Olivia Hartwell

A Cake with a Little Secret My grandson calls this my sunshine cake. It is bright and happy, just like a summer day. The secret is the cream cheese. It makes the cake so soft and rich. I still laugh at that. The first time I made it, he ate three in one sitting.…

A Little Story to Start My grandson Sam calls these our magic trick cookies. He loves candy bars so much. One rainy day, we decided to make our own. His eyes got so wide when we took the first bite. He said, Grandma, its like a Twix grew up in our kitchen! I still…

A Drink for Christmas Morning I love the buzz of Christmas morning. Everyone is so excited. A special drink makes it feel even more magical. This punch is a tradition in my house. The red color is so cheerful. It just feels like a celebration in a glass. My Little Secret for the Best…

A Sweet Treat from My Kitchen I love having a little something sweet waiting in my freezer. These frozen bites are my new favorite. They are cool, creamy, and just a little bit chocolatey. My grandson calls them his “secret power snacks.” I still laugh at that. They are perfect for a hot afternoon…

A Little Story About Tomatoes My grandson once asked why we roast tomatoes. I told him it’s like magic. The heat makes them sweet and soft. They burst open with so much flavor. I still laugh at that. His eyes got so wide when he saw them collapse. It’s a simple joy, watching food…

The Best Kind of Kitchen Magic There is something magical about a crockpot. You put everything in it in the morning. Then you just walk away. I still laugh at that. When you come back, your whole house smells amazing. A warm, tasty soup is waiting for you. It feels like a cozy hug…

A Special Dinner for My Grandson My grandson Leo loves the sea. He always asks for a fancy dinner for his birthday. So I learned to make this lobster risotto just for him. His face lights up every time I bring it to the table. It makes all the stirring so worth it. Do…

My Favorite Kitchen Helper I love my old crockpot. It does the hard work for me. I just add everything in the morning. By dinner time, the whole house smells wonderful. It makes the beef so tender you can cut it with a fork. I still laugh at that. My first stew meat was…

A Sweet Start to the Day I love the smell of cinnamon in the morning. It makes the whole house feel cozy. These muffins give you that warm cinnamon roll taste. But they are much faster to make. You get all the gooey, sweet swirls. And you don’t have to wait for dough to…

My Granddaughter’s Favorite Breakfast My granddaughter, Lily, calls these our “hug in a pancake.” She loves them so much. I still laugh at that. She once tried to use a green banana. It did not work well at all. Ripe bananas are the secret. They are sweeter and mash easily. This matters because it…