Key Lime Pie... and a little update

There have been lots of life changes happening over our way.  All good things!  For one, we officially began homeschooling this week.  I can't believe that I have a 7th grader; she's growing like a weed!  It's been a lot of fun so far learning and working together.  In history, we're talking about the Rise and Fall of the Western Roman Empire.  Today, we're going to be cooking a meal that the Romans would have eaten over a pit of fire.  I love the flexibility we have and ability to use our creativity to learn.

On the first day of school, we did something that we probably won't make a habit of doing... I think.  We had key lime pie for breakfast!  It was seriously a heavenly start to the first day!  I think pie should totally be an acceptable form of breakfast, don't you?  Oh, and it washes down so well with a hot cup of coffee, too.  This was my very first attempt at making a key lime pie, and it turned out delicious!  It was light and refreshing, and it wasn't overly sweet.  There's a reason this recipe was so highly rated!  The only thing I think I would change next time is halving the sugar in the graham cracker crust. 

Peach Crumb Bars

February 22, 2010 is a very special date to me.  That was the day that I began my journey in food blogging.  I devoted every spare moment that I had to creating new recipes, styling the food for pictures, photographing them, and writing about them.  

Fast forward to present day, 5 years later.  After years of saving and living as frugally as we could, we finally did it -- we bought our dream house!  We also now have some land, and I can finally garden in my own backyard.  (The garden that I've written about countless times is one that we share with dear friends and family at a different location.)  Most of my free time now has been spent gardening, harvesting, and preserving.  I have some shelving in my basement where I store all of my canned foods, and I have a pretty nice collection so far.  My husband suggested that I start a section on my blog for canning.  Harvest is nearing an end, so maybe next year!  

I have about 15 quart jars of peaches hanging out in my basement.  It's been quite a while since I've blogged any dessert recipes, so I decided to use some of my canned peaches to make peach crumb bars as a treat over weekend.  These are delicious!  They're like a perfect mix of peach cobbler and peach pie.  My husband and I enjoy them warm, but my little sous chef likes them better cold.  However you eat it, try your best to score a corner piece!   

Caramel Apple Sangria

Sweet Honeycrisp apples, crisp sparkling apple cider, white wine, and caramel syrup join forces to create a fantastic festive libation!  Honey whiskey and vanilla bring out the flavor of the caramel, although the whiskey is optional (I used Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey Whiskey).  Because the apple cider, caramel and apples are so sweet, I opted for a drier white wine, but you can really use any wine you'd like.  Finally, the caramel/sugar-coated rim sets these babies over the moon!  This really is a delicious, sweet drink that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!  

Homemade Cinnamon-Spiced Applesauce with Canning Instructions

One of my favorite things to do on a chilly fall day is make applesauce.  It's super easy, tastes better than any of that store-bought stuff you can buy, and it makes the house smell ahh-mazing while it's simmering!  For the best flavor, try to use a variety of apples that are good for cooking such as Fuji, Gala, Pippin, Jonathan, Gravenstein, Rome, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and McIntosh.  Honeycrisp apples are also very good (actually my favorite), but they are a little more on the watery side.  Whenever I use Honeycrisp apples, I reduce the amount of water to usually 3/4 cup.  The beauty of homemade applesauce is that it's very forgiving.  The natural sweetness of your apples will ultimately determine how much sugar you will want to use.  Always start out using less sugar than you think because you can always add more later.  If your applesauce is too sweet, add some lemon juice.  Try substituting the water for apple juice and even add a touch of pure vanilla extract for some more depth of flavor.

For making a larger quantity of applesauce for canning, see below.

Strawberry & Peach Salsa

This summery fruit salsa makes for an attractive and delicious garnish to grilled chicken, pork, and fish.  It's also good as a dip for tortilla chips.  Light, fresh, healthy, and easy to throw together - perfect for your summer festivities!  

Cherry Crumble Bars

Oh, how I love sweet cherries!  They are in season for far too short a time, so I jump on them as soon as I see a good sale.  As a little girl, I remember my Grandmommy putting them in the freezer, pits and all.  Later on in the evening, we would take them out and enjoy them as a frozen treat.  I've carried on that sweet "tradition" with my little sous chef, but I wanted to use them in something special now that she's out of school.  I decided to make crumble bars, and they turned out fantastic!  They are a perfect summer treat for breakfast or dessert!  

A note on pitting cherries:  Once cherries go on sale, I immediately put them in my freezer, without pitting them.  Once I'm ready to use them, I run them under warm water in a colander for a minute or two in order to partially thaw them out.  I then pit them using a pastry tip.  When the cherries are partially frozen, they are easier to pit and the juices don't run everywhere.

Black Plum & Ginger Jam (Without Pectin)

Making your own jam is a great way to preserve any in-season fruits that you may have lying around the house.  This black plum and ginger jam is so easy and is made without pectin.  The ginger gives the jam a wonderful little kick.  It's soft, sweet, slightly tart, and spreads like a dream!  

Tropical Oat Bars with Pineapple & Coconut

Looking forward to your next vacation?  These oat bars will send your taste buds straight to paradise!  Sweet pineapple, flaked coconut, and freshly squeezed lime juice give them a delicious tropical flare.  The pineapple filling in the center is made by cooking fresh pineapple in some sugar and lime juice.  When the bars are baked, the the center sets up as delicious pineapple preserves.  Better yet, I made these lower in fat by using nonfat Greek yogurt to replace half of the butter!  These are great for breakfast or as a snack.  Give them a try!

Strawberry, Mint & Lime Agua Fresca

Oh, what a beautiful spring day it has turned out to be!  The sun is shining without a cloud in the sky, and there's a lovely, fresh breeze flowing through the windows of my home.  Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo and we celebrated with these delicious agua frescas.  Thankfully, I had some leftover that I could enjoy this afternoon on my back porch along with the lovely weather (minus the tequila, of course!).  Agua fresca means "fresh waters" in Spanish.  They are refreshing, fruity, and easy to make.  Try experimenting using fresh pineapple, cantaloupe, or any combination of your favorite fruits!      

Note:  Depending on the sweetness of your strawberries, you can add up to 1/3 c of sugar to the  strawberry mixture.        

Peach Poppy Seed Vinaigrette over Strawberry, Feta & Walnut Salad

We've been doing some spring cleaning of our diets recently, especially since I've gained my usual 5-pound winter weight.  I'm very anxious to get back on the tennis courts and bike trail again!  I had a beautiful package of mixed baby greens in the fridge and was in the mood for a light and refreshing salad.  I decided to use up my remaining strawberries, toss in some feta, and add some toasted walnuts.  But it needed something to bring it all together.  I found about 3 tablespoons of peach preserves that I had to use up, so I decided to make a peach vinaigrette with poppy seeds.  This dressing is seriously bangin!

Strawberry, Kale & Carrot Smoothie

This is a super healthy and refreshing smoothie that is low in calories and packed with vitamins and minerals.  Oh, and it's pretty darn delicious, too!  I didn't add any honey to my smoothie because my strawberries were sweet enough on their own, but you certainly can add it to sweeten it up more.  Happy hump day!  

Cold & Flu Popsicles with Strawberries, Kale and Thyme

We have been a hot mess of sickness in my home for these past few weeks, and my little sous chef was the last one to get it.  Since all of our weekend plans were shot, I had a little extra time to play in the kitchen.  I wanted to give my baby some relief from her symptoms, so I came up with these cold and flu popsicles.  She thought they were delicious!  I, however, loved them because of the cold and flu fighting ingredients that were used.  Just one cup of strawberries provides you with 160 percent of your daily vitamin C needs.  Kale is loaded with antioxidant vitamins and helps strengthen the immune system.  Thyme is a natural expectorant, so it will help coughs to be more productive.  Lemon is also rich in vitamin C and helps to boost your immune system.  Honey soothes a sore throat and loosens congestion.  Cayenne aids in loosening congestion and clearing your sinus passages.  While studies have not proven whether or not cinnamon helps reduce inflammation and has antioxidant effects, it sure does make these popsicles taste good!  As for the sugar, use your own judgment.  If I was making these for myself, I would have eliminated it completely.  However, strawberries aren't in season right now, so mine weren't very sweet to begin with.  Finally, the popsicles themselves will help to prevent dehydration.  

Apricot Ribbons

Every year, someone asks me to bake these cookies either as a gift for someone else or for a party.  This year, I was asked to make 7 dozen of them so they could be given as Christmas gifts for other people.  These cookies are so delicate and buttery, they almost melt in your mouth!  The dough is very easy to work with and I've used it to make candy cane shortbread cookies and even thumbprint cookies.  Raspberry ribbons used to be my favorite until I tried making apricot ribbons for the first time!  They are little pieces of heaven!  Mix it up a little and use your favorite kind of fruit preserves such as cherry, raspberry, grape, orange - they're all good!

Note:  As stated above, these cookies are very delicate.  Before you transfer the cookies from the cutting board to a serving plate, they must cool completely.  If you don't allow them to completely cool, they will break down the center when you pick them up.  

Thanksgiving: How to Make Apple Pie

I recently had the privilege of working with Food.com on how-to's for their website.  It was a bit odd making stuffing and roasting a turkey in the middle of August, but it was a lot of fun!  

For step-by-step instructions with photos and tips/tricks on how to make apple pie, visit the following link!

How To Make Apple Pie

Also, check out some of my other how-to's at Food.com:
How to brine a turkey
How to roast a turkey
How to carve a turkey
How to make gravy
How to make turkey stock
How to make dressing (stuffing)
How to make pie crust
How to make pumpkin pie

Pop Tarts with Homemade Strawberry Jam & Vanilla Glaze

Brace yourself!  These pop tarts are made with homemade strawberry jam and slathered in a delicious vanilla glaze.  Wrap that sweet strawberry jam in a buttery, flaky pie crust and you have amazing pop tarts that annihilate the store-bought competition.  They can be enjoyed fresh out of the oven or after they have cooled (my favorite way to have them).  Either way, they are so good - you will not be disappointed!  

Notes:  If you would like to make your own pie crust, check out my how-to on the perfect flaky pie crust with step-by-step pictures.  When making the strawberry jam, take care that you stir the mixture frequently to avoid burning it.  The pop tarts can be stored at room temperature for up to two days in an airtight container or they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days.  

Triple Berry Crisp

My family went berry picking at Linvilla Orchards and I have a whole lot of berries to play with!  I decided to make a triple berry crisp for desert tonight.  I love this recipe because it is simple, delicious and I always have these ingredients on hand in my pantry.

Madelyn's Creation: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake

My daughter and I had an entire day to ourselves and I asked her what she wanted to do.  "I want to create something new for Cooking Creation!"  One of the greatest joys that I have experienced from this food blog is seeing my daughter get excited about cooking.  We went through the fridge and pantry to see what ingredients we had to work with and she came up with a plan.  After some brainstorming, she drew a picture in the living room, came back in the kitchen with her hat and apron on, and said, "I want to make chocolate cake with strawberries and strawberry-flavored jello."  We gathered the ingredients and went to work.  Chocolate cake wasn't quite enough - she wanted whole chocolate chips in it, too.  After the cake was done baking, we poked holes in it and poured some liquid jello on top so it could seep into the cake.  Yum!  We then chilled the cake in the fridge.  The last step was to top the cake with strawberries, whipped cream and chocolate syrup.  The results?  Amazing.  My little 8-year-old sous chef really has a knack for this baking stuff!  

Blueberry Wheat Germ Smoothie

It's blueberry season!  Refresh yourself with this delicious, creamy blueberry smoothie.  Rich in vitamins and high in fiber - it makes for a great start to your day!  For a lower calorie version (185 calories), substitute 1 cup of the blueberries for 1 cup of ice.

Bacon-Wrapped Strawberries

You know how you cover your face with both hands while anticipating a scary part of a movie but leave just enough room for one eye to peek through your fingers?  That's totally me right now.  I cringe to think about the first reaction one might experience in response to a recipe like this... and I get it.  Reactions will vary but most likely will range from "disgusting!" to "interesting!" to "are you kidding me?!"; either way, these bacon-wrapped strawberries are definitely something that you should try.  Imagine salty, crispy bacon paired with a sweet, delicate strawberry.  Hard to imagine?  That's the response I got from a few people upon description.  I don't blame you if you don't try it; however, I would challenge you to open your mind and give your taste buds a little ride with this unconventional approach to strawberries.  I dare you.  You might be pleasantly surprised - just as I was.  

Note:  Hulling the strawberries is optional.  I like to keep the leaves intact just for aesthetic purposes.  If you choose not to hull them, the leaves will become crisp and brittle, so you may have a few pieces that crumble off when you pick them up to take a bite.  While strawberry leaves are edible, the texture is probably something you wouldn't enjoy, so use your own discretion.

Easy Oven-Dried Strawberry Leather Slices

It's strawberry season!  If you find yourself with an overabundance of strawberries as we have, consider drying them.  When you dry fresh fruit, most of the nutritional value is retained and it lasts weeks longer than if it was fresh.  Dried strawberries make a delicious snack on their own and they also are a great complement to cereal, granola and yogurt.  These are wonderfully sweet, delightfully chewy and slightly sticky... think Craisins.  The addition of tarragon gives the strawberries an extra  dimension of flavor but they are just as good without it.