Apple Harvest

Our apple harvest came early this year, due to the exceptionally warm and dry spring and early summer weather.  It's a record crop, we've harvested over 50 gala apples from our small espaliered tree.  All organically grown.

Vegan Blackberry Cheesecake Bars

The heatwave we experience in late June and early July has resulted in a bumper crop of blackberries, one of the best in years.  I've been eating them every morning for breakfast and freezing the rest.  Last weekend I took it one step further and made some non dairy blackberry cheesecake bars.

A Wedding

I realize that I haven't posted any new recipes in over a month and you may be wondering what up... has she lost interest in blogging? ...lost her kitchen mojo? ... or was she attacked and eaten by psychotic thieving squirrels?  None of the above actually,  I've been crazy busy planning a wedding for my daughter, TC.  

Broccoli Mushroom Tofu Frittata

A frittata is, essentially, an Italian baked omelette.  I made this broccoli mushroom tofu frittata as a quicker, lower calorie version of my broccoli mushroom tofu quiche.  A quiche is just an omelette baked in a crust.  Either way, my version is dairy, egg and cholesterol free, and delicious!  

Raspberries and the Spring Garden

I realize that I haven't done a gardening post in quite some time, and I apologize for that.   We have, in fact, been working in the garden non stop, but I haven't taken the time to take pictures.  

Daring Bakers' Challenge: Swedish Princesstårta

Korean of Korena in the Kitchen was our May Daring Bakers' host and she delighted us with this beautiful Swedish Princesstårta!

This amazing layered masterpiece was created in the 1930's by a Swedish home economics teacher named Jenny 
Åkerström, who taught the three Swedish princesses of the time.  She published a series of four cookbooks called "The Princess Cookbooks" and in one of the editions, there was a recipe for "Grön Tårta" (green cake).  One story is that this later became known as "princess cake" (princesstårta) because the three princesses are said to have loved it so much.  Another story is that Ms. Åkerström actually created three very elaborate "princess cake" recipes - a different one for each princess - and that the current version is a simplified combination of all three.  That explains the princess connection, but not the reason that the cake is green.  That seems to be a mystery.  It's so popular today, that the third week in September is officially Princesstårta Week.

Daring Bakers' Challenge: Savarin

Natalia of Gatti Fili e Farina challenges us to make a traditional Savarin, complete with soaking syrup and cream filling!  We were to follow the Savarin recipe but were allowed to be creative with the soaking syrup and filling, allowing us to come up with some very delicious cakes!