A few years back I did a cookbook review for Taste of Home’s Simple & Delicious Cookbook and I recently rediscovered it while I was packing. I had dog-eared the pages of tons of recipes I wanted to cook and decided to revisit a few of them for inspiration. One was for a simple appetizer of cranberry-brie tartlets where they used pre-made refrigerated crescent rolls. Since my days off have… Keep Reading
I created this cocktail toward the end of summer, but it turned out so pretty and romantic looking that I thought I would save it for February. Not only does it look like Valentine’s Day in cocktail form, but as sweet and pretty as this cocktail looks, it packs a mean punch of heat that’s perfect for staying warm on these chilly February days. I mixed my own habanero infused… Keep Reading
Valentines Day is just a few days away and if you want to skip the crowded restaurants and impress your partner with a simple, but restaurant quality dinner at home instead, I’ve got just the dish! Not only does this walnut crusted salmon cost a fraction of what you’d pay for it in a restaurant, but it’s surprisingly quick and easy to throw together and can be prepped the night… Keep Reading
I shared a sneak peek at this Bloody Mary creation via Instagram and the response was mostly a lot of expletives and excitement, which I interpreted as a good thing! I don’t mess around when it comes to Bloody Marys and creating this one was no exception. I switched up my usual homemade Bloody mix by adding balsamic vinegar, olive juice, Italian seasoning, and homemade basil infused vodka, which complemented… Keep Reading
Ever since our trip to Italy I’ve been craving a big plate of decadent buttery seafood and pasta.. and of course wine.. and beautiful views.. and listening to everyone speak in perfect Italian. But since I won’t be venturing back to Italy this year I opted to at least satisfy my cravings for the pasta, seafood, and wine! I’m happy to say that this dish did the trick and the… Keep Reading
At the end of fall I couldn’t bear to part with my garden, so I transplanted some of my herbs into pots that now have a happy and warm home in front of my window. The Italian flat leaf parsley was starting to get a little crazy because I really just don’t cook with it all that often. I challenged myself to look for recipes where parsley was more than… Keep Reading
With the wintry weather, I’ve had quite the craving for bright citrus flavors, fresh herbs, and a good strong drink. Heavy emphasis on the “good strong drink” part since I’ve found myself getting towed or pushed out of a ditch twice in the last week. My poor little Corolla that I lovingly refer to as Carol, slid off into a small ditch on our gravel road leaving my tires about… Keep Reading
If you haven’t embraced cauliflower into your life yet maybe this will be the post that makes you do it! I never used to be a fan of it myself, but after learning how to make it taste like hot wings.. I was sold! For a good throwback recipe you can see what I’m talking about here. I decided to challenge myself with THREE new flavor variations and the best… Keep Reading
Beets will forever be on that fine line of you either love them or hate them and if you hate them… this recipe is NOT for you. I like to channel my inner Dwight Schrute and fully embrace beets and their earthy flavor. This time I went even further by using their greens in this salad and pickled the stems to use in other dishes, putting every bit of them… Keep Reading
Every holiday season (okay, really any season) I love making sangria for all of the get togethers with friends and family. This year I threw together a quick and simple one using Red Delicious apples, pomegranate seeds, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. It’s a great make-ahead cocktail that you can do several batches and variations with. I top mine off with champagne for added crispness which makes this perfect for a… Keep Reading
If you haven’t yet heard the folklore of Krampus, you are totally missing out on one of the best Christmas tales of all time. Krampus is a creature bearing horns, fangs, a long tongue and carries with him chains and a bundle of birch sticks to swat naughty children with. He shows up at the beginning of December and then hauls the bad kids back to the underworld. I must… Keep Reading
When you think of nachos, you usually picture the version that’s served at a sporting event.. A pile of chips in a plastic container, loaded with liquidy cheese that you pump out of a dispenser, and topped with canned jalapeno rings. I mean, those are still pretty amazing when washed down with a big over priced beer, but if you’re looking for something a little healthier, a little more filling,… Keep Reading
This is always my favorite season to come up with new soup and chili recipes to help warm the bones after a particularly shitty (whoops.. I meant chilly) winter day. If you checked out the last couple of posts then you know I have an abundance of pumpkins and squash leftover from this summer’s garden that I’m trying to put to good use and now I’m wishing I had more!… Keep Reading
While making this recipe the other day I was reminded that winter is essentially here and found myself scrambling to snap photos of the final product with the last little sliver of dusk light. I’m not 100% happy with the photos I managed to get, but I am over the moon with how the recipe turned out! It’s loaded up with eggs, whole grain bread, butternut squash, apples, fresh sage,… Keep Reading
Yesterday I shared how to make Simple Homemade Pumpkin Puree, so today I thought I would share a round up of some of my favorite recipes using pumpkin. Some of these posts are from my first year of blogging, which means cringe-worthy lighting, angles, and composition with the photos, but the recipe itself is something I wouldn’t change at all. They’re tried and true recipes that I use often, especially… Keep Reading
This summer I let one side of the garden become a pumpkin patch full of ghost pumpkins and sugar pumpkins. I got a lot of questions asking why the sugar pumpkins were so small and why you can’t use the regular carving pumpkin variety to cook and bake with. The difference is this: The carving varieties have less flesh, they’re stringier, and have more water in them, not making for… Keep Reading
This may seem like a spaghetti squash recipe, but this is really all about the sauce.. A good homemade tomato sauce can take a lot of time.. blanching, peeling, and then cooking down tomatoes for hours on the stove top. But let’s be real.. most of us are lucky if we even have time to wash our hair during the week (thank you Dry Shampoo Gods) so there’s no way… Keep Reading
In Iowa we’re known for our endless fields of corn and endless creations of all things fried on a stick at the Iowa State Fair (including a deep fat fried stick of butter). I’m more into the sweet corn versus the artery clogging creations from the fair, so I picked some up while it was on sale and set about making some Mexican street corn. That same day I had… Keep Reading
With gardening season coming to a close I typically spend part of my days off processing the remaining tomatillos, peppers, and tomatoes from the garden into fresh salsa. I couldn’t think of a better complementing drink to all that spicy salsa than an icy cold margarita. I decided to mix in some tasty craft beer and used the Tangerine Express IPA from Stone Brewing. It made for an unexpectedly delicious… Keep Reading
In the years that I’ve been food blogging I’ve found that being able to adapt, and quickly, is a skill much needed. I had an idea to make a wild berry syrup with the raspberries and mulberries we have growing around the property, but when I went to go collect them, they were shriveled up and dried out from the heat. Not to be discouraged, I decided on a strawberry… Keep Reading
Looking back on the majority of my recipes from the last year I realize I definitely lean towards using what I have on hand from the garden and this pizza is a perfect example of that. I collected squash and pumpkin blossoms, cherry tomatoes, and garlic from the backyard making this a quick, easy, and cheap recipe to put together. The only topping I didn’t grow was the goat cheese,… Keep Reading
It’s ridiculously hot and swampy feeling here in Iowa and all I want is to sip cocktails while floating in the pool. The reality is that I’m working not floating and I would fry up like the little vampire I am if I spent all day poolside. I can still enjoy a nice cocktail though and this Habanero Watermelon Cooler is the perfect summer drink! Freshly juiced watermelon, mint, and… Keep Reading
I used to dread the heat and humidity that comes with summer, but having a garden has made the sweltering season grow on me a bit. I’m able to produce a ton of fresh vegetables and herbs for my own consumption and to create new recipes with all season long. To highlight one of my favorite herbs I chose to make this Lemon and Lavender Bread that I thought would… Keep Reading
I was 8 years old when I watched the movie Twister and became obsessed with the idea of storm chasing. I loved thunderstorms and that eerie feeling right before a tornado would hit. I remember once I was home alone and the sirens went off. I then set about the task of hauling the rabbit cage, the dog in his kennel, and our cat downstairs and setting up a stool… Keep Reading