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I recently asked The Gardening Cook Facebook fans to submit their favorite planters When it comes to creative planters, the sky seems to be the limit.  Almost anything with an opening can become a garden planter. The Gardening Cook fans are an inventive group when it comes to thinking outside the box of normal pots.   …

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Homemade Garlic bread is a must have accompaniment to many main course dishes. This recipe combines butter with basil and parsley for a great taste sensation. There are so many ways to use this homemade garlic bread recipe.  Serve it with home style soups or stews to get that last drop of broth. And what …

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These Pestiños pastries are flavored with citrus, wine and cinnamon.  If you are looking for something special to take to a cookie swap, this recipe will delight the party guests with their delicate texture. Pestiños are a Spanish cookie from Andalusia and other regions of Southern Spain.  They are often served at Christmas time, but …

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These delicious chocolate and rum butterscotch balls are bite sized and just full of flavor.   These yummy butterscotch balls are very easy to make and delicious to eat.  The recipe combines dark chocolate, dark brown sugar and walnuts together with a few other pantry staples.   I love a sweet treat this is just a …

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Cakes that don’t look like food always surprise me when I see them. I spent a short period of my life, when my daughter was young decorating cakes.  I had a set of Wilton cake decorating tips and a few magazines and made a fancy cake each year for her birthday. But never once did …

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Kyoto Japan is jam packed with stunning Japanese gardens, and it is a must visit in any Japan itinerary.  If you love beautiful gardens and large temples, this place needs to be on your travel bucket list. The gardens, often part of temples or old imperial retreats, are spread around the city.  They are particularly …

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What is not to like about cheesecake recipes?  Here is a cheesecake recipe roundup to tempt all taste buds. Cheesecake recipes are rich and indulgent. They are the ultimate dessert to end any special occasion meal. These recipes  can be made with so many different ingredients and is sure to please the most critical sweet …

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These roasted potatoes with lemon are cooked in the oven, not deep fried, to make them tasty and healthier at the same time. Roasting any vegetable brings out their natural sweetness.  I love roasted potatoes, especially when combined with spices. There is nothing like biting into a crispy outer skin and then having a creamy …

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If you are looking for an easy weeknight meal , this pizza roll up recipe is a great option.  The recipe combines chicken with spicy sauce in a refrigerated dough. It’s kind of like a pizza in a pocket. All the flavors combine to make a delicious filling that tastes amazing. Pizza Roll up with …

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This recipe for sugar snap peas, mushrooms and tomatoes is easy to make and just full of flavor.  It would make a fast side dish for any weeknight when time is limited. Best of all, the ingredients are fresh from the garden!  What could be better? Nothing tastes quite like a vegetable dish made from …

Read More about Sugar Snap Pea Stir Fry with Mushrooms and Tomatoes in Wine

Food carving and creative food art is something that requires a great deal of patience to end up with just the perfect result.  I love seeing what creative people can do with food to make it into an art form. Food is soft and this makes it the perfect medium for carving into life-like objects. …

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Sweet Williams have pretty fringed flowers that grow in a cluster on top of a long stalk. Dianthus Barbatus is a lovely variety of the dianthus species. Dianthus Barbatus – is a tender perennial.  It is often treated as a Biennial with leaves the first year and flowers the second before dying off. My Dianthus Barbatus …

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Tiki torch Planters add a nice bit of ambiance to your parties and have a more natural look than normal lighting does. There are lots of ideas for how to brighten up your patio space for night time entertaining.   This fun idea combines lighting and plants for a decorative effect that your party guests will …

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 I recently tried this roasted rutabaga recipe and it is just delicious and makes a wonderful fall side dish. I have always used rutabagas in casseroles and stews.  I like using lots of root vegetables in recipes like this type of recipe.  Roasting rutabagas concentrate the natural sweetness of the vegetable.  This is the same …

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These Amaretto cocktails all use an almond base liqueur as part of the drink. I first tasted Amaretto when I lived in Australia.  It was very common to end most meals in a restaurant with a liqueur of some sort. Amaretto soon became one of my favorites.  Some of these cocktails are simple and some …

Read More about Favorite Amaretto Cocktails – Almonds at Cocktail Hour!