Welcome to summer. It is time for vacations and day trips and spending fun days outside. Admit it or not, we all cook and eat seasonally and now is the time for salads, grilling and lots of veggies. Oh, and cold cocktails.
I had been longing for a big summer salad with grilled meat. Sound good? [Read more…]
Four years ago my life changed forever. While it may not be as dramatic as you might imagine, it was a wonderful change. I had wanted to pick fresh strawberries from the field for as long as I can remember. There just didn’t seem to be a strawberry farm that I could locate. Then it happened! Wohletz Farms entered my life. The strawberries at Wohletz are amazing and the folks that work there couldn’t be nicer.
Kathy and I picked strawberries together that first year and we were lucky enough to go to Wohletz on opening day this year and pick strawberries again. Then I returned in a week to pick more berries with my husband. Yep! 25 pounds of strawberries have been picked this year for our family to enjoy. Thirty plus jars of jam are canned and ready to gift to special folks and we have enjoyed strawberry recipes almost each and every day. Of course it is hard to beat strawberry shortcake but there is another recipe that we cherish. This recipe has been pinned more than almost any on my pinterest site-Strawberry Shortcake Bars.
These bars keep fresh for about 5 days in a sealed container or you can freeze them and have them ready for celebrations all summer long. These are perfect for picnics too.
If you are lucky enough to make it strawberry picking, (you need to hurry there are only a few weeks left) and if making jam doesn’t appeal to you why not try Kathy’s favorites, Strawberry Cobbler or Strawberry Hand Tarts. Remember to use your strawberries for happy hour on the patio. Frozen Strawberry Margarita Punch is sure to make you the talk of the neighborhood. No matter what you decide to do with your picked treasures, get busy, have fun and share the love!
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup strawberry preserves
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 or 9-inch baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick spray; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, combine flour, sugar, pecans and butter until mixture is crumbly. Remove 2 cups of this mixture and set aside.
Pour the remainder crumb mixture into prepared pan and pat to form a crust. Layer strawberry preserves within 1/2 inch of crust edge. Sprinkle reserved mixture evenly over the top.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Allow to cool completely, then cut into bars.
Some days, cooking dinner gets in the way. Do you ever feel that way?
I love to cook and honestly, would go into the kitchen to cook anytime. What would I cook? Anything! [Read more…]
Getting together with friends doesn’t have to be stressful. Do you have those friends that you can never find a time that works for lunch or dinner? No worries! Spread your wings and shake it up a bit. Almost everyone is free for breakfast or brunch on the weekend. Breakfast is easy to prepare, tasty and a wonderful way to enjoy these weekends that are starting to be filled with sunshine.
One of my favorite brunch menus is so easy peasy that it is almost embarrassing. Make Orange Honey Fruit Parfaits, Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins and baked, crisp peppered bacon. The muffins can be prepared the day before and warmed in the oven just before serving. The parfaits go together lickety split and can be made an hour or so before your friends arrive. You will definitely want to bake the bacon so there is no messy stovetop to clean up and the bacon will be perfect. The smell alone will welcome everyone into your home. [Read more…]
Spring! Here in Kansas City, we were teased with weather that felt like spring in January and February. Roller coaster weather with ups and downs kept us on our toes and made us long for one season or the other. Finally, this week, it looks like spring is really here to stay. I love celebrating Easter with a perfect dose of spring weather.
It is amazing how just a slight change in the weather makes our taste buds go through seismic shifts. Just a couple weeks ago, on a cold, rainy day, I made another batch of soup to chase away the chill. Finally, we can look forward to egg salad and deviled eggs from all those Easter Eggs, ham dinners, roasted asparagus, fresh salads and now, a luscious Lemon Blueberry Pie as a spectacular Easter dessert. [Read more…]
