kitchen adventures
Sometimes I’m asked: why do I store my jars with the lids sealed on, but the bands removed? As part of my normal canning process, I take the jars out of the canner, and let them cool for several hours or overnight. Then I remove the bands, and check the seal: […]
We’re a pickle family – every one of us likes pickles on sandwiches and burgers. I do make traditional pickles, both dill and bread & butter type. It can be a whole big production. Start by finding the right little (Kirby) cucumbers, then cleaning and slice them. Stuff them into […]
In my family, we call it Magic Chocolate Cake, even though this is an old recipe that has gone by many names. Why magic? Well, what would YOU call it? This is a chocolate cake that tastes great, is dead simple to make, and uses NO eggs, NO milk, NO cream, […]
You may already know that garlic scapes are the long stalks and flower bud of the hardneck garlic plant. These are removed in spring, which encourages the plant to make bigger and plumper garlic bulbs underground. I promised to make a post about using garlic scapes. To me, they’re one […]
In my family it is a tradition to make some treat on Tax Day, the 15th of April, to “sweeten the bite”. This year I made a simple yogurt cake with fudge icing: a simple but fabulous cake. Yogurt cakes are, in general, easy to make and quite delicious. The yogurt […]
My family loves roast beef, and we have a preference for rare to medium-rare. But in hot weather, who wants to run the oven? Here’s an Instant Pot rare roast beef recipe that I’ve found to be reliable. After some initial preparation, it’s a fairly hands-off process. I love easy […]
As the weather cools, my kitchen shifts into baking mode. I often make bread at home, and an easy no-knead English muffin bread is a family favorite. It takes just 2 hours from start to finish, which means I can have the idea for a soup-and-bread supper at lunchtime, and […]
Beef stew in the slow cooker is one of the best things about winter cooking. It’s a simple classic: beef, onions, potatoes, and carrots. You might choose to add bright green frozen peas. I could imagine parsnips, turnips, or rutabaga in here as well. Don’t let the long ingredient list […]
As I’ve mentioned elsewhere in this blog, I’m downsizing in my kitchen. As much as possible, I’ll make a small batch of something, because most of the time I’m cooking for only two people. This Irish brown bread (small batch) is perfect for us. It has become my go-to bread! […]
The weather has turned chilly, and I’m in my kitchen making soup. That’s very common around here: colder weather means soups, stews, and freshly baked bread or muffins. Last night’s supper was no exception: it was a quick scallop bisque. Starting with a pound of frozen sea scallops, I made […]
Let’s say you love chocolate (I do!) but you have no self-control. Or you have a small family (I do!) and don’t like eating the same dessert three nights in a row. Or you’re looking for a gluten-free treat to share with one lucky friend. (Jason, I’m thinking of you!) Readers, I am here […]
CSA week 23 2020: it’s the end of our CSA season. Alas, summer doesn’t last forever, and neither does summer’s produce. We definitely have a fall distribution this week. Our farmers at Dancing Meadows Homestead are already planning ahead: they’re taking subscriptions for next season’s CSA – and I’ll certainly […]