General Reference/Tutorial

Sweet and Spicy Pickled Peppers

My little patio garden miraculously managed to produce over a pound of peppers: jalapenos, cayenne, cubanelles, Cherry Peppers, Pepperoncini, Hungarian Wax Paprika and 2 very small Scotch Bonnets. While I love chilis, there is a good chance that had I eaten all of these hot (and some sweet) peppers in a short period time, my stomach would not have been so happy with me. So what to do with my pepper bounty? I decided to pickle them. Saves them for a while and very versatile. What to do with pickled peppers: add them to salsa or guacamole, use in vinaigrette. Make cheese quesadillas and sprinkle on a bunch. Add to chili or taco meat. Add as a garnish on fish tacos. Really, the possibilities are endless.

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Cookies, Sweet Snacks

Nantucket Bike Path Cookies

I think that I have found my favorite chocolate chip cookie. I know that I have said that before, but these are really really good.

These are a variation on Allie’s Nantucket Bike Path Cookies from Through Her Looking Glass; my variation uses white and semi-sweet mini chips and hers used chocolate chunks, but otherwise very similar. And I love the name, even though I don’t know that they are 100% Nantucket-y. I am not sure what would make something 100% Nantucket-y anyway (and I live in Massachusetts!). These do have cognac in them, which is the kicker and makes them so good. I might just have to start butting cognac in all my cookies!
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Breakfast/Brunch

Fresh Peach and Brown Sugar Crazy Bread

If you’re a frequent reader of my blog, you know that I have fallen in love with making pull-apart / crazy bread. I’ve made Maple and Brown Sugar, Garlic and Cranberry-Camambert. It’s just so good! No knife required, Nd it is more or less “pre-jammed”. Yum.
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Cookies, Sweet Snacks

Peach Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

I’m still on my summer flavors kick, with these Peach Pecan Oatmeal Cookies. They are, of course, made with dried peaches, so they aren’t really summer and you could make them year-round, but they are inspired by my love of summer and the amazing bounty available. Quick and easy to make; super healthy too.
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Appetizers/Starters, Dinner, Lunch

Cherry Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella Caprese Tart

I’ve been working on perfecting some “from scratch” and quick lunch recipes. This one is almost from scratch (meaning, I used puff pastry so that was store bought, but everything else was from scratch). A little less than 40 minutes from “still in the fridge” (though you do need to take out the puff from the freezer) to “completely devoured”. Plus that includes the photography time. I did burn my mouth though from one of the tomatoes bursting. I probably should have waiting a few more minutes before eating, but I was hungry.

This is a great tart for this time of the year when cherry tomatoes are so plentiful in the garden and at the farmer’s markets, but actually can be made year round because cherry toms are reliably decent even at other times of the year.
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