Today’s snack is savory ‘cause sometimes you need something crispy and salty when cravings hit. As a salty-snack gal who’s happy to bypass cookies when given an option, these are right up my alley. I recently remembered a story about Vardamon, Mississippi, a town that calls itself “Sweet Potato Capital of the World.” They even…
Appetizers & Snacks
Power Snacks: Chocolate Coconut Balls
Recently, a video of a gal making “Mounds cake” popped up in my social media feed. She was chopping Mounds candy bars, so I was hooked, but quickly lost interest when she dipped packaged chocolate cookies into non-dairy creamer and layered them in a pan with candy and canned whipped cream. While it wouldn’t be…
Power Snacks: Cherry Nut Bars
If you run, walk, work out at the gym, hike mountains, lay down sod, or have a busy day, you might find yourself needing a snack. A good snack – one to give you the extra ‘oomph’ to keep going. It’s easy to buy granola bars (I’ve done it, for convenience), but all too often,…
Mushroom & Leek Galette
If you don’t like mushrooms, you may want to move on from this post, because it’s all about the delicious fungi, and I simply cannot hide my adoration for them! But if you decide to keep reading, that would really be great 🙂 In my effort to reduce meat intake, I’ve been poring through vegetable-forward…
Almond-Cranberry Granola
Remember years ago when granola was the stuff eaten only by Birkenstock-wearing, long-haired, herbal tea-drinking folks, or those uber-healthy mountain climbers? They all seemed to really like the stuff that looked like bird food to the rest of us. But, in reality, those healthy specimens were onto something back then, and granola has now (rightly)…
Roasted Radishes with Butter & Chives
Buying veggies directly from a farm is just plain fun. Many farms even utilize a Consumer Supported Agriculture (CSA) model in which you purchase a membership, and the farm, in turn, supplies you with a box of veggies each week (and sometimes it’s a surprise what’s in there). It’s a great partnership because you support…
My Favorite Hummus
Many years ago my husband and I owned a marina store on the Intercoastal Waterway, where boats pulled in for fuel, bait, beer and snacks. Here’s a rendering he created of that sweet, little place: I never imagined owning a business like this, but an opportunity presented itself, and we thought it would be a…
A Picnic in the Sky
If you’ve traveled by plane recently, you’ve surely experienced the limited array of snacks offered by some airlines. . . In spite of these limited options, why do we still look forward to seeing that beverage cart? Maybe it’s because we’re bored and the anticipated visit from a friendly flight attendant is welcome. Maybe the…
Pumpkin Spice Granola
Yes, it’s time to think about Fall dishes like warm soups, cocoa, roasted root veggies and, of course, all-things-pumpkin! If you love pumpkin, there are endless opportunities to enjoy the Fall-inspired squash and its signature pumpkin spice flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves. You’ll find that magical stuff in bars, pies, cookies, lattes, cold…
A Classic Mussel Dish
You might remember the recent Field Trip Friday I wrote about my visit to Westport, Massachusetts, in which I referenced an awesome day searching for quahogs, clams and mussels. A great way to spend the day, digging in the muddy banks of a beautiful body of water and pulling out something awesome, like these mussels:…
The Best Smoked Mullet Spread
I recently hosted a workshop called “The Amazing Mullet” at Historic Spanish Point in Osprey, Florida. The organization is all about preserving and celebrating Florida’s past, and this was part of a learning series called the Frances Newton Culinary Institute, highlighting dishes using seasonal fish and produce. We discussed Mullet’s impact on Florida’s Gulf coast…
Apple & Butternut Crostini
Once Labor Day hits, I go into “Fall mode,” despite the fact I live in Florida, where 90 degree temps are still a daily occurrence. It’s the wonderful time of year for hard squashes, apples, pumpkins, cinnamon sticks and other good stuff piled high at markets. And it all gets us thinking about cooler weather…