When you are not inclined to spend hours mixing, grating, and baking, but still crave a homemade dessert, this improvised creation could come handy. The Muse of Improvisation visited me and pushed some buttons of my imagination. I rushed to my fridge where I had a cup of leftover sweet crumbs, the rest was done on magical impulse.

Banana bread is a classic American dish. I've been going to make it for a long time, and now that I have I almost regret it, because it is absolutely addictive! Having one slice is just not an option.

This coffee cake has a rich and crumbly chocolate crust and a fluffy inside with a hint of chocolate and nuttiness. The basic recipe for the batter comes from Rose's Heavenly Cakes , a book with amazing photography and recipes that are as good as they look. But the crust invention and the flavorings are all my own:)

This was a perfect occasion to seek out the imaginary pear tart that has been haunting me. I exploited my imagination and several cook books at once, and lo and behold - the tart of dreams rests on my plate. The idea here is a simple one: a pie shell is covered with a custard-like almond topping that prevents the liquid from the fruit from seeping into the dough.

Fish for today's dinner was planned ahead, but I hesitated for a moment about what to roll fish in before frying. Suddenly I glanced at ground walnuts that were sitting on the counter top since Masha's elaborate experiments in our kitchen during her last visit.  Why not to use nuts for "breading"?