Rustic and whimsical. Twisted and curved. Layered with soft butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, and studded with bits of apple; this sweet apple bread recipe bakes up with the intoxicating aroma you’d anticipate from a warm autumnal treat. Despite its intricate appearance, this apple bread recipe is one of the easiest sweet breads to make. Let it be known, I do not like to bake. At all. I do not like measurements or applying rules in the kitchen. Though I’ll always make an exception for cupcakes, a loaf of homemade country bread, and this easy cinnamon apple twisted bread.
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“this plant of God heals anything it touches” – Hippocrates With cold and flu season fast approaching, and with more concern now than ever to keep our immune systems healthy, I’m sharing my tried-and-true recipe for homemade elderberry syrup. For centuries, elderberries have been considered a powerful ingredient in health and beauty. Ancient Egyptians relied on them to improve their skin and heal burns. During the Middle Ages, elderberries were considered powerful enough to ward off witches and evil spirits. Hippocrates referred to elderberries as “the medicine chest” of all herbs for its healing properties and many uses. Native Americans harvested them to treat infections. Perhaps most interesting though, is…
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September arrives and I begin to seek warmer, more woodsy, aromas and flavors. A sizzling pork chop dinner offers a comforting acoustic on a chilly and dark evening. Mushrooms, whether foraged in the wild or purchased from my local market, add an element of autumnal magic and enchantment. With only a few handy ingredients, let’s take an otherwise tired pork chop recipe and create something more worthwhile. Pan Seared pork chops in wine and mushroom sauce is an easy weeknight dinner. I like to serve this with a side of jasmine-scented rice or roasted potatoes to satisfy our hungry bellies. This is a wonderfully fragrant dish, with hints of smoked…
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Autumn is waking and I’m sharing my favorite seasonal burger recipe, Caramelized Onion & Brandied Apple Burgers. The orchards have opened for apple-picking and the weekends are beginning to bustle with excited out-of-towners enjoying their time on the farms. Early harvest favorites, like local Zester and Honey Crisp apples, are making their way into my seasonal cooking – and with each bite I savor, I’m reminded that my heart belongs to autumn. Caramelized Onion & Brandied Apple Burgers, generously topped with sticky-sweet caramelized onions and warm apples robed in brandy. The best part? Once all of the ingredients are assembled and ready, cooking time is just about 20 mins. Weeknight…
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Chilled peaches in honey and wine is an Italian remedy for a hot summer night. This peach dessert uses the ripened fruit of late summer – the heavily laden peaches, at the height of their season, that are so ripe and full that even touching them risks bruising. Those peaches are perfect for this dish. A fragrant and deeply golden syrup is prepared by simmering white wine with local honey and vanilla bean, robing the peaches in a flavor and aroma that almost requires a balmy August evening. In Italy it is called pesche al vino, and, like many recipes, it varies greatly by region and family – some recipes…
