Oh these scones. They were a labor of love for me. I made them not once, not twice, but three times before I got them just right. The first time they were too dense and not sweet enough. The second time they were a touch dry and I overcooked them by about five minutes thanks to a pesky almost three year old who turned the oven dial up 25 degrees to 375º when no one was looking (ahem… Benji). The third time I hit perfection. I halved the recipe, added a touch more butter and duct taped the oven dial to 350º….
National Can It Forward Day
Every year about this time I start to get the itch. I think you know the one. I glance around the kitchen at the bushels of tomatoes picked fresh from my garden, the peaches overflowing in baskets from our yearly “pick your own” adventures, and the berries galore taking up space in my freezer and fridge. Instantly my mind turns to canning. Salsa, jam, pickles, pie filling, you name it. When the urge hits, it grabs me with a vengeance.
…
Squash, Spinach and Sausage Stuffed Shells
Sweaters; leaves of gold, red and orange; pungently sweet spices; the return of my skinny jeans (ok, maybe not this year but dang it, every year thereafter); Halloween; Thanksgiving.
These are just a few of the reasons I relish the return of the fall season. Even hot weather fans can’t deny the magic in that first cool day when the air conditioners abruptly turn off and the windows subsequently fly open in order to allow the crisp autumn breeze to gratefully flow in.
…
Caramel Apple Frozen Yogurt and a Lesson in the Art of Apple Growing from Tree Top
A few months back I had the privilege of flying west to the great state of Washington and spending a couple whirlwind days with the amazing people at Tree Top apple juice. I have to say, I always enjoy these adventures when they’re presented to me. The generosity of the people sponsoring the event never fails to astound and the education you come away with is something you could only garner through viewing the process straight from the source. This trip was certainly no exception.
…