Strawberry Preserves & Hand Pies
I think it’s nearly impossible to walk past fresh strawberries at the farmer’s market without buying a pint. (Or four.) So between our Greenling Local Box and two trips to the farmer’s market last week, I had six pints of local strawberries in the fridge on Saturday morning. Two pints were from Gundermann Acres in Wharton, two were from Naegelin Farms in Lytle, and two pints were from Two Happy Children Farm in Taylor, Texas. So many strawberries won’t keep more than a few days, so I decided to make some jam to use up my haul of berries. I am an inexperienced canner,...
Read MoreThe Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Cherry Pies
What it is about mini cherry pies that makes them so much tastier than the regular sized ones? Perhaps they are easier to eat. Or the tiny crust-to-cherry filling ratio is better. Maybe it’s the cute factor. For whatever reason, these mini pies were one of the most popular dishes at my sister’s book-themed baby shower last month. I made them using my standby pie crust recipe (seen here and here) and a jar of wild cherry preserves homemade by my aunt in Carlisle, Iowa. The process for making mini pies is pretty simple as long as you have some biscuit cutters and a mini muffin...
Read MoreCheddar Kale Muffins
These savory muffins call for a whole head of kale, plus protein-rich cheddar cheese, making them a healthy and filling option for breakfast on the go. You’re going to have to take my word for it that these muffins look good. I made a batch of them for us to take on vacation to San Diego, and I was in such a hurry to pack them up that I forgot to take a picture! They were great travel food; not too smelly on the plane, and a big step up from any of the airport snacks. Cheddar Kale Muffins (yields 12 regular-sized muffins) 1 head kale, washed and dried 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/4...
Read MoreTangerine Shortbread
In a pinch for a last-minute hostess gift or holiday bake sale offering? These zesty shortbread cookies come together in less than 40 minutes and have just four ingredients: flour, butter, sugar, and the Oasis Gardens tangerines from this week’s local box. Don’t let the simple ingredients fool you; these Christmas cookies taste fancier than the recipe lets on. They have the golden color and tender texture of traditional shortbread cookies, but the tangerine zest in the dough gives the finished cookies a fresh flavor. You can use the zest of any citrus fruits you have on hand,...
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