Summer is really losing its grip here in the Northeast. The temperature has cooled off a lot - we have days of mellow sunshine and the beginnings of fall colors. It's the perfect time to make this Double Bourbon Apple Cake. When apples are just beginning to get ripe, nearly any variety is good for baking. Later in the season, everyone wants Granny Smiths and Northern Spies, but in September and October, my favorites are Cortlands. Cortland apples, developed about 20 minutes from my ... Read More about Double Apple Bourbon Cake
Meals
Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
This is one of the first new recipes I ever posted on The Creekside Cook. It only seems appropriate that I bring Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies back to the top to celebrate a new design. It had become increasingly evident that my old blog wasn't working all that well anymore. That is no surprise since I created the design back in the Middle Ages of the internet. Technology has changed a lot since then. I'm loving the new look, and I hope that you do as well. You can let me know in the ... Read More about Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sweet Corn Pancakes
Take Advantage of Late-season Corn It's late summer here in Upstate NY, and the end-of-season sweet corn is just coming into its own. Typically, the best corn of the year is the last to ripen, and that is what we have right now. It's amazing no matter how you prepare it. We love Fresh Corn Fritters which are a more savory dish than these Sweet Corn Pancakes. My husband is particularly fond of pancakes with corn in them, maybe because sweet corn was a big crop when he was growing up on his ... Read More about Sweet Corn Pancakes
Pork Loin Chops with Apples and Onions
Pork Loin Chops with Apples and Onions. Sounds kinda fussy, doesn't it? Reality: nothing could be further from the truth. I must admit that loin chops are not always my first choice when it comes to pork. I like bone-in chops for most things, but if you're in a hurry, loin chops are an easy shortcut. How long you cook them is more a matter of taste than safety - there is no more risk in eating medium-rare pork, than there is with beef. Loin chops are a lean cut, so too much cooking will dry them ... Read More about Pork Loin Chops with Apples and Onions
Applesauce Quick Bread
Though the main part of my food preservation season is winding down, there are still a few things left to do. [Like make Applesauce Quick Bread, which we'll get to in just a moment!] We have apple trees, but don't get many apples from them, so it's fortunate that we can find a lot of them locally. This time of year, apples are a very good buy, since a lot of seasonal places are looking to get rid of what they have before closing for the season. No fall is complete without a trip to our older ... Read More about Applesauce Quick Bread
Veggie Frittata
An easy weeknight meal! When you have a lot of chickens, a meal made from eggs is a no-brainer. Though there are times when our customers run us right out of eggs, usually we have a dozen or two in the fridge. And the rest of the ingredients are things most people probably always have on hand. And if you don't? Or maybe your family doesn't like the veggies in the recipe? That is not a problem - you can switch just about everything in here around to suit your taste, and what you have on hand. ... Read More about Veggie Frittata
Avocado, Bacon and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
March is the month when I really get over winter - like completely over it. I am ok with winter in November, December, January and even February. It's supposed to be cold and snowy, and I don't mind staying in and making big pots of stew. But when March rolls around, it's time to be planning the garden, ordering the seeds I forgot back in January, making sure we have all of the seed starting supplies that we'll need, and checking to see if the daffodils have begun to peek out. This has been a ... Read More about Avocado, Bacon and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Homemade Greek Yogurt
I love yogurt, especially Greek yogurt. Thick, creamy, rich - yum. And, it's really good for your tummy. This is particularly true if you make your own yogurt - just start with the most natural kind you can find to get your yogurt making started. Once you have a good batch done, you have all the starter you need for future batches, because you use some from the previous batch to get the next one going*. I started my current batch with yogurt I bought from the Farmer's Market, from a small, local ... Read More about Homemade Greek Yogurt
Raspberry Preserves {no pectin recipe}
It has been a mighty busy summer around here. A good busy though. In addition to having a bigger garden and selling at the Farmer's Market, we found a new church that we are trying, I got into essential oils [okay, that should probably say I became instantly obsessed with essential oils!] and now, any day, we expect to be called suddenly to drive 3 hours south to watch our granddaughter while her little brother gets born! I am trying to get everything from the garden put up for winter in between ... Read More about Raspberry Preserves {no pectin recipe}
Lemony Dill Hummus
...with Cucumber Dippers! Hi there! I am picking my head up from the pails that contain our farmer's market produce to put this fantastic recipe together for you! Farmer's Market is a lot of fun, but I am not sure we could handle more than one market a week - getting everything looking good and ready to sell is a lot of work. There are people who do a market just about every day of the week, and they must be exhausted all the time! Or maybe they are a lot younger than we are. Yeah - that last ... Read More about Lemony Dill Hummus
Easy Citrus Jam
I'm a little late getting this recipe posted, but it is definitely not too late to make it yourself! There is still plenty of fresh citrus in the stores this spring, and you can change up what you use to suit what you can find. I wanted to get this posted before I left to spend a week in Arizona with my folks, sister and brothers, but as so often happens, time got away from me and I am not getting to until now. I hope it's right on time for you though! This time of year, you may find that your ... Read More about Easy Citrus Jam
Soft Cornmeal Muffins
It has been quite a winter around here, and I would be lying if I said it has been an easy one to get through. Not because of the weather - we live where we expect the winters to be fierce and getting a bad one is no reason for sniveling. I will tell you that as I am writing this on March 13th, there are still several feet of snow everywhere around us, and not a single bare patch anywhere in the yard. Even the chickens refuse to range, preferring to sit in the doorway and peer out on the ... Read More about Soft Cornmeal Muffins