Easy & Delicious Strawberry Freezer Jam

 There can be great enjoyment from making jams and jellies. It brings about a feeling of accomplishment. Usually you prepare food and it is immediately consumed but with preserving, you have a beautiful product that lasts for many months. You can be creative with jams and jellies through combining fruits for unique flavors, packaging the product and gifting. Making freezer jam is extremely quick and easy and I actually like strawberry jam freezer style better than cooked.

Exotic DIY Miniature Plant Terrarium

Back in the day Terrariums used to be popular and my sister and I made plenty of them. They were fun and we loved going to the 5 & Dime store to pick out little animal porcelain figurines for the terrarium (that's correct they weren't plastic or cheap looking).

The Making of American Flag Pallets - DIY How to Make the American Flag Using Wood Pallets

A tutorial on how to make four styles of the American Flag Using Wood Pallets.

This summer I set out to make an American Flag out of wood pallets. One turned into four after friends and family saw the first one.

My first charge was to find pallet boards that were in really good shape. I am lucky because my husband has a lot of them at work so he is able to bring home the ones that are in the best condition and have the best wood.

Flavored Smoked Sea Salts

I always try to come up with new flavorings for my proteins and lately I have been playing around with a different array of seasonings. Its kind of amazing the prices you pay for these and as I was picking up a small bag of salt for a big price, I thought to myself, why am I paying $10 for this!
So the experiments began and I must say, I had a few learning experiences, like don't put the salt on when your grill is still 400 degrees, but all in all it went really smooth and the aromas and flavorings are wonderful.

Papas Rellenas, Little Italy Style

When family comes down and visits, you are always faced with meals and a refrigerator full of leftovers. Mashed potatoes seem to always be one of those items misjudged on servings. So what to do with all those tators?  I have a unique twist to the Spanish version, not only did we bake them, we went Italian with a few leftover vegi's added to the meat mixture and everyone loved it.

Smoked Warm Honey & Brown Sugar Glazed Baby Back Ribs

The most delicious sweet smoked fall off the bone ribs you will ever taste!

My husband, Pete, has a burning passion (no pun intended) for grilling and smoking meat.  He spends almost every evening from Spring through Fall creating different grilled and smoked meats.  This also means that we frequently have company during those months as he takes great joy in sharing his tasty dishes.

The first decent Spring day I officially hand over the spatula and whoohoo let the fun begin for me!  His passion leaves me free to do all kinds of "me things" plus more time to experiment with glazes and bake sinful goodies. We are sharing his recipe for Smoked Warm Honey and Brown Sugar Glazed Baby Back Ribs and hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

How to Cut and Freeze a Mango

One of my favorite fruits is the Mango. I use it in my salsas, BBQ sauces, glazes, jellies, drinks and of course just to eat alone. Now through June one of the sweetest varieties are produced. It’s called Ataulfo (aht-ah-uhl-foe); the flesh is creamy and smooth with a small pit. While they are plentiful and the prices are lower, it’s a good time to freeze them for the future. Mangos freeze up to a year and they hold their texture and flavor quite well.