A couple of years ago when I was looking for the “perfect” salsa recipe, I found this recipe for “The Best Homemade Salsa” from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. This salsa is amazing and the directions are very complete, with many helpful photos. Click on the link…
Do you have a garden? For most of my life, I have been gardening. I have found that the reason I garden has changed over the years. This is my little garden now – it has a variety of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, cantaloupe and a…
As I was walking through the garden yesterday, I noticed that the rhubarb was ready to cut….which means it is time to bake a rhubarb cake. Rhubarb cake is my absolute favorite cake! If you have never tried rhubarb, this is the recipe for you.
The rhubarb adds a wonderful tart flavor to cake that you will love. The texture and flavor is irresistible. Family, who thought they hated rhubarb (but probably had never actually tried it), were asking for the recipe after tasting it. It is also great in muffins!
To make the cake, start by mixing up the cake batter, cutting up the rhubarb and mixing it with sugar and jello, and making the crumble. I often make a one-half batch, which works with a pie dish or 8 x 8 baking dish.
Fold the rhubarb mixture into the cake batter.
Spread the cake and rhubarb mixture in a prepared baking dish. This is a family recipe that we have been making for years!
Sprinkle the crumble on top. I add a bit of additional sanding sugar – I love the extra sparkle and crunch.
Bake for about 40 minutes….absolute heaven!
Look at that beautiful moist texture – and such a pretty color!
Serve warm, with just a bit of cream poured over it, if desired. You will love it! Enjoy!
Last week when I was visiting with my daughter, she requested that next year I make some spicy salsa. But “no time like the present” right? The garden is looking pretty sad, but it is still producing tomatoes and peppers. I was able to pick…
How pretty are these mini fruit galettes? Use pie dough and the summer fruits you like the best to make these little individual desserts. The other day my husband brought home a bag of Pluots -they are part plum and part apricot. So delicious –…
Cheers to the Cocktail Garden! If you are a gardener who enjoys a cocktail, you can grow your own fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs to infuse into your favorite drinks.
Cocktail Gardens seem to be the trendy garden of the year. I was inspired by a video by Laura LeBoutiller of Garden Answer, which is attached below. A cocktail garden is fun and easy, and is perfect raised gardens or containers. It can be a fun addition to your patio. I love having herbs right outside my back door, so that they are convenient to use.
If you do a search for “Cocktail Gardens” you will see a wide range of plants that people like to plant. Think about your favorite drinks and the ingredients you like to use for them and in cooking.
This is the beginning of my cocktail garden. Starting in the lower left corner and going clockwise, the plants are rosemary, purple basil (later replaced by peppers), strawberries, compact basil, sage, basil, lemon thyme, lemon grass and lavender.
Mint is probably the most commonly used herb for cocktails, the leaf brightens the flavor in everything it is added to. Mint is almost too easy to grow and will spread like crazy in your gardens. I planted the mint in a little pot, then planted the pot in the raised bed garden, to keep it contained to one area. This is Mojito mint.
Beautiful strawberry blooms add so much color – plus strawberries are just a wonderful to snack on.
Adding peppers, or other colorful plants, adds a pretty contrast to all the green.
Not only are these herbs add flavor to your favorite mixed drinks, they can be used in main dishes. The lemon thyme is amazing when added to chicken marinade, the sage is tasty in pasta sauces and we need basil to make summer caprese salad.
Growing a cocktail garden requires much less attention than a vegetable garden and it produces all summer all summer. When you snip off the herbs, they grow back quickly.
To be inspired to grow your own cocktail garden, watch the video below, it includes tips on planting, growing and recipes for cocktails. If you enjoy gardening, I would recommend following Garden Answer – so many wonderful and inspiring ideas. Enjoy!
I love the fresh looks of spring all around the landscape. So many of my plants have a story behind them or special memory. Check it out. Asparagus is the first garden vegetable to enjoy and what a treat! Growing up we usually steamed it…
As you can see my cucumber trellis is full and abundant. There are more cucumbers than I can eat fresh. Time for refrigerator pickles. I have enjoyed making small batches experimenting with different recipes. This is a traditional recipe I have used for years. This…
Cayenne peppers are wonderful to dry and use throughout the year. There are a few methods to dry cayenne peppers such as in the oven or dehydrator but I prefer to dry mine naturally indoors. It’s very simple and I like how the peppers look in my kitchen.
I had previously used a string and threaded the peppers to dry but then decided this method of baker’s twine and tiny clothespins works much better. The peppers can be switched as they dry with fresh peppers.
It’s important to place the peppers in a sunny spot and make sure there is enough air between them. Watch for any spoilage but unless the air is extremely humid it will not be a problem.
When the peppers are dry and brittle chop with a food processor, blender or any type of mill that gets the desired result. I prefer to keep mine coarse so I use a small food chopper.
Store in glass containers. These will have much more flavor and be hotter than red pepper flakes purchased in a store so keep that in mind the first few times they are used.
Do you know what cucamelons or Mexican Sour Gherkins are? I had never heard of them until my daughter gave me some to plant in my garden. She started them from seed and they were quickly growing and needed garden space. They grow best in…
Welcome to Sugar, Sunshine and Flowers!
Mary Beth shares her love of family, food, DIY projects and being outdoors.
