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Lemon Gem Cookies
It’s spring!! It’s been spring for a while here in South Carolina, but I try not to talk about it since they still have snow up in MN where I’m from. For weeks I’ve wondered why none of my neighbors has opened their windows to air out their homes, let in the lovely fresh air and enjoy the breezes and the singing birds. Then one day when I had the windows wide open and fans blowing, too I discovered that an eighth of an inch of pollen covered every surface of my house inside and out and I’ve been blowing my nose non-stop. On principle alone, I refuse to shut the windows and…
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Balsamic-Strawberry Black Pepper Jam
I made jam!! This is the first time that I’ve ever made jam and I’m quite thrilled with how it turned out. Last year I went to one of those craft fair thingy’s where people sell jams, and homemade crafts, candles, jewelry, scarves, things for your pets, and your home. Anyway, I bought a small jar of Strawberry Balsamic jam with Black Pepper. For $12.00. That’s right, I paid $12.00 for an 8-ounce jar of this stuff. Man, was it good. I savored every $1.50-ounce of that jam. I did not however want to keep spending $12.00 for a small jar of homemade jam, no matter how good. I knew I was going…
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Caramel Apple Nighttime Snack
I’ve been working on snacks and drinks that help induce sleep for the past couple of weeks. I’ve mentioned before I suffer from insomnia. I used to take Ambien. After about 2 years on that medication I was having trouble sleeping. Huh, imagine that. So I hoped online and asked the Great and Powerful Wizard of Google if Ambien could cause insomnia. Whoa- talk about opening a Pandora’s Box! I was flooded with information and online Ambien forums and I spent the next 6 hours reading page after page, website after website and testimonial after testimonial of what that medication had done to people, could do to people, and was possibly doing to…
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Citrus Kale Couscous Salad
Today’s recipe is one of my all-time favorite deli-type salads. I typically enjoy this salad for lunch, or as part of a light dinner on those days where it’s too dang hot to turn on the oven. It’s not heavy, doesn’t contain mayo, it’s fresh, bright, clean and delightful. There are different textures going on in this salad so it’s not just soft, mushy, bland ingredients. I believe you’re going to enjoy this. I first tried this salad when I worked for a high-end gourmet grocery store. During our training they gave us several deli salads to taste test. Being the INFJ that I am, I…
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Roasted Cherry & Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
Wanna know a secret? I could live without ice cream. I know, right? That’s like blasphemy or something. It’s just wrong to not love ice cream. But here I am, and I don’t love it. I do however seriously enjoy homemade ice cream. I’ve had fun coming up with flavors that both The Stud Muffin and I like. TSM loves ice cream. The man has never met a bowl of ice cream that he didn’t like. When I told him he couldn’t have any of this ice cream until I had a chance to take photos I thought the poor man was going to pass out. It’s not nice to deny The Stud…