Way back in the olden days (my granddaughter just asked me not too long ago what it was like when I was growing up, lol), way back when I had more energy, when I was a little more “Martha” than I am now, I used to do a lot more DIY and crafty kind of things. One of those things was drying oranges for all kinds of stuff. A.nd this year I came across a method that makes Beautiful Dried Oranges.
Beautiful Dried Oranges
You might think I’ve been living under a rock. I didn’t know about Oven Baked Apple Chips. Please tell me I’m not the only one? I thought that they were like the leathery, dehydrated apples and were just renamed as a gimmick. I thought, “What’s the big deal?”
Oven Baked Apple Chips
Fall. I’m not too excited about it this year. We’ve had days of heavy storm and rains and during one of the storms, a huge willow on the city’s property that butts up to my yard came down, taking about five of my good sized oaks with it. I’m looking forward to things clearing up and those coolish but still warm days when the sun is shining and the leaves crunch underfoot. And I’m looking forward to eating my Autumn Almond Pear Granola.
Autumn Almond Pear Granola
If you follow me, you know I love me some oatmeal! I have a more than a few oatmeal recipes on my site! But this German Chocolate Granola is in a class by itself.
German Chocolate Granola Yogurt Parfaits
I’m always making granola of one type or another but never seem to actually post recipes. Maybe because in real life I’m more of a dumper than a measurer, at least when I make granola. This Healthy Almond Coconut Granola, though is just too good to be missed, so I measured! Feel free feel to tinker, though, to suit your tastes.
Healthy Almond Coconut Granola
I’ve been a little obsessed with scones, lately. I wanted to find the definitive scone. The scone to best all scones. The one scone to rule them all. What I discovered is that I just seem to like all scones, and most of all the one I’m eating! This week it’s my Dried Blueberry Lemon Scones.
Dried Blueberry Lemon Scones
Ya might think that I’d have gotten my share of Gingerbread over the Holidays, but it just didn’t work out. I wanted to find the time to make Gingerbread Men. I really did. I was so psyched about them. I even got the cookie cutters out and everything…
Home-made Gingerbread Granola with Dried Cherries & Pecans
If there’s ever a cookie that screams “Christmas” it has to be a White Chocolate & Dried Cranberry Cookie. And so I dutifully waited until after Thanksgiving to post these lovelies.
White Chocolate & Dried Cranberry Cookies
If you’re looking for a showstopper of a ham recipe for a fall or winter holiday, look no further. Simple to make but absolutely stunning, The Biltmore House’s Tawny Baked Ham has it all: Great looks and great taste, even though moy pics don’t do it justice!
The Biltmore House’s Tawny Baked Ham
When I was little, I have very fond memories of making cookies with my Mom. Well, she made them and we pressed the forks into them to make a cross-hatch – and they were always peanut butter. But at my friend Lynette’s house, they made all kinds of things! Including Pumpkin Drop Cookies.
Pumpkin Drop Cookies – add raisins or chocolate chips.
Many of my favorite desserts are made with fruit (the rest are usually chocolate!) Here you’ll find fruit-based desserts, desserts with fresh fruit or dried or those that have a fruit sauce. Enjoy!
My Dad’s been asking for Oatmeal Cookies for longer than I care to admit. And we had three, yes, three cartons of Old Fashioned Oats in the cupboard. And so here they are, the best Oatmeal Cookies, ever! And my Dad thinks so, too!! 🙂 It always tickles me pink to get a thumbs up from my Dad!
Big Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
When I made Oven Roasted Cauliflower the other day, I promised I’d show you a simple but fun way to “dress it up.” Well, here it is, a nutty brown butter sauce punctuated with sweet dates and crunchy pine nuts.
Oven Roasted Cauliflower
Thanks to my sister for finding this wonderful creamy, tangy spread that’s a bit different and perfect for the Holidays! The dried fruit makes it festive and adds a little sweetness and that flavor just bounces off the savory rosemary and garlic.
Cranberry Rosemary Cheese Spread
One of my summer/fall favorites is this marvelous Sour Cherry Compote. It’s a little sweet, a little tart and goes so well with so many things. I often make up a batch and can or freeze so I have it to pull out in the winter, too.
Sour Cherry Compote
Have I ever told you I’m wild about Beets? We had a rough start, beets and I did, way back in elementary school. Canned beets, blech! But garden fresh beets? They’re another story altogether. So if you haven’t had beets in awhile, “…all I’ma sayin’ is give beets a chance…” ♬
Simple Balsamic on Arugula, Beet & Goat Cheese Salad
We all have those recipes we make over and over again, right? The ones we just about crave? The ones we pull out for an occasion. Birthdays, Company? Anniversaries? This Bacon Dried Cherry & Caramelized Onion Stuffed Tenderloin is one of those at our house. It’s an absolute show stopper!
Bacon, Dried Cherry & Caramelized Onion Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Hi Guys, I had such rave reviews from the folks last week on my Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread that I decided not to rest on my laurels but to forge ahead & make Pat Nixons Date Nut Bread. I don’t think I’ve made or had Date Nut Bread for years, maybe decades, but I came across a fun, retro recipe credited to Pat Nixon and couldn’t resist! making it.
Pat Nixon’s Date Nut Bread
Here’s another one of my recipes that tastes and looks all “gourmet” but gets dinner on the table in no time at all – Soused Chicken. I’ve made this for years and the somewhat unusual flavoring gets rave reviews. Seriously, people think you’re going all fancy whenever wine and a little cream or half and half are in the picture.
Simple American Style Soused Chicken
Do you ever come across a recipe in a magazine that sounds SOOOO crazy you just know it has to be either completely amazing or an absolute boo hiss? This is one of those crazy recipes that amazes!
California Date Shake
Do you have old family recipes that just take you back to childhood? Maybe it’s a photo, maybe it’s the first whiff of them baking in the oven, or maybe it’s that first bite? This is one of those for me…my Grandma’s Applesauce Cupcakes.
Grandma’s Applesauce Cupcakes with Ermine Buttercream
Are you a scone lover? Or have you only had overly dry, crumbly scones, perhaps redeemed only by the amount of icing on top? Not that I have anything against icing…but it should go on a really GOOD scone, right? This scone has no icing, but a sprinkle of sugar over the top gives it a nice sheen and a bit of sweetness.
Dried Cranberry & Tea Infused Scones
AARP. Who knew? I’ve been a proud member, according to my card, since 2015, but looking back I wish I would have signed up earlier.
Dried Cranberry, Walnut & Avocado Salad
These Date Pinwheels were my Grandmother Irene’s recipe. My Mom’s Mom, and of all the cookies our family had at Christmas, these were my favorite. When Grandma thought I was old enough, she let me slice the cookie rolls into coins & I remember how hard I’d concentrate to try to get them perfect!
Old Fashioned Date Pinwheel Cookies – Grandma’s Recipe
I recently made the Stuffed Chicken Roast from Better Home & Garden’s December 2015 issue – I couldn’t help but be inspired by their Harvest Wild Rice Salad, served alongside. Gorgeous greens, wild rice and a citrus dressing caught my eye. Toss in a few apples, pears and toasted pecans and sprinkle on a few dried cranberries or cherries and you have a salad!
Wild Rice Harvest Salad with Citrus Dressing
Are you like me? When you’re waiting at an office or for an appointment, do you read all the food magazines first? And if there aren’t any, do you read others from the back to front because the recipes are in the back? That’s exactly how I came across this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens* for Stuffed Chicken Roast. I practically drooled over it! I was obsessed – I knew I had to make it!
Stuffed Chicken Roast – photo from Better Homes & Gardens
This Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw practically screams fall – punctuated with sweet-tart chewy dried cranberries, a little extra crunch from the almonds and a zing from the cumin and mint, it really leans more towards Moroccan cuisine than Mexican or Asian or “good ‘ol” American like some of my other slaws. The flavors, though, adapt to a number of cuisines!
I know these Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salads are popular at Thanksgiving, but it would be a shame to think of Brussels Sprouts only then. In my area, Brussels come in and look great from fall right through late spring. So while the rhubarb in my area is only a few inches tall, the asparagus isn’t in, I’m enjoying this! It’s a bit lighter and more spring-like than many Shaved Salads.
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
