Food and Drink Recipes from The Gardening Cook

These Halloween pumpkin face cookies are the perfect Halloween recipe for your family or neighborhood friends. They have a cute Jack O Lantern pumpkin face and are filled with rich chocolate frosting. Imagine the delight at your Halloween party or when you surprise your trick-or-treaters with some pumpkin Halloween cookies. Just wait for the squeals! …

This Brussels sprouts leaves recipe makes a great use of parts of the plant that might end up on a compost pile or in the trash can. The leafy tops of Brussels sprouts plants have a look that is similar to kale and collards. However, they have a much softer texture and milder flavor. The leaves …

This Thai peanut stir fry has a great mix of vegetables to add lots of flavor and nutrition to your dinner meal. Team this vegan stir fry with freshly cooked brown rice, flavored with cumin, spring onions, and raisins. The meal will tempt even the most meat-loving family member.  This Thai recipe has a nice …

Your child won’t have a problem getting their fruit intake when you present them with these fun banana food art creations! Food art is the process of preparing and presenting food in creative ways. It is a popular art form in many Asian countries and is enjoyed around the world. If you have a hard …

This date oat bars recipe is rich and hearty with a deliciously sweet taste. These date squares are adapted from one of my mother’s recipes, and baking them always makes me feel nostalgic. The oatmeal bars are sweetened with pure maple sugar and brown sugar. The buttery oat crust is topped with the rich date …

This mushroom marinara sauce recipe combines mushrooms with garlic, onions, fresh herbs, roasted tomatoes, and red wine. It’s a rich and hearty sauce that pairs well with all types of pasta. If you normally use bottled pasta sauces, you are in for a treat. They just can’t compare to the taste of a homemade pasta …

Roasting tomatoes for sauce is an easy way to bring out their natural sweetness and deepen their flavor. You can roast both store-bought and garden-grown tomatoes in the oven to produce a flavorful base for pasta sauces. In this guide, you’ll learn which tomato varieties work best, how to prepare them, and simple oven-roasting methods …

This recipe for chicken and red wine sauce is a classic combination that never disappoints. The deep, savory flavor of the sauce balances the tender chicken beautifully. Mushrooms pair with chicken breasts and red wine for a hearty, satisfying taste that delivers depth and comfort in every bite. The recipe is easy to prepare for …

These leftover rice patties are crunchy and savory with a fresh flavor that comes from a variety of garden herbs. The patties make a smart use of any extra rice you might have in your fridge.  Leftover rice is very versatile and can be used for fried rice, stuffed peppers, Mediterranean salads, vegetarian recipes, and …

This crustless chicken quiche is loaded with the amazing flavors of eggs, bacon, and cheddar cheese. The breakfast recipe is a gluten-free version of the classic cheese quiche, but without the crust. Most of the flavors in a quiche come from the cheese and eggs, so omitting the crust is an easy way to save on calories. …

I have put together a group of patriotic table decor ideas that can be done on a budget and in no time at all. They are perfect for both Memorial Day and the upcoming Fourth of July! We’ve all had that moment when our friends or parents decide to visit with no notice for an important …

This patriotic fruit flag is a tasty and fun way to celebrate the 4th of July. We had friends over for brunch on Sunday, and I wanted to add a festive patriotic accent to our table since the holiday is just a week away. I wanted something that we would eat (I hate wasting food …

Want an easy weeknight meal you can make in one pot? If so, you will love this pollo a la crema recipe. This dish features chunks of white meat chicken with mushrooms, onions, and green peppers in a Mexican cream sauce. The recipe is also known as “pollo con crema” and “pollo en crema”. There …

Looking for a recipe that is simple to prepare but elegant enough for a dinner party? This easy barramundi recipe features a garlic lemon butter sauce that delivers restaurant-style food at home in just minutes. Barramundi is an Asian sea bass with a mild, buttery flavor and firm yet flaky texture. The sauce is buttery, …

After a long winter where not much is growing in the garden, it’s nice to have an early crop that likes the cold. Growing sugar snap peas gives the gardener a much anticipated outdoor task to do at this time of the year. Peas like cool temperatures and have a tendency to fade out when …

This recipe for spicy shrimp tacos uses a salad slaw base that is full of nutritious and healthy veggies.  It is the perfect dish for Cinco de Mayo! It’s easy  to put together with a lime honey dressing that is zesty and delicious. Are you a busy cook? You will love that this shrimp recipe …

These Easter coconut and cheese cupcakes will be a nice finishing touch to your Easter dinner, and the kiddies will love them. My friend Regina, who used to blog at Molly Mel, has been baking up some sweets for the upcoming Easter holiday. Aren’t they cute? Easter is such a fun time for us all. …

If you love succulents, and want to make a creative cake for your next event, try making one of the succulent cake ideas below. They will impress all of your friends who love plants! There are a variety of different ways you can make edible succulent cakes. Some of the succulent cake designs are made …

This Mason Jar Easter Bunny project is a great alternative for celebrating the holiday. It comes together in just minutes and would also make a great table centerpiece for your dessert table. Easter is such a fun time of the year. It brings out the joy in children and tells us all that spring is …

As Easter approaches, many families are looking for fun and creative ways to celebrate the holiday. One popular activity is an Easter egg hunt, but why not add a twist to the traditional hunt with some Easter egg hunt clues and riddles? In our blog post, we’ll be sharing ideas and tips for an Easter …

These sirloin steaks have a lovely sauce made from Baileys Irish cream, Irish whiskey, butter and parsley.  They are very easy to make and taste amazing. We barbecue at our house every Saturday. My husband is the grill master and I come up with the recipes.  Tonight I gave him the night off and made …

These creative St. Patrick’s Day recipes will help you celebrate in style this year. St. Patrick’s day is a day steeped in tradition.  This year, on March 17, millions of people will wear green and celebrate the luck of the Irish at parades, with good cheer and even drinking a pint of green beer.  Cooking up …

We all love easy recipes, and you truly can’t get much easier than these slow cooker recipes. All you need to do is load your slow cooker in the morning and get on with your day! Many slow cooker meals don’t even have additional steps once the cooking is finished. They are easy to clean …

Your kids will love to make this sweet snowman Christmas cake.  The cake will be the hit of your Christmas buffet.   He is made of a chocolate base and covered in butter cream frosting and then decorated. The cake is easy to make and kids will love to help you decorate it with their favorite …

These Funfetti peppermint chocolate truffles are my latest addition to a growing batch of truffle recipes. Truffles are as much a part of my holiday traditions as decorating a tree is.  I love to make all kinds of these bite sized Christmas treats.  They are fun to make, and look so great on a holiday …

It’s time to learn how to cook garlic with this easy roasted garlic recipe. The roasting process bring out the garlic’s natural sugars, producing cloves which have a deep, mellow and slightly sweet flavor. While some recipes can benefit from the sharp bite of fresh garlic, roasted garlic has a more nuanced flavor that enhances any …