The traditional BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich) is taken to a new level in this delightful lunchtime recipe which adds Haas avocados for an extra bit of creaminess. Traditional BLT Taken to a New Level. I love BLTs. Always have, always will. They are hearty and full of fresh goodness (from the garden today!) …
I live in zone 7b, so I am able to start vegetable gardening fairly early. I did not get a crop of Brussels sprouts last year, but I am hopeful that my plants will be full of sprouts this year. Brussels sprouts are a healthy cold-weather vegetable that even has its own National Day. January…
If you loved creamsicles as a child, (and still do!), this delicious cocktail recipe is perfect for you. This orange cream martini is an adult version of the flavored frozen treats you enjoyed as a kid. What is a dessert cocktail? When you combine spirits with sweet ingredients that can double up as a…
It is perfect for a busy week night. This Ahi Tuna recipe (also known as yellow fin tuna) can be served quite rare, so it only takes a few minutes per side and the sauce is fast to make. Ahi Tuna Recipe with White Wine Butter Sauce – gourmet style personified. This recipe for ahi…
This pretty hydrangea wreath uses the beautiful big blooms of a mop head hydrangea bush for a door decoration. My hydrangea bush flowered late this year and gave some lovely color to an otherwise fairly bare garden bed. Did you know that you can make a holiday hydrangea wreath from hydrangea flowers that are done…
This recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie is a traditional favorite of mine and makes a great addition to my growing list of crock pot recipes. When the days start getting a bit cooler, I love to make more comfort food type recipes. It used to be that when the days get colder, my…
This venison stir fry is made with venison for a gamey taste that is great with the fresh vegetables. My garden is producing really well right now, and I love to come up withe new ways to use all my veggies. As luck would have it, my husband came home with some fresh venison which…
Want to get new tomato plants for free? Try propagation! Propagating tomatoes will give you new plants in just a few weeks, which is much faster than growing them from seed. Propagation is the process of growing new plants from a single parent plant by using parts of it. This can be done by using…
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…