I have several butterfly bushes, also known as buddleija, in my garden beds. I love them because they attract butterflies and bees like no other plant in my garden. My main butterfly bush was put in a large island bed early this spring, when it was about 12″ tall. It is now at least 5…
I first discovered hasselback potatoes 30 years ago in Australia. They were all the rage. For some reason, it took a while for them to start appearing here but they have been a popular way of cooking potatoes for a while now. This recipe for bacon cheddar hasselback potatoes is fully loaded and takes my…
Salmon is, hands down, my favorite fish. I love the richness of it. (I’m not normally a white fish person) It is full of omega 3 fatty acids and a staple of a Mediterranean Diet. This recipe for grilled salmon with a Dijon herb mustard paste is to die for. Literally. As in super good. …
If you grow vegetables in your garden, it’s probably second nature to give them a wash when you bring them inside. After all, they are growing in the dirt and those that grow on vines often have dust and other particles on them. But what about the fruit and veggies that you purchase in a…
Hydrogen peroxide is one of those things which people have in their bathroom, that they use primarily for healing wounds and cuts. It is a shame to save this handy bottle for just medical uses, when there are so many more uses for it around the home. And it is so inexpensive too! Hydrogen peroxide…
They always say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It fuels you to give energy, brain power and even maintain a healthy weight. Studies show that those who eat breakfast actually overeat less later in the day than those who do not. And children who eat breakfast traditionally do better in…
Did you know that growing pineapples from a discarded top is quite easy to do? I love pineapples. They are so sweet and the fruit makes great salsas and is perfect in cocktails and drinks. It’s wonderful grilled with a barbecue too. And one of the beauties of this project is that, if you don’t…
My family has long loved gardening. It all started with my great-grandmother (and I am sure her mother before this but I never knew her). She loved vegetable gardening, particularly yellow pole beans. The seeds from her pole beans have been passed down from generation to generation and are now growing in my garden. Since…
As much as we all love to see birds splashing around in a bird bath, bacteria and grime will soon make it not such a pleasant sight. For today’s project, I am testing Alka Seltzer and copper to clean a bird bath. I have several bird baths in my garden beds. I just love to…
Growing herbs adds a ton of flavor to all your recipes, but keeping track of what is growing can be challenging. These wooden spoon herb plant markers are both functional and decorative. Herb Identification might seem easy but those tiny seedlings have a frustrating way of looking the same! I have a large group of herbs…
My husband used to buy me lilies all the time because he loved the look of them so much. I love them too, but not as cut flowers indoors (they have a stinky smell inside that I don’t like.) I never had the inclination to tell him that they were not my favorite cut flower…
We spend so much time in the kitchen and not all of it is fun. And yet there are so many things that will make what might be heavy duty chores into something much easier. I thought it might be useful to share some of my favorite tips for making life in the kitchen easier. …
The secret to perfect BBQ short ribs is easier than you might think. Pre-cooking is the key. My husband is a rib man. He often chooses them on the menu when we go out to eat. I make BBQ ribs all the time but normally it is a rack of spare ribs that we cook,…
I can never get enough banana muffin recipes. I love bananas but there always seem some that manage to get over ripe and I never want to waste them, so I use them in all types of baked goods. This scrumptious banana muffin has a delicious brown sugar strudel topping that melts in your mouth. …
I have a garden bed in my front yard that I call my “Jess border.” The reason for the name is because my daughter and I made the bed together and it always has a big patch of sunflowers in the middle of it each year. Sunflowers are Jess’ favorite flowers. Like all my other…
When my daughter was young she had a swing set, sand box and playhouse on the left side of my garden. She loved playing there, and we chose this area of the garden so that I could see her playing from my kitchen window. All that is left of the set up is the playhouse,…
It’s time for my front garden make over! This has been a year of garden make overs for me. I spent so much time last year dealing with my squirrel problem and tending my vegetable garden that I did not have a lot of time to deal with my flower garden beds. And I can…
This toasted sesame chicken recipe has a sweet and tangy sauce with a hint of spice. The spice in the dish comes from the sriracha, a combination of red chili, garlic, vinegar and salt. You can get this sauce at Asian markets or online from my affiliate Amazon.com. (affiliate link.) The sugar, vinegar and tomato…
This recipe for chicken and shrimp carbonara combines a fabulous blend of cheeses with roasted peppers, onions and cream to make a wonderful flavor combination. Carbonara dishes are staples in most Italian recipes and one can see why when tasting the delightful flavor of the dish. Keep reading to find out how to make it….
I love this recipe for herbed Mediterranean chicken. It’s so delicious, I could eat it every day and not get tired of it. I’m always looking for new ways to prepare my favorite, especially when it comes to one that I plan to roast. (I also love roast nights!) This recipe for herbed Mediterranean chicken…
It’s almost time for camping season. I thought it would be fun to start the season off with a great recipe for Caribbean grilled snapper with pineapple. This fish recipe is very easy to do, which makes it perfect for a camping trip. All you have to do is combine the spices and add some…
Red Vols Daylily is a spectacular daylily that was a Better Homes and Gardens winner of the year in 2000 and it’s easy to see why. Anyone who gets interested in growing perennials while find themselves also interested in daylilies. These showing perennial bulbs are dramatic, come back year after year and are easy to…
I lost my dad suddenly in February this year. It was totally unexpected and a very sad and hard time for my family. I have a very large and very close family. When Father’s day came around, we were all very mindful of him and each of us remembered him in our own ways. My…
Let’s test your garden smarts. I thought it would be fun to take a photo from my garden, and enlarge it to show only the bloom, and see if you can name it. A few hints: it does not mind if the soil is dry it flowers all spring and summer the flowers come in…
These are some more of my favorite Fourth of July recipes. They are sure to add a patriotic flair to any gathering with friends. July is a month for foodies. Lots of national days are devoted to celebrating the 4th of July with food. From delicious cakes to decadent cocktails, these recipes all use the…
When the harvest is booming, roasted garden vegetables are on my menu. Roasting brings out their natural sweetness and is so easy to do. It’s that time of the year again! So many things are ready from the garden to put on the table. Tonight it is a recipe for roasted baby potatoes, with onions…