The Creekside Cook

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Basil Pesto

Condiments· Dressings and Vinaigrettes· Freezing· Garden Fresh· Nuts· Pasta· Quick Meals· Sauces, Dips and Spreads· The Basics

Classic Pesto or Basil Pesto? This could be called "Classic Pesto". I'm pretty sure Basil Pesto is the classic combination of ingredients to make this bright and delicious addition to your repertoire of sauces.  If your garden is anything like mine, basil is abundant this time of year.  I pinch off my basil plants throughout the summer, using the leaves in salads and veggies and pasta dishes. It's prime basil time right now So now, I have some beautiful, compact plants with lots of bright ... Read More about Basil Pesto

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Pumpkin Bread with Walnuts and Raisins

Baking· Fruit· Holiday Fun· Nuts· Quick Breads· Quick Breads - Loaves· Recipes

{Or plain old Pumpkin Bread if you prefer!} If you're like me, you are deep in the midst of last minute Christmas prep, and not really looking for one more thing to do. Or maybe, even more like me, you are near the end of Christmas prep, because you're leaving in a few days, and you realize you are short a few baked gifts for the neighborhood? Yup - that. And then, you suddenly realize that you have never posted your favorite Pumpkin Bread recipe on the blog. Say whaaa? So, even though I just ... Read More about Pumpkin Bread with Walnuts and Raisins

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Applesauce Quick Bread

Baking· Breakfast· Nuts· Quick Breads· Quick Breads - Loaves· Recipes· Snacks

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

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Pumpkin Yogurt Crunch Cake

Baking· Cakes· Coffee Cakes· Nuts· Recipes

Things have been really busy around here so far this year. Lots of visits with kids and grandkids, with more to come, lots of poring over seed catalogs and gardening books, and lots of cooking. Lately I have not felt that a lot of the recipes I've worked on have been blog-worthy. I have a certain standard in mind for what I share here, and while I have some good ideas that I am working on, not many of them have gotten to the point where they are ready for prime-time. This cake is a huge ... Read More about Pumpkin Yogurt Crunch Cake

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Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Baking· Chocolate· Christmas Cookie Collection· Cookies - Drop· Nuts· Recipes

You may not think that the world needs another chocolate chip cookie recipe. But, with the year we have had, I have to disagree. We've needed all the tasty, melty, creamy chocolate chunks surrounded by caramelly, chewy cookies that we could get. Make no mistake - it has not been an entirely bad year. In fact, we've had some pretty wonderful things happen, like the birth of a new grandson and starting our Farmer's Market business. There have been lots of blessings along the way, but beginning as ... Read More about Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies

Baking· Christmas Cookie Collection· Cookies - Rolled· Nuts· Recipes

It really is beginning to look like Christmas! We're in the middle of a 3-day winter storm that promises to bring us multiple inches of snow which is currently being blown about in a very festive fashion. Which is good, because we are under a bit of pressure here. Due to the nature of our older son-in-law's job, it is rare that he can get off enough days at Christmas for them to come here for the holiday, but this year is an exception. They live in northern NY, so you can pretty much figure on a ... Read More about Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies

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Macadamia Lime Blondies

Baking· Christmas Cookie Collection· Citrus· Cookies - Bars· Nuts· Recipes

I am still pretty caught up in fall - in getting everything put up, and in enjoying stuff like winter squash and apples. But fall also means that citrus starts showing up in the stores more, and for better prices, which got me thinking about making these Macadamia Lime Blondies again - and this time, shooting a few photos and getting the post out here on the blog. I think you will be glad. Not only do these blondies have lots of bright lime flavor, but there are also crunchy, buttery macadamias ... Read More about Macadamia Lime Blondies

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Kale Walnut Pesto

Condiments· Food Preservation· Freezing· Garden Fresh· Nuts· Pasta· Recipes· Sauces, Dips and Spreads· Side Dishes· Vegetables

One thing that enjoys a cool summer is kale. Man, do we have kale! Usually, we have a lot of kale early in the summer, and then again in the fall, but this summer the spring kale never tried to go to seed, so it is still going strong. Every morning, when I go down to tend to the chickens, I make a detour through the garden to grab a handful of kale for my breakfast smoothie. Often we have it for dinner as well, and we are still overloaded. So, I wanted to find a way to use up a lot of kale - and ... Read More about Kale Walnut Pesto

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Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

Baking· Cookies - Drop· Nuts· Recipes

Do Moms still do this? Bake a batch of cookies while the kids are at school so that the house smells amazing when they walk through the door? Our weather seems to be making an early turn toward fall, which has me thinking about those first days of school every year, both from my own childhood, as well as the girls'. The anticipation, mingled with a bit of dread - seeing friends again, will the outfit I pick get me off to the right start, will someone be mean to them on the bus, will their ... Read More about Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

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Chili Toasted Almonds

Appetizers· Nuts· Recipes· Snacks

So, in my last post, I mentioned that Larry is not the world's biggest fan of chocolate. He is, on the other hand, rather fond of treats like these Chili Toasted Almonds. I can't say that I blame him, because they are awfully good. Maybe you want to whip up a Valentine's treat for someone in your life who likes things more spicy than sweet? I think these almonds would be a perfect fit for that kind of thinking. Almonds are also very good for you, so you will also be sharing some health benefits, ... Read More about Chili Toasted Almonds

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Almond Brownies

Baking· Chocolate· Cookies - Bars· Nuts

Brownies. Really, there are few things in life that are more sublime than a really nice batch of fudgy, rich brownies. it is one of the first things I ever remember baking on my own, using my Mom's stained recipe card to guide me. Mom was a bit of a chocolate freak, so this recipe had been used many times. This was quite a long time ago, when box mixes were in their infancy, and pretty terrible. Mom held them in very low esteem, and I have to say that I agree with her about that. Particularly ... Read More about Almond Brownies

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Bourbon Pecan Pie

Baking· Holiday Fun· Nuts· Pies· Recipes

Bourbon Pecan Pie - just the name sounds delicious, doesn't it? But, first things first. If you were a reader of my old blog, you have certainly heard me lament about my inability to produce a pie crust what was both edible and presentable. Despite years of living next door to one of the world's premier pie bakers - my grandmother - my pie crusts were pathetic affairs. In my memory, watching grandma roll out a pie crust was like those really old Warner's Brother's cartoons, where little ... Read More about Bourbon Pecan Pie

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