Lemon Vanilla Layer CakeA light, simple cake to usher in spring on the last of these cloudy, winter days. Enjoy!
Artisan Country BreadThis versatile recipe makes a soft, wholesome bread with a fine crumb. It's perfect for dinner rolls, shaped loaves, and slicing with jam or honey. Enjoy!
Learning to Love My SeasonAs a child, I used to flip through a picture-book of Aesop's fables. One story I liked was of a dog who gazed into a lake long enough to see another dog. This dog, in lake world, stared back. He had a bone in his mouth. The real dog, with envy gnawing at his mind, snapped at his reflection in the water, dropping the bone he already had.
Up-cycled Gift BoxThis used to be a tea box! I first made these when I was dead broke and in a pinch to help out with a family Christmas. Someone on ThriftyFun had once posted about re-using a sugar bag for sugar cookies, which got the gears turning. So many possibilities!
Baking LessonsA hearth is timeless. In days past, of the likes of Little Women, warm flickering light from the stove used to brighten up evenings for families coming together over a meal. What would they talk about? Maybe the ships coming in from sea, slow telegraphs from a father far away, the newspaper picked up for a dime from the little boy at the market? After the dishes were put away, a child like Beth might play hymns on her old upright, several decades before the radio was ever invented.
Hard Tack CandyThe first time I had this, it came from Beechy's a wonderful Amish store in Illinois. While I haven't been able to make candy quite as pretty as theirs, it tastes the about the same. :)
Marshmallow PeepstersToday was the day before Easter and the store was out of Peeps, of course. I got a big bag of marshmallows instead and used some ingredients on hand to make these to cheer up my dad. (He really, really, likes his Peeps.)
Snowy Window or MirrorOne winter, my mom came up to me with a twinkle in her eye and asked me to make snowflakes. It turns out, she wanted to cover the upstairs window with "frost" so that there could be more sun and privacy. It worked so well, it stayed up 'till spring, long after the snow on the ground thawed!
Classy Apple PieMaking a pie from scratch might seem daunting, but it is so worth the effort! When I worked in a bakery at an upscale grocery store, they would feature pies that looked good, yet they came straight out of the freezer. Take the time and love to make a fresh, homemade pie and I swear, the flavor just cannot compare.
