It's getting down to the wire. The book is due a month from today. I have ten more recipes to test, and quite a bit of writing to complete. There also is a very active baby in my belly that often feels like a kitten trying to escape from a paper bag and this proves very distracting. Oh, and then there's the weather.

But I'm hanging in there and getting more of a sense of how this book will look and feel. This last week, my mom helped out by testing a few recipes: see above, the Mocha Kahlúa Cake and the cheesecakes, in the center of each row (mom is just learning how to turn her flash off...). Some of the recipes are coming out really well, and others are... open for improvement. I'm doing my best; this is a serious learning experience.

Clockwise from upper left: Apricot Galette, Mocha Kahlúa Cake, Pumpkin Praline Bars, Lemon Tart, Cheesecakes (regular and lighter), Free Form Apple Tart

Recipes Tested: 65