Cooking a fresh pumpkin for baking - it's easy! We are getting into fall here in Upstate NY, and for many of us, that means pumpkins. No - not pumpkin lattes! Real pumpkins out in the garden. They'll keep for a while, but not forever. So, knowing how to cook a fresh pumpkin is a good skill to have in your repertoire! Better than canned from the store You can certainly use canned pumpkin from the store. But we like to be self-reliant. Often fresh pumpkins are on sale through September and ... Read More about How to Cook a Fresh Pumpkin
Garden Fresh
Apple Ginger Green Smoothie
Apple Ginger Green Smoothies are my Favorite for fall We are starting to see a lot of apples becoming available in our area, and I'm willing to bet that you are seeing the same thing. That makes Apple Ginger Green Smoothie a natural breakfast for this time of year. Apple season everywhere We live at the edge of the Finger Lakes region of Upstate NY which is prime real estate for growing apples. There are orchards as far as the eye can see, just a few minutes from our house, so apples are ... Read More about Apple Ginger Green Smoothie
Seedless Blackberry Jam {no pectin recipe}
Seedless Blackberry Jam doesn't use pectin This lovely Seedless Blackberry Jam, just has three ingredients - blackberries, sugar and lemon juice. Why not use pectin? I don't use pectin in any of my jams or jellies. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, using pectin means using more sugar. Pectin requires a higher percentage of sugar to set, and I don't care for that sweeter taste. It mutes the fresh flavor of the fruit. Pectin can also be tricky to use. I belong to several ... Read More about Seedless Blackberry Jam {no pectin recipe}
Beet and Horseradish Relish
Beet and Horseradish Relish is a fall treat Whether you have a garden of your own or not, this is the time of year for beets. Most Farmer's Markets will have a lot of them right now, and there are plenty of ways to enjoy them. Beet and Horseradish Relish is a perfect example. This relish is spicy, a little sweet and it hangs on to some nice crunch, even if you can it. The inspiration isn't new Though I learned a lot of canning from my grandma and my mom, this idea did not come from ... Read More about Beet and Horseradish Relish
Green Tomato Jalapeno Salsa
Green Tomato Jalapeno Salsa doesn't waste a thing! It is getting to be the time of year when gardeners begin to wonder if all of the tomatoes will ever get ripe. They often sit out there in the garden, bright, round globes of greenness that seem to defy the laws of nature. Tomatoes should be turning red by now, right? But say they're not - I've got you! Green Tomato Jalapeno Salsa is going to have you hoping for green tomatoes! Green Tomatoes make a perfect salsa Green tomatoes don't ... Read More about Green Tomato Jalapeno Salsa
Goat Cheese Spread with Tomatoes
Goat Cheese Spread with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic is great for parties! This recipe is a kind of a riff on a favorite recipe that my sister makes. Her very delicious version uses sun-dried tomatoes, but we have a ton of tomatoes this time of year and I mean to take full advantage of that bounty. Goat Cheese Spread with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic is the perfect way to do that. Why you will love this recipe This is the perfect way to bring a little more flavor to goat cheese. Goat ... Read More about Goat Cheese Spread with Tomatoes
Southwest Creamed Corn
Southwest Creamed Corn - a savory treat There are few things better in the life of a gardener that the season's first ear of sweet corn. If you have a place nearby where you can get corn that has been picked the same day as you buy it, that is nearly as good. In either case, Southwest Creamed Corn can't be far behind for corn lovers. Creamed corn is not the same as 'cream-style' corn You can buy cans of 'cream-style' corn in any supermarket. But, if you look at the ingredients, there is ... Read More about Southwest Creamed Corn
Lemon Garlic Zucchini
Lemon Garlic Zucchini is a simple side dish We like simple meals in the summer. And with so many vegetables coming out of the garden, it's not hard to pull together a fast, easy supper. Lemon Garlic Zucchini is definitely a favorite. We are pretty big fans of zucchini, no matter how we get to cook it. There's Chai Zucchini Quick Bread, Zucchini Fritters and Quinoa and Black Bean Stuffed Zucchini - all good. But all taking considerably more effort than Lemon Garlic Zucchini. Busy days ... Read More about Lemon Garlic Zucchini
Refrigerator Garlic Dill Pickles
Refrigerator Garlic Dill Pickles - a reader favorite My Refrigerator Garlic Dill Pickles have long been a reader favorite. I realized recently that I have made a few tweaks here and there, so this is a bit of an updated version. Still just as good as ever, and maybe even better. [the original is in the notes, if that is the one you prefer] Why is this such a popular recipe? Beside the fact that they are delicious, I think it is because they are so incredibly easy to make. Just as is the ... Read More about Refrigerator Garlic Dill Pickles
Chive Bacon Ranch Dressing
Summer salads need Chive Bacon Ranch Dressing This is the season of abundance if you're a gardener. Vegetables of all kinds are ready to harvest. For us, that means a lot of preserving - canning, freezing, dehydrating. It also means mean eating of course. Some of our favorite things to grow are perfect for salads. Salads need dressing, like this Chive Bacon Ranch dressing. I'm all about whipping up a quick vinaigrette a few times a week. Summer or winter, you can't go wrong with that. ... Read More about Chive Bacon Ranch Dressing
Jalapeno Lime Cucumber Salad
Jalapeno Lime Cucumber Salad - cool and spicy! I know that cool and spicy seem like opposites, but in Jalapeno Lime Cucumber Salad, they come together beautifully. Fresh, crisp cucumbers, citrus from the lime juice in the vinaigrette and then there are those flavorful jalapenos! I would have difficulty naming my favorite fresh from the garden vegetable. Cucumbers are right at the top of the list though. Nothing tastes the same as a fresh cucumber that you grew yourself. Don't let that ... Read More about Jalapeno Lime Cucumber Salad
Blueberry Sugar Doughnut Muffins
Blueberry Sugar Doughnut Muffins are the best of summer baking The blueberries are just beginning to ripen here in Upstate NY. If you're in a warmer part of the country, you've probably had them for a few weeks by now. These Blueberry Sugar Doughnut Muffins are one of my favorite things to bake with blueberries. Lemon and Blueberries are a match made in heaven Lemon brings out the very best blueberry flavor. Blueberries have varying degrees of sweetness, especially when freshly ... Read More about Blueberry Sugar Doughnut Muffins