The time for Christmas basket baking was here before we knew it this year.  I had hoped to get a lot of new recipes in the baskets this year, but our year had other plans.  While there always seem to be treats that get requested each year from previous years, I had hoped to try out a lot of new additions.  Time got away from us though, and we didn’t add much new this time.  In addition, jellies, jams and other canned goods did not get added.  In spite of of all of this, the baskets remained a hit amongst their recipients, and we were quite happy with the way…

The creamy texture of pudding.  The sweet taste of chocolate and strawberry.  The health benefits of Chia seeds!  All of these come together to make a great breakfast, snack or dessert! Chia seeds come from a plant in the mint family.  They are tiny little black, or grey, seeds that when placed in liquid, soak up the liquid and form a gel-like coating.  They are not, however, the same seeds that are sold with the Chia Pets that are seen on television and in stores. So if you are thinking of running out and buying a Chia Pet to harvest your own chia seeds, it’s probably not a good idea.…

This past Christmas we received a mini DASH waffle maker, and I am in love. What is a DASH? What is a DASH you ask?  DASH is a line of mini kitchen appliances designed for small spaces as well as small batch cooking.  There are quite a few appliances available, and they all come in really fun colors!  They are very affordable, easy to use, and equally important – easy to clean! Since receiving our DASH waffle maker, I am seeing them advertised everywhere.  Some of my go-to sites and magazines for healthy cooking, are even jumping on the DASH waffle trend with lots of interesting, healthy recipes! While you…

  This years Christmas baskets have been made, assembled and sent out! The Baskets Every year we change up the type of “basket” the goodies will go in, and this year was a homemade basket. Crocheted slouch baskets served as the main basket for the baked goodies, while the heavier canned goods were placed in gift bags.  The baskets themselves can be used for any number of things, long after the goodies are gone – a place to store throw blankets, dog toys, stuffed animals, magazines – really anything you want to use it for. The Goodies Each year we get requests for repeats of items- whether baked goods or…

Power bowls have become a trendy menu item that are not only easy to make, but are as delicious as they are packed full of nutrients!  The best thing about them, is that you can design them any way you want!  Not a meat eater?  Leave the meat out and sub in another form of protein like beans or tofu.   Not a fan of kale?  Leave out the kale, and sub in a different leafy green, like baby spinach.  The idea, is to build your bowl full of foods that you enjoy, that will provide you with the nourishment you need to fuel your body! To get the most out…

  It is that time of year again, when we start getting all of our goodies together to fill our Christmas baskets.  The months of October and November, are filled with cooking, canning, baking, sewing, and this year, crocheting.  I’m not sure where this year has gone, but the closer we get to the holidays, the faster it is going! (and since it has taken me so long to finish this post, it is REALLY going fast now)! Last year, I decided to start adding a blog post to include the contents and recipes of what goes into our Christmas Baskets each year.  While some goodies will stay the same…

  Eastern Tennessee, in the Smoky Mountains in October.  It had been raining for what felt like a month, and we were finally getting a much needed break from it.  I pulled on my rain boots, put a light jacket on, and headed down the long, muddy dirt road that would lead me deep into the woods. It was quiet, except for the splashing of my boots through the puddles, and the sound of frogs, crickets and other little creatures running through the leaves and brush in the woods all around me.  Off in the distance I could hear the creek as it made its way over the rocks and…

Are you one of those people that make multiple batches of Quinoa at a time, so that you have left over for something else?  I am, and I am always on the look out for different ideas on how to use it!  This time, I had a breakfast idea for it, and it turned out so good, I wanted to share it! My recipe is completely plant-based, but feel free to not only switch it up using real eggs, but, you can even try different add-ins if you would like!  Quinoa is one of those foods, that can go with virtually anything you want to add! Ingredients for Plant-Based Quinoa…

If you love hummus, but normally buy it, you are going to love this recipe!  It is so quick and easy to make – you more than likely have most of the ingredients already!  It tastes so much fresher than store bought, and it is also, so much cheaper! If you have never had hummus, then you should give it try! Hummus is a dip – or a spread – that is made from chick peas and tahini (made from toasted, ground sesame). Store bought brands of hummus can vary in their ingredients, as well as their nutritional value.  By making it at home, you know exactly what you are getting…

“All living things, must be fed”                                                                -Irish Proverb   …And this Kerry Apple Cake is the perfect dessert to feed someone this St. Patrick’s Day! It is hard to find any real background on the origin of this cake, but, from what I have found, it seems to have originated in County Kerry Ireland. It was originally prepared and baked in a cast iron pot called a Bastible.  In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, bastibles were the primary cooking tool.  Most…