Recipe Index: Vespa Woolf's Favorites

A 7-year-old girl in pigtails and a sweat-soaked sundress, I lingered in the shade of our old oak tree. Stains from the neighbor's cherry tree dotted our sidewalk and perfectly good fruit was going to waste. Too young to cook, I wondered what to do? And then I had an epiphany—I’d make cherry wine!

Of course, I'd never really tasted wine. But I could imagine the crimson liquid sparkling in my parents' glasses as they toasted my success. I'd sell my famous liquor to the neighbors and relatives. I'd be rich. I'd be the talk of the town.

Knowing nothing of sterilization, I chose containers of doubtful cleanness to bottle my concoction. I corked them and waited, shaking the bottles daily for several weeks. When my patience ran its course I tasted the cloudy, unappetizing liquid. Bitter and biting, it was cherry vinegar at the very best. I spat it on the ground, repulsed.

My journey with food had begun. I eagerly cooked for the family as soon as I was old enough to stir a pot. As a grown-up I started to work with food, cooking under some of the best chefs I know.

I am the kind of person who hangs out in the produce section, thumping and sniffing in search of the perfect mango or melon. My background in food eventually led to food writing. The rest is history.

We hope this index makes it easy for you to zero in on a recipe you'd like to duplicate in your own kitchen. You'll find plenty of photos and step-by-step instructions. Let’s start with my favorite—dessert!

Do you have a sweet tooth? Even if you indulge infrequently due to health concerns, there's always the time and place for a decadent dessert: a cake bake-off, perfect cupcakes for a baby shower or homemade chocolates for that special anniversary gift.

• Homemade Butter Caramels with Pink Sea Salt Recipe
• Dark Chocolate Bark with Caramelized Nuts & Pink Salt Recipe
• Chewy Blondies With Chocolate Chips & Salted Caramel
• Blackberry & Lemon Mini Bundt Cakes
• Moist Chocolate Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting & Cherry Ganache Filling Recipe
• Moist Chocolate Cupcakes With Buttercream Frosting
• Creamy Mango Cheesecake Recipe
• Vanilla Panna Cotta
• Exotic Wild Berry Sauce
• Frosted Sugar Cookies & Easy Decorating Tips
• Quick & Easy Mug Brownies
• Yellow Cupcakes With Chocolate Fudge Frosting
• Carrot Cake Frosting Recipes
• 20 Apple Recipes: What To Do With So Many Apples?
• How to Make Powdered Sugar

• High Altitude Chocolate Cake
• High Altitude Carrot Cake
• Apple Spice Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
• Gourmet Chocolate Chip Cookies at High Altitude
• Banana Rum Bundt Cake
• XXXtra Rummy Rum Cake

I scream, you scream~we all scream for ice cream! Nothing cools us off faster on a mid-summer's day. Try an old standby like ice cream sandwiches or something new and unique like horchata ice cream. Either way, your family will thank you.

• Horchata Ice Cream With Bananas & Salted Caramel Sauce
• Decadent Mocha Almond Sundaes
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Waffle Cones
• How to Make Fried Ice Cream with Sopapillas & Pear-Honey Sauce
• Fudgy Ice Cream Sandwich Recipe

Looking for Super Bowl appetizers? Or comfort food for that lazy Saturday afternoon? Sample these satisfying snacks.

• The Best Homemade Mexican Salsa Recipe
• Authentic Pico de Gallo (Fresh Salsa) Recipe
• Mexican Guacamole Recipe
• Smoky & Creamy Baba Ganoush
• Chewy Whole Grain Pita Bread Recipe
• Healthy Mexican Recipe: Easy Grilled Tostadas

From mole to guacamole, nothing satisfies like that south-of-the-border flavor. Learn to make homemade corn tortillas from dried corn and lime or throw together a quick batch of fresh salsa. The choice is yours!

• Sweet and Smoky Mexican Mole
• The Best Chili con Carne Recipe
• The Best Homemade Mexican Salsa Recipe
• Authentic Pico de Gallo (Fresh Salsa) Recipe
• The Best Mexican Guacamole Recipe
• Homemade Corn Tortillas from Dried Corn & Lime
• Healthy Mexican Recipe: Easy Grilled Tostadas
  
• Smoky Steak Fajitas

Are you craving Asian take-out or a plate overflowing wth homemade spaghetti? You'll find an assortment of main dishes for special occasions and everyday dining.

• Savory Oven-Baked Pot Roast Recipe
• Osso Buco: The Elegant Alternative to Pot Roast
• Easy Cheesy Calzone Recipe
• Best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe Made With Fresh or Canned Tomatoes
• Fresh Basil Pesto: Peruvian & American Pesto Recipes
• Fluffy Gluten-Free Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
• Spicy Szechuan Dan Dan Noodles Recipe
• Succulent Oven-Baked BBQ Ribs
• XXX Gourmet Macaroni and Cheese
• Easy Chicken Salad

Whether you choose comforting tomato soup or exotic mulligatawny, these soups will warm you up and fill your belly on frigid winter nights.

• Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
• Sultry Mulligatawny or Spicy Lentil Soup
• Thick & Creamy Tomato Soup From Fresh or Canned Tomatoes

Nothing complements your main course like a tasty side dish. Try a pile of Crispy Homemade Fries, some healthy Tabouli salad or a bowl of Creamy Mashed Potatoes.

• Three Italian Side Dishes: Meatballs, Chicken Cacciatore & Eggplant Parmesan
• How to Make Crispy Homemade French Fries
• How to Fry Sweet Potato Fries
• Tabouli, the Gluten-Free Super Salad
• Smoky & Creamy Baba Ganoush
• XXX Gourmet Macaroni and Cheese
• 10 Easy Steps for the Creamiest Mashed Potatoes
• Authentic Peruvian Aji Sauce Recipe
• Top BBQ Sauces: 5 Recipes by Region

Learn about the artisanal pleasure of kneading dough. Your mouth will water as the fragrance of baking bread fills your home. Throw together a quick batch of blueberry-lemon scones for the gang at work.

• How to Make Perfect Homemade English Muffins
• Overnight Egg Bagels with Blueberry Cream Cheese
• Chewy Whole Grain Pita Bread Recipe
• Nutty Whole Grain Naan Bread
• Heavenly Blueberry-Lemon Scones

Are you looking for the perfect pancake for Sunday brunch? Or a healthy breakfast like Swiss Muesli or Granola for the work week? Either way, you'll find it here. Check out my German grandfather's special recipe for Cinnamon Buns.

• Cracker Barrel-Style Pancakes
• Easy Recipe for Moist Banana Bread
• How to Make Perfect Homemade English Muffins
• Soft & Gooey Maple-Oat Cinnamon Buns
• Deluxe Cinnamon Toast
• Mini Bacon & Spinach Breakfast Soufflés
• Overnight Egg Bagels with Blueberry Cream Cheese
• Bircher Swiss Muesli
• Quick & Easy Applesauce
• Quick & Easy Breakfast Panini
• Heavenly Blueberry-Lemon Scones
• Quick & Easy Granola (lemonkerdz)
• How to Make Smoothies Without Yogurt
• Best Homemade Protein Shake Recipe
• Quick & Easy Breakfast Parfaits
• Italian Potato Frittata
• How to Make Homemade Yogurt
• Four Oatmeal Recipes for Breakfast

What's the secret to the best limeade? Can you drink fresh milk? Read these articles to learn the answers.

• How to Make Perfect Limeade
• Tangy Mango Lemonade
• Pasteurizing Milk at Home: The Quick & Easy Way (lemonkerdz)
• Chicha Morada: Peruvian Purple Corn Drink That Fights Inflammation
• Frothy Pisco Sour Recipe
• How Do You Make the Best Margaritas?
• How to Make a Latte or Cappuccino

So you want to overhaul Grandma's salmon croquet recipe but aren't sure how? Do you have a hankering for Asian-Mexican fusion cuisine but don't have a clue where to start? Learn how to create your own recipes in the following series of articles.

• Copyright a Recipe? How to Properly Attribute Recipes
• Get Inspired to Create Your Own Recipes
• How to Create Your Own Recipes
• How to Choose Healthy & Tasty Cooking Oils
• 15 Ways to Prevent Food Poisoning
• Andean Pink Salt of the Sacred Valley
• Purple Corn or Maiz Morado: Health Benefits
• Sacha Inchi: Source of Vegetarian Omega 3's and More
• How to Lose Belly Fat, Thigh Fat, Hip Fat
• How to Lose Belly Fat- Test for Dr. Abravanel's Body Type Diet
• Weight Loss Plan For Men--Dr. Abravanel's Body Type Diet
• Dr. Abravanel's Weight Loss Plan: Thyroid Body Types
• Body Types Diet-Adrenal Body Types
• Body Types Diet-Gonadal Body Type
• Body Types Diet-Pituitary Body Type
• How to Cope With Anxiety Through Diet
• What´s So Great About Hemp Oil? 4 Reasons to Try Hemp Oil

If you're planning a trip to Peru then you've come to the right place! Learn where to dine in Cusco and Machu Picchu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

• Best Upscale Dining in Cusco: Review of Cicciolina Restaurant
• Restaurant Review: Try Granja Heidi in Cusco, Peru for lunch
• Restaurants in Cusco: The Best Bakeries (lemonkerdz)
• Best Restaurant near Machu Picchu: Review of the Indio Feliz Restaurant

• Why I Joined HubPages, Writing Online and a Big Thank You to My Fellow Hubbers