Does It Work???

For those who know us, you know my husband Paul cares about “function”.

Does something work?

A ten penny nail pounded in the wall next to the door; perfect key holder. Wading boots for fishing hanging on the living room wall; easy to get to if the fish are biting. He has never purchased or hung a piece of original art work in his 72 years of living…

And when I create my works of art? His usual observation is “cute.”

Rich, layered colors, deep textures, whimsical style, repeating themes… These nuances are lost on him but my soul craves creativity. I’m not so concerned about whether or not something works well, as I am does it look good?!? Does it please the eye? Does it touch the soul? I want BEAUTY! I want layers of beauty!

However, he was pleased with the new circular gathering space I designed, as it’s low maintenance and functional. I planned ahead and planted in the spring, so the landscaping is already established (“instant gratification” for him.) The level surface makes it easy for him to navigate (he’s lost some mobility), and the benches are the perfect height. In other words, it works.

Today we both got to enjoy the things we love at our ranch.

Christmas Jars Cookbook | October Book Club

The book “Christmas Jars” by Jason F. Wright, is an all-time favorite of mine! If you’ve not read it… A young journalist named Hope starts digging around to discover the truth about a local tradition of anonymously gifting money-filled jars to people in need during the holidays. When she learns who the family is that started it all, she’s faced with the dilemma of publishing their names or burying the story. A beautifully written book about faith, family, and the power of giving, it started a national phenomenon that has touched the lives of millions of people.  If you don’t have a copy, get one!

And now, Jason and his wife, Kodi Wright, are giving us a new gift of warmth and kindness this holiday season—one jar, one recipe, one story at a time, with the “Christmas Jars Cookbook”.

Inspired by the heartwarming tradition of Christmas Jars, Jason and Kodi have created a unique cookbook that celebrates the joy of giving through delicious homemade recipes.

But it includes more than just food—it's also filled with real-life stories from people who have given or received cash-filled Christmas Jars, fun and creative craft ideas, and the sharing of other much-loved holiday traditions that you might be inspired to adopt.

With humorous titles like Rudolph's Maple Carrot Cupcakes, Kason's Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip, and Christmas Movie Caramel Corn, the recipes are designed to be lovingly prepared and given away to friends, family, and neighbors, much like the tradition behind the movement.

Whether it's a jar of Sift and Gift Hot Chocolate mix, a batch of Ginger Cream Cookies, or a heartfelt craft like Hope's Mini Decorative Wreath, the ideas will help you spread love and holiday spirit.

Perfect for the giving season, the Christmas Jars Cookbook reminds us that the best gifts come from the heart—and sometimes, from the kitchen. Get yourself a copy, and pick up a few more for gift giving!

Christmas Jars Cookbook
(Available on October 14, Pre-Order Now!)

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree | Book Release

Back in 1958, sock hops were the rage, aluminum Christmas trees were the future, and 13-year-old singer Brenda Lee was recording the soon-to-be-classic "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."

Now we have a delightful gift book—perfect for stockings, coffee tables, or under the tree—celebrating the song’s record-breaking revived popularity, with ideas for holiday parties, innovative decorations, cozy meals, and more.

Get the most out of your Yuletide celebrations and let the Christmas spirit ring with this full-color festive handbook to all things holiday! You’ll rock around your own Christmas tree this season with the beloved, nostalgic #1 chart-topping song as your guide to a host of holiday fun, from recipes and crafts to party games, decor ideas, and more!

At the Christmas party hop or hanging the mistletoe where you can see, you will get a sentimental feeling when you:

• Choose from over 30 recipes for food and cocktails such as pull-apart pastry puffs, Christmas morning casserole, ornament and gingerbread cookies, and a holly jolly espresso martini

• Welcome others into the celebration with fun games, party ideas, and a soundtrack for all your Christmas gatherings

• Relive your favorite Christmas memories as you dip into nostalgia and learn the fascinating history behind familiar traditions, such as hanging mistletoe, watching Christmas movies, or decorating cookies

• Make your home merry and bright with creative ways to decorate your door, set your table, and wrap your gifts

• Enjoy insights and stories from the song’s origins and legacy of singer Brenda Lee and songwriter Johnny Marks

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree gives you all the feels, fun, and festivities you love about the season. It’s an ideal gift for a family member or friend who goes all-out for the Christmas season and for yourself, because maybe YOU are that person!

Rock on in the new old-fashioned way!
Purchase Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Truly | a book by Lionel Richie

September 30

TRULY, a no-holds-barred memoir from the legendary Grammy, Oscar, and Golden Globe–winning superstar, Lionel Richie, is now available for purchase!

Beloved by audiences around the globe, Richie’s extraordinary journey has kept him at the top of his game for decades. He stands alone as a world-class showman, recording artist, songwriter, producer, entrepreneur, philanthropist—and now, television icon, having just completed his eighth season as a celebrated judge on American Idol.

Richie has continually defied conventional odds—with an unstoppable, crossover, multi-genre mass appeal as timeless as it is timely. His vast catalog includes anthem hits from his years as a member of The Commodores and from his enduring solo career, as well as the record-breaking charity collaboration (co-written with Michael Jackson) “We Are the World,” one of the best selling singles of all time that’s raised millions for famine relief in Africa. He also has the remarkable distinction of having written No. 1 songs every year for 11 consecutive years, and he’s one of only two songwriters in pop history to claim solo credit (music and lyrics) for the most No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits.  

​In this intimate, deeply candid memoir, Lionel seeks to inspire all who doubt themselves or feel their dreams don’t matter by chronicling lessons learned in the course of his most unlikely of success stories—from a painfully shy, “tragically” late bloomer grappling with ADHD to his dramatic transformation into a world-class entertainer and composer of love songs that have played like the soundtrack of our lives.  

Richie’s joyful message of encouragement is needed now more than ever. “I travel the world, and all people really want to hear is, ‘I love you,’” Richie says about what connects us most. “‘I love you’ is forever. And the day we realize we come as different tribes, but we all represent the global family of mankind… the day that happens, we will clearly be united, together, as one.”

Get your copy wherever books are sold. Get one - or a dozen - to give as gifts!
Order link: TRULY

Cherry Tomato Confit | Late Summer Delight!

First off, I had no idea what confit was, or how to pronounce it. I’d seen “Duck Confit” on menus but had no inclination to try it. But a friend served up this little side at a baby shower, and I was surprised when she told me it was Cherry Tomato Confit. Um, what???

Apparently confit (pronounced cone-fee) isn’t a someTHING, but a someHOW. It’s a French term that means “to cook slowly in fat”. I still don’t have a clue what that means for our fine feathered friends, but thankfully I now know what it means for the abundance of cherry tomatoes I have in the garden!

By roasting tomatoes in extra virgin olive oil, with the addition of garlic, salt, pepper and herbs, at 250 degrees for an hour or more, what you get is a savory topping that smells like Nona’s kitchen and tastes like a Tuscan summer.

You can use it as a topping for crostini or crackers, like my friend did, as a pairing with hummus and other dips, toss it with pasta for a main dish, or spoon some over your protein, be it chicken or beef.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cherry tomatoes +/-

• 1 - 1 1/2 cups of extra virgin olive oil +/-

• 1 head of garlic, sliced in half horizontally

• Zest of one lemon

• Salt and Pepper, to taste

• Herbs of choice, to taste. (oregano, sage, basil and rosemary were in the garden - you can use dried herbs)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F

2. Place tomatoes in single layer in shallow baking dish, add enough olive oil so the tomatoes are at least half-way covered.

3. Remove loose skin from garlic halves, then place, cut side up, in between tomatoes.

4. Add lemon zest, salt, pepper, and herbs.

5. Bake for one to two hours (depends on how large the tomatoes are), until tomatoes and garlic have softened. Do not cook so long that tomatoes turn to mush, they should still hold their shape.

6. Remove from oven.

7. When cool enough to handle, the garlic should slide right out of the husk. Recombine with tomatoes and serve warm or place in clean jars with enough of the oil to cover all tomatoes and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

8. Don’t even think of discarding the oil if there is some remaining once you’ve transfered to storage container. It’s so flavor packed! Use it in salads or to saute’ up some garden veggies!

Enjoy! (Or rather, bon appetit!. Or maybe even, "a tavola")

30 Minute Meals with Six Sisters Stuff | September Book Club

As summer winds down, school starts, and our lives take on a more steady rhythm and routine, “What’s for dinner?” becomes an all too familiar refrain. A sandwich or hot dog before heading to baseball practice isn’t going to do the trick anymore…

"30 Minute Meals" by Six Sisters' Stuff to the rescue.

It features over 100 family-friendly recipes like Chicken Street Tacos, Instant Pot Butter Chicken, and Air Fryer French Bread Pizza. All of which can be put together and ready to eat in about 30 minutes. (Hallelujah!)

No fancy ingredients that require shopping in specialty markets and no complicated instructions that need a a culinary arts degree to decipher.

Everything is easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy - and the results are delicious, home-cooked meals on the table without a spending an eternity in the kitchen!

Could there be anything sweeter than that?

Well, yes.

This sanity-saver doesn’t skip appetizers, sides, or desserts! Everything’s here to make your meal prep easier, dinners tastier, and more time to eat together as as family then get on with your evening.

With 5 kids in the house now, I’m going to be leaning heavily on this new cookbook as the school year gets under way. I really appreciate how simply things come together—so simply in fact, I can get the kids involved in the process. I’ve noticed how much more willing they are to try a new dish if they’ve had a hand in making it. Win, win!

Get your hands on your own copy and make your life easier!
(Would also make a great gift for anyone setting up an apartment or home or new parents!)

ORDER: "30 Minute Meals" by Six Sisters' Stuff

Laura Geller Beauty's "Blush Week"

There’s no doubt about it, life is better with Laura Geller Beauty! Her products are formulated for, ahem, “mature” skin, like mine! But that doesn’t stop my daughters from raiding my make-up bag every chance they get! It’s that yummy.

They’re so obvious with their pilfering of my supplies, it should make them blush - but they know I love to share and because Laura Geller’s makeup is so reasonably priced, I can, and do, order more. After all, they’re always coming up with new shades and kits I can’t resist.

Speaking of things that bring a flush to the cheeks, how ‘bout their upcoming “Blush Week”?!

August 18 - 24, all blushes are 60% OFF!
- - no code needed - -

With these options the only problem you’ll have is deciding which ones you want to try. (But hey, with a discount like this, maybe that’s not such a problem after all...)

• Laura Geller Beauty’s Baked Blush-n-Brighten Marbleized Blush is created by Italian artisans and baked on terracotta tiles for 24 hours, the iconic marbleized powder delivers fresh color on all skin tones. Infused with antioxidants Centella Asiatica and White Tea Extracts, the famous formula protects your skin with anti-inflammatory properties.

• Laura Geller Beauty’s Serum Blush Cheek Tint is infused with Hyaluronic Acid and Polysaccharide to keep skin hydrated and protect against moisture loss for youthful-looking, supple cheeks. The innovative serum texture dabs on smoothly without messing up makeup underneath. Go for a natural flushed finish or build it up for a more pigmented look. (Includes one replacement sponge applicator.)

• Laura Geller Beauty’s Italian Marble Blush Stick is a long-lasting creamy stick that glides on effortlessly and gives a natural flush of just-pinched color. The marbleized formula creates dimension for fuller, lifted-looking cheeks. Sodium Hyaluronate replenishes skin and Vitamin E helps restore skin cells. Get a healthy dose of color at home or on the go!

My shopping cart is going to be so full! This Geller Gal will be getting a little something for myself as well as building a stockpile of replacements for my sticky-fingered offspring. Don’t miss out on your chance to do the same!

Visit LauraGeller.com!

Someone Is After Lulu Dupree | August Book Club

Ah summmmmatime! The excitement felt during early days of the season when sunshine and light evenings were a novelty has waned a bit. Now we’re tired. Tired and hot. My list of Things To Do this summer has long since been completed. August, once morning chores are done, is more about lazing around and keeping cool - both in temperature and temperament.

I can only handle bored kids underfoot for so long, then it’s into their swimming suits and off to the creek we go. There they can splash and play for hours as I sit in the shade and read. I stumbled upon the perfect little book for such an occasion,

“Someone Is After Lulu Dupree”,
by Josie S. Kilpack,
my August Book Club choice.

It’s about Lulu, who suffers a traumatic brain injury and loses a chunk of her memory as a result. Finding it impossible to return to a life she no longer understands (or wants) in Seattle, she decides to relocate and begin anew in Sedona, Arizona. Just one problem, someone is after her.

“For LuLu Dupree, what she doesn’t remember might just be the death of her.”

Jump into this great summer read and meet conflict avoiding, hyperfixating, neurodivergent Lulu, lover of crochet, desert night-hiking, eco-friendly cleaning business owner… and target of repeated attempts on her life.

”If she’s going to survive she’ll need to confront her past—both what she can remember, and what she’s managed to forget.

Determined to find answers before she is silenced forever, LuLu and her reluctant attorney begin navigating through clues and suspects, inching closer to confronting the shadows of her former self and apprehending the person who doesn’t want her to have this simple and peaceful life she’s worked so hard to build.”

Hide from the summer sizzle with this delicious escape following the clues as they are uncovered and see if you can figure out who’s after Lulu before the answer is revealed.

I enjoyed it so much, and am even more excited to learn this is book number 1 in the Lulu Dupree Mystery series—meaning there will be more to come!

ORDER: Someone Is After Lulu Dupree

Summer Yummer | Lemon Tea Cakes

It’s full-on hot out. So hot, it’s difficult to think about food unless it's watermelon, or something equally cool… like these little treats. Yes, yes, you’ll have to turn your oven on, but do it in the early morning before the house really heats up, or in the evening when it’s cooled down a bit, then enjoy their lemony sweetness any other time during the day.

Lemon Tea Cakes, Mmmmmm…

Tea cakes were a staple at every baby or wedding shower I attended up until the early aughts when they seemed to have been forgotten by the food bloggers and recipe gurus that jostled for space on the internet. But they still reign supreme in my kitchen for a special event - or in this case, a sweet treat that doesn’t leave you feeling bogged down and heavier than you already do in the sweltering heat.

This recipe makes a very large batch, of somewhat small cookies. They practically melt in your mouth, yet have a satisfying chewiness that’s perfectly delectable. The sharp, refreshing tang of the lemon is what makes them perfect for the summer months. With a cup of hot tea in the morning, or a tall glass of iced tea in the afternoon. Suprise your guests and delight your family with a platefull!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter

• 2 cups sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 2 eggs

• 2 tbsp lemon zest (about 1 medium lemon)

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 3 cups flour

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 cup powdered sugar +/-

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In small bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest, pinching and mixing to coat sugar in lemon oils. Transfer to larger mixing bowl then,

3. Cream butter and sugar/lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Beat in vanilla, egg, and lemon juice.

4. Now combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Add to creamed butter and sugar mixture and mix until well combined.

5. Roll dough by teaspoonfulls into 1" balls, then roll in powdered sugar. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 – 11 minutes until till set and crackly. You don’t want bottoms to brown. Remove from oven and let sit for a couple of minute, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.

7. Eat immediately or store in air-tight container for up to a week.

8. Enjoy!

Straight No Chaser is coming your way!

The guys, MY GUYS, that amazing, energetic, creative, entertaining nine-member strong, RIAA Gold-certified a cappella group, Straight No Chaser, are headed your way!

Kicking off July 8 in Englewood, N.J. the “Straight No Chaser Summer: The 90s Part 2,” tour, is hitting towns from the midwest to the east with a few western venues too.

This follows SNC’s radical 2024 tour packed with 90s boy band, pop, and R&B hits - and some 90s lingo too, of course! It’ll wrap up with a very special performance in Los Angeles with Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons on September 6th.

Can you imagine SNC’s take on 90s classics like Lisa Loeb’s “Stay (I Missed You),” The Cranberries’ “Linger,” or the Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody” ??? The real deal will be better than anything you can think up! So dig out those parachute pants, the pink and turquoise muscle shirt, those giant earrings, find a venue and get your tickets!

Visit SNCMusic.com for the full tour schedule and all the deets!

---

Not performing this summer near you? Not to worry, because on the heels of the summer tour, the gang will be regrouping and hitting the road again in October for their annual Christmas shenanigans.

Holiday Road trip is on!

Between October and December 31st, the guys will be appearing in a whopping 51 venues, performing their by-now classic takes on remarkable SNC holiday faves.

Straight No Chaser’s, new holiday album,
“Holiday Road”out on October 24th!!!

But, BIG NEWS, I don’t know how they’ve found time between all the live performances, but these gentlemen have managed to put together a whole album’s worth of new takes; “Holiday Road” drops October 24th!!! So you know they’ll be peppering their set list with new jaw dropping arrangements you’ll HAVE to add to your personal holiday library too.

Head over to SNC Music to get all your questions answered about tour schedules, tickets, and how to get your hands on “Holiday Road”!

The Magic in the Tragic | July Book Club

“The Magic in the Tragic: Rewriting the Script on Grief and Discovering Happiness in Our Darkest Days - A New Approach to Resilience, Grieving, and Healing in the Midst of Tragedy or Trauma”, is a long title but it aptly conveys its message.

Many chapters in my own life are marked by grief and loss. To all who have experienced such sorrow we know that you never “get over it”. You get through it, you continue to build your life and collect experiences that grow out from the space where grief left its mark, but it is always with you. This month’s book club recommendation charts a path through the pain illuminating peaceful spots of rest, reflection and healing.

Esteemed psychotherapist and bereavement counselor John Tsilimparis, MFT, shows you the ways grief and loss intertwine with beauty, tenderness, and human connection to empower you to build emotional resilience in a difficult world.

What if you could flip the script on the pain in your life and learn how to cultivate purpose and joy—not after grief but during it, not despite hardship but because of it? What if you could find a type of magic in your tragedy? A way to understand your emotions and reframe your grief that opens you up rather than shuts you down?

Drawing on his own story, scientific and philosophical evidence, the soothing effects of the arts and nature, and three decades of experience as a psychotherapist and grief counselor, John Tsilimparis offers a new take on adversity in The Magic in the Tragic. In these uncertain times, you'll be equipped to:

• Approach grief in an empowering way

• Acquire the tools needed to develop emotional resiliency

• Address fear and uncertainty head-on rather than avoid it

• Embrace difficult times without sugarcoating them

• Access the unseen beauty of your deepest emotions

• Discover the healing power and belonging of music, art, and nature

The Magic in the Tragic powerfully explores how the hardest things in life intersect purpose and meaning, splendor and connectedness. When you embrace the magic in your tragic seasons, you can step into the future with hope, knowing that even when grief comes, it comes with an invitation to new life.

If you are struggling or know someone that is, The Magic in the Tragic, is a soothing balm to the hurting soul. You can order a copy for yourself or a gift for another here:

ORDER: THE MAGIC IN THE TRAGIC

You can check out the PLAY LIST of songs mentioned in the book HERE.

Strawberry "Poke" Cake (Repost)

Back by popular demand - my Strawberry Poke Cake recipe.

I wish I could take credit for coming up with the idea, but it’s been around for some time and is already pretty well known.

For those who have never been introduced, here’s the basic info. A light, moist, refreshing desert, using a box cake mix, jello, and topped with fresh strawberries as a bonus!

I’m always one to improvise based on what I have on hand, or if I think I might like to change things up a bit, and I encourage you to do the same. For example, since Independence Day is around the corner, top with strawberries AND blueberries for a red, white and blue feast for the eyes and the mouth.

Cream cheese frosting is a departure I made from the recipe when it was given to me. I think whipping cream is what’s traditional. Do what you think you’ll like best!

Ingredients:

• 1 box white, yellow (butter,) or even strawberry flavored box cake mix

• eggs, oil and water as called for on the box

• 1 (3 oz.) box Strawberry Jello

• 1 cup boiling water

• icing or whipped cream

• sliced strawberries, for garnish

Directions:

1. Prepare cake batter according to the packaging directions:

2. Pour into greased 9x13 inch baking pan and bake, as directed.

3. Remove from oven. Let cool 30 minutes.

4. Using the handle of a large wooden spoon, poke holes all over the cake.

5. In a medium bowl, stir together jello mix and boiling water until jello dissolves completely.

6. Carefully pour mixture evenly over the top of cake. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge to chill for 2 hours or until Jello is firm and set.

7. Remove from refrigerator and ice with cream cheese frosting (recipe below,) or whipped cream then garnish with fresh fruit.

8. Serve immediately, or return to refrigerator until served.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 8oz cream cheese

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• 2 tsps vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Combine softened butter and cream cheese in medium bowl: beat on medium speed until well blended.

2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy.

Freedom Fudge (Repost)

Reprinted from June 2021

Am I the only one that gets a hankering for “out of season” foods? I think not. So when a friend said they were making “Freedom Fudge” to share at an Independence Day gathering, my eyes lit up and my mouth watered.

And besides, as someone who grew up in a coastal town summer tourism and fudge shops are pretty synonymous. But you don’t see fudge recipes circulating much in the summer time, they usually show up in our feeds around Thanksgiving. I mean to change that with this post!

This quick-fudge recipe that makes a plate-full of rich little morsels in a jiffy calls for only 3 ingredients.

It’s so quick and easy, you can make them any day of the year and the recipients will almost certainly erupt in smiles of gratitude.

My friend dressed them up for the 4th of July by drizzling melted white chocolate over the top and adding some red, white, and blue sprinkles. That seems like a lot of work to me, but if you want to, go ahead!

Ingredients:

• 1 12oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Place sweetened condensed milk and butter in saucepan and heat on stovetop on medium heat until butter is melted.

2. Turn off heat and add chocolate chips, stirring until melted and mixed thoroughly.

3. Pour into 8”x8” baking dish lined with waxed paper.

4. Chill in refrigerator 3 hours or over night.

5. Cut into squares and serve.

Double this recipe for a larger crowd and use a 9”x13” pan. Feelin’ nutty? Add half a cup chopped walnuts. Going soft? Toss in a cup of mini-marshmallows. Trying to lighten up? Substitute white chocolate chips….

Keep it simple, or make it a show-stopper, ‘cuz hey, it’s a free country!

Freedom Fudge; your fudge, your way. Any time of the year!

Red White & Blue - Berry Bites

Reprinted from July 2020

Sharing again…

President’s Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, or Veteran’s Day… there are many designated holidays throughout the year that encourage us to celebrate the American Spirit. One way to do that is to serve up a little red, white, and blue on the buffet table.

I'm not quite sure that Red White & Blue - Berry Bites qualify as a "recipe" as much as it does as a "craft", but since it is definitely edible (very, deliciously edible) I'm filing under both categories.

Ingredients:

• Red ripe strawberries, rinsed, stem on

• White chocolate chips - melted

• Blue sugar crystals

• Waxed or parchment paper

Instructions:

1. Take a sweet, red, beautiful strawberry, holding the stem end in your fingers, dip the tip - up to about 3/4  of the berry into melted white chocolate, then immediately dip it again - leaving a band of white - into blue sugar sprinkles. Place on parchment or waxed paper to "set".  Voila! 

Friend, and Point Hope Director, Jan, made some up with daughter Erin and grandkids; while she thought that perhaps they weren't as picture perfect as the ones from a magazine, there's no doubt a ton of fun and even more love went into their creations.

This is an uncomplicated but showy display of patriotic pride with a berry big blast of flavor! Have fun with it!

Star Spangled Fruit Skewers (Repost)

Reprinted from July 2024

Headed to a 4th of July BBQ tomorrow and don't know what to contribute?

Take these red, white and bluuuuue fruit skewers and watch folks rocket themselves toward the buffet table!

Made with ripe red strawberries, sweet white nectarines, and sensational blueberries, it's a sweet treat that agrees with kids, parents, and most dietary considerations. For a little added pizzazz, these are topped with an angel food cake star, but that's completely optional.

Serve with some sweetened cream cheese fruit dip for an extra explosion of flavor.

Ingredients:

For the skewers -

• Fresh Strawberries

• Fresh White Nectarines (Substitute marshmallows or cubes of angel food cake)

• Fresh Blueberries

• Angle Food Cake, sliced and cut into star shapes (Optional!)

• 6” bamboo skewers

For the fruit dip -

• 8 oz (standard package) cream cheese

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  

Directions:

For the Skewers -

1. Wash fruit.

2. Remove stems and cut strawberries in half, if desired. Leave whole if you prefer.

3. Cut nectarines in wedges, peel, then cut wedges in half.

4. String fruit onto skewsers in a red, white, and blue pattern.

5. Top with star shaped angle food cake piece.

6. Layer on serving tray.

For the dip -

1. Beat the softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl until it’s smooth and creamy. 

2. Add powdered sugar and mix until well combined,

3. Add vanilla and combine

4. Then add in the lemon juice and beat until creamy, smooth, and irrisistable! 

Red, White, and Blueberry Beet Salad (Repost)

Reprinted from July 2019

Here’s a fun, festive, 4th of July salad for your holiday table. My sister made this one up just for the occasion (because she knows I LOVE beets, even if she doesn’t!)

It calls for 4 very basic ingredients as well as a basic vinaigrette dressing made with red-wine vinegar. You can whisk one up yourself, or use a bottled one you’ve purchased, whichever get’s the job done to your satisfaction and gets you out of the kitchen and back into the celebration as quickly as possible.

You’ll wow your guests (or your hosts) when you place this on the banquet table!

Red, White, and Blueberry Beet Salad

Ingredients:

• 5-6 large beets, peeled, cooked (you may boil or roast - your choice), cooled, and cubed

• 2 pints of blueberries, washed and drained

• 6-8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

• a bed of baby spinach

For the dressing:

• ½ cup olive oil

• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup

• 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced

• ¼ teaspoon fine kosher salt, to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Make the vinaigrette dressing:

   1. In a liquid measuring cup or bowl, combine all of the ingredients except oil. Stir well with a small whisk.

   2. Drop a single drop of oil into the mixture and whisk briskly, add another drop and continue to whisk, then add remaining oil in a stream, continuing to whisk until well blended.

   3. Taste, and adjust as necessary.

2. Place cooked cubed beets in large bowl, add blueberries, pour viniagrette over top and mix well.

3. Place baby spinach leaves on serving platter.

4. Layer dressed beets and blueberries over the top of spinach, then sprinkle liberally with crumbled feta cheese.

5. Refrigerate until serving.

Enjoy this salad, bursting with red, white, and blue flavor, as we celebrate our great nation’s birthday! I hope your 4th full of your favorite ingredients, and mixes up to be a happy and safe holiday!

Let's Eat! | The Simplified Cookbook

Know any newly minted adults who suddenly find they’re in charge of feeding themselves? Or maybe someone who’s been practicing for a while but knows a limited number of filling and familiar recipes? How ‘bout busy parents who just need to get some wholesome meals into the kids and still have some energy left after the ordeal.

For the recent grads or those bored with the same-old, same-old, “The Simplified Cookbook”, by Emily Ley, is your ticket to gastronomic happiness.

Life's complicated. Dinner doesn't have to be. In a world of complex recipes and multi-hour cooking marathons, here's your culinary rebellion: 60 ridiculously simple meals that prove delicious doesn't mean difficult. Each recipe is a gift to your future hangry self – just 6 ingredients, 20 minutes, and zero culinary degrees required.

Think of this as your "I can't even" cookbook. Had a day? These recipes understand. They're the ones that show up in sweatpants, bring the good snacks, and don't judge you for eating straight from the pan. From quick-fix comfort foods to "how did you make this?" dinner party heroes, these 60 assembly-style recipes are your new kitchen best friends. One book. All the go-to meals. Because sometimes the most loving thing you can do for yourself is to keep it simple.

Try the quiche, found on page 36!

As a mom of three running a company, author Emily Ley understands the daily dinner struggle firsthand. She’s turned her talent for simplifying the complicated into a practical guide for anyone who wants to eat well without spending hours in the kitchen.

I know a few 20-somethings that can use this, some 30-somethings that will want it, and some I-better-not-say somethings that will love it too!

Make someone’s day (maybe your own) and pick up some copies of “The Simplified Cookbook” to pass around! Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners, Desserts… and beyond. It’s all in,

ORDER: THE SIMPLIFIED COOKBOOK

Novel Threat | June Book Club

For the dad, grads, and any of you with a thirst for intrigue and espionage -with a touch of romance- I give you my June Book Club pick, “Novel Threat” by Traci Hunter Abramson.

In a world of covert codes, two CIA operatives must infiltrate a New York publishing house, where every word on the page could be a weapon.

Brandon Hale, a seasoned CIA case officer, contemplates walking away from the covert world of espionage to embark on a quieter path in publishing. But his plan takes an abrupt turn when a critical source within the Labyrinth terrorist organization is assassinated, leaving behind a cryptic message about a New York publishing house. Rather than submitting his resignation, Brandon finds himself going undercover at Monroe Publishing to stop the next terrorist strike against the US.

Kimber Seidel, a CIA finance officer with secret aspirations of becoming a novelist, enjoys a serendipitous encounter with a handsome book lover like herself on her way home from London. Though she cannot reveal her true employment to her new friend, Brandon Hale, she can't deny the instant spark that ignites between them. When Kimber's manuscript is unexpectedly shopped to Monroe Publishing as a pawn in the CIA's counterterrorism plot, Kimber must navigate the intersection of her literary dreams and her covert life as well as her deepening connection with Brandon.

Though each decoded message is leading Brandon and Kimber closer to the truth, it is also leading them into the line of fire, where the stakes are higher than anyone ever imagined.

June is the month of graduations, Father’s Day, weddings… and like every month on my calendar, one for reading! Pair all of them up nicely with the gift of “Novel Threat” a great early summer novel that will keep the reader on the edge of their picnic blanket!

Order: “NOVEL THREAT”

Rockin' the Tic Tac Toe! | Craft

Tic Tac Toe… Got my ducks in a row!

I’m a little obsessed.

Recently, I picked up some flat rocks, grabbed my paints and brushes, and now I can’t stop making these rockin’ Tic Tac Toe games!

Join me? You could make a really clever Father’s Day or graduation gift using a theme or color scheme that had personal meaning to the recipient.

You’ll need 10 rocks with paintable surfaces, acrylic craft paints and brushes, and a can of spray sealer. You’ll also need something to paint a playing board on - I used wood rounds, but you coud use anything flat, like a ceramic tile, or a chunk of timber. Make sure you wash your rocks and let dry completely for best adhesion.

Paint half the rocks in one color or in such a way you can tell they are a group, like chicks - and 5 of an alternate color or group, such as eggs. (If you’re helping your littles make a gift for papa, just have them paint 5 rocks one color, and 5 rocks another. Or, if they are a little older, maybe paint 5 with X's and 5 with O’s.) Paint a Tic Tac Toe board using 2 verticle lines and 2 horizontal lines so there are 9 playing squares roughly the size of your rock playing pieces.

I’ve shared a few of my favorite designs with you... Yes. they’re corny. Yes, I crack myself up. But I’ve had so much fun making and gifting, and I’m sure you will too!

Be creative. Have fun!

Lemony Rhubarb Scones

Pamper Mom this Mother’s Day, starting off first thing in the morning with these oh-so-delicious Lemony Rhubarb Scones!

My gardens are lush with rhubarb this time of year, and I’m always looking for new ways to use the tart, beautiful stalks. Pies, alone or with other fruits like strawberries and blueberries. are of course a favorite, and I can’t tell you how much rhubarb sauce we go through topping pancakes, waffles, and ice cream! But I’d never thought about using them in scones until a friend recommended this recipe to me.

These two tarts - lemon and rhubard - are tamed with a sweet sugar glaze and the combination is melt-in-your-mouth, delish!

This is a basic scone recipe, which as you know, comes together pretty quickly because it has baking powder for leavening. All you have to do is add the lemon’s zest and juice and the chopped rhubarb to take them from Ho-Hum to Oh-Yum!

Deliver to Mom on a breakfast tray with her morning tea or coffee, a posie, and handmade card to start her day off right. Don’t forget to spoil her the rest of the day as well!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, frozen and grated

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh rhubarb

• 3/4 cup heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 egg (for egg wash)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.

2. Add grated butter and cut into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or two forks until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Add chopped rhubarb and stir.

4. In small bowl, mix wet ingredients; cream, vanilla, and lemon juice. Pour into the dry mixture and stir until just combined.

5. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead a few times, and shape into disk approximately 1-inch thick.

6. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes - or overnight if you want warm scones in the morning!

7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees as dough is chilling and prepare a baking sheet with a large piece of parchment paper.

8. Cut chilled dough into 8 wedges and place them on prepared baking sheet.

9. Brush the tops with beaten egg

10. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown and no longer wet inside.

11. Cool on wire rack then drizzle with glaze.

Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk

1. Combine sugar and cream/milk, mixing well until thick and smooth. Add more sugar if too thin, or more cream/milk if too thick. Drizzle over cooled scones.