This post is for you experienced mushroom hunters out there.* With the onset of spring rains, up pop our most favorite edible mushrooms! With a little prep ahead of time and some luck during your spring hunting, you can turn…
Apples are abundant in Oregon in late summertime! My family often has more than we know what to do with, so jam is another great way to use them up after making pies and crisps and giving some away to…
I’ve been on a huge jam kick this year, and have been especially drawn to recipes with interesting flavor combinations. That’s why I chose to try this recipe for spiced plum butter. Not only do the spices go really well…
My neighbor cut down her peach tree this year. I walked outside one day, and boom. It was gone. And the worst part? It was loaded with ripe, gorgeous peaches! Luckily, her peach tree was located next to the line…
I’ve long adored the sweet richness that caramelized onions offer to any dish, but making caramelized onions at home has always been tricky (and usually smoky). Recently, though, I stumbled across a phrase that caught my attention and led to…
One of my favorite things to do in summer is to go foraging for berries in the forest with my husband. My in-laws live out in the woods, so we usually park our car in their driveway and trek down…
As a student of herbalism and natural medicine, I’ve been experimenting with making tinctures, syrups, decoctions, teas, fermentations and other slippery, startling, sweet, harrowing or lilting flavors and textures for several years now. It’s been a riot at times, but…
Up until recently, I knew nothing about preserved lemons beyond seeing them listed as an ingredient in recipes and swiftly substituting for fresh lemons instead. But as my culinary adventures continued, I became more and more curious about them. What…
Here in the Pacific northwest, it’s easy for home cooks to run into the delightful problem of having more apples than we know how to manage. What comes out of this is lots of new cooking adventures and lots of…
Every summer when the weather starts to get warm, my mom and I set aside a date to pick blackberries. I always look forward to spending the day with her in the summer sun, talking and exchanging stories while we…
Meet Chelsia, our newest blog contributor!Chels is a native Oregonian who dreams of living with all four seasons in Central Oregon. She’s a wife and stay at home mom to her three vivacious kiddos whom she home schools. When she’s…
‘Tis the season for garden harvesting and berry picking. We’ve got lots of great recipes for you to try. Start planning your pickling, preserving and vegetable canning this summer with these great recipes from the Idea Land team! And don’t…
(Used in this project: Canning Labels and Small Diamond Tags in Treasury style.) The summer sun warming fields of berries makes for only a few weeks a year where the strawberries are at the peak of sweetness. The richness of…
(Used in this project: Circle Canning Labels and Scallop Tags in Casablanca style.) There seems to be no end to the combination of sweet and salty recipes out there and I can certainly see why. The balance of strong, sometimes…
Last summer I added winter squash to the regular vegetables I grow in my garden. I adore the taste of it, whether it is Acorn, Delicata, Hubbard or one of the many other varieties. Maybe it’s the way my mom…
Pears aren’t a fruit I normally come by during the canning season, which is why I was so excited when my husband’s aunt let us have access to her pear tree this year. I immediately knew what I wanted to…
There aren’t many foods I enjoy more than a slice of toasted bread (homemade, of course) topped with a little butter and jam, which is why I always enjoy experimenting with different recipes for jams and jellies. Not only do…
Rhubarb season is officially here! This means I’ll be making strawberry rhubarb pie, rhubarb crumble, and a big batch of my new favorite recipe, rhubarb chutney. If you’re like me, and you find yourself in a situation where you need…
It’s hard to beat the taste of homemade strawberry jam that’s spread on soft, fresh French bread. The sweet flavor conjures up images of summer; the porch swing keeping time with the summer breeze and bird songs. This jam is…
Marmalade, typically made with oranges, gets an extra zing when made with Meyer lemons. This recipe makes a wonderful sweet and tart accompaniment for toast or croissants, and it can also be used as a glaze for broiled meats or…
