There is something about summertime that makes me feel compelled to grill up some kind of meat and slap it on a bun, surrounded by some fresh garden veggies. It is kind of irresistible to me. You see - we can only grill in the summer. We don't have a covered spot for either of our grills, so once it begins to get really nasty out, we pack them into the barn till spring. Theoretically, we could leave one of them in the nearer-by shop, light up some charcoal in the winter, and trudge across the ... Read More about Buttermilk Sriracha Chicken Burgers
Recipes
Coconut Milk Fudgesicles
Coming up with a good dessert can be a challenge in the summer time. We don't have AC, so unless it is going to cool off really well at night, I am not turning on the oven. We eat a lot of fresh fruit, and enjoy plenty of ice cream, but while that may satisfy us, it doesn't do much for the blog, ya know? But, every so often, I stumble across a concept that not only takes care of my desire to have a sweet recipe here on the blog, but also blows me away. This is one of those recipes. It is ... Read More about Coconut Milk Fudgesicles
Zucchini and Black Bean Quesadillas
I know a lot of people complain about how prolifically zucchini grows, and I might even make a joke about it every so often here on the blog, but honestly we do love it. You still might want to lock your car doors if you stop by and leave your car in our driveway for very long, though. Zucchini have minds of their own, and have been know to form little squads that somehow make their way to the back seats of the unwary visitor. And this is the time of year when people leave their dogs tied on the ... Read More about Zucchini and Black Bean Quesadillas
Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
There are a lot of advantages to having enough land to grow pretty much whatever you want to eat. We have tons of fresh veggies all spring, summer and fall, and now we're even starting to get some fresh fruit. We have room for a nice little flock of chickens who not only give us fresh eggs every day, but help keep some of the bugs and pests cleared out of the veggies. They have been running loose a few hours every day, till this weekend, when they discovered that there are some tasty little baby ... Read More about Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Greens & Nectarines Protein Smoothie
Breakfast has always been kind of a problem for me. As is the case with all good Moms, mine wanted us to all have a nutritious breakfast before going off to school. Sometimes that meant eggs, which I liked, but often it meant oatmeal which I didn't like at all. To my way of thinking, Mom giving us oatmeal was a terrible injustice, since she wouldn't touch it herself. My aversion to breakfast, which persists to this day, was not Mom's fault though. It just comes too early for me - I really only ... Read More about Greens & Nectarines Protein Smoothie
Southwest Chicken Kebabs
Last year, about this time, I created this recipe for a giveaway from Great American Spice Company, where I am an occasional contributor. Since the giveaway is long over, I thought the recipe deserved it's own post, so I'm republishing it today. Now, it's true that we don't use a whole lot of processed food around here - I'm a DIY sort of gal for the most part. But, I do get in a hurry sometimes, and I like to have a few tried and true "store bought" things on hand for when I run short on time. ... Read More about Southwest Chicken Kebabs
Strawberry Cheese Coffee Cake
I started work on this recipe last year, and didn't get it quite where I wanted it. Then, along came cherries, and I got distracted. I came back to it this year though, because it is definitely worth getting right, and now I am very happy with this final version. Local strawberries are just now coming into season here - we will have them for about a month or so, but no longer than that. Pick-your-own strawberry places are big around here, and I think you can find them just about anywhere. ... Read More about Strawberry Cheese Coffee Cake
Chipotle Maple Chicken
Early summer is probably the busiest time of year for us. This year is no exception. We both have to work every day of course, but in addition to that, there is a ton of stuff to do to get the gardens in shape. Larry moved the entire vegetable garden last fall, to rest the old space for a couple years with cover crops. So he is even busier than normal making sure it is ready to plant. In addition, he had to throw together a brood house because one of our hens decided she wanted to hatch some ... Read More about Chipotle Maple Chicken
Outrageous Chocolate Toffee Cookies
We are having a very happy week here at Creekside. We've all been waiting for our younger daughter and her husband to be blessed with children, and yesterday, they were very happy to welcome their new daughter into the world. Our third grandchild! Not only that, but we are especially thrilled that they now live just a few hours away, instead of 2 days' driving, so we will get to share in this life of this new little one much more than we had originally anticipated. We feel incredibly thankful ... Read More about Outrageous Chocolate Toffee Cookies
Savory Chive Cream Cheese Scones
It is a quintessentially gorgeous summer day as I am writing this. Summer has definitely taken it's time getting here, and while I can't really say this weather was worth waiting for, because: "Summer, where the heck have you been?", but I am really grateful that it's here now. One of the things I am finding out day by day is what plants were lost in last winter's brutal weather. You hold out hope that a favorite plant is just late in emerging, but eventually you have to accept that a couple of ... Read More about Savory Chive Cream Cheese Scones
Peanut Butter Bars with Milk Chocolate Ganache
Though for the most part, I prefer dark chocolate over milk chocolate, there is one exception to the rule: milk chocolate and peanut butter, as in these Peanut Butter Bars. This flavor combination brings back memories for me every time. Closeted in my bedroom as a teenager, devouring book after book, and nibbling on my secret stash of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. As the oldest of five kids, I felt I had a lot from which to hide, along with a bunch of teen-aged angsty stuff that we all go ... Read More about Peanut Butter Bars with Milk Chocolate Ganache
Brown Butter Rhubarb Cake
Rhubarb is definitely one of my favorite things in all the world, and this Brown Butter Rhubarb Cake is not the only reason. There are few things that are more rewarding to grow. Once established, it will continue to produce pretty much for the rest of your life. It is a big plant, but not unattractive, so it's not hard to find a spot for it, even in an urban setting. You have to give a couple years after first planting before picking very much, but after that, so long as you keep the flower ... Read More about Brown Butter Rhubarb Cake