I’ll be sharing fresh, simple recipes made with ingredients straight from my garden or the local farmers’ market, with a few ingredients from the store. My goal is to create recipes that are easy to moderate in skill level, using fresh, wholesome ingredients to make cooking enjoyable and creative again.
I’m still learning and experimenting with new ingredients and techniques, and I’m excited to share this journey with you. I hope to inspire others to explore their own cooking adventures, reminding you that you don’t need to be an expert to enjoy making delicious, homemade meals. Let’s discover, learn, and create together, one recipe at a time.
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Rolling Dolmas
First you’ll want to make sure you know how tight to roll your dolmas. Depending on the filling you are using and whether the filling shrinks or expands you’ll want to adjust the tightness of your roll. Filling TypeRoll StyleWhyRaw meat (lamb, beef, chicken)Snug (not tight)Meat shrinks as it cooksRice / grains (dry or par-cooked)Snug–tightGrains…
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Oatmeal Cream Pies (with Maple Cinnamon Filling)
Remember Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Cream Pies?? Well this is the adult version with a maple cinnamon twist! I absolutely LOVED these growing up. It was such a treat to get to buy a box from the store and unwrap them from their individual celophane wrappers. The sweet fluffy center and chewy oatmeal cookies made it…
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Homemade “Twizzlers”
These three ingredient twizzlers are easy to make with a little dehydrator time and they are tasty! Yes there’s beet juice in them but the sweetness of the dates over power the earthiness of the beets. Start by blending dates, beet juice, and freeze-dried strawberries with 3/4 cups of warm water. You are looking for…
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Lamb, Date, and Warm Spice Dolmas
I brined 3 jars of grape leaves from our grapevines this year and although I love rice dolmas and rice and beef dolmas, I wanted to change it up and use different ingredients than I would normally use or have found in dolmas recipes. The first recipe I came up with was lamb based with…
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Beef Flanken Ribs
These beef flanken ribs are one of my favorite meals to make. They are easy to prep, and after marinating for a day or so, they make for a quick weeknight dinner paired with a macaroni salad. What Are Flanken Ribs? Beef flanken ribs are a cut of beef short ribs that the rib section.…
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BBQ Spice Rub
In our house, summer means long evenings outside, digging around in the garden, and the smoky scent of something delicious coming off the grill. It also means that I am off the hook for half of the dinner duties too! Why I Love This Rub I threw this mix together one afternoon when we decided…
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Fresh Herb Chimichurri
I built a raised bed out of old pallets where I grow most of my herbs. This year they are growing out of control so I am constantly coming up with more ways to use up and/or store the excess. Being able to preserve, dry, and freeze my herbs to extend their life is always…
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Easy Basil Parsley Pesto
Basil is an easy herb to grow year-round indoors using a hydroponic system. Fresh basil grows quickly, elevates any dish, and pesto is a quick easy sauce or dip that can be used in a variety of ways. Pasta Sauce: Toss with cooked pasta for a quick and flavorful dish.Sandwich Spread: Use it as a…
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Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Cups
This is one of my go to snacks when I am craving something sweet but “kind of” healthy. I tend to use firmer bananas because I prefer the texture. I keep my banana cups frozen to avoid the liquids from the banana turning my cups soggy. As bananas ripen, the starches in them convert to…
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Homemade Mayo
Mayo is probably the easiest condiment to make; the secret is using an immersion blender. This recipe is simple and creates a thick and creamy mayo from a few simple ingredients. Eggs: Provide richness and act as an emulsifier, which helps to combine the oil and acid.Oil: Gives the mayo its creamy texture. I suggest…