When the holiday season arrives in Vermont, snow caps the green mountains and powdered sugar falls like snowflakes in Gesine Prado's kitchen. To celebrate the season, Gesine hosts a gingerbread house-making party for her friends, and the menu is equally festive. She bakes Pistachio Cinnamon Stars and Gingerbread Cookies in cheerful shapes, and she sets out Sugared Spicy Almonds for snacking. Gesine's centerpiece is a Chocolate Yule Log with a Gingerbread Ax Topper that knocks her guests off their feet.
A chill in the Vermont air inspires Gesine Prado to make a meal cozy enough to eat by the fire. She bakes a hearty Turkey Pot Pie with a Biscuit Crust and prepares Broccoli Salad with Baked Croutons to go alongside. For dessert, she uses the same biscuit dough in a Roasted Plum Shortcake and adds Maple Shortbread Cookies.
It's Gesine Prado's turn to host her knitting club's monthly get-together. The ladies will be showing up hungry, so Gesine stitches together a menu of small appetizers and simple finger foods including Cheese Puffs and Steak Hand Pies. For dessert, she makes a beautiful Charlotte Royale Ice Cream Cake along with Homemade Caramels.
Gesine Prado is making a big home-cooked meal for football players from her husband Ray's alma mater, Dartmouth College. While Ray shows the offensive line a few veteran moves in the backyard, Gesine bakes a Hearty Pork Pie with a Big Green Salad. She makes The Big Winooski Fudge Cookies and a decadent Interior Cake for dessert and tops it all off with a rich, chocolatey Hot Cocoa.
t's apple season, and Gesine Prado is inviting a few friends for baked brunch and cider-making in the barn. The menu is full of Gesine's apple-inspired brunch favorites including Poached Eggs on English Muffins with Helga's Hollandaise, Apple Cider Donuts, Latticed Apple Slab Pie and a Sparkling Apple Cider Cocktail.
Gesine Prado throws a twilight backyard birthday party for her husband, Ray, and she fills the table with both savories and sweets. On the savory side, she bakes Flaky Bacon Bruschetta and a Creamy Artichoke and Tomato Tart. Then Gesine pulls out all the sweet stops with Chocolate S'mores Pudding and a showstopping Flaky Birthday Berry Pie with a Celebratory Jaconde.
Gesine Prado is sharing her tips and tricks for stocking a freezer full of baked goodies ready to go in a pinch. Whether for unexpected guests or a last-minute dinner party, Gesine has all the bases covered with make-ahead, bake-ahead dishes like Shaker Chicken Pot Pie, Cinnamon Crumble Buns and Devil's Cream Cake. For summertime sweets when it's too hot to turn on the oven, she shares her Frozen Crumble, an easy, no-bake dessert that every baker should have in their arsenal.
Late spring in Vermont can only mean one thing -- maple syrup. Gesine Prado is baking up a big brunch with what remains of last season's maple syrup harvest while her husband, Ray, is in the yard tapping the trees for this year's crop. His mom, sister and niece are coming to town, so Gesine bakes up a sweet brunch with a Maple-Glazed Bundt Cake, Sunrise Biscuit Casserole and Maple Flower Cookies. Ray brings Gesine a fresh batch of maple syrup to top her Heart-Shaped Pancakes.
Gesine Prado and her husband, Ray, believe in "once bitten, twice better" when it comes to leftovers. The meatballs in the fridge get a second take on Gesine's Focaccia Pizza with a side of Potato Puppies made from leftover mashed potatoes. For dessert, she makes Leftover Fruit Popsicles and a delicious Chocolate and Butterscotch Bread Pudding with day-old bread.
Gesine Prado and her husband, Ray, are celebrating the end of their first season on the local curling team by inviting the whole gang over for a party. Gesine makes her famous Baker's Roast Chicken with a side of Beer Gravy, plus Green Beans in Creamy Horseradish Sauce and Rock Scones. For dessert, she treats the team to a Red, White, and Blue Stripe Cake in a nod to the traditional curling colors.
It's been many years since Gesine Prado and friends went on a senior class trip to Italy, but their memories are still fresh and treasured. Gesine has invited her friends over for a trip down memory lane and a big Italian dinner of Bolognese Lasagne and Caprese Salad. For la dolce vita, Gesine makes a Zabaglione and Berry Trifle and bakes special Chocolate Chip Cookies as a treat for her friends during their stay.
Gesine Prado creates some clever ways to bring baking to the grill while hosting an outdoor party to celebrate warm weather and good friends. She's grilling Pizza Two Ways with homemade pizza dough along with a zesty Italian-style Green Bean and Potato Salad. For dessert, she's making homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches and a Grilled Creamsicle Cake baked right over the coals.
Gesine Prado is honored to host a high school graduation party for her dear friends' daughter. It's a special day and they're celebrating the big event with a garden party filled with sweet treats. Petit Fours and Chocolate Ganache Drops surround the centerpiece of the dessert table -- an elegant and beautiful Tiered Macaron Cake filled with sweet buttercream.
Gesine Prado's friends from down south are coming up to visit their kids attending university nearby so she's throwing a Vermont-style Low Country boil for them. They'll feel right at home with Gesine's Low Country Boil Pie with a side of Homemade Cole Slaw and Baked Fried Green Tomatoes on the side. The meal is rounded off with a decadent Triple Chocolate Pie for dessert.
When the weather is nice, there's nothing that Gesine Prado and Ray enjoy more than eating outdoors under the beautiful Vermont sky. She's preparing an elegant picnic and everything is made with her favorite flaky Phyllo Dough. They'll snack on Ham and Cheese Pockets before diving into Phyllo-Wrapped Salmon with Roasted Potatoes on the side. And for dessert: mason-jarred Mousse topped with Sweet Phyllo Crisps.
Gesine Prado is baking over an open flame as she and Ray help move their good friend and park ranger Agnes into her station for the season. Gesine has put together the perfect campfire meal that includes Baked Mac n' Cheese finished over the fire, Iceberg Wedges with Bacon, Agnes' favorite Lemon Ring and extra-special Campfire Brownies