• Kelly Davis

Oh, cake balls. You complete me.

Cake balls are perfect for every occasion, so why not invite them into your Valentine's Day equation? I know I'd rather get a heap of cake balls on Valentine's Day over a box of mystery chocolates any day. Half of those chocolate are just nasty. But cake balls are delightful each and every time you take a bite.

• Kelly Davis

But, (and here's the only downfall of the cake ball) they take a long time to make. You have to keep in mind that they're oh so worth it. Also, you can make them in several stages if you don't have one stretch of time.

If you find yourself with not a lot of time, make the cake first, then cover it so it doesn't dry out. I prefer Pyrex dishes with sealing lids. Go ahead and make the icing if you have time, transfer to a sealable container and refrigerate. When you have more time, crumble the cake in a big bowl, add the icing, and shape into balls. If you won't be able to finish the cake balls for a day or so, when you place them in the fridge, cover tightly with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out. Then finish the cake balls when you have more time.

In celebration of Super Bowl Sunday, I want to share with you an amazing dessert I made two years ago to take to a Super Bowl Party. The party guests were a mixture of omnivores, lactose-intolerant people and vegans, so I decided to develop a vegan dessert recipe that everyone could (and would!) enjoy.

• Kelly Davis
• The addition of chickpeas makes butter and eggs unnecessary.

While I have been making black bean brownies for years by simply combining a blended can of black beans (with the juice) with a box of brownie mix (Ghiradelli is my favorite), until this point I had yet to use this easy trick to veganize desserts in any other way. Although I'd like to take full credit for this idea, it was my husband who suggested I use chickpeas to make a non-chocolate dessert bar.

And from this moment of genius, Peanut Butter Coconut Blondies were born.

If you're unsure about using chickpeas in a baked good, please take my word for it. I'll stake my reputation on these blondies. You can't taste the chickpeas at all, even in the batter. And feel free to lick the bowl because there's no eggs, which means there is no risk for salmonella.

Word to the wise: these babies go fast. So don't be shy about snagging one before the rest of the guests get one or you'll never know how good they are. And if you're catering to a less adventurous crowd, then let the chickpeas just be our little secret - at least until the platter has been licked clean.

• Kelly Davis
• Ooey gooey s'more brownies

I've never met anyone who doesn't like s'mores, and I've never anyone who doesn't like brownies. Well, that or I just refuse to be friends with such people.

• Kelly Davis

This recipe has been a big hit with both adults and children alike, but I feel like I should warn you: The toasted marshmallow layer makes this brownie recipe very messy. So bring plates, forks and napkins, or be prepared to wipe everyone down with a damp cloth after enjoying this treat. And I'm not just talking about the children here.

• Kelly Davis

Did you participate in the traditional New Year's Day meal?

In my family, this involves some type of pork (either pork chops or pork tenderloin), black eyed peas, and collard greens. Each of these dishes have a specific meaning associated with them. Pork is for health, black eyed peas are for good luck and also symbolize change or coins, and the collard greens are for wealth and symbolize cash.

Eating these foods on New Year's Day is supposed to bring you what they symbolize in the new year: health, good luck and wealth.

But I have one small problem: I don't like black eyed peas.

• Kelly Davis
• Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Chocolate oatmeal cookies (or no-bake cookies as they are sometimes called - although I've never thought this description did them justice) - recipes for them are a dime a dozen among Southern families.

I'm not saying Southerners are the only people who make this particular cookie, but I bet if you grew up in another area of the country, you didn't have five to 10 varieties of these cookies at every school bake sale. Oddly enough, I've probably have only tried five different varieties of them, because it didn't take me long to develop my discriminating palate where I quickly learned that my mom made THE BEST chocolate oatmeal cookies.

How good are they?

Well, my mom once sent my brother back to college with a container of these cookies. His roommate had already proven himself to be a food stealer after swiping the last of my grandfather's homemade barbecue from the shared fridge. My little brother took no chances with these cookies and told his roommate that if he touched the cookies, my brother would kill him in his sleep.

I bet you're thinking that he was a bit harsh. You haven't tried these cookies.

• Kelly Davis
• No Bake Cookies

If you're anything like me, you already have about five holiday functions on your radar and one of them (if you're a female) is a cookie exchange or my personal favorite, a cookies and cocktails party. I love festive cookies and all, but throw in a few cocktails you've got yourself a real party.

• Kelly Davis
• Soft Gingersnaps

This soft gingersnap recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law and is hands down one of my favorite cookie recipes. They're soft (obviously), sugary sweet, buttery (oh so buttery), with that wonderful spiciness of ginger.

Ever since learning how to make this recipe, I've made them every single year. I will be making them again this year for my own cookies and cocktails party. They're a winner all the way, and if you have friends with lactose intolerance, they're completely dairy free ...

... and amazing. Don't forget amazing.

If there's one thing I know a thing or two about, it's pecan pie.

I've been making it every year for Thanksgiving at my family's gathering since I was 13. That's a lot of trial and error, folks. It has always turned out very tasty, due to my secret ingredient (which I'll share at the end).

Sometimes it's come out a bit runny in the middle or the crust gets a little burned. But thanks to the 16 years of pecan pie-making experience I have under my belt, I'm going to share with you the way to make the best pecan pie you'll ever eat.

• Kelly Davis
• Whole Wheat Crust

It starts with a whole wheat crust.

I'm not really a baker, but even I can't mess up this recipe.

• Kelly Davis
• Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake

It's incredibly decadent and buttery from ... oh, I don't know ... maybe the THREE sticks of butter in the recipe. I never said this is a healthy recipe. It is cake, after all.

• Kelly Davis
• Fudgy Cake with Pecans

This cake recipe is a family favorite passed down from my grandmother to her daughter and daughter in-law (my aunt and mother), and now I'm sharing it with you. Let's hope this wasn't supposed to be a family secret.

I'm not worried; my grandmother doesn't use the Internet anyway. And if you tell her, I'll deny we ever had this conversation.

• Kelly Davis
• Pumpkin & Sage Chicken over Linguini

Pasta is one of those quick and easy comfortable favorites that most people love. But I myself get tired of the typical spaghetti and meatballs and lasagna. I want something different. I want something delicious. Most importantly, I want something easy.