What’s for dinner?

Peach Caprese
With my bountiful tomato harvest, I need to expand my palate beyond the basic Caprese. Feeling a little fruity, I came up with … [Read More]
What’s for dessert?

Blackberry Cabernet Cupcakes
My friends are hosting a Valenwine’s Party tonight to celebrate Valentine’s Day with wine tasting. Most people think of cheese and … [Read More]
In the Fresh Domestic Kitchen

AFB Chocolate Coconut Cream Cake
If you don't know what Amish Friendship Bread is, then you didn't grow up in the Midwest. If you've never had the daily task of "squishing" the bag, I'm not going to try to explain it to you. Just read this description from Friendship Bread Kitchen.FBK is the ultimate site when it comes to AFB - even though the public … [Read More]

Quick, Easy Oven-Baked Salmon
I'm relieved to finally have salmon in my freezer again. When it comes to remembering to thaw meat, I'm terrible. So even as much as I love chicken, it's usually frozen beyond my last-minute (self-inflicted) time constraints. But salmon thaws in a few minutes under running water, making it a quick, easy go-to … [Read More]
In the Fresh Domestic Garden

Flower Garden
No words to blog today, just pictures of vividly bright flowers from my garden that say it better in color than I can in … [Read More]

Plant Progress: Day 5
The company flowers and African Daisies keep coming up. Joining the green ranks today: Some Simpson’s Curled Lettuce. They don’t … [Read More]
Around Town + Beyond

Sunday Eve Picnic: Mini Wine & Cheese Party
Today became "Use Up All the Gift Cards Weighing Down Your Wallet" Day. Fueled by a scrambled egg/bacon/English muffin breakfast from The Shore Restaurant followed by a couple of West End Tavern Bloody Marys, we headed to Great Northern Mall. First stop: DSW, where I stretched a $25 gift card (and then some) into … [Read More...]

The First Camping Trip of the Season
This weekend, the warm weather forecast won out over the writing deadlines that begged me to stay indoors. Nature called, so in response we started packing our supplies and invited friends to come out for the first camping trip of the year. Our camping trips are usually somewhat spontaneous; during the week we … [Read More...]




