Apple Brandy Sidecar

Apple Brandy Sidecar

Oct 19, 2020 · 9 Comments

Turn a classic Sidecar cocktail into a fun fruity fall cocktail with apple brandy!

Not too sweet and totally delicious this is a favorite seasonal cocktail! With apple brandy and apple cider, it's full of fruity flavor.

Orange brown cocktail with an apple slice on a vintage tray.

I can't believe I've been cocktail blogging for this long and haven't included a recipe for a classic sidecar cocktail.

Well, I guess even with this post, it's not a classic sidecar, I've changed it up a bit with apple brandy and apple cider, giving it a glorious fall twist.

The cocktail is rumored to have been created by an American army captain that was stationed in Paris during World War I. Apparently he rode around Paris in a motorcycle sidecar, hence the name. Like most origin stories, there are several variations on this one.

The sidecar probably has it's roots in a Brandy Crusta - another classic cocktail, that I definitely need to try.

What is a sidecar cocktail? A sidecar is basically brandy, orange liqueur and lemon juice. Sometimes with bitters, sometimes not. Sometimes garnished, sometimes not.

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Easy Cheesy Roasted Vegetable Frittata

Oct 13, 2020 · 31 Comments

You won't miss the meat in this easy, cheesy and flavorful roasted vegetable frittata!

This is a favorite Ina Garten frittata recipe that I've been making for years!

Zucchini, bell peppers, garlic, onions, Parmesan cheese, gruyere cheese and eggs make an easy meatless weeknight dinner!

Top down shot of frittata on a wooden surface with a towel under the skillet.

What is a frittata? A frittata is your answer to an easy weeknight dinner. It is basically a quiche without the fuss of a crust.

You cook some veggies and possibly some meat of some sort, pour an egg mixture over it, and either cook it on the stove or in the oven.

I've made them meatless, like the Sweet Potato and Baby Spinach Frittata or with meat, like our reader's favorite Cheesy Baked Provolone and Sausage Frittata and even used the Instant Pot for this Instant Pot Frittata with Spinach and Mushrooms.

This Ina Garten Frittata recipe is one that I've made for years. It deviates from my usual recipes in that you roast the vegetables first. It's an extra step, but an easy one and one that opens up the possibility to all kinds of vegetables!

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Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings

Oct 8, 2020 · 17 Comments

No need to fry when you can make the best Crispy Buffalo Chicken Wings in the oven!

Once you see how easy it is to make these spicy baked wings, you'll never go back to frying!

Crispy on the outside, spicy and buttery and juicy on the inside! Everyone loves these!

Plate of buffalo chicken wings.

It's football season in Tennessee, and even though it looks a lot different this year, there is still plenty of food being consumed.

A favorite football appetizer is buffalo chicken wings. We love them. I could eat them for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack on them all night!

Now, I don't know about you, but I am not that much of a fan of grilling wings and frying wings. All the effort to get the grill set up and then all the turning while standing over the hot grill.

Don't even get me started on the mess of frying them.

Luckily you don't have to do either! You can make amazing crispy baked buffalo wings in your oven! Wait till you see how easy they are!

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Instant Pot Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oats

Oct 5, 2020 · 11 Comments

Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oats - warm and creamy and full of pumpkin flavor.

This easy Instant Pot breakfast makes a great Thanksgiving breakfast!

The perfect combination of fall flavors! Steel cut oats, canned pumpkin, dark brown sugar, pure maple syrup, milk, and toasted pecans. This will become everyone's favorite breakfast!

Blue bowl with oatmeal and toasted walnuts on a blue table with a vase of orange flowers and text reading, Instant Pot Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oats

You put a lot of time in thinking about your Thanksgiving dinner. The turkey, the sides, the pies! But what about breakfast?

My children usually arrive home on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so I have a pretty full house Thanksgiving morning.

I usually serve cold cereal, because it's the easiest.

Not any more.

This easy Instant Pot Pumpkin Oatmeal is our new breakfast of choice. I love that it's so easy. They love that it is warm and comforting and full of pumpkin pie and maple syrup flavor.

I'm also saving several cans of pumpkin in the pantry, because we are going to want to have this pumpkin oatmeal way more than just one day a year. It makes a great breakfast any time!

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Sweet and Savory Mouthwatering Maple Recipes

Oct 3, 2020 · 5 Comments

From savory to sweet, breakfast to cocktails this collection of Maple recipes has something for everyone!

Whether you are looking for Instant Pot Maple Steel Cut Oats to our very popular Maple Manhattan, we have you covered.

While we can (and do) enjoy maple all year long, it's sweet earthiness is just so perfect for fall!

Photo collage of food and cocktail photos with text overlay.

I don't know when you are reading this, but we have just started fall! Crisp mornings, warm afternoons, sweaters, boots...it's all good.

Pumpkin, maple, cranberries, bring it on!

I've rounded up a collection of my favorite maple recipes, from breakfasts to desserts even some favorite cocktails! Grab a cup of tea and browse to find your favorite!

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Arugula Salad with Pears and Prosciutto

Sep 30, 2020 · 10 Comments

Arugula Salad with Pears and Prosciutto - this salad is so easy and delicious!

Arugula, pears, prosciutto, Parmesan cheese, and walnuts!

Served with a slice of French bread with goat cheese it made a light and wonderful meal! A healthy dinner on the table in about 15 minutes!

Salad with pears, walnuts and prosciutto with text overlay reading arugula salad

Normally I am a month or two behind (and even a year or two behind) in recipes that I make and when I post them. Which is why you'll sometimes find Thanksgiving recipes on my blog in January. Not a good thing.

However, a very good thing is this arugula salad. We had it last week for dinner and we'll probably have it again soon.

It's that good. That easy. That delicious. A lovely, healthy salad on the table in about 15-20 minutes.

I served it with a slice of cranberry walnut bread, spread with some goat cheese and it was perfect.

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How to Make a Japanese Highball

Sep 29, 2020 · 4 Comments

With only 2 ingredients, this Japanese Highball is so easy to make and so refreshing to sip! Crisp and light with the perfect balance of whiskey to club soda, it's the perfect cocktail!

Take a classic highball and give it a twist by using Japanese Whiskey!

Two glasses of clear sparkling liquid with a stirrer.

When I was growing up, I always remember my grandmother ordering a highball whenever we went out to eat. It looked like a fun, sparkling drink.

But then it seemed, like no one was ordering highballs any more.

Thanks to the Japanese for bringing back a classic and in a big way.

The Japanese have taken the highball to a whole new level! They took as simple 2 ingredient cocktail and gave it the techniques and reverence that it deserves!

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Spicy Rosemary Pickled Carrots

Sep 24, 2020 · 27 Comments

One bite of these Rosemary Spicy Pickled Carrots and you'll have to force yourself to stop eating them!

They are spicy, herby, sweet and tangy and you totally can't stop with just one!

Serve them as a side dish, a snack or they are great on an appetizer board!

Pickled carrots in a jar with a rosemary sprig.

Pickled vegetables are one of my favorite snacks to have on hand. I have jars of canned pickles lining the shelves in the basement and I have jars of quick pickles in the fridge.

They are so versatile. You can chop them and add to salads, serve as a quick side dish, pile them on appetizer trays and my favorite - grab one every time you open the fridge.

I try not to play pickle favorites, I love them all, but these spicy pickled carrots are amazing! Spicy with a lovely herby flavor from the the rosemary.

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Tart and Delicious Apple Salad!

Sep 22, 2020 · 24 Comments

Crispy, tangy, sweet and buttery this apple salad has it all!

Buttery avocado, crisp and tangy apples, juicy cucumbers, fresh mint, and tangy feta combine to make an amazing salad!

This is going to become your favorite salad!

Bowl filled with a green salad with apples, avocados and cucumbers.

I have sat here for 5 minutes trying to thing of words strong enough to make you make this salad.

What about “awesome” or “amazing” or “possibly the best salad I’ve ever made?”

Do those work for you? Because this was the perfect salad.

While you can easily make it year round, it is the perfect transition from summer to fall season! The cucumbers saying goodbye to summer and the apples saying hello to fall!

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Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta

Sep 21, 2020 · 29 Comments

You're going to love every bite of this rich and creamy chicken and mushroom pasta!

You simply brown some chicken breasts, then sauté some mushrooms and onions and create a quick pan sauce. Stir in cooked pasta and you have pure comfort food!

This is the easy weeknight pasta recipe that we are all craving right now!

Skillet with pasta, chicken and mushrooms.

I am so ready for fall. The temperature has dropped this week and I don't think I could face another salad.

Comfort food is what I want and this easy skillet chicken pasta recipe is pure comfort!

It's rich and creamy, with tender chicken, perfectly sautéed mushrooms and onions and a pan sauce that will have you licking your plate!

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Tarragon Pickled Green Beans

Sep 17, 2020 · 14 Comments

These tarragon pickled green beans are crisp, tender and tasty pickles!

One bite of these delicious pickles and you'll be hooked! They are great as a snack, on an appetizer tray or serve along side a sandwich.

Jar with green beans and tarragon leaves.

If you've never had pickled green beans, you are in for a treat! But, be warned, once you start eating them, it's hard to stop, they are so good!

My CSA gave me a big bag of green beans and I knew I wanted to preserve them.

My favorite way is by pickling them. Sometimes I make this recipe as a quick pickle and just store the jars in the fridge, but I also love canning them, so that I can have all the pretty pickles lined up in my pantry for the winter.

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9 Amazing Apple Desserts for the Sweetest Fall!

Sep 15, 2020 · 2 Comments

Our favorite thing about apple season is apple desserts!

Especially simple recipes that you can whip up easily on a weeknight, though they are delicious enough for weekends, company and holiday parties!

We have baked goods, like muffins and crisps, a sundae topping that is sooo easy, and even a panna cotta! You're sure to find a tasty, tempting sweet treat to try!

Photo collage of apple desserts with text overlay.

I have rounded up a collection of 9 of my very favorite apple desserts to help you have a sweet fall!

These are the recipes you'll turn to every fall when apple season comes around, but with yummy apples available year round, you'll want to make these all year. Apple pie sundae in the summer - yes, please!

Guess what? No apple pie! But don't worry there are plenty of easy baked apple desserts, even a smoothie and a sundae and a dessert that can also be a side dish - win win!

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How to Make Blueberry Vodka

Sep 11, 2020 · 22 Comments

Turn every cocktail into a fruity, fun blueberry cocktail with this easy to make Blueberry Vodka!

Sure you could buy blueberry vodka, but why? It's so easy to make and tastes so much better than storebought.

It makes pretty and delicious floral cocktails and would make a great holiday gift for a cocktail or food loving friend!

Bottle of blueberry vodka sitting outside on a porch rail.

You all know how much I love infusing liquors! I like to say that it's my hobby. I love a hobby that leaves you with bottles of delicious infused liqueurs!

My blueberry bushes were prolific this year. We've had blueberries every way imaginable. Then I remembered this blueberry vodka that I first made way back in 2011.

Back before I was even posting cocktails on the blog. Time for a revisist, don't you think!

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Healthy Apple Muffins with Oats

Sep 8, 2020 · 13 Comments

Don't tell anyone that these delicious apple muffins are good for them and they'll never know!

Made with whole wheat flour, yogurt and oats, these are muffins that you can feel good about eating!

They make a great after school snack, healthy treat for Halloween or a grab and go dessert for Thanksgiving!

Wooden tray with wire basket filled with muffins

I am all about muffins lately! They are as easy to make as they are to eat!

These apple muffins with oats are definitely on our list to make any change we can.

Shredded apples and yogurt make them so moist. A little whole wheat flour replaces some of the white flour making them heartier and healthier!

The best part is that everyone loves them, from kids to adults!

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Apple Ginger Crisp

Sep 7, 2020 · 7 Comments

What's easier than an apple pie and every bit as delicious? A warm apple crisp! So easy to make and with a secret ingredient - candied ginger - extra delightful!

You can serve this apple crisp warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream slightly melting on top and just wait for the oohs and ahhs to come rolling in.

The perfect fall dessert just got even better! Wait till you try it with the candied ginger!

Bowl filled with an apple crisp and topped with vanilla ice cream.

It's apple season people! Sure you can get apples year round, but oh my a bite into a crisp fall apple is one of life's greatest simple pleasures.

I usually get apples from my CSA and they frequently aren't the perfect eating out of hand apples, but they are perfect for apple crisps and other apple desserts!

If you've never made a crisp (a crumble, by the way, usually doesn't include oats and is more like a streusel topping) you're going to love how easy they are to throw together.

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Sautéed Cabbage and Apples

Sep 2, 2020 · 16 Comments

Cabbage and apples are the perfect combination in this easy and quick side dish! Every delicious bite is bursting with flavor!

Apples are sautéed in butter, then get a sweet and tangy boost from apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, caraway seeds and allspice. Add some thinly sliced cabbage, some more butter and in a few minutes you have the perfect fall (or anytime) side dish!

Top with crunchy pomegranate seeds and fresh dill for the final pop of flavor!

Red and white skillet with cabbage, apples, pomegranate seeds and fresh dill.

I don't know when you are reading this, but I am typing it on the first day of September. To say that I am ready for fall to get here would be an understatement.

The weather may not be cooperating, hello temps still in the 90's, but I'm moving forward with food and recipes.

Like this sautéed apples and cabbage. Sure apples and cabbage are available year round, but don't they just feel like fall? Nothing beats a crisp fall apple.

I've made plenty of braised apples and cabbage, but when I saw this one in an old October 2018 issue of Cooking Light, it just looked so pretty. The addition of the pomegranate seeds and the fresh dill, was intriguing.

Oh peeps, it was everything I imagined it would be. So good.

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Bread Machine Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Aug 31, 2020 · 14 Comments

Easily make fresh sourdough sandwich bread in your bread machine! No kneading, no babysitting the dough, the bread machine does all the work for you.

Light and airy with the perfect texture and crumb. This makes amazing sandwiches and toasts beautifully!

Close up of sliced bread.

I read somewhere that bread machines are making a comeback. Well, for some of us, they never went away.

My bread machine gets used at least every couple of weeks, because this sourdough sandwich bread is our daily bread.

Now, I love a good crusty chewy sourdough bread above all things, but not for my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. For my every day lunch and breakfast toast, I want a good sandwich bread.

And this, my friends, is a very good sandwich bread!

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20 Delicious Ways to Preserve Your Fresh Herbs

Aug 27, 2020 · 2 Comments

A collection of 20 different recipes and techniques to preserve your herbs and their flavor so you can enjoy them all year long!

Everything from freezing and drying herbs, to making simple syrups, to quite a few pestos!

Nothing like opening a jar of basil pesto from the freezer, in the middle of winter, to bring back the memory of hot summer days.

Photo collage of preserved herbs with text overlay.

Don't you love your bounty of fresh summer herbs? Wouldn't it be great if you could enjoy that flavor all year long?

Well, you can!

I have a collection of 20 different recipes and techniques preserve your herbs! In some we are preserving the actual herb and in others we are capturing it's flavor and essence.

They are organized by herb, so browse to find out how to preserve your favorite herb!

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How to Make Parsley Pesto

Aug 25, 2020 · 20 Comments

Whether you grow parsley in your garden or buy it from the store, this parsley pesto is a great way to preserve it!

It freezes beautifully and is perfect is sauces, spooned over roasted meats or fish, stirred into pasta. We even love it as a pizza sauce!

Parsley pesto in an ice cube tray.

When I was growing up, parsley was a tough, curly thing that sat on your plate. It was to make your plate look pretty, not to eat (though sometimes I would occasionally hear that chewing it would freshen your breath).

I had never even heard of Italian flat-leaf parsley. My how times have changed. Now, I buy a bunch of fresh parsley every week.

Parsley can be pretty much tossed into anything towards the end of cooking to add a fresh flavor, and it is still useful to make your plate look pretty.

A little fresh parsley sprinkled on a dish before serving makes me feel like a chef (though mine somehow never looks as pretty as those on TV, it must be an acquired skill).

I buy organic parsley, which is a tad bit expensive (a least compared to non-organic), so I really hate to let any of it go to waste. When I saw this recipe in The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen for a parsley pesto, I knew I had to try it!

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How to Make Homemade Mint Extract

Aug 24, 2020 · 21 Comments

No need to buy mint extract when it is so easy to make your own! Made with mint fresh from your garden (or the store) all real ingredients!

All you need is mint and vodka to make the best homemade mint extract!

You'll use it all year long, from holiday baking to mint chocolate chip ice cream in the summer!

Mason jar filled with mint leaves and a clear liquid.

Every fall, I gaze longingly at my herb bed, knowing that in a few short weeks it be tucked away, fast asleep for the winter.

Some herbs, like rosemary, stay fairly evergreen around here, but the others start to say goodbye as soon as we get our first frost.

I decided to make some DIY Mint Extract with my profusion of mint. I have made homemade vanilla extract before (as a matter of fact, it is the only vanilla extract that I use).

It couldn’t be simpler. One of the reasons that I love infusions so much is that time does most of the work.

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Cilantro Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Aug 22, 2020 · 40 Comments

Cilantro lovers get ready for the most amazing pesto! This cilantro and pumpkin seed pesto is every bit as good as it sounds!

It is easy to make, freezes beautifully and has so many uses!

Cilantro, pumpkin seeds, garlic, lemon juice, jalapeño pepper, olive oil and salt!

Little jars filled with bright green pesto and labeled Cilantro Pesto.

Cilantro. You either love it or hate it. If you love it, I am about to become your new best friend. What? You already have a best friend!

Well, did your current best friend share with you a cilantro pesto recipe that quite possibly is the best cilantro pesto recipe on the planet? See. I thought so.

So, new best bud, guess what I did this week? Yep. I cleaned out my vegetable crisper drawer. All I can say is thank goodness those plastic bags can safely hold liquid, which is what some of the veggies had become.

One of things I discovered besides liquefied dill, parsley, and lettuce were 3 bags of cilantro. Because apparently I have a terrible fear of being without cilantro (which is entirely understandable).

Luckily I remembered a cilantro pesto recipe that I had seen in the Herbfarm cookbook.

OMG. This was amazing. Seriously, seriously amazing.

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Pansy Gimlet

Aug 21, 2020 · 6 Comments

Take a classic gimlet to a whole new level with this Pansy Gimlet! Sweet and floral with a bit of tang from the lemon juice!

With only 3 ingredients and served straight up in a coupe glass the gimlet is an easy cocktail to master and it's just as easy to drink!

From the first sip to the last, you're going to love this edible flower cocktail! Plus the bright cheerful yellow color is amazing!

Bright yellow cocktail with a pansy flower garnish.

My new favorite cocktail is definitely a gimlet. It's basically a gin sour, shaken and served in a coupe glass.

What's a sour? A sour is a cocktail made with a liquor, a sweetener and a citrus.

A gimlet is typically made with either vodka or gin, lime juice and simple syrup.

With only 3 ingredients, it's really easy to change up one of them and totally change the cocktail. Like this pansy gimlet. I used pansy simple syrup to create this cheerful bright yellow cocktail!

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Maple Pork Tenderloin

Aug 19, 2020 · 5 Comments

One bite of this maple pork tenderloin and you'll know that maple and pork are a match made in heaven! It's a little sweet from the maple syrup and a little tangy from the orange juice and totally scrumptious!

Lean and delicious pork tenderloin gets marinated for a couple of hours in a maple syrup, orange juice, rice wine and soy sauce marinade. Then the pork is pan seared and oven roasted for perfectly juicy roast pork!

As the meat rests you make a sweet and tangy maple pan sauce! Thinly slice the pork and serve with the sauce!

Platter with pork tenderloin covered in a maple sauce.

We have a local used bookstore with a very nice cookbook aisle. I know it's very nice, because you'll find me there often. It's also why I have two bookcases full of cookbooks.

One whole shelf is Cooking Light Annuals. I have them all the way back to 1996! I decided to go through each one and make a list of the recipes that I really, really wanted to make.

The recipes had to be easy, no long list of ingredients, sound good and be quick (though if time does most of the work, I'm okay with a recipes that take a little bit longer.)

This Maple Pork Tenderloin was one from 2001. I chose it because it checked off all those boxes. It does have a two hour marinade, but again, time is doing the work.

I can only hope that all of the other recipes that I've listed (and there aren't that many - I was very stringent that they meet the qualifications - no, "I'd like to make the some day when I have a whole afternoon" in the bunch,) are as good as this one.

This is so good and so easy!

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Pasta with Sausage and Peppers

Aug 17, 2020 · 20 Comments

Turn the classic combination of sausage and peppers into an easy weeknight pasta dinner!

Choose your favorite sausage and your favorite pasta, then add some peppers and onions and you have a hearty dinner that everyone loves!

Ready in under 30 minutes, this will become your go to weeknight dinner!

Gray bowl filled with pasta, sausage and peppers and topped with grated cheese.

Even though I am retired from teaching, I still appreciate an easy weeknight dinner. One that I can make without thinking. One that I can have on the table in under 30 minutes.

I make some variation of this simple pasta recipe almost every week.

Sometimes we're in the mood for spicy and I use spicy Italian sausage. Sometimes red bell peppers go on sale and I use them instead of green.

So many variations to this sausage and peppers pasta!

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