Are you feeling like something new for dinner tonight? Our recipes are sure to tempt you.
The Gardening Cook is here to help you plan delicious meals with less stress. If you love cooking with garden fresh vegetables, that is our specialty!
We offer fresh, flavorful and mainly healthy recipes as well as cooking tips to make your time in the kitchen easier.
These food ideas are made for your daily life, as well as for entertaining with friends.
From cocktails and drinks to appetizers and desserts, make sure that your next gathering will be a hit.
If you are in the mood for something new tonight, these posts are sure to delight.
I have to admit. I am a huge fan of peanut butter. Sort of like Claire on the series Lost. There are days when I could just dive into a jar and eat just that for the day. Add to the peanut butter some chocolate, like many of these recipes do and that is a…
These potato recipes will give you lots of ideas for cooking this humble vegetable. I’ve always been a meat and potatoes kind of gal. No matter how I do them, I always feels as though the potatoes are the star of the dish. Potatoes can be cooked so many ways. They always make a great…
These baked lamb chops are beautifully tender and have a delicious rosemary cream sauce. The recipe makes a nice main course alternative to pork or beef. I’ve you’ve never tried baked lamb, you are in for a treat. Lamb loin chops are a tender cut of meat and much less expensive than the fancy rack…
Got an impulse to cater to your sweet tooth? These candy creations will tempt even the most ardent candy lover. Making candy at home is a great way to try new tastes and save money, to boot. Fortunately, it is not too hard to do! From fudge to truffles, and in between, here are some…
Here are some of my favorite strawberry recipes. It will soon be time for the abundance of fresh strawberries to start appearing at the farmer’s market. Well, maybe not soon, with the winter we have had but I have a bad case of spring fever. When strawberries are available, I always buy them in bulk…
These chicken thighs are so easy to prepare and yet taste as though you spent hours in the kitchen. And they are perfect for those following a Paleo diet. Chicken thighs are made from the dark meat, so are naturally moist and removing the skin saves calories but does not lessen the juiciness of them….
I love making crock pot recipes all the time, but particularly in the winter months. One of my favorite things to make in it is a great tasting crock pot vegetable beef soup recipe. Having a big bowl of soup is a great way to warm up on early spring days when the weather is…
Are you looking for a recipe that will give you the moistest chicken you have ever made? Use bacon! Not only does the bacon give the chicken a delicious taste, but if wrapped around the chicken breasts, it will make them moist and very juicy. This is another easy recipe. I make the marinade early…
Feeling your Sweet tooth wanting something special? Try one of my favorite chocolate dessert recipes. They are all rich and flavorful and will delight even the most ardent chocoholic. Whether you are looking for a piece of chocolate bark or something as elaborate as the chocolate blooming onion, one of these desserts is just perfect…
These cookie recipes are perfect for an afternoon snack, or easy dessert. There is nothing quite like dunking a cookie into a glass of milk. This round up of delicious cookies features everything from a basic shortbread to a decadent peanut butter cream filled whoopie pie. You are sure to find one that will tempt…
Caramelized mushrooms are one of my favorite side dishes. Who doesn’t love the delicious taste of these slowly cooked mushrooms that take on a lovely caramel color and a boat load of amazing flavor. This recipe is super easy to make and a must have addition to any side dishes recipe collection. Cooking mushrooms this way…
Ah…the other white meat – pork! I really love the taste of it but some of the cuts don’t really agree with me. When shopping I choose very lean medallions of pork, or even cut my own from a pork loin roast, which is what I did for these recipes. If you are looking…
This recipe for chicken breasts with roasted garlic is full of flavor and freshness. The star of this dish is the whole cloves of roasted garlic. Mushrooms add a nice earthiness and fresh rosemary adds a delightful herbal note. Keep reading to learn how to make this tasty recipe. Chicken breasts with roasted garlic recipe…
These baked chicken recipes will give you 10 new ways to serve this humble protein. Why not try one tonight? I love chicken. It’s moist and tender and can be cooked in so many ways. Chicken is relatively inexpensive compared to other proteins and can be as plain or as fancy as you like in…
One of my most appetizing memories from when my daughter was young, was the day she brought home Girl Scout Cookies. Those Samoas and Thin Mints were so tempting. I had to freeze them to get them out of sight! If you also love the flavor of caramel, coconut and chocolate, you are in luck!…
This cheesy pasta recipe is flavored with ground beef, fresh garden herbs and onions. It is super easy to put together and ready in 35 minutes. Forget Hamburger Helper casseroles! Why put all those chemicals into your body when you can make a hamburger casserole that is almost as fast and twice as delicious. (and…
This recipe is an adaptation of a Julia Child recipe. French cooking at its best. Julia Child was an American chef, author, and television personality. She is recognized for bringing French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I have lightened up the recipe slightly (less butter…
Dessert bar recipes are a favorite of mine. They are usually quite easy to make, and they are also easy to slice, and pack up to take somewhere. What makes bar recipes so great is that you can eat them with your hands, with no utensils. A great tasting, easy to make recipe that is also…
My friend Regina who used to blog at Molly Mell is the star of today’s featured recipe – Olho de Sogra. Regina has been experimenting with Brazilian sweets lately and came up with this scrumptious looking dessert that makes the perfect afternoon snack. Olho de Sogra is basically dried prunes with a sweet coconut filling. …
There will be no reason to ask your family to have a seat at the table when you serve this delicious mushroom and wild rice stuffed pork roast. They will come running! The wild rice gives the recipe an exotic look and elevates it from a normal week night meal. Keep reading to find out…
Every party needs great appetizers to start it off well. If you are looking for tasty appetizer recipes, check out this group. Nothing starts a party off on the right foot like a line up for both hot and cold appetizers. Many of these take just a few minutes to prepare but all are delicious….
Are you ready for some comfort food? Here are a few of my favorite Italian recipes. I am very fond of Italian cooking. It is hearty and delicious and the recipes are normally fairly easy to do. Since I cook with fresh herbs most of the time, I can make use of the oregano and…
If you have never made focaccia, you are in for a treat. This Italian flat bread has a consistency somewhat like a pizza crust but the flavor of the dough is just incredible, with the blend of rosemary, oregano and basil. I’m not a huge fan of pizza because it normally has a tomato based…
This recipe for Parmesan crusted salmon is delicious, easy to do and baked in the oven to keep the fat content down. Readers of my blog know that I am not a big fish recipe person but the one exception is salmon. I just love the full flavored taste of it and cook it often….
Now that my daughter has left home, there are only two people to cook for – me and my husband. But I often make extras of whatever new dish I am cooking at night. I don’t mind left overs, but with a bit of creativity, the extras make great additions to salads for lunch so…
What do peanut butter baking chips, fudge brownies, heavy cream, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups all have in common? They are ingredients in this decadent Reeses brownie whoopie pies. Who knew that a brownie mix could turn into these cute chewy cookies? The main problem with them is that they are so darn good, you…