How is it almost the middle of January already?! The good thing about annual goals is you have 52 weeks to take small steps towards achieving them each year. Hopefully, by the end of those 52 weeks, you will see a transformation. Last week was one where baby steps helped to move me forward. How… [Read More]
Weekly Meal Plan: January 14 – January 20, 2019
It was a snowy, wintery evening when I planned our weekly meal plan for this week. Knowing I would be staying home on Sunday because of the snow made meal planning really easy. I developed a meal plan based on roasting two chickens on Sunday and then using that roasted chicken and broth to make… [Read More]
My 12 Goals for 2019 – Week 1 of 52
Even though the new year seemed to start off slow and took a little while to get back in the swing of everyday life, I made some progress towards my annual goals. This post may contain affiliate links. Ordering a product through a link may result in some form of compensation that helps pay for… [Read More]
Weekly Meal Plan: January 7 – January 13, 2019
Every weekend I spend a few minutes creating a weekly meal plan for the upcoming week. Here are the 5 key reasons why I create a weekly meal plan and why you should consider creating a meal plan too! Reason 1: A weekly meal plan helps you to avoid figuring out what to make every day…. [Read More]
My 12 Goals for 2019
Setting goals can help you to focus on improving your life. I like to set realistic and specific goals each year. By setting goals, I can work toward the improvement or achieving what I set out to accomplish. This year I’m focusing on 12 intentional goals. Goal 1: Designate one day each month to make extra meals… [Read More]
Discover 8 Benefits Of Visiting You Pick Farms
When I was growing up my family always grew expansive gardens and orchards. My grandparents had more than enough produce to share with family and neighbors. Now, as an adult living in suburbia, I don’t have the land on which to plant an orchard or grow certain fruits and vegetables expansively. For our family, that… [Read More]
Healthy Moroccan Chicken Burgers With Apricot Yogurt Sauce
In the middle of summer, a quick, healthy recipe that you can make on the grill comes in handy. I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking to cut down on the amount of time I spend in a hot kitchen after work. Burgers on the grill are a perfect solution. While basic hamburgers… [Read More]
How To Freeze Strawberries
Do your frozen strawberries turn into one big frozen chunk of berries? Do you love strawberries, but only purchase them when they are fresh from the store costing you extra money each year because the berries are out of season? Does it feel like freezing strawberries takes too much of your valuable time? Or do… [Read More]
Thursday Threads – Cross Stitching and Rug Hooking To Unwind
Thursday Threads is a reoccurring post where I share all things creative including my love of cross stitch and rug hooking. Please share your latest creations by tagging me on Instagram @summerkitchencreations and using the hashtag #SKCthursdaythreads. What craft or stitching projects are you working on this month? Unexpected Habits Over the past two months, I’ve… [Read More]
How To Make Pickled Red Beet Eggs For Your Summer Gatherings
It finally feels like spring and its time to plant your spring vegetables, harvest the early vegetables, fruit, and flowers, plus plan those early summer gatherings and picnics. One of my favorite vegetables that I associate with both spring and summer are beets. I absolutely love the taste of beets whether they are roasted, pickled or… [Read More]
Cranberry Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies
Close your eyes and imagine the smells of nutty . . . buttery . . . vanilla . . . scents wafting through the air as a batch of Cranberry Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies bakes in the oven. Cranberry Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies will remind you of the familiar oatmeal cookie with the chewy center and crispy… [Read More]
Thursday Threads
Thursday Threads is a reoccurring post where I share all things creative. I invite you to share your latest creations by tagging me on Instagram @summerkitchencreations and using the hashtag #SKCthursdaythreads. October and early November were extremely busy for me at work and in the kitchen. I spent much of October preserving the last of the… [Read More]
Butternut Squash Soup
This recipe for Butternut Squash Soup is the third in a series of homemade soup recipes that will be published on Summer Kitchen Creations this month. Here is a link to the first recipe for Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup and the second recipe for Homemade Potato Soup. For this recipe and more soup recipes visit… [Read More]
Quick & Easy Homemade Applesauce
Autumn . . . one associates the season with apples, pumpkins, gourds and winter squash. People decorate their entryways with corn stalks and jack-o-lanterns. It is also the time of year to take your kids to the local orchard to pick a few apples or to the neighboring farm to pick out the perfect carving pumpkin. Or… [Read More]
How To Make Potato Soup From Scratch
This recipe for Potato Soup is the second in a series of homemade soup recipes that will be published on Summer Kitchen Creations this month. Here is a link to the first recipe for Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup. For this recipe and more soup recipes visit my Pinterest Soup & Stew Board and follow me on… [Read More]
Thursday Threads
Thursday Threads is a reoccurring post where I share all things creative. I invite you to share your latest creations by tagging me on Instagram @summerkitchencreations and using the hashtag #SKCthursdaythreads. Do you have a hobby that you learned as a child, but haven’t found the time to work on in recent years? I have… [Read More]
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe
This recipe for Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is the first in a series of homemade soup recipes that will be published on Summer Kitchen Creations this month. For this recipe and more soup recipes visit my Pinterest Soup & Stew Board and follow me on Pinterest. Outside the air feels raw and damp. The sun is… [Read More]
7 Benefits Of Making Homemade Soup From Scratch
October is a great time to learn how to make homemade soup from scratch. The weather in most parts of the country is finally starting to cool down. Cooler temperatures may leave you feeling chilly, so try making a few batches of warm, hearty soups with me this month. Throughout October, I will share a… [Read More]
Red Raspberry Apple Jam Recipe
Officially, it is the first week of Autumn which means celebrating the season with all your favorite fall flavors like apple, pumpkin, maple, and cinnamon! It is time to start eating crisp fall apples, bake a pumpkin pie, preserve a bit of jam and enjoy some fresh pressed cider. Wanting to capture some of the… [Read More]
Autumn: A New Season Begins
Autumn is officially here! It is my favorite season of the year. Autumn brings about the transition from the hustle and bustle of gardening and intense food preservation to a slower pace of fun fall activities. Autumn speaks to me of: hikes on local trails, road trips to see the color of the changing leaves,… [Read More]
You Deserve Better Than The Blueberries You’re Buying…Here’s The Secret You Need To Know!
Have you ever purchased frozen blueberries and been disappointed by both the taste and the shriveled up little berries that seem to always be at the bottom of the bag? I have. And, even though it is more convenient for me to buy a big bag of frozen blueberries, I like blueberries too much (and they… [Read More]
Flowers In Jars: How You Can Easily Make Beautiful, Inexpensive Flower Planters
A few years ago, I needed quick and simple centerpieces to use as table decorations for a family celebration. I also needed to keep my costs down because my family needed place settings for 12 or more tables. I wasn’t sure what to do until I saw a roadside stand selling packs of flowers. At… [Read More]
Enjoy A Healthier Version Of Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)
Traditional Spanakopita is a great comfort food, but your enjoyment comes at a price, which is often in the form of a lot of fat and unnecessary calories. I have seen recipes that call for, among other things, not one, not two, but three (!) sticks of butter and/or excessive amounts of cheese and olive… [Read More]
Black & Blue Burger Salad
There are days when the last thing that you want to do is cook an elaborate dinner. You want a meal that is satisfying to your palate as well as simple and easy to make. My Black & Blue Burger Salad is the perfect choice for those occasions. You can enjoy my recipe regardless of… [Read More]
Top 5 Tips To Help You Eat Healthier (And Save A LOT Of Money) While Traveling
When you’re a few days into a vacation, do you ever get sick of spending a lot of money to eat every single meal in restaurants? When you travel for work, do you wish you could find healthier alternatives than over-processed restaurant meals? Unfortunately, I’ve experienced both circumstances on far too many occasions. One day,… [Read More]
Easter Bunny Cake
Easter is a time of rebirth and to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, our Savior. Easter also comes with other traditions like egg hunts, the Easter Bunny and candy. Some of these traditions are linked to Christian Easter celebrations, but many were created as part of secular celebrations. The History Channel has a short video about how Easter symbols… [Read More]
Beef & Turnip Stew
Soups, stews, and chili are ideal foods to make in the Fall and Winter because they are warm and filling as well as very easy for anyone (regardless of skill level) to cook. They are also an excellent way to incorporate a variety of vegetables into your diet. I typically make a Beef and White… [Read More]
Turkey Vegetable Pie
On the coldest days of the year, I like to keep the temperature in the house warm and cozy but I do not like spending a fortune to do so. I have found that the best way to accomplish that goal while simultaneously providing something savory for Dan and I to eat is to use… [Read More]
Vegetable & Turkey Burger Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joes are a traditional American comfort food favorite because they are quick and easy to make and very satisfying to eat. However, they are not exactly known for their health benefits. For example, one of the leading prepared canned Sloppy Joe sauces contains over 400 mg of sodium for just one serving. To put… [Read More]
Maximize Your Seed Inventory (And Save Money!) By Using My Seed Tracker
When I was a child, I would sit with my grandfather on wintry Sunday afternoons and look through seed catalogs to help him find all of the different seeds that he would need to buy to plant in his garden each spring. We would talk for hours on end about fruit plants, trees, and what… [Read More]
A Taste Of Summer All Year Long: Blueberry Lemonade Concentrate
Blueberries are one of our favorite fruits because they are packed with antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins and have a natural, sweet taste. Since Dan and I both love to eat blueberries on a daily basis, I like to seek out interesting ways to incorporate them into our meals. A Taste Of Summer…All Year Long For example, as… [Read More]
How To Bounce Back When Your Church Disappoints You
I made a decision recently that I never wanted to have to make. I decided to leave the church that I had faithfully attended for the past 10-plus years. The church where I had met three of my closest friends. The church that had provided me with a community of like-minded believers when I needed… [Read More]
