Strawberry Margarita Jam? Canning with alcohol!
Now, most people are used to grandma sitting over a stove making strawberry jam in jars covered with gingham fabric. I really didn’t want that. Looking online, I discovered something amazing about jam… alcohol makes it better! Strawberry Margarita Jam, Peach Fondue Jam, Black Forest Jam: you better believe I make the best jam going!
Smell the holiday decorations: DIY orange and clove pomanders
I’m not much of a baker, and during the holiday season I really miss the smells that were produced from my mother’s kitchen. When I first saw these pomanders, I loved how pretty they looked — but then the amazing smell hit me and I knew I needed to make some to help fill my house with awesome aromas.
It’s pie season! Here’s how to make a basic fruit pie
Since it’s the holiday season (or, as I like to think of it, PIE season!). But I always thought it was too difficult to make yourself. A year or two ago I learned that, with a few shortcuts, pie is really easy to make. Here’s a recipe post on how to make a basic fruit pie.
A super easy pear, blue cheese, and honey crostini
This isn’t the first time we’ve delved into combining cheese, pears, and honey. Our fearless copyeditor Caroline whipped up some grilled cheese of the same ilk a few months back. This variation focuses on a sweeter bread and a strong cheese. Cue Challah bread and blue cheese, please!
What do you do with YOUR fruit stickers?
Given the ubiquity of fruit stickers (…at least here in the US; is this a regional thing?), we’ve had a longstanding tradition in my house of collecting our stickers on the top of our water filter pitcher.
This begs the question: my husband and I can’t be the only people who can’t stand to just throw away a sticker. What about you, Homies?
Chill your drinks with frozen fruit
There’s nothing like an icy drink on a hot day… except when the drink gets all watered down from the ice. A cool trick you can try is to freeze some fresh fruit to chill your drinks.
How to make a cherry pie without an oven… in Japan
Recently I got it in my head that it would be pretty dang neat if I could make a cherry pie and give it to a friend as a birthday present. However, there was one slight problem with this grand idea: my apartment, like many Japanese apartments, doesn’t have an oven. My kitchen consists of a sink and two burners. That’s it. I don’t even have a counter.
So, how does a girl make a cherry pie when she doesn’t have an oven? Allow me to show you…
66 things you can grow in a container
Organic Gardens Network put together a primo list of four dozen things YOU! can grow in a container. Given that you’ve got enough light, you can probably grow much more than you’ve thought of!
My favorite surprises: tree fruit! Hops! Herbal tea! Melons! And even a loofah.