Fresh Cherry Muffins are a sweet summer flavor Right now, sweet cherries are at their peak and at the best prices all year. So Fresh Cherry Muffins are a must-have! We don't have AC, so it is a pretty big deal for me to turn the oven on this time of year. These muffins are worth it though. It is a busy time of year You don't want to be fooling around in the kitchen for a long time when there is so much else to do. Me either, which is why there aren't as many photos in the post as I ... Read More about Fresh Cherry Muffins
Recipes
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
Homemade Hummus
Homemade Hummus is easy and so much better Hummus in the grocery store is ridiculously expensive. That is why Homemade Hummus makes so much sense. I just checked and even the store brand is nearly $7/lb right now. That's crazy - for that much money, I can make 3 or 4 times as much of this stuff! Hummus is NOT hard to make You can make hummus yourself, if you have a food processor, even a little one. And it is probably going to taste better. You'll know exactly what is in there, because ... Read More about Homemade Hummus
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
Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Mediterranean Orzo Salad is perfect for summertime meals This Mediterranean Orzo Salad can be made hours up to a day or two ahead of when you plan to serve it. It keeps well, because of the oil and vinegar dressing. In fact, we like it better the next day. That is the beauty of a marinated salad. The dressing sinks into the ingredients and melds all the flavors together. This is a flexible recipe Though it's called orzo salad, you can use any pasta that you prefer. Orzo is nice and small, ... Read More about Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Strawberry Preserves {No Pectin Recipe}
Strawberry Preserves do not need pectin to be thick You can have thick, sweet, and fruity Strawberry Preserves with just 3 ingredients: Fresh Strawberries, Sugar, and Lemon Juice. Why not use pectin? If you prefer to use pectin, then I'm not here to tell what to do. But - there are a few reasons to try this method. Making Strawberry Preserves with pectin requires more sugar. Using pectin to thicken jams and preserves involves a chemical process that needs a certain percentage of sugar to ... Read More about Strawberry Preserves {No Pectin Recipe}
Warm Green Bean Tomato Salad
Warm Green Bean Tomato Salad is good at any temperature We get this idea that every salad has to be ice cold. I think this Warm Green Bean Tomato Salad demonstrates that is not 100% true. Don't get me wrong, now. This salad is actually very good chilled. But it is equally good right off the stove, or at room temperature. And having a salad that stays tasty and fresh without refrigeration is a great thing in the summertime. Warm or room-temperature salads are safer in the summer There are ... Read More about Warm Green Bean Tomato Salad
Tuscan Herb Salt
Tuscan Herb Salt preserves the flavor of summer I utilize a lot of ways to save all that we grow through the summer. Canning, freezing, pickling, fermenting and dehydrating all serve to hold on to the flavor and nutrition of the things we grow. Tuscan Herb Salt is a way to preserve the bright freshness of summer herbs. Not to mention garlic! Growing herbs to preserve them is a great idea As I have mentioned lately here on the blog and on social media, I like to keep some pots of herbs ... Read More about Tuscan Herb Salt
Grilled Buffalo Hot Wings
Grilled Hot Buffalo Wings are easy to make at home I have to confess that deep-fried hot wings are not my favorite thing. They don't stay crispy for very long, so take-out or leftovers can get pretty soggy. And I don't love all the extra calories you get with deep-frying. I have a deep fryer, but it's not an appliance I have out all the time. So, Grilled Buffalo Hot Wings are my answer. These are not typical hot wings I know how typical Buffalo Wings are made. We live in Upstate NY after ... Read More about Grilled Buffalo Hot Wings
Fruit and Nut Oat Bars
Fruit and Nut Oat Bars are an easy, wholesome treat I am not going to claim that these Fruit and Nut Oat Bars are exactly health food. But, they are definitely better than a lot of snacks you could have. They have plenty of fiber, some good nutrition from the fruit and nuts, and they are fairly low in refined sugar. And, did I forget to mention how yummy they are? Very yummy, as you will see when you make them yourself. These are bars, not biscotti Yes - they do look a bit like biscotti. In ... Read More about Fruit and Nut Oat Bars
Swedish Visiting Cake
Swedish Visiting Cake is a special cake I'm not certain exactly where this cake's original idea is from. I'm updating this post and wanted to see if I could find out. Swedish Visiting Cake, it seems to me, must've come from someone with unexpected guests who wanted to welcome them with a nice cake. It is fast, really easy and just lovely. Dorie Greenspan has a rather famous version of it, but there are quite a few others as well. This is my take on it, where I have changed up a few ... Read More about Swedish Visiting Cake
How to Freeze Rhubarb
Freezing is the best way to preserve fresh rhubarb for baking If you love rhubarb as much as I do, this is one post you will want to hang onto. How to freeze rhubarb is a handy thing to know, and so simple to do. Why I love rhubarb My favorite thing about rhubarb is how it leaps out of the ground in the spring and by the second week of May, you can begin your first harvest. It is a definite sign of a season we so look forward to, here in Upstate NY. It is low maintenance. Keep it ... Read More about How to Freeze Rhubarb