adult | alcohol | canning | cherry | chocolate | cupcake photos | cupcakes | dip/salsa/spread | filling | frosting | fruit | german | jam | preserved foods | preserves | recipe | sauce | seasonal | traditional with a twist | treats | unique | vanilla

Life’s a bowl of cherries.

Or not. Yeah, more like not. Life is actually far from a being a bowl of cherries. Cherries are pretty, bright & usually perfect. Life is not. For one measly little example, I had an awesome photo of the cherries in the bag, looking all perky & red. And my camera deleted it. Or actually, […]

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blog event | for a good cause | Military Monday

Military Monday.

Gorgeous patriotic ice cream sandwich pops from LivingLocurto.com … You may or may not understand the concept of Military Monday, so let me explain for new readers. Each week I list a set of names of deceased U.S. soldiers in tribute to them & our Armed Forces in general. I include a patriotic photo, usually […]

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beans | cayenne | dill | food | garlic | mayonnaise | parsley | pickling | potatoes | preserved foods | recipe | salad | savory | snacks | spices | traditional with a twist | vegan | vegetables

What da dilly, yo?

Busta Rhymes & dilly beans. A natural combination, no? So yeah. Dilly beans. As a native New Yorker, where most of my young-adult time was spent pounding pavement in Manhattan, either uptown by the Met or downtown in Chelsea & the Fashion District, not quite growing my own vegetables/living in a rural area/reading up about […]

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blog event | for a good cause | Military Monday

Military Monday.

And boy, do I ever! … Another Military Monday comes & goes. Please remember our soldiers, both the fallen & those still “fighting”, even if their fighting isn’t your idea of combat. Army Staff Sgt. Edward D Mills May 26, 2011 29, of New Castle, Pa. Army 1st Lt. John M Runkle May 26, 2011 […]

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basil | chilies | chive | cilantro | cucumbers | eggplant | garden | healthy eating | herbs | oregano | parsley | rosemary | seasonal | tomato | vegetables

The call of nature.

…   “Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher.” – William Wordsworth … My trusty gardening shoes; falling apart Chuck Taylor’s I’ve had since 8th grade, the laces have been replaced 4 times … The Victory Garden is back in full effect, and of course I’m going to show it […]

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blog event | for a good cause | Military Monday

Military Monday.

This week’s Military Monday is in memory of the 30 members of our Armed Forces killed on August 6, 2011. … Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) — In the single deadliest loss for U.S. troops since the Afghan war began in late 2001, 30 service members died early Saturday when a helicopter carrying them went down while […]

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canning | dip/salsa/spread | fruit | gluten-free | lemon | nectarine | peaches | preserved foods | preserves | recipe | tea | traditional with a twist | vegan

Earl Grey’s nectarine tea preserves.

Lately, well for the last 3 weeks or so, I’ve been canning & jarring everything in sight. I even tried to jar up Jay & Indy but they resisted. I’m kidding, ASPCA. But it just so happens today is Ball® National Can-It-Forward Day, so I’m right in style. And you should be too… … I […]

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