Food and garden inspiration from an Iowa farmhouse
Another year means another week of ice cream! Let’s start this Ice Cream Week with a strawberry basil ice cream! Growing up, we made ice cream on special occasions. Usually, it was homemade vanilla, which – don’t get me wrong – is amazing. If we wanted something different, we would blend a container of our
I am not a vegetarian. I commend those who are and admit I really only have meat on special occasions. I grew up having meat as the main course almost every night of my childhood. In the Midwest, a prototypical “meal” is not a meal without some type of meat. And yes, ground meat often
It’s a grilled chicken berry salad right in time for the summer holiday! Summer has finally arrived in Iowa! One week ago, I was enjoying a cool 60-degree evening on my front porch with a hot cup of coffee. Today I’m cooling off inside with the air conditioner after spending an entire day outside with
When I spend time with my nieces and nephew, Karcyn always asks me to make pancakes. Honestly, she’s a picky eater and has a long list of foods she refuses, which by the way, seems to change daily. What she will always eat are pancakes. This holds true for any age because who doesn’t love
Have you ever had one of those mouthwateringly perfect pulled pork sandwiches? You know, the ones dripping with barbecue sauce and finished with a big scoop of creamy coleslaw? A truly great pulled pork sandwich has a medley of ingredients: a tangy, sweet barbecue sauce, pull-apart tender pork, and crunchy, creamy coleslaw. Just as coleslaw
All year, I’m on a mission to create food that is purely brunch-inspired. Really, brunch can mean anything, including those dishes that are savory and spicy. And these grilled chili mangoes are precisely what I’ve been craving. One time at a local farmer’s market, I saw fellow shoppers walking around with an entire mango on
Confession time: I never eat breakfast. I know, I know, it’s not the recommended thing to do. But usually, I’m rushing around in the morning, and maybe spare enough time to grab a piece of fruit on my way out the door. But when it comes to brunch, let me tell you: it’s a completely
I spend practically all summer in my garden. If I’m not harvesting vegetables, I’m edging the flower beds, cleaning up my yard, or mowing (ugh!). I love being outside and giving life to my yard. But the most fulfilling feeling comes when I use what I’ve grown for dinner. I almost become giddy when picking