-
Spring Blooming Plants – My Favorite 22 Picks for an Early Bloom – Updated
There a many Spring Blooming Plants that arrive very early in the year. Some even peek through the last of the winter snow. Some early spring bloomers can even take the last of winter snow and cold temps and still start to grow. From bulbs, to annuals and perennials, the array of early spring bloomers […]
-
Crustless Chicken Quiche – Healthy and Light Breakfast Recipe
This Crustless Chicken Quiche is loaded with the amazing flavors of eggs, bacon, and cheddar cheese. The recipe is my gluten free version of the classic Cheese Quiche, but without the crust, which saves a lot of calories. Most of the time, at breakfast, there are also bagels, muffins or rolls, so why add a crust […]
-
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens – Boothbay Harbor, Me
The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine. have a children’s garden that is one of the best I have seen. Botanical Gardens vary greatly from one place to another, but each seems to have its own special theme. My husband and I tour the country, in the summer months, visiting garden centers around the […]
-
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies – Vegan – Gluten Free – Dairy Free
These Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies have a crunchy outer layer of chocolate (cocoa) with a filling of smooth peanut butter. It’s meatless Monday and we are having Thai peanut stir fry with brown rice tonight. My husband is always in the mood for something sweet after dinner. These vegan cookies are the perfect way […]
-
Growing Hellebores – Lenten Rose – How to Grow Helleborus
If you like the idea of a plant that flowers in winter while there is still snow on the ground, try Growing Hellebores. Lenten Rose is another name for helleborus. The blooms come in lots of different shades and shapes. I first heard of Hellebores perennial several years ago when I spent a season trying […]
-
Vegan Lasagne With Eggplant and Mushrooms
This Vegan lasagne is full of flavor and heart healthy vegetables without all of the fat and cholesterol that a normal lasagna contains. At only 300 calories per serving, it is also easy on the waist line. Deciding to adopt a vegan style of eating comes with its challenges. Many of the traditional “comfort food” dishes […]
-
Aids for Health and Wellness Goals for 2020 – Fish Oil, Magnesium and Multi Vitamins
When the new year comes to an end, I like to focus on my goals for the year. I find that I have the most success when I keep health and wellness goals at the forefront of my mind all year round. If you have been reading my blog lately, you will know that […]
-
Snowman Wall Hanging – A Rustic Christmas Decoration
This snowman wall hanging is a rustic Christmas decoration that is made from an old kitchen door frame. It is super easy to make and looks great hanging on the shutters at our front door entry. Using recycled wood in this project saved me some money and also helps to save the environment. I have […]
-
Boxwood Christmas Wreath – DIY Holiday Project
This boxwood Christmas wreath makes a nice change from the traditional fir wreath often seen this time of the year. it’s easy to make and you can use items from your own yard. I enjoy decorating with Christmas plants during the holidays and am always on the look out for something a bit out of […]
-
Cherry Cordial Recipe – Making Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries
My all time favorite Christmas treat is a chocolate covered cherry cordial. Each year, this is something that my husband buys me for my stocking, and he knows that I’ll be thanking “Santa” for these bonbons. January 3 is celebrated each year as National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day. Let’s find out how to make them […]
-
Front Porch Decor for Fall – Autumn Entry Decorating Ideas
It’s that time of the year. Pumpkins, Indian Corn and autumn plants all help to make this front porch decor for fall a hit with visitors! Each year, I use supplies from the previous porch but mix them up a bit to make my fall front porch decor a little extra special. This year, I […]
-
Venice Beach Canals in Los Angeles – Canal Historic District – With Photos!
With a name like Venice Beach Canals, one could be forgiven for thinking that they are visiting Italy. However, the Venice Canal Historic district landmark tourist attraction is located in Los Angeles, California! This series of man made canals with adjacent walkways give visitors to the area a chance to peek “up close and personal” […]
-
Venice Canals Photo Gallery – Historic District in Los Angeles
This Venice Canals Photo Gallery page gives many photos of the historic canal district of Venice Beach in California. We spent a day there, exploring the Venice Beach Canals and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I took so many photos and not all of them made it to the main post on the attraction. These photos will […]
-
Crockpot Butternut Squash Soup – Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup with Sherry
Brimming with the flavors of sherry, fresh leeks and sweet fresh butternut squash, this crockpot butternut squash soup has an elevated taste that is worthy of any special occasion. Fall and winter are the times of the year when I normally make soups, so I am always on the lookout for new crock pot recipes […]
-
Cooking Corn in the Microwave – Silk Free Corn on The Cob – No Shucking
One of my favorite vegetables is fresh corn on the cob. And one of my least favorite vegetables is corn on the cob with a lot of silk remnants sticking to it. Cooking corn in the microwave is the easy way to get silk-free corn every time! These easy tips show how easy it is […]
-
Ziti Pasta with Sausages & Swiss Chard – Skillet Ziti Noodles Recipe
Most ziti pasta recipes are baked and require a long preparation time. This skillet ziti noodles recipe is ready in less that 30 minutes and is super easy to prepare. Until this year, I had never tasted Swiss Chard. But I planted some on a whim in my vegetable garden this past summer and have […]
-
Creative Gardening Ideas – 20+ Recycled Garden Decor Ideas
Creative gardening ideas really appeal to the whimsical side of me. I love to recycle existing items from around the house for my garden decor ideas. Not only will you save money but you’ll help to save the earth, too. I must admit that I am not a normal gardener. I don’t enjoy conventional landscape […]
-
Southern Cornbread Recipe – Old Fashioned Easy Buttermilk Corn Bread
This recipe for Southern cornbread is one that I have made many times and it never fails to please my guests. It is moist and just delicious with a slight tang from the buttermilk that makes it a great accompaniment to any meal. Before we get started on this cornbread recipe, I have to tell you that my […]
-
Care of Caladium plants – Varieties – Overwintering – Flowers – and More
These tips for the care of caladium plants will help you get the most out of them. Caladium tubers are one of the stars of a shade garden because of their brightly colored tropical foliage and rare flower appearance. If you have a shady patio location, caladiums can be grown in pots or containers. In […]
-
Food Art – Fruit and Vegetable Carving – Food Sculpting and More
Food art is the act of preparing, cooking and presenting food in creative ways. It incorporates everything from elaborate plating that we see in fine dining establishments to both simple and intricate fruit and vegetable carvings that are meant to be decorative in nature. It is hard to say exactly when food art, vegetable carving, […]
-
Watermelon Facts – [Sunlight Needs – Varieties – Trivia and Questions]
![Watermelon Facts – [Sunlight Needs – Varieties – Trivia and Questions]](https://staging.thegardeningcook.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/watermelon-fun-facts.jpg)
Are you aware that this summer treat is not really a fruit? Get a few growing tips and find out the answers to other questions with this list of fun watermelon facts. Watermelons are a popular summer fruit. They have a high water content and are hydrating. I like to use them in drinks – […]
-
Controlling Sicklepod Weed – How to Get Rid of Cassia Senna Obtusifolia
Sicklepod (Cassia Senna obtusifolia) is an annual legume that appears in the spring with yellow flowers and long pods. It is invasive and can cause havoc in cotton, corn and soybean fields. Read on to get some tips for controlling sicklepod. Sometimes plants appear in your garden by way of seeds in new mulch for […]
-
Hosta Wheee! – Variegated Slug Resistant Hosta Plant
This slug resistant hosta is called hosta wheee! As the name suggests, the look of this fun plant is whimsical with an extremely ruffled foliage habit. A recent trip around the JR Raulston Arboretum provided me with a magnificent look at their collection of hostas. I have a large varieties of hostas in my shade […]
-
Dracaena Surculosa – Tips for Growing Dracaena Gold Dust Plant
Dracaena surculosa is a gorgeous plant. It has glossy green leaves and white and yellow splotches over the leaf surface. One can easily see from this photo why it has the common name Dracaena Gold Dust. Botanical facts about Dracaena Surculosa Dracaena surculosa is native to the western tropical Africa rain forest region. Family: Asparagaceae […]
-
One Pot Roasted Chicken and Vegetables – Easy One Pan Roast Chicken
This One Pot Roasted Chicken and Vegetables recipe comes together easily in a glass baking dish in my oven. This type of meal is even easier than a 30 minute one pot meal, since everything goes into the baking dish and the oven just does its thing. I love one pot easy recipes. Normally, I […]
-
Storing Fresh Coconut – How to Purchase, Open and Use Coconut Meat
A single coconut will give you 3 or 4 cups cups of fresh, flaked coconut. But now you have the problem of storing fresh coconut. How do you keep that delightful, flaky bit of goodness in a state that will stay edible for as long as possible? This tutorial shows tips for storing fresh coconut […]