Strawberry Rhubarb Bars

Posted by Roxanne on June 4, 2018

Depending on where you live, it is time to pick fresh strawberries or at the very least purchase local, fresh strawberries at the farmers market. The flavor is intense and sweet. The time is right for rhubarb too. To me, strawberries and rhubarb go together like peanut butter and jelly—-it was meant to be.

As we do each season, we raced to our local strawberry patch and picked berries. It was a lovely evening and it really doesn’t take long to pick enough berries to enjoy lots of treats or for eating fresh from the bowl. This particular outing we picked almost 9 pounds of berries. Yes, nine pounds of pure deliciousness. [Read more…]

Merry Christmas with World Peace

Posted by Kathy on December 20, 2017

Tie up a tasty gift of world peace! What a wonderful gift it would be! Tasty, delicious, just perfect chocolate cookies.

There is still time! Mix the dough, refrigerate, then slice and bake. It really is that easy. [Read more…]

Strawberry Season

Posted by Roxanne on May 23, 2017

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!

Strawberry Shortcake Bars

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.

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Meyer Lemon and Black Pepper Cookies

Posted by Kathy on February 28, 2017

Do you ever come across a recipe or you see something on the menu and your taste buds say, “Nope! Not for me?” It might sound a little odd, strange or just weird, and you don’t want to taste it.

And then, you finally taste it and absolutely love it!

That doesn’t happen to me often but it is true confession time. That really was me recently. [Read more…]

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Posted by Roxanne on February 13, 2017

Happy Valentine’s Day!
I hope you can spend the day with those you love! At our home, special holidays like Valentine’s Day are usually celebrated in the quiet and comfort of home. While we love to go to restaurants and try new foods, we have learned over the years that this may not be the “best” holiday to venture out. The up side of this is that we always plan a fun and special dinner at home. Today is no exception. I can hardly wait to get out the pasta machine and try my hand at homemade pasta. Pair that with lobster, steak, great wine and I think our evening will be a winner. Dessert? Easy peasy—my sweetheart adores brownies and so does my daughter. Dessert will definitely be heart shaped brownie sundaes with homemade hot fudge. We are in for a treat! My special gift request is always and most likely always will be Christopher Elbow milk chocolate turtles. Turtles trump flowers any day. Life is good.