Mother’s Day Recipes
Classic Strawberry Jam
The quintessential flavor of homemade strawberry jam is easy to achieve thanks to these simple instructions! This is the recipe my grandmother always used for her strawberry jam. It’s traditional strawberry jam at its best. The taste and color when freshly made can’t be beat. Opening a jar in the cold winter months provides the…
Strawberry Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal
A while back, I picked up a good tidbit of information from a stand owner at our local farmer’s market: Rhubarb season lasts through the longest day of the year–the first day of summer. Same for asparagus. I find this helpful as the early days of summer approach. It is a reminder to get my…
Strawberry Pesto Pasta Salad
This recipe came from Genevieve, an English teacher at Lancaster Country Day School. Another teacher told Genevieve she simply must share this recipe for the Summer Salad Challenge conducted by The Lancaster Sunday News and me. The recipe came from Genevieve’s sister and, conceptually, it caught my attention right away. Beyond offering a novel, seasonal…
Spring Millet Salad
This springy salad is equally delicious served warm, chilled, or room temperature. And though you could replace the millet with couscous or quinoa, the tiny grain has a mild, corn-like flavor that offers a great way to mix things up. As I continue to experiment with recipes using millet, I have made variations of…
Rhubarb Streusel Muffins
Sweet and tangy with a tender crumb, Rhubarb Streusel Muffins are sure to become a seasonal favorite. The recipe makes a big batch too! When short-lived, seasonal ingredients that you really enjoy become available, do you feel as though you have to eat them with abandon to get your fill? With many fruits and vegetables,…
Velvety Chocolate Mousse and a Guide to Unrefined Sweeteners by Chef Amber Shea Crawley
Whenever possible, I like to use natural sweeteners–pure maple syrup being a favorite–and try to limit overall sugars in general. I do have a sweet tooth, so it is an ongoing challenge! With wider access to a broad range of sweeteners, I have started to dabble with options such as coconut sugar and stevia and…
Apple Pecan Spring Greens with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
Apples, pecans, and blue cheese are the base of this versatile salad, and the speedy maple-Dijon-cider vinaigrette makes it a keeper. As I was walking my boys home from school one day last spring, a friend of mine drove by and yelled a funny thing out her car window. “I love your maple Dijon vinaigrette…
Roasted Asparagus with Panko
Serve these deliciously crunchy spears as a satisfying side dish or appetizer – they can be finger food. For a delicious, gluten-free adaptation, substitute crushed Rice Chex for the panko. (Trust me, it works!) Many years ago, I read Barbara Kingsolver’s book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. The story chronicles her own family after they vowed…
Wholegrain Sunflower Raisin French Toast
Sunflower Raisin Brown Bread with Steel Cut Oats is a spin-off of my healthy version of Irish soda bread. I love it for all its texture and natural sweetness and especially for its health value. There isn’t a speck of refined flour, and steel cut oats are thrown in for added goodness and nuttiness. This bread…
Parmesan Crusted Salmon
Wholesome and delicious, this quick and easy salmon can even be prepped ahead, making it equally ideal for busy weeknights and weekend entertaining. A version of this recipe was the first seafood dish I ever served to company when I was newly married 18 or so years ago! I have given this recipe away…
Honey Sweetened Corn Muffins (gluten-free option)
My husband adores cornbread, so I have made it scores of different ways over the years. Since his birthday is today, and because we like to start birthdays in our family with birthday muffins, bagels, donuts or baked oatmeal — basically, anything I can stick candles in to start the day off in a festive…
Baked Oatmeal and a Weekend in Miami…
It is hard to believe a humble oatmeal dish took my husband, Jack, and me on a trip to Miami. When Smart Balance asked me to participate in their national recipe contest, I almost didn’t do it. Would asking for votes, repeatedly over a month, be an annoyance to people? I certainly didn’t want to be…
