• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Joy the Baker
Joy the Baker
  • Cookies
  • Bread
  • Cakes
  • Pies
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Cookies
    • Birthday Cake Recipes
    • Biscuits
    • Muffins
    • Cupcakes
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Fruit
    • Nuts
    • Buttermilk
    • Chocolate
    • Vanilla
    • Holiday
    • Healthy
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegan
  • Blog
    • Baking 101
    • Tips
    • Beyond the Kitchen
    • Let It Be Sunday!
    • New Orleans
  • Shop

Dad’s Very Best Recipes

March 11, 2022 by Abby Mallett 18 Comments

As a member of the Joy the Baker community since 2010, her dad, Mr. Wilson, has a steady presence here.  His Sweet Potato Pie recipe is a foundational pillar of this blog. I feel honored to give an outsider’s perspective on how wonderful he is. From what I have seen over the years, Mr. Wilson seems like a man who doesn’t need a lot of words to fill the space. You can talk, or not talk, and his demeanor is the same. In my mind, he’s going to get you to the airport insanely early, almost annoyingly so, but you’re grateful because LAX is a constant nightmare. He knows the short cuts to the restaurant but won’t bug you with them if you’re driving, just to instill confidence in your direction skills. He understands the cool subtleties of choosing the right tie with a suit jacket, but prefers walking shoes above all else. And because he is not my dad, all of this coooould be entirely incorrect, but my gut tells me I’m not far off.

Now, I’ve clearly adopted him as a father in my mind from reading about him over the years, never having once met him. (This coming from the same person that has “I think Barack Obama is my dad,” in her dating profile bio.) I can assuredly say that Mr. Wilson provides a safe space here. His recipes feel like gentle advice – stay steady, don’t rush, be patient. It produces food with love folded into it and amazing daughters like Joy, who knows how special her father is and  unselfishly chooses to share his magic with us. I think Mr. Wilson has a lot of readers who have adopted him, too.



Here are a few recipes from Joy’s dad (and ours!) and the best scenarios to use them:

•Dad’s Lemon Chess Pie – With its classic roots and bright notes this pie provides two things at once – it impresses and offers extreme balance. Serve this to your in-laws, your next door neighbor, or your best friend who is visiting from out of town. They’ll “ooh!” and “ahh!” before nodding satisfactorily, knowing you’ve clearly got your life together. Your taxes were filed in February! Strong coffee to accompany is recommended.

•Dad’s One-Pot Hawaiian Chicken – Cool and retro, this updated 70’s staple gives you confidence. It is quick and versatile enough to make for last minute guests or for yourself the night before a big presentation. It says, “you’ve got this!” with effortless ease, and minimal clean up after. Make sure your dinner playlist includes Earth, Wind & Fire.

Dad holding a plate of browned butter chocolate chip cookies by the window.

•Dad’s Best Browned Butter Cookies – To me, this cookie is the all encompassing confection. It can heartily celebrate with you, just as easily as it can soothe a bruised heart. It is both the stern advice and the hug afterwards, an apology and a thank-you. What I’m really trying to say is, you can have this cookie at any time, on any day, and know you’ve made the right decision.

•Dad’s Sweet Potato Pie – 2 New Ways! – Mr. Wilson’s Sweet Potato Pie is the sleeper hit of any holiday party, but these 2 pies see your 10 and gracefully turn the volume to 11. They know their worth on a dessert table. Decadent pecan pralines cover one and artistically torched egg white swirls cover the other. These pies are the deal sealers of holidays – subduing even the faintest doubt that you’re anything less than amazing. Heck, this might earn you a handshake from Mr. Wilson himself (if this was me, I would sob openly).

See also: Simple Jam Handpies made with Mr. Wilson’s pie crust and Tomato Cobbler with Mr. Wilson’s biscuits (+ blue cheese). He’s everywhere.

Happy baking, friends!

Previous PostNext Post

Filed Under: Recipes

Previous Post: « But what if we add banana?
Next Post: »

Reader Interactions

All Comments
I Made This
Questions
  1. Stacey

    April 4, 2022 at 1:03 pm

    Your Dad’s biscuits are a must. They have to make the list! My dad doesn’t make biscuits but he certainly enjoys them and we love your recipe.

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

RELATED POSTS IN Recipes

cowboy cookies close up showing texture.
Cowboy Cookies with salted cereal brittle

Former First Lady Laura Bush’s famous recipe for cowboy cookies with a delicious twist: salted cereal brittle! These oatmeal cookies are also packed with cinnamon, chocolate chips and coconut.  Saddle up for your new favorite cookie! There are a handful of things I’ve committed to since my recent half-move to Texas: loving my boyfriend Will…

Read More

inside of warm cinnamon roll on plate
How To Make The Best Single Serve Cinnamon Roll

Micro batch baking – the invitation is to get all the way into it with me!  This is all very Kristin Wiig  making herself a single, sad cupcake in the movie Bridesmaids, save for the fact that there is absolutely zero sadness in me eating a single cinnamon roll over the kitchen sink in my…

Read More

Two glasses of Negroni Sbagliato on a marble countertop.
Negroni Sbagliato

This classic Italian cocktail mistakes gin for bubbly prosecco making it a lighter and playfully bubbly Negroni Sbagliato. Cheers, friends! There was a time in the early 2000’s when all the It Girlies were drinking bourbon and smoking cigars? Do you remember this? Am I calling myself out?  All of us raised on the Leo…

Read More

Primary Sidebar

Fresh baked emails, delivered to your inbox

Jump to Recipe

Receive recipes from Joy the Baker and updates on events at The Bakehouse.

HI! I’M JOY!

Jump to Recipe

Welcome! This has been my little corner of the internet since 2008!

I’m a baker, photographer, cookbook author and teacher.  I live laugh love in New Orleans. 

MORE ABOUT JOY AND THE TEAM

BOOKS + Magazines

Jump to Recipe

JOY THE BAKER 2022 SUMMER MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2021 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2020 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

HOMEMADE DECADENCE

OVER EASY: SWEET AND SAVORY RECIPES FOR LEISURELY DAYS COOKBOOK

JOY THE BAKER COOKBOOK

Jump to Recipe
joy the baker on facebook joy the baker on twitter pinterest-social instagram-socialbloglovin-social

JOY @ WILLIAMS SONOMA

Jump to Recipe

SHOP THE CAKE LINE OF CAKE MIXES!

DRAKE ON CAKE

Jump to Recipe

Passionate from miles away since 2015.

Check it out on Instagram

Drake on cake instagram.

 

BREADS YOU’LL LOVE

inside of warm cinnamon roll on plate

How To Make The Best Single Serve Cinnamon Roll

Orange roll on a plate with a fork.

Christmas Morning Orange Rolls

Baked pull apart garlic bread baked in a loaf pan.

Erin’s Roasted Garlic Herb Pull-Apart Bread

LET’S MAKE COOKIES!

cowboy cookies close up showing texture.

Cowboy Cookies with salted cereal brittle

Raspberry linzer cookie recipe stacked on baking sheet.

Raspberry Lemon Linzer Cookies

Iced Oatmeal Cookies layered on a cooling rack.

Eggnog Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Footer

Instagram

joythebaker

📚Baker and author of books and magazines
🎂Creator @drakeoncake
💁🏻‍♀️Classes with me @thebakehousenola
🍰 Products with @williamssonoma

joythebaker
My prayer is that we are fortified, flexible, and My prayer is that we are fortified, flexible, and well fed this year.
Homemade Hamburger Helper with Sneaky Veggies. ⁣ Homemade Hamburger Helper with Sneaky Veggies. ⁣
⁣
The thing is, you think you’re making enough for leftovers but somehow it’s all gone in one sitting. It’s that good. Recipe linked in the bio. Xo
I made these Almost Almond Croissant with a sheet I made these Almost Almond Croissant with a sheet of puff pastry and half a log of almond paste. Consider this a max volume weekend treat. ⁣
⁣
You’ll need:⁣
- A thawed sheet of puff pastry, fridge cold⁣
- 3.5 ounces or half a log of almond paste cut into 12 even-ish pieces⁣
- An egg beaten for egg wash, with a splash of heavy cream and a glug of vanilla bean paste for extra luxury⁣
- Sliced almonds⁣
- Powdered sugar ⁣
⁣
Lightly roll a sheet of puff pastry and slice into six rectangles. ⁣
Brush each rectangle with egg wash. Arrange each with two slices almond paste. Pull two corners of the puff pastry up and over the paste, pressing lightly to seal. Brush lightly with egg wash. ⁣
⁣
Transfer to a small, parchment lined baking pan and allow to rest in the freezer while the oven preheats to 425 degrees f. ⁣
⁣
Bake from chilled for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and again lightly brush with egg wash. Top with almond slices and bake for 6-8 minutes more. Keep an eye as to not burn the almonds. ⁣
⁣
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before dusting with powdered sugar and enjoying warm.
No hesitation. Marshmallows in every cookie. ⁣
⁣
Peanut Butter Fluffernutter Cookie recipe linked in the profile. 💋
🙋‍♀️ if you buy bananas just so they can 🙋‍♀️ if you buy bananas just so they can languish on the counter long enough to be baked. ⁣
⁣
These Almond Flour Banana Bread cookies are stacked with walnuts and chocolate and one of the best way I know how to celebrate a speckled banana. Find the recipe linked in the profile! xo #bananabread #glutenfreerecipes #joythebaker #cookies #bakingrecipes
Just tryna get the most cheese on my most simple s Just tryna get the most cheese on my most simple small-batch bagel recipe. Get in on this with me: ⁣
⁣
2 Easy No Yeast Bagels⁣
1/2 cup self-rising flour⁣
4 tablespoons greek yogurt (plus a teaspoon or two more if needed)
1 large egg, beaten for egg wash⁣
1/3 - 1/2 cup grated gouda or gruyere⁣
Everything bagel seasoning⁣
3 tablespoons baking soda with 2 cups of boiling water. ⁣
⁣
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray the paper lightly with nonstick spray. ⁣
⁣
In a small bowl, use a firm spatula to work together the flour and yogurt. Add a few teaspoons of yogurt if it feels dry and knead into a cohesive ball for 5 minutes or so. Sprinkle with a bit more flour if it gets overly sticky. Cover with a damp paper towel and gather your toppings. ⁣
⁣
Divide dough in two and roll each piece into a roughly 8-inch rope. Bring the ends around and pinch into a circle. ⁣
⁣
Sprinkle the bottom of the prepared pan with grated cheese in two spots.  Pour boiling water over the baking soda and float each bagel in the water for 20 or so seconds.  Use a slotted spot or spatula to transfer the bagels on top of the cheese.  Brush lightly with egg. Sprinkle with more cheese and everything bagel seasoning. ⁣
⁣
Bake for 20 - 22 minutes until deeply golden and bubbling.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and smearing with cream cheese.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · Joy the Baker
All rights reserved. Violators will be whupped and sent to bed with no dessert · Privacy Policy

Scroll Up