cooking is all about cozy flavors, gorgeous seasonal produce, and finding excuses to eat pastry for dinner. This Smoked Feta Acorn Squash Tart checks every box. It looks ridiculously impressive and requires considerably less effort than its fancy appearance suggests. In fact, there’s a little kitchen cheating involved. And I’m absolutely not sorry.

First, ...

If fall had a signature dessert, this Pear Hazelnut Spice Cake with Chocolate Ganache Glaze would be a serious contender. It’s cozy, fragrant, ridiculously pretty, and dressed up enough to make an appearance on even the fanciest Thanksgiving dessert table. Basically, this cake understands the assignment.

The cake starts with a brown sugar base. Then, I add a ge...

Lyon is the kind of city that refuses to fit neatly into one category. It is France’s gastronomic capital, where legendary bouchons, bustling food halls, pralines, chocolate, and serious culinary traditions make eating an attraction in itself. Yet there is plenty to digest beyond the dinner table. A look at Lyon’s Food, History & Resistance reveals Roman ruins exposing Ly...