making life delicious blog
I will use canned beans in a pinch because they are convenient, but increasingly I cook dry beans from scratch because I control the ingredients, such as the amount of salt which is often high in canned beans. I also prefer the flavor of freshly cooked beans over canned, though possibly the best reason is [...]
Michael and I have pursued our dream of turning our back yard into an edible landscape for several years. We’ve replaced inedible bushes with blueberries, raspberries, and grape vines, and planted apple, cherry, plum, peach, fig, and pecan trees. But there are two trees I wish we could grow in our yard and can’t due [...]
Peanut butter is a snack and sandwich staple around our house, whether for toast, sandwiches, crackers, celery, or just on a spoon the old-fashioned way. Our boys are particularly fond of peanut butter and banana sandwiches on whole wheat bread. Peanut butter is very easy to make at home, and there is a tremendous difference [...]
My notorious sweet tooth is no secret as my blog is filled with recipes for many of my favorite desserts. One of my favorite things to satisfy my sweet cravings is caramel; I prefer it over chocolate and think that caramel makes chocolate taste even better. I love caramel on ice cream, cookies, cakes, cheesecakes, [...]
Monkey Boy has an incredible amount of energy, and he ran us all over the farm during our visit to a local pumpkin patch last week. The farm had cornstalks and pumpkins piled near the entrance and he spent a few minutes touching them all and explaining which one he liked. After the hayride we [...]
Caring for wood in the kitchen may seem like a mystery, but it’s actually pretty easy. We have wood cutting boards, salad bowls, a few wood plates and utensils, and a butcher block top on the baking center/floating island, and it only takes a little effort to maintain them. For cleaning, we scrape off all [...]
Vanilla beans + vodka + time = vanilla extract That’s pretty easy math! The process is simple and the equipment list very short: you only need a jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid. There was a time when I would have said that the biggest part of that equation was the vanilla beans due [...]
I love it in cocktail sauce, but I can’t do it straight. Prepared horseradish is a condiment that I did not have during childhood, although we probably should have grown the plant because it would have cured every cold I ever got. The heady, strong smell of prepared horseradish clears your sinuses pretty quickly. Michael [...]
It's spring in the U.S. and the following foods may be in season in your area:
artichokes, fennel, fiddleheads, radishes, broccoli, rhubarb, kale, cresses, spinach, spring lettuces, chard, cabbages, chives, cilantro, collards, tatsoi, mustard greens, spring onions, asparagus, rosemary, wild garlic, ramps, strawberries, blueberries, cherries
Eat fresh seasonal produce to stay healthy and help your food budget.Learn more about seasonal and sustainable cooking at Sustainable Table - In the Kitchen.
