Nothing sparks my carb cravings like being snowbound, so being trapped in the house means I had to make scones. And not just any scones, either. This recipe is a version of the great Dorie Greenspan’s cream scones, which come together quickly, easily, and perfectly.

I only made one change: I added mini chocolate chips and drizzled chocolate on top. I mean, how could I not? But if you’re a purist, by all means leave them out.

People all over America (especially those who live in Boston or Buffalo) have been mocking D.C. for our wimpy reaction to snow and our subsequently slow cleanup. And believe me, as a Midwestern import to these here parts, I totally get it. We look really lame to anyone who is accustomed to a two-foot dumping of snow.

Back in Indiana where I grew up, snow days were rare. I have very clear memories of struggling to get to my high school and walking in several hours late to French class after a dicey, two-hour drive on the road that involved being towed by someone who had chains. That’s just how we did it. The expectation was that sooner or later, everyone would show up to work.

But see, I kind of like the wimpy ways of the D.C. area better. It’s so much nicer to be home with hot chocolate and scones than to be struggling out there in crappy weather hoping that nobody rear ends you. Why do we have to be at the rat race all the time? My students will be fine. I’ll just cut out a book or something that we were supposed to read. I kid, I kid.

Thanks to our Puritan roots, Americans are pretty obsessed with working. We equate hard work and productivity with virtue, and I’m sorry, but no. There’s also something to be said for knowing when to kick back and just chill out. I realize that our economy might tank if we all did the whole midday siesta thing, but I love the fact that certain countries take a midday break to go home for lunch and a nap. We might be poorer if we did that , but we’d be a lot happier.

Plus, if we had siesta every day, snow days wouldn’t feel like such a break from the norm. We’d be far more used to chilling with our families in the middle of the day. Anyone up for creating a movement with me?

While you ponder that, have a scone. Or three. These are the best scones ever, and I don’t care about modesty because I didn’t invent this recipe. So there. It’s so easy, too!

A lot of scone makers will hold that to get the best scone, you need to work with frozen butter. Honestly, that’s an extra step I don’t have time to make, and I don’t think it makes much of a difference. I’ve tried it both ways. All you need is cold butter and your fingers (pastry blender not needed) and you’ve got a scone dough that comes together in five minutes and produces the flakiest scones. And they’re not dry at all. Nope. They’re really the epitome of what a scone should be.

While you’re busy running around every day, remember being trapped in the snow, or that time you got a really great midday nap. It might make you wish a blizzard would come and give you an excuse to have more scones for breakfast!

There used to be something romantic about snowstorms too, but now that I’m watching Kenny dig us out from two-plus feet of snow while my children destroy the house, I’m not really that into it. I’d much rather have clean streets and be at work, thank you very much.

The good news is, I’ve got these mocha mousse brownie bites to keep me company as the snow refuses to melt and the winds die down. These are pretty much my idea of a perfect Valentine’s dessert. These rich, fudgy brownie bites are topped with a mocha mousse and drizzled with chocolate. If you think it’s rich, you’re right! That’s how I do.

In the D.C. area, people aren’t used to snow. When I first moved here, I was shocked at how a simple dusting could immobilize the entire region for hours, so you can imagine what this huge snowstorm (dubbed Snowzilla in these here parts) has done for the area.

It all began Friday night, and we have yet to see a single snowplow. Our cul de sac is still dusted with twentysomething inches of fresh powder, untouched by person or machine. I’d like to think we’ll be plowed out at some point, but I really have no clue when. In the meantime, the task falls upon me to keep the three little monsters happy. Lucky Kenny gets to go back to work tomorrow in our basement, since he teleworks.

So, any suggestions? I’m looking for snow day ideas that aren’t crazy messy or difficult. We’ll have our baking time, our yoga/fitness time, our movie time, our snow time. But what else can I do? Help me, please. PLEASE.

In exchange, I will bake you marvelousness if you ever come through DC. Really. It’s the least I can do for keeping everyone sane in the big bad storm aftermath.

These bites of decadence might be helping with that sanity a bit, too. When things get rough, I can hide in the closet with a stack of these and a thermos full of Riesling. That’s a pretty good coping strategy, in case you needed one.

If you’ve never made mousse using cream, it’s the easiest and safest way to go without resorting to Cool Whip. Instead of a mousse packed with raw egg, this requires whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Then the mocha gets mixed in (hellooooo, coffee and chocolate) and once the mousse is chilled, you can pipe it onto the brownie bites. It’s elegant as well as satisfying!

Stay tuned, because if they don’t plow us out by Wednesday’s post, I’ll either need more snow day ideas from you or some serious therapy. In the meantime, the digging begins as Valentine’s Day looms ever nearer. Stay warm, everyone!

You see, my husband and I had to have margaritas last night. I knew at the time it wasn’t going to feel good this morning. I knew it. But I went ahead anyway. And I know that my past self isn’t sorry, and my future self won’t be either. But man, my present self is a little ticked off.

On the plus side, we made it through the holiday with a minimum of our usual string of disasters, with the exception of my son getting sick once again. What is it with my child? Does he enjoy curling up on the couch with his stuffed animals and conking out? Actually, that sounds pretty good right about now. Or anytime, really.

Morning after woes aside, this strawberry cream pie reminds me of why I love this time of year. Dads have it best. They always get mid-June for Father’s Day, when fruits are at their peak and you can make delicious desserts like this.

Moms get May, which isn’t nearly as nice. I guess it’s better than February. But this pie would actually work really well on Mother’s Day, too.

Or any holiday! To be honest, I made this for my colleague’s birthday, not for Father’s Day. And I really wanted to take a picture of a slice, all dripping with delicious filling. Because there is an amazing creamy layer underneath those strawberries composed mainly of…wait for it…cream cheese. And heavy cream. Hel-lo!

But I literally turned around to take care of something and when I came back to my office, the pie was gonesies. Totally and completely obliterated. I never even got to try a slice! Though everyone told me that it was super amazing and I know they’re telling the truth. I work with teachers. We’re brutal.

It’s a pretty easy pie to make and it looks beautiful. Don’t forget to melt the white chocolate on the crust and drizzle more on top! It adds a certain panache.

Okay, I’m gonna go get a Tylenol. My evening ended with a mild head injury after the margaritas. Stupid car door.

But hey, enjoy the pie! Don’t eat it all while I’m gone.

Ingredients:

• 1 refrigerated pie crust (I used the Immaculate Baking brand)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips, divided
• 2 packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature (I used low-fat)
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 and 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 2-3 cups sliced strawberries (fresh, not frozen!)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Grease a pie plate with cooking spray.

Press the pie crust onto the pie plate, working the pastry up the sides. Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden.

Sprinkle half of the white chocolate chips on the crust. After two minutes, spread the melted chips all over the crust. Put the crust in the refrigerator to allow the white chocolate to harden for about 20 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, heavy cream and vanilla until the mixture is smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar, beating after each addition, until all the powdered sugar is mixed in.

Spoon the filling into the crust, smoothing it out evenly. Arrange the sliced strawberries in a pattern over the filling.

Take the remaining white chocolate and heat it in the microwave until melted, about one minute. Stir and then immediately drizzle the white chocolate over the strawberries.

Chill the pie for anywhere from three hours to overnight. Serve cold, and keep it covered in the refrigerator when not serving.

Onward! A year ago, I was reading my Good Housekeeping magazine (which is kind of ironic because I’m not that good at housekeeping) when I saw this three-ingredient recipe, just in time for Passover. It looked so fancy and elegant, but it turned out to be the easiest thing in the world to make.

This one’s for all you intense chocolate lovers out there. The chocolate filling is rich, so much so that a small slice of this tart will suffice. But that didn’t stop me from going back for more than what my body recommended, because this was just so sinfully wonderful!

And the crust is made out of coconut macaroons, i.e. one of the Passover staples. You can use the infamous ones that come in a can around this time of year, or you could make your own. Or, as a compromise, I used Jennie’s packaged chocolate chip macaroons that are really moist and delicious. It saved me a step. Besides, I’m making my own coconut macaroons later in the week, and I want to enjoy them solo. So this was a good way to go.

You just press the cookies into the tart pan, and voila! Crust. Perfect for pouring the chocolate filling into. Then you just chill until set, and you have an Impressive Dessert.

If you are using this dessert for Passover and you don’t like to mix milk and meat because of kosher dietary laws, you can use non-dairy creamer (like Coffee Rich) instead of the heavy cream. It works just as well!

Prepare to wow your guests. They’ll want to eat this year-round, Passover or no Passover! And for our gluten-free friends out there, this fits the bill perfectly!

Ingredients:

• 10 oz. container coconut macaroons (I like to use chocolate chip)
• 1 cup heavy cream or non-dairy creamer
• 16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Instructions:

Press the coconut macaroons into the bottom of a tart pan with a removable base, working the cookies to move a bit up the side.

In a saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the crust and chill overnight. Cut into wedges and serve!