Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day! Luckily, my husband is a pro at breakfast-making. Fluffy buttermilk pancakes, crisp, golden waffles, savory scrambled eggs, hearty biscuits and gravy–you name it, he can make it. One of my favorite things that he makes for us is crepes! Crepes filled with apples and cinnamon and butter, crepes filled with lemon and powdered sugar, crepes filled with homemade berry jam. And the creme de la creme of crepes, at least at our house, crepes filled with Nutella, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream. They’re really easy to make, but they seem so fancy and indulgent, and are so delicious! They make even regular weekend breakfasts an event to remember!

The font I chose to go with our fancy French crepes is called Little Lord Fontleroy, and the moment I saw it, I knew it was the perfect French-inspired font for this month’s post. It’s just beautiful!

Crepes with Nutella & Strawberries inspired by Little Lord Fontleroy

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 Tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
a splash of vanilla
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar
nutella
strawberries
whipped cream
powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, oil, salt, and vanilla. Add flour and cinnamon sugar and whisk until smooth. Spray a crepe pan or large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto the center of the pan and gently swirl the pan to spread the batter out into a thin circle. Allow to cook until golden on the bottom. Using a large spatula, turn the crepe over and continue to cook until golden on both sides. Stack finished crepes on a large plate until ready to serve. Fill crepes with Nutella, strawberries, and whipped cream before serving, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes about 12 crepes.

About the author: Melissa writes about her adventures in food, family, and farming at Lulu the Baker. She develops recipes, cooks, and photographs for The Font Feast column.

It seems like eating better is at the top of everyone’s New Year’s resolution list, and really, it’s no wonder. I think a brand new year inspires us to find our best selves, and after the treats and sweets and snacks of the holidays, everybody is ready for fresh, healthy foods. I’ve been having smoothies for breakfast every single day (okay, fine, except Saturdays and Sundays) since January 1st, and I’m really liking this change! It gets me eating breakfast, which we all know is the most important meal of the day, and gives me the chance to load up on fruits and veggies and superfoods and vitamins, and all that good-for-you stuff. We’ve done a little experimenting here and there over the past two weeks, and this Kale Berry Smoothie is my favorite smoothie creation to date. It’s packed with goodness (Kale, people!), and is sweet and delicious.

I have to admit that I chose a little bit of a tongue-in-cheek font to go with these smoothies: Raleway. You probably don’t get the connection yet, so let me explain. Raleway is a great all-purpose font, smooth and sleek, and it comes in lots of weights, ranging from Heavy to Thin. See?? It goes perfectly with healthy smoothies and New Year’s resolutions!

Kale Berry Smoothies inspired by Raleway Thin

1 banana
1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon coconut oil
kale (I use 3 big black kale or dinosaur kale leaves.)
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup strawberries
100% apple juice (I start with a generous splash and work up from there.)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Stir as necessary. You will still see blackberry and raspberry seeds, but you shouldn’t have any visible green bits.

P.S. Ciera was over on Lulu the Baker last week sharing what it’s like in her kitchen, check it out!

About the author: Melissa writes about her adventures in food, family, and farming at Lulu the Baker. She develops recipes, cooks, and photographs for The Font Feast column.

I’ve never been particularly high-brow about my hot chocolate. Give me a box of Swiss Miss and a pot of boiling water and I’m good to go. I could drink cheap cocoa all winter long and be perfectly content. My husband, on the other hand, is a bit of a hot chocolate snob. When we were first married, he bought himself a little cookbook full of really legit, high-class hot chocolate recipes from all over the world; he loves to make “real hot chocolate” and turns his nose up at most hot cocoas. So it came as a shock to me when I made him cocoa the other night using a favorite recipe from my childhood and he said, “I love this hot chocolate!” My Nana used to make us this cocoa mix when I was little, and we’d keep it in an absolutely massive jar with a Santa face painted on the side. It makes me happy that this bit of my childhood has passed the cocoa test in our house with flying colors and gotten two enthusiastic thumbs up from everyone, even the cocoa snob!

I paired this Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix with a fun, retro font, Remachine Script. It reminds me of a Christmas party from the swinging’ 60’s, complete with ugly sweaters, turtlenecks, and cocoa!

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix inspired by Remachine Script

32 oz Nesquik
1 lb powdered sugar
16 oz powdered coffee creamer
25 oz powdered milk
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa

Combine all ingredients in a really enormous bowl (or the largest soup pot you have) and stir until well combined. Store in an airtight container. To make hot cocoa, combine 1/2 cup hot cocoa mix with 1 cup boiling water. Stir, and top with whipped cream, mini marshmallows, or crushed candy canes!

About the author: Melissa writes about her adventures in food, family, and farming at Lulu the Baker. She develops recipes, cooks, and photographs for The Font Feast column.

My family is really big on food traditions. We always have the same thing for dinner on St. Patty’s Day. We always have the same thing for breakfast on Christmas. And the Thanksgiving menu never changes. Without fail, we have mashed potatoes and gravy with our turkey, and they’re always delicious. BUT. These Gratin Dauphinois, which are really just scalloped potatoes with a fancy French name, are pretty irresistible, and would make an amazing addition to any Turkey Day menu. They’re actually a long-time family favorite, filled with butter and cheese and hints of garlic. If only I could talk my family into a potato upgrade…

For potatoes with such a fancy name, I needed a font with lots of oomph, and Baker Script is a perfect fit: rustic yet elegant, lovely and legible.

Gratin Dauphinois inspired by Baker Script

1 1/2 cups milk
3 lbs waxy potatoes, unpeeled (I like Yukon Gold or Klondike Red)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 heaping cups shredded cheese (whatever kind you want)

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium-low heat. While waiting for the milk to simmer, thinly slice the potatoes. We’re talking THIN slices, like 1/8″ thick. I use a mandolin for this and it’s a breeze. If you don’t have a mandolin, just slice them with a sharp kitchen knife. Lightly spray a 9×13″ pan with nonstick cooking spray. Scatter half of the potatoes evenly over the bottom of the pan. Drizzle half of the melted butter over the top (2 Tablespoons), and sprinkle on half of the salt, half of the pepper, and half of the garlic powder. Top with 1 heaping cup of shredded cheese. Repeat layers. When the milk has come to a simmer, pour it evenly over the top of the cheese layer. Bake for 40 minutes, or until deeply golden and bubbly. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

About the author: Melissa writes about her adventures in food, family, and farming at Lulu the Baker. She develops recipes, cooks, and photographs for The Font Feast column.

I’m always excited when Autumn rolls around because it means one thing: seasonal Fall drinks at Starbucks. Their Caramel Apple Spice tastes like the very essence of Autumn. It’s my absolute favorite, and now that I’ve discovered just how easy they are to make at home, you better believe I’m going to be awash in cider for the next few months!

This month’s Font Feast post was inspired by a lovely font called… Cider Script! I’ve generally tried not to pick fonts and recipes that share a name (because that’s too easy!), but I love Caramel Apple Cider and Cider Script so much that I just couldn’t resist pairing them up to celebrate the arrival of cool weather and hot drinks!

Caramel Apple Cider inspired by Cider Script

1 Tablespoon Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Syrup (available online or at some Starbucks locations)
8 oz hot apple cider (seriously, just the Tree Top stuff from the juice aisle works great!)
sweetened whipped cream
caramel sauce (I actually spoke with a Starbucks employee who said, “Yes, just caramel ice cream topping.”)

Pour the Cinnamon Syrup into the bottom of a large mug. Add hot cider. Top with whipped cream and drizzle with caramel sauce. If you want to make it just like Starbucks, be sure to drizzle in a circular motion!

About the author: Melissa writes about her adventures in food, family, and farming at Lulu the Baker. She develops recipes, cooks, and photographs for The Font Feast column.

With summer winding down, we’re trying to squeeze every last ounce of sunshine and warm weather out of each day. Ice cream sure helps, and what’s even better is ice cream that tastes homemade but doesn’t take forever to make. This tart and tasty lemony treat is so refreshing and so simple, you’ll find yourself wanting to make it again and again for as long as ice cream weather lingers.

The month’s Font Feast recipe was inspired by Melany Lane, a sweet and simple script font that looks hand-drawn.

Easy Lemon Ice Cream Inspired by Melany Lane

1/2-gallon carton of good vanilla ice cream, softened slightly
8 fl oz frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

In a large bowl, combine softened ice cream with thawed lemonade concentrate, stirring gently until mixture is well-combined. Cover with plastic wrap, putting the plastic right on the surface of the ice cream, and freeze until hard.

About the author: Melissa writes about her adventures in food, family, and farming at Lulu the Baker. She develops recipes, cooks, and photographs for The Font Feast column.

This sweet and easy recipe is perfect for those lazy summer days when you want something delicious for dessert without all the fuss. Juicy, tree-ripened peaches taste even better when warmed on the grill and topped with creamy vanilla bean ice cream and a luscious salted caramel sauce.

This month’s Font Feast recipe was inspired by Sail, a breezy script font that is both gorgeous and free!

Grilled Peaches with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream & Salted Caramel Sauce inspired by Sail

– peaches
– good quality vanilla or vanilla bean ice cream
– salted caramel sauce (if you’re feeling extra “summery” you can use store-bought sauce in a pinch)

Slice peaches in half, removing and discarding the pits. Lay peaches cut-side down on a preheated grill. Grill over medium-low heat until peaches are hot and tender (and have really impressive grill marks). Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Top with ice cream and salted caramel sauce. Eat immediately.

About the author: Melissa writes about her adventures in food, family, and farming at Lulu the Baker. She develops recipes, cooks, and photographs for The Font Feast column.

Piña coladas might possibly be my favorite thing to drink in the whole, wide world. When we go out for Mexican food, what do I order to go with my combination plate? A piña colada. If I’m lounging by a fancy resort pool in the tropics, what do I have the waiter charge to the room? A piña colada. Sipping on a cool, fruity drink while laying in the warm sun is pretty much the most delightful thing I can think of! With sunny weather here for good (fingers crossed), I can’t wait to enjoy these all summer long for cook-outs, family BBQs, afternoon snacks…

Super Tiki is the perfect font to go with these delicious Strawberry Piña Coladas. It’s fun, it’s tropical, and it’s got just the right amount of  retro kitsch. It looks like a Gidget movie, for crying out loud!

Strawberry Piña Coladas inspired by Super Tiki

5 oz cream of coconut (NOT coconut milk!)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
4 oz rum or pineapple juice
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup crushed ice
sweetened whipped cream for garnish

Combine all ingredients except whipped cream in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses, top with whipped cream, and serve immediately. Serves 2

About the author: Melissa writes about her adventures in food, family, and farming at Lulu the Baker. She develops recipes, cooks, and photographs for The Font Feast column.

I’m a total and complete sucker for good chicken salad, and I have been for as long as I can remember. When I was little, one of my favorite dinners was chicken salad in pita pockets! I’m lucky to be friends with Connie, who is a wonderful cook all around, and a fantastic chicken salad maker. Now that I’ve talked her into giving me the recipe, I don’t think my chicken salad-loving life will ever be the same!

I spotted this fun font, Mayonaise by Maria Nunes, several months ago, and was just waiting for the perfect recipe to go with it: something a little retro with a nod to the 1950’s. I love that the font is crisp and clean, but still has a hand-written vibe. It is decorative and special, but completely easy to read. It’s kind of perfect!

Connie’s Chicken Salad Inspired by Mayonaise

2 cups mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons dry ranch dressing powder
1/2 cup Cool Whip
4 cups cooked, chopped chicken breast
1 cup chopped celery
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup cooked orzo pasta
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 cup chopped grapes

In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, ranch dressing powder, and Cool Whip. Whisk until smooth, and set aside. In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients. Toss with mayonnaise mixture, cover, and refrigerate until needed.

About the author: Melissa writes about her adventures in food, family, and farming at Lulu the Baker. She develops recipes, cooks, and photographs for The Font Feast column.

Somehow, I managed to escape childhood without ever having a Peanut Butter Scotcheroo. And honestly, that’s practically a crime! I don’t even know where to start with these devilishly good little bars. They are pretty unassuming–they just look like glorified rice krispy treats–but they are so delicious, I had to give over half of the pan away because I seriously could not stop eating them! And then I was really sad that I didn’t have any, and instantly regretted my momentary generosity! I mean, who willingly parts with chewy, gooey bars of sugary, peanut buttery goodness slathered in chocolate?

The font I picked to go with the Peanut Butter Scotcheroos is simple and straightforward, almost child-like, but modern and cool at the same time: Mountain Retreat by Andrew Clark. I knew I wanted a tall, skinny, hand-written font to go with the Scotcheroos, and once someone clued me into the beauty that is Mountain Retreat, I’ve spotted it everywhere! I guess I’m a Mountain Retreat/Scotcheroo addict!

Peanut Butter Scotcheroos Inspired by Mountain Retreat

6 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips

Pour Rice Krispies into a large bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine corn syrup and sugar. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture had come to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Pour mixture over Rice Krispies and stir gently with a large spoon until well combined. Spray a 9×13″ pan with nonstick cooking spray, and press Rice Krispies evenly into pan. Place the semi-sweet and butterscotch chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Pour over the Rice Krispies and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Allow to cool completely before serving.

About the author: Melissa writes about her adventures in food, family, and farming at Lulu the Baker. She develops recipes, cooks, and photographs for The Font Feast column.