I'm always amused by dishes now considered gourmet and upscale that were in years past ridiculed as peasant food. Foods like lobster, oysters, foie gras, and famous dishes like coq au vin and boeuf bourgignon used to be the food of the poor - now they're only served in the … Continue reading →
Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Elderberry syrup has been used as an effective natural remedy for centuries for treating and preventing colds, coughs and flu. And it's so easy to make yourself! The elder tree (sambucus nigra) has been prized as a "medicine chest" for centuries because of its … Continue reading →
BEST Traditional Mincemeat
If you've never cared for the store-bought stuff or even most homemade versions, you're not alone. But just wait until you've tried this ultimate homemade mincemeat recipe - it's a total game-changer! Whether you've never liked mincemeat or you've always loved it, prepare … Continue reading →
Toasted Hazelnut & Date Spread
I've partnered with New Seasons Market to bring you this post. Any time we're invited to someone's house for dinner or something casual like a game night with snacks, I always like to bring along a little something as a thank you. Depending on how much time I have it can … Continue reading →
BEST Brown Mushroom Gravy (from scratch)
For the best mushroom gravy recipe, look no further! This is easy to make and has an incredible depth of flavor! You're going to love this versatile sauce! If you're looking for a delicious brown mushroom gravy, look no further! Absolutely nothing beats homemade … Continue reading →
Authentic Chinese Plum Sauce
Chinese plum sauce is a smooth sweet and tart sauce infused with traditional Chinese spices and boasts a deliciously complex flavor profile that will mesmerize your taste buds! It's wonderfully versatile as a dipping sauce, stir-fry sauce, basting sauce or glaze as well as … Continue reading →
BEST Marinara Sauce
BEST Marinara Sauce You won't find a more flavorful marinara sauce - it's easy to make and is absolutely PACKED with flavor! Canning instructions included so you can enjoy the fresh flavor of tomatoes all year long! Marinara Sauce Recipe It's hard to beat a simple … Continue reading →
Peach Bacon Jam
Get ready for the ULTIMATE bacon jam! The combination of flavors will absolutely "wow" your taste buds and have you coming back for more! Is that making you drool? Because it's making me drool. And I've already had it several times. So I can fully vouch for the … Continue reading →
Honey Peach Cardamom Sauce
Peaches are in season here in Washington State and I picked up a bulk load of 75 pounds of them last week! I've been busy chopping and freezing them for smoothies, canning them, making fruit leather, peach cobbler and peach crisp, and thought I'd try something new - this … Continue reading →
Homemade Blackberry Syrup
Bursting with the incredible flavor of concentrated blackberries, this homemade blackberry syrup is easy to make and tastes absolutely phenomenal! NOTHING beats homemade! This year saw the best crop of blackberries we've seen yet with the largest, juiciest, sweetest … Continue reading →
Best Homemade Giardiniera (Hot or Mild)
Not just for hot dogs and muffuletta sandwiches, add this giardinera to your burgers, nachos, pizzas, pasta salads and anything else your heart desires! This homemade giardiniera recipe is simply the best and once you've tried it you'll be HOOKED for life! How To Make … Continue reading →
Blue Cheese Butter
When I was a kid I hated blue cheese. Nothing could convince me to eat it. And whenever my mom made something with blue cheese in it, I resisted it with all my stubborn might. But this story has a good ending. Once I hit adulthood I finally came to my senses and fell … Continue reading →
Classic Homemade Caramel Sauce
Thank you to New Seasons Market for sponsoring this post! Is there anything more swoon-worthy than a waffle cone dripping with ice cream or a loaded ice cream sundae? I can totally relate to one of my favorite actresses, Ginger Rogers, when she said: "My love for ice … Continue reading →
Cherry Barbecue Sauce
A deliciously flavorful and fruity barbecue sauce you can enjoy on your grilled meats, chicken, burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, and used in any recipe that calls for barbecue sauce! What would you do with 75 pounds of cherries? That's what I picked up this past … Continue reading →
BEST Sweet and Sour Sauce
There are so many ways to enjoy this popular and versatile sauce. And with only 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep/cook time, this delicious Sweet and Sour Sauce recipe couldn't be simpler! Plus it's better than your favorite Chinese takeout or restaurant! Chinese … Continue reading →
Lemon Dill Mustard Dressing
Dill has always been one of my favorite herbs. I've had success in growing nearly all of my culinary herbs from seed and planting them in my herb garden, but dill has been a challenge. I've been trying to grow it for the past three years and just haven't had much luck. I … Continue reading →
Healthy Food Swaps + 10 Healthy Salad Dressings
Since the start of the new year I've been focusing on cutting back on calories in an effort to shed the final few pounds I put on during the holidays. Rather than go on an extreme diet, I've just been taking small, simple steps on a daily basis, swapping out high calorie … Continue reading →
Candied Orange Peel Recipe
Making your own candied orange peel and candied lemon peel is super easy and the difference between homemade and store-bought is absolutely mind-blowing! Leave the store-bought stuff on the shelf because NOTHING compares to homemade, it's incredible!! How To Make … Continue reading →
English Custard (Crème Anglaise)
This classic English custard recipe, Creme Anglaise, is very simple and quick to make and the result is absolutely delicious served with dessert! Irresistibly creamy and smooth and infused with vanilla! Custard serves two basic culinary purposes: Either as a thick … Continue reading →
Cranberry Ginger Mustard Sauce
Cranberry sauce. Whether you love it or hate it, Thanksgiving and Christmas simply aren't the same without it. As a kid and teenager I used to avoid the stuff. You know, that thick gelatinous stuff that retains the shape of the can after it's unceremoniously dumped onto … Continue reading →
Bavarian Sweet Mustard (Bayerischer Süßer Senf)
A thoroughly authentic German mustard recipe, this Bavarian sweet mustard is the kind served at the Munich Oktoberfest! Delicious and easy to make! My mom is from Bavaria from a small town south of Munich on the Austrian border, and though I grew up in … Continue reading →
Kitchen Basics: How To Roast Red Peppers
Instead of paying a premium for store-bought, learn how to roast red peppers yourself! It's easy and there are SO many delicious ways to use your roasted peppers! Jarred roasted red peppers are one of those things I often don't have on hand when I need them. Can you … Continue reading →
Plum Butter (Pflaumenmus)
Plum Butter brings back memories of the time I spent with my Oma and Opa growing up in southern Germany. There it's called Pflaumenmus and you can readily find it in any grocery store next to the jams and marmalades. My Oma used to make Kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes) … Continue reading →
Pickled Turnips
Pickling is a method of preservation that dates back to Neolithic times around 7000 BC. During this anaerobic fermentation process strange and wonderful things happen that transform the original product into something quite different. And very healthy with all those … Continue reading →
Sicilian-Style Grilled Tuna Steaks
A mouthwatering Sicilian-style grilled tuna steaks recipe! Grilled to perfection and topped with the flavors of sun-kissed Sicily. It's easy and delicious! A special thank you to Lindsay for sponsoring this post From my early childhood trips to Italy's beaches to … Continue reading →
BEST Authentic Hoisin Sauce
Potently flavorful and fragrant, Hoisin sauce is a central ingredient in many Chinese dishes and will work absolute MIRACLES for the foods you add it to! Look no further for the BEST hoisin sauce recipe! What is Hoisin Sauce? Hoisin sauce is a thick, dark, fragrant … Continue reading →
Roasted Sweet Potato Fettuccine Alfredo
Even though the holidays are long over, our consumption of sweet potatoes doesn't have to be - nor should it be! Find out more about the U.S.history of sweet potato consumption and why you should be eating them throughout the year in my post on Curried Sweet Potato Soup … Continue reading →
BEST Chinese Black Bean Sauce
This authentic black bean sauce recipe holds the grand secret to making some of the best Chinese food on the planet! It will work absolute flavor miracles for your Chinese dishes! Chinese Black Bean Sauce Recipe For those of you who know what Chinese black bean sauce … Continue reading →
Greek Meatballs
These Greek Meatballs capture the exquisite flavors of sun-kissed Greece and will make your taste buds sing and have you coming back for seconds! Thank you to Lindsay for sponsoring this post! Our family loves meatballs. For many of us they're linked to childhood … Continue reading →
How To Make a Bouquet Garni
If you like French food and you want to cook like the French, you have to become acquainted with the Bouquet Garni. An indispensable part of French cuisine, the bouquet garni is quick and simple to put together and will do wonders for your food. Plus, I've got some great … Continue reading →
Authentic Lebkuchengewurz (German Gingerbread Spice)
THE essential ingredient to authentic tasting Lebkuchen, Pfeffernusse and more, absolutely NOTHING compares to the bold and vibrant flavors of homemade Lebkuchengewurz! This German gingerbread spice mix will make you think you're walking the streets of one of Germany's … Continue reading →
Fettuccine Alfredo
Creamy, buttery, and irresistibly delicious, this Fettuccine Alfredo recipe is the ultimate comfort food! Quick and easy to prepare, it's equally perfect for a busy weeknight or for a romantic night in! Thank you to Bon Appetit for sponsoring this post! The best … Continue reading →
Spiced Pumpkin Vinaigrette
This Spiced Pumpkin vinaigrette is super quick and simple to make and will positively transform a bed of greens or a piece of grilled squash into something truly irresistible! The robust flavors of pumpkin, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves are combined with … Continue reading →
French Entertaining “Country Style” + Alexian/Le Creuset Giveaway!
I've teamed up with Alexian to bring you this delicious post! I recently had the opportunity to try some amazing products from ALEXIAN. Let me tell you a little about them. Alexian is America's premier producer of the finest pâtés and mousses all made with the finest, … Continue reading →
White Bean & Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Dip
I looooove a good dip. Growing up I always had my staple favorites: French onion, sour cream & onion, a variety of cheese dips, and bean dip. In recent years I've really enjoyed experimenting with a variety of flavors and mediums. Here is one we really enjoyed and … Continue reading →
Blueberry Lemon Apricot Jam
What says comfort like a slice of freshly baked bread slathered with butter and homemade jam? I've been experimenting with a few jams this Summer and this one has become a family favorite. The combination of blueberries-nectarines-lemons works beautifully and I'm sure … Continue reading →
Peter Piper’s Pickled Peppers
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where's the peck of pickled peppers that Peter Piper picked? (*scratching my head*) Have you ever stopped to really think … Continue reading →
Pulled Pork Burritos with Creamy Tomatillo Sauce
Few things can top meat that's been cooked for hours in the slow-cooker until fork-tender and saturated with flavor. This pulled pork is a prime example. And I can't even begin to describe how delectable it is once it's packed into a burrito shell with rice and black beans … Continue reading →
Homemade Sweet Corn Relish
This homemade Sweet Corn Relish recipe is superbly delicious, fabulously versatile, and comes together in a snap! You'll be enjoying the taste of Summer corn all year long! One of the things I love about canning is that it enables you to enjoy the fresh flavors of … Continue reading →
Homemade Lemon Lime Marmalade
Lemon lime marmalade is fabulous but it's difficult to find in stores. And when you do it's generally a little pricey. So why not make your own? It's not only cheaper, it's tastes a lot better too! The question on your lips may be, "And why would I even want to make … Continue reading →