Summer Must Do: Savory S’mores
Have you heard of savory s’mores? If regular s’mores are dessert, savory s’mores are dinner. Imagine if a grilled cheese sandwich, a campfire, and a gourmet charcuterie board had a baby. The divine result would be savory s’mores. Think melted cheese on a cracker or bread and topped with anything that strikes your fancy – meat, olives, fancy condiments – and you’ve got yourself savory s’mores. I saw someone making savory s’mores on social media and all I could think was, “How fast can I get one of these creations in my belly?” We’ve had savory s’mores a few times now and it’s not even July. Here’s what I’ve learned…
In Praise Of: Pretty Pepper Mills
Let’s spice things up! I went on the hunt for a pretty pepper mill recently because our old one broke. Apparently, there are things we cannot fix around here. We are still recovering from that shock. In the process, I learned if you Google “pepper grinder,” you get a video game, not a spice grinder. Oops. Today, I will try and use the words “pepper mill” instead of “pepper grinder” because I’m fancy like that now. I went to college and everything. Ha! I also learned that spice aficionados are very particular about pepper mills. They know all about and argue over blade material, mill capacity, grinding speed, hand comfort,…
Wood Bowls: For Food or Decor?
Do you use your wood bowls for food or for decor? Or both? Or are you a wood bowl free household? Tell me everything. Leave no details out. I have a collection of wood bowls that I only use for decor purposes. You might have seen them stacked above our black pantry cabinet. The collection has grown larger, as collections do, since I took this picture. I started to wonder why I don’t use these wood bowls for holding food. And I’m not talking about food as in popcorn or a bunch of apples and bananas. I mean the wet, sticky, gooey stuff like pasta, soup, bread dough, cereal, etc.…
Safety Tips For Making Homemade Hot Sauce
You know what they say. When life gives you habaneros you make hot sauce. What? No one says that? Taco ’bout a missed opportunity. This year we planted a few vegetables in containers on our deck. I’d like to tell you they were lovingly and studiously attend to all summer but that would be incorrect. There was definitely some neglect. Nevertheless, our habanero plant thrived in these adverse conditions and we suddenly had an abundance of habaneros on our hands. What does one do with 50 habaneros? While there is probably not a limit on the amount of fresh salsa a person could eat, there is definitely a limit on…
4 Bread Recipes I Make On Repeat
We eat a fair amount of bread in our house. Life’s too short not to enjoy carbs, right? All. the. carbs. However, I don’t regularly buy bread from the grocery store unless my kids are going through a bagel phase or we are having burgers for dinner. If we’re eating bread it is usually because I’ve baked it. Yes, I’m one of those people. It’s not that I enjoy the act of baking bread particularly, but I do enjoy eating it. Here are 4 bread recipes I make on repeat around here. They never fail me. I’m also using the word bread loosely here. If it is dough-based, it’s bread…
In Praise of Blates (Pasta Bowls)
Have you heard the term blates? A blate is a cross between a plate and a bowl. You might also know them as pasta bowls, low bowls, or dinner bowls. I feel silly typing the word blate, so you know I didn’t make the word up. I read about it on Food52. It seems like a very English language thing to make up a new word, doesn’t it? However, using the term blate instead of pasta bowl does imply that things other than pasta can be eaten in these dishes with shallow sides. Now here’s where the story gets really wild. We eat almost all of our meals on blates…
8 Satisfying Things I’m Enjoying This Summer
I don’t know about you, but I’m spending an inordinate amount of time at home these days, so today I’m sharing eight satisfying things I’m enjoying this summer. I’ve always said it is the little things that make me happy and that’s even more true right now. Eight Satisfying Things #1: Bug Zapper I don’t know if there really are more bugs outside this summer or if we are just hyperaware of the number of bugs pestering us, particularly while we are swimming. Handy Husband ordered this ultraviolet bug zapper and thinks it is the best thing ever. I’m not joking. Find a person who looks at you the way…
Would I Make It Again: Homemade Ginger Ale with Fresh Ginger
Ginger ale is one beverage that I never, ever considered making at home. It didn’t even dawn on me that you could. Or should. Or would! But I did. The idea started on a somewhat typical Friday night. I had cooked a package of bacon. Why bacon on a Friday night? Why not?! We had company visiting us for the weekend. Handy Husband was on bartender duty. The adult beverage of choice that evening was a Moscow Mule. This drink is made with ginger beer, lime and vodka. I had purchased a few different varieties of ginger beer and ginger ale for Handy Husband to use to mix these drinks.…
Would I Make It Again: Sweet Potato Cranberry Doughnuts
I’d like to say this recipe had me at ‘doughnuts.’ Then this could be the shortest post ever! Hahahahaha. Actually, this recipe had me at ‘sweet potato cranberry.’ That’s an epic Thanksgiving flavor mashup, isn’t it? I thought so. The doughnut part was just an added perk. Doughnuts are always an added perk. In a series of Internet search twists and turns, I landed on a recipe I didn’t know I needed for Sweet Potato Cranberry Doughnuts from Taste of Home. The recipe concept made me go hmmm. And mmmm. And, yes, I said that all out loud. I know you talk to your screen too. Right now you’re probably saying,…
