I love pop tarts and I cannot lie. And it appears I am not the only one.

To Prepare:

To prepare, fix your homemade crust or use a favorite pre-made variation. I am still trying to get my Nana to write her recipe down. She often says she doesn't use recipes. She just knows when the product is in her hands. I love that sensibility and I endeavor to develop the same as I progress. That aside, one sure winner is this recipe from Williams-Sonoma.

While the pie dough is setting in the refrigerator if homemade, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare your fillings. Find below a few suggestions but anything goes!

Roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thick on a generously floured surface. Cut into desired shapes; here I used tiny rectangles. Arrange equal sized bottoms and tops on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Spoon a little less than a teaspoon of filling onto the center of your bottom. Seal the pie with a rub of water around the edges. Crimp with a fork. Coat the top of each pie with a light coating of egg wash. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden, and bottoms are lightly crisped.

Fillings and a Basic Glaze:

Strawberry (berry): 1 cup of strawberries or desired berry, finely chopped. If you are making a larger pop tart, they need not be chopped so finely. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, whisk together 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch with 1.5 tablespoons water. Add to the berries and continue to stir until thickened. Add sugar to taste. Let cool before assembling tarts.

Apple: 3 Granny Smith apples, chopped to a small dice. Toss with 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice, and cinnamon and sugar to taste. Cook your apples along with1/2 teaspoon vanilla and two tablespoons of water over medium heat, stirring often until tender. I tend to top these with a glaze and crisped bacon!

Glaze: Whisk together 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar and 1 tablespoon liquid. I've used milk, but lemon juice works as well.

A few other of my favorites are pumpkin pie filling, simple fruit preserves, nutella, peanut butter, cinnamon and sugar and even Shepherd's Pie. If you are lacking inspiration, Joy the Baker probably has some to spare. The world is your oyster. Enjoy!

I've developed such a strong affection for food over the years firstly, because it is sustaining and essential. Loving the things that we need to survive is pragmatic and rewarding all at once. Food nourishes our bodies, it pleases us, and is subjective. I may love one herb, and another person may not. They may avoid this herb like an infectious disease and view it with furious disdain. BUT, we will not war over it as our disagreement is not polarizing. In these turbulent days of division and labeling, this is a powerful attribute.

The pastry dough was flaky, truly delightful. I used the recipe from the "Megpie" feature in Sweet Paul's Fall 2014 issue. — The pastry dough was flaky, truly delightful. I used the recipe from the "Megpie" feature in Sweet Paul's Fall 2014 issue.

Secondly, it reminds us of who we are and the memories we've made over time. Some bad, others joyous. Pangs of hunger during difficult times or the abundance charactertistic of holiday gatherings and festivities. I can swear I recall the cake I had on my first birthday. This is highly unlikely and I have been heavily influenced by the pictures I have seen from the event, but the notion is the same. We remember where we were, who we were with, and what we ate.

I live with James in my late grandmother and grandfather's home where my dad grew up. We called them Nonny and Homer. Nonny, the gentle Calabrese grandmother, and Homer for his days as a baseball player. The amenities in the kitchen are not elaborate, but what they lack in modernity they more than compensate for in memories.

I adapted Joy the Baker's pumpkin pie filling around what was in my pantry and spice preferences.

The counter top, a vintage swirly pattern, is worn away in the corner closest to the sink as Nonny likely did the majority of her preparation there. As a young woman, she came to this country not having known English or ever attending school. She made a great life for herself and her family, and fed them generously despite being far from wealthy. (My dad, her son, is 6 foot 3, 290 pounds, so I would say he was nurtured adequately.)

There is no dish washer. In the evenings, and sometimes the mornings depending on what is cooking, I stand firmly in front of that sink and wash away. Often it takes an entire hour to finish them all as James is a chef and creates lots of dirty dishes, and I follow in close second as his sous chef. I let the dishes air dry, so if you visit for a meal there may be water streaks on the glassware. As a person that is hard on myself, I like these pockets of vulnerability in my life to affirm that flaws are beautiful, and make us relatable, even more appealing.

I've taken to rising early in the morning to spend time alone in the dimly lit kitchen. The sunlight pours in the windows in front of the sink. I sip on coffee and plan the meals for the day. If I had my way, there would be a warm cake every morning; I settle for three days out of the week. Standing where Nonny would have stood, I affix a small garbage bag to the utensil drawer, like she did, to prevent walking back and forth to the garbage pail. There is always an excess of vegetable peels, egg shells, and packaging so this little practice she left with us is ingenious. The people that leave us, never truly do.

Recently, I made a childhood favorite as a reminder of my upbringing: pop tarts! They were also inspired by my time living in DC, frequenting Ted's Bulletin on Capitol Hill and eating copious amounts of their to-die for pop tarts. I cut the dough into hearts with a large pancake mold, filled them with pumpkin pie filling, and topped them with a maple glaze. The fall flavors have been in full swing in this house.

After distributing to family and friends, one lone pop tart was left for me to enjoy. I had it with a cup of coffee served in one of my prettiest mugs. Nonny was tasting it too I am sure.