Early fall is my favorite time of year. I love that it’s still warm enough to enjoy the outdoors, the selection of produce available is awesome, and the back-to-school vibe fuels me to get things done.
It’s also an awesome time of year to can some jellies and jams, like this delicious Spiced Fig and Pear Jam!
Figs and pears are in season at the moment, two of my favorite fruits, so what better time to make (and can) this Spiced Fig and Pear Jam?
Ingredients (makes about 6 8oz cans):
1 1/2 pounds Bartlett pears, peeled, deseeded, and cut into small bite sized pieces
Some mornings, I wake up and want to treat myself to something a little bit more special than my typical morning coffee.
Now that I’ve been working from home full time for 18 months, I don’t really go to coffee shops anymore, so in order to have a fancy coffee treat, I have to make it myself!
A frappe is perfect for those mornings where you need a pick me up. It is a blended coffee drink served cold, typically topped with a nice dollop of whipped cream, and is surprisingly easy to make. This Mocha Frappe recipe uses just 7 ingredients to make a chocolatey, frothy coffee concoction.
I suggest preparing the espresso the night before so that you can make it and enjoy it quicker the next morning.
Ingredients (makes 2 servings, multiply as needed):
This may sound silly, but I woke up a few days ago and realized that summer is nearly over, and I had not cannedanything! Blueberries have been particularly lovely this year, so I wanted to make a fruit butter using them as the main ingredient. I added in some plums I had and then spiced them with some autumnal flavors to mark the impending change of seasons.
The result is this Slow Cooker Spiced Blueberry Plum Butter!
Fruit butter is a jam-like product that doesn’t use any pectin, so it spreads easier than a normal jam or jelly. Fruit butters are best made by cooking the fruit low and slow, so a slow cooker is the perfect tool to make them! Although you are using a slow cooker, this recipe does require you to stir it every now and then, so you still have to stay close by.
I adapted this recipe from Food in Jar’s recipe for Slow Cooker Blueberry Butter. There are a few tools I find super helpful when canning, so I will link to those throughout this recipe, in case you wanted to know what I use.
Ingredients (makes about 5 pints, or 10 half pint jars):
My husband is a big fan of breakfast, so every now and then, we like to have breakfast for dinner.
Frittata’s are particularly good for dinner – savory, filling, and can be served with day old bread, so I recently decided to make this Mushroom and Spinach Frittata for dinner!
This frittata is an easy Mushroom and Spinach version, but you can substitute in whatever vegetables you’d like.
Note: This post is sponsored by Adagio Teas. Opinions are mine alone.
I’m excited to share this recipe for Earl Grey Madeleines, plus an easy suggestion for a personalized gift option for tea lovers!
My sister is getting married later this year so I have been immersed in all things bachelorette, shower, and wedding over the last few months. Her bridal shower is coming up soon, so naturally, I have been thinking of different gift options to help celebrate my sister. I love a good themed gift that adds a bit of personalization, so I was thrilled when Adagio Teas contacted me recently about doing a post highlighting some of their awesome products.
Adagio’s website has an impressive number of loose teas, plus teaware, pantry items, and gift selections that can be easily curated into the perfect gift. I was immediately drawn to a 20oz Particle Teapot that is just the right size to brew tea for two. The enameled glazed iron pot is both a kettle and teapot, and includes a stainless steel infuser basket so you can steep the tea leaves right in the pot.
I scrolled through their extensive tea selection and chose a random assortment of sample sized teas so that I could include a bunch of different types in my gift for my sister. Naturally, I picked up a few for myself as well, including Earl Grey Bravo, a blend of artisan black tea from Sri Lanka, flavored with bergamot.
source: adagio.com
It probably goes without saying that I wanted to make something that would go well with the teapot and teas, so I decided to make these yummy Earl Grey Madeleines, using Earl Grey Bravo and raw honey from Adagio.
My family loves quite a range of tea, but Earl Grey is definitely a favorite of ours, so I wanted to incorporate that into the gift.
My sister is having a display shower, where gifts will not be wrapped, so I packaged them up in a large cookie jar, along with the teapot and a few sample sized teas, including Peach Oolong, Buddha’s Dream, 40 Winks, and, of course, Earl Grey Bravo.
Ingredients (makes 2 dozen madeleines):
2 cups cake flour (or all purpose flour and cornstarch, directions here)
Note: I was sent samples of Bear Mountain BBQ Wood Pellets in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
I’m going to keep the yummy smoked recipes going because, well, I can! This recipe for Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese would be a perfect make ahead dish to bring to your next barbecue.
The Bacon highlights the smoky flavor, but if you want to keep it vegetarian, just omit it!
This recipe is basically my Homemade Mac and Cheese recipe with a few adjustments to make it ready for some smoker action!
Note: I was sent samples of Bear Mountain BBQ Wood Pellets in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
With Memorial Day right around the corner, it’s time for more recipes using Bear Mountain BBQ Wood Pellets! This one is a bit different than my previous two posts fort Smoked Potato Salad and Smoked Wings… this time I’m bringing you dessert: a Smoker Grilled S’mores Skillet to be exact!
As a city girl, I don’t exactly get a lot of opportunities to roast some marshmallows over an open fire, but I do love s’mores!
I’m not going to lie, I didn’t love stuffed peppers when I was younger. However, as I realize that there are multiple ways to make them, like these Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers and this recipe for Lamb Stuffed Mediterranean Peppers I’m about to share, I’ve come around on how awesome they can really be!
This recipe is based off one a friend gave me years ago that I used to make Mediterranean Stuffed Mini Peppers. The recipe was so darn good, I figured it was about time I shared a main-meal version!
Note: I was sent samples of Bear Mountain BBQ Wood Pellets in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
I’ve mentioned many times in the past how much I love to grill, but last summer I began dabbling in smoked foods. I don’t own a smoker, so I just use my grill, and Bear Mountain BBQ Pellets make it super simple to do so! Last year I made an awesome recipe for Smoked Potato Salad using Bear Mountain’s Gourmet Blend. This time around, I’m sharing a more traditional smoked food recipe: Smoked Chicken Wings!
My husband is kind of chicken wings obsessed. His current favorite wings dry rubbed smoked wings from our local pizza place, Pizza Plus, so I decided to try to make some of my own at home. I used Bear Mountain Bold BBQ Pellets for this recipe, but their Gourmet Blend would also work.
Ingredients (makes 3 lbs wings, or 2-4 servings. Multiply as needed):
Note: I was sent affiliate boxes from Sitka Salmon Share in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
I’m back with another post using my Sitka Salmon Share! This recipe for Pan Seared Lingcod with Wilted Spinach uses Lingcod, which is a lean white fish native to the North America west coast. It has a mild flavor similar to halibut or cod so it’s very versatile.
I adapted this recipe from one on Sitka Salmon Share’s recipe website. The original recipe served this over mashed potatoes, but I went with a cauliflower puree instead. (To read more about Sitka Salmon Shares and get a promo code for a premium share, check out my other post.)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
5 ounces spinach leaves
salt and pepper, to taste
2 (6 to 8 oz) pieces lingcod
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons butter
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped roasted pistachios
1 lemon, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
I absolutely love the flavor of cauliflower, which means I’ve been in heaven these past few years with all of the attention cauliflower has been receiving as an alternative for everything from rice to pizza crust. So I was quite surprised when I realized I hadn’t shared my recipe for Pressure Cooker Cauliflower Puree yet!
This recipe is easy to make and comes together in less than 30 minutes!
Barbecue season is upon us, and many of us are hoping to enjoy some socially distant outdoor time with friends and family. So I wanted to share the perfect recipe to bring along to a barbecue: homemade baked beans!
This recipe takes about an hour and a half to make but can be made ahead of time. The beans can be served warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients (makes 10 servings):
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bell pepper, chopped (I used a yellow pepper)
2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 (15 oz) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 tablespoon hot sauce (I used Tobasco Chipotle)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons stone ground mustard (or any mustard you prefer)
Note: I was sent affiliate boxes from Sitka Salmon Share in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
I’m excited to share this recipe for a yummy Salmon Bean Salad, but I’m even more excited to tell you about Sitka Salmon Share! This responsible caught seafood company is one you can feel good about purchasing their high quality products. (You can check out my other Sitka Seafood posts here as I post them, because there will be plenty more!)
What are Sitka Salmon Shares?
Sitka Salmon Share is a community supported fishery (CSF) seafood delivery that allows you to get great quality seafood delivered right to your door. You can choose from four different options (Premium Sitka Seafood Share, Sitka Seafood Share, Sitka Salmon Share, and Sitka White Fish Share), which range from 3 to 9-month intervals. Each share includes a specific selection of the species that Sitka harvests, such as wild Alaskan king salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, keta salmon, lingcod, black bass, sablefish (black cod), Pacific cod, yelloweye, rockfish, spot shrimp, Dungeness crab, albacore tuna, and halibut.
You can either pay for your share in full at the beginning of the season or spread out your payments through monthly installments. Prices range from $18 to $28 per pound, depending on the species you choose and the quantity you buy (with free shipping).
How Sitka Salmon Shares Works:
One of Sitka’s 20 fishermen-owners or partner fishermen then catch your fish. The fishermen meticulously catch and handle each fish with care virtually unheard of in the world of large factory boats and corporate-owned fish farms. The seafood is filleted and cut into portions of about half a pound to a little over a pound. Each fillet is then blast-frozen to -60 degrees Fahrenheit before being shipped to the Midwest where it is individually vacuum-sealed.
source: https://sitkasalmonshares.com/
Every month during fishing season, you will get a box of wild Alaskan seafood hand-delivered right to your door! In keeping with the company’s guiding principles, Sitka Salmon Shares returns 1 percent of all CSF-related revenue back to fisheries conservation and habitat protection efforts, and they pay to offset all carbon that is released in our Alaska-to-Midwest distribution system. The fishermen-owners receive a fairer wage for a day’s work, and the company works to make the entire system more transparent and accountable, from the moment your fish is caught to the moment you sit down with your friends and family to enjoy the best fish you’ve ever tasted. Also, the packaging is almost entirely recyclable, including the insulation!
https://sitkasalmonshares.com/
Discount code to receive $25 off your first Sitka Salmon Share Box:
To get the word out, I received two affiliate boxes to check out their products. Even better, Sitka has given me a discount code to share with everyone so you can try out their delicious seafood as well! Use ICCTFish when registering for a Premium share and receive $25 off!
This recipe for Salmon Bean Salad is made with Sitka’s Coho salmon, which has such a wonderful flavor that it needs very little other components to make a delicious meal! It is a simple meal that delivers on flavor, and it is perfect for lunch or dinner!
Ingredients (serves 2):
Salad:
1 lb coho salmon, like Sitka Coho Salmon, defrosted overnight in your fridge
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups lettuce (I used Boston Bibb), washed and torn
1 (14 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
This past weekend was my husband’s birthday. So to celebrate, I made him a special treat with some of his favorite ingredients: Almond Peach Crisp! My husband absolutely loves peaches, so I try to make him peachy foods from time to time.
This recipe makes about two servings, but can easily be multiplied to serve a crowd (I was afraid if I made too much, he’d eat it all in one sitting!)
Ingredients (serves 2, multiply as needed):
Peach Filling:
2 (10 oz bags) frozen sliced peaches, defrosted
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
a pinch of salt
Almond Crumble:
1/4 cup each of:
flour
old-fashioned oats
brown sugar
sliced almonds
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
I absolutely love grilling. When given the chance, I’d choose it over cooking on the stovetop or in my oven. So I am thrilled that the weather is turning and I can get back to using my favorite appliance as much as possible. To start the season off, here’s a recipe for Grilled Salmon and Asparagus Foil Packets that tastes awesome and is super easy to clean up!
This recipe is also really adaptable, so I’ve given a couple of suggestions below, but definitely make this your own!
Ingredients (serves 2, multiply as needed):
2 (8 oz) salmon fillets
salt and pepper, to taste
1 lb asparagus, woody ends removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
one lemon, divided
1 teaspoon hot sauce or your favorite mustard
1 shallot, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
