Like many people, I tend to make a lot of our favorite family recipes most often. Apple or peach cobbler, oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, layered German chocolate cake, ice cream pies, custard pastries, and good old-fashioned pound cake. But it’s also nice to mix things up a bit to keep things interesting. Not only is it fun to try new desserts, but you also discover new favorites that you might not have tried before. While I have a lot of cookbooks in the kitchen, I also refer to All Recipes online for many of my dessert recipe ideas.

You’ll find a list of the top desserts along with thousands of other reader favorites. There are plenty of photos and tips that help even the novice baker create perfect treats. Readers also submit variations that you can try and all of the recipes have been rated which can help you decide whether it’s something you’d like to try making for your family or an upcoming event. And the price for the recipes? Free. And you can’t beat that!

When it comes to baking equipment, it always pays to find bakeware that is as versatile and durable as possible. Many of us make the mistake of buying pans and other items in haste only to realized after using .them that they weren’t quite up to the job. I’ve been guilty of it myself, buying on impulse rather than taking the time to investigate and buy something that could serve multiple purposes. This red ceramic bakeware set is a good example of bakeware that is both useful and sturdy. Not to mention quite attractive and a good value as well.

Once you own a set of two of good ceramic baking dishes, you’ll wonder what you ever did without it. Not only are these great kitchen pieces perfect for baking meals and desserts in, they are also stylish enough to use as serving dishes as well. Plus you can use them for food storage as needed. They clean up easily, looking as good as new. Then you can stack them inside each other and store them neatly inside your cabinets until you’re ready to use them again - which will be often!

It’s probably one of the simplest treats to make- s’mores. A deliciously gooey dessert made with just a few basic ingredients that is sure to put a smile on any kid’s face. Actually, it’s even a favorite sweet for adults too. While it can be modified by using different kinds of chocolates and crackers to change the flavor and textures, the common recipe calls for just three ingredients - graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate.   Most people use honey graham crackers, but you can easily substitute chocolate or honey grahams too for a change in taste. You can browse allrecipes for variations and ideas for other simple desserts as well.

Back to making s’mores. For the tastiest flavor, the best way to make them is over a camp fire or outdoor pit if you have one. Others have tried stove top using a gas stove, but you’ll want to be careful not to drip the marshmallow all over your stove. You take a marshmallow and melt it over the fire (or in the microwave for 5-10 seconds if you don’t have an open flame). Break a graham cracker in half and place the melted marshmallow on one side. Then, place a small layer of chocolate on top of the warm marshmallow and close the sandwich with the remaining graham cracker half. Many say that good old-fashioned milk chocolate still produces the best taste, but you can experiment with any flavor you’d like, including chocolate frosting and enjoy!

For many of us, the taste of warm fresh bread ranks right up there as a treat, as much as many of our favorite desserts. Hot bread, fresh from the oven, slathered in sweet butter has brought a smile to many faces. If you make your own breads, you can adjust them any way you like. You can choose to use more whole grains for a healthier, heavier bread or you can add cinnamon and raisins for a sweeter bread. Kneading your own dough can be a bit of work for some people - unless you own a great bread machine. Something like the Oster ExpressBake Bread Maker can take all of the work out of making your own bread.

Bread machines do a wonderful job of making fresh breads. They do all of the work for you - all you have to do is add the required ingredients in the specified amounts and in less than an hour, you and your family can sit down and enjoy the homemade goodness of hot, fresh bread. These types of small kitchen appliances are really a treat to own. They can make your cooking and baking jobs so much easier, leaving you more free time to enjoy with your family or to simply sit back and read a good book while you wait for your meal or dessert to be ready.