Food Gift Recipes
Eggnog Quick Bread
Capture the flavor of the holidays with this irresistible quick bread, which makes a lovely gift and is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. The quick glaze adds a hint of decadence and a snow-capped look but is purely optional. Several times over the years, I’ve seen the claim that a perfect…
Spiced Pecan Chex Mix
This sweet and savory spin on the classic snack mix is easy to make and hard to resist. Perfect for gift giving too! Why is it nearly impossible to replace a favorite pair of shoes? You know, the shoes that are really comfortable and go with everything, but their near perfection wasn’t apparent until…
7-Minute Holiday Caramel Sauce
7-Minute Holiday Caramel Sauce is a holiday twist on my classic recipe, and adjustments for classic and salted variations are included in the recipe header. Easy and foolproof! As I was purchasing my favorite vanilla bean ice cream a few months ago, a friendly cashier asked me if I had tried a flavor called…
3-Ingredient Cinnamon Ornaments
Three simple ingredients come together with ease for a project that’s fun for adults and kids alike. Once dried, you can decorate as desired or opt for a rustic look. Great as a gift and the aroma will last for years! Choosing the right gifts for the many special people in our lives can…
How to Make Kimchi
Make kimchi worthy of a Korean kitchen in your kitchen with these easy instructions. The flavor-packed, probiotic-rich condiment will keep for months and can be added to tacos, burgers, eggs, rice, pasta, and grain bowls or enjoyed as a simple side dish. My intro to traditional kimchi-making came in an unexpected way several years…
Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds
Sugar and spice and everything nice, these crispy seeds offer a snack-worthy way to make the most of your annual pumpkin carving ritual. Taking the time to dry out the seeds, as described in the recipe notes, will create the crispiest, most flavorful seeds. As we were picking pumpkins last weekend, my older son…
Mock Grape Nuts
Missing your Grape-Nuts? This easy recipe replicates the much-loved brand in a wholesome, gluten-free way. You may even like it better! Update: I may have a creative tendency or two, but my older sister is true artist. When she graduated from Rhode Island School of Design, the talented painting major could have scored…
Paleo Zucchini Bread
I don’t advocate or personally subscribe to a Paleolithic diet, yet many of the recipes I make do qualify as Paleo. As you may know, the idea behind a Paleo diet is to eat like people ate a long time ago…a very long time ago. That is to say, if a caveman couldn’t eat it,…
William’s Habanero Hot Sauce… and a hot sauce taste test
Though we often cheat and hope for no frost (or April snow, as was the case this year), the safe time for backyard planting where I live is always said to begin on Mother’s Day. Ever since my husband and I bought our first house, we’ve planted a garden. There is something so satisfying about…
Coconut Quinoa Breakfast Cookies
Cookies for breakfast anyone? When they’re loaded with wholesome ingredients, cookies for breakfast are a treat we can actually feel good about. Perfect to grab-and-go when time is running short, too! I’ve been making these cookies for my family for several years and was inspired to finally share the recipe after another positive comment…
Simple Vanilla Syrup
A deliciously easy (and economical) way to sweeten homemade iced coffee, lattes, and a variety of other drinks and desserts. For basic simple syrup, simply omit the vanilla. Have you ever added sugar to a glass of iced tea, stirred vigorously to dissolve it, only to find a puddle of semi-dissolved granules at the…
Homemade Seasoned Salt
So often it’s the simple things made with run-of-the-mill pantry items that serve us best in the kitchen. Thanks to their ease, versatility, and great flavor, staples like classic balsamic vinaigrette, basic marinara, homemade Bisquick, and aptly-named “everything” sauce have found their way into many recipes in my kitchen and throughout this blog. An amped up salt fits nicely…
