Food Gift Recipes
Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts
Inspired by the iconic New York City restaurant, these rosemary-infused nuts are lightly spiced, perfectly salted, and completely irresistible. Snack on them anytime, or enjoy as a pre-dinner nibble with your drink of choice. The first time I ate at the famed Union Square Café years ago, we started our meal with the bar nuts.…
Rosemary Simple Syrup
A fragrant, easy-to-make syrup that adds an herbal twist to cocktails and mocktails — even baked goods, coffee, and tea. If you’ve made my Rosemary Paloma (which tastes great in non-alcoholic and classic form!), you already know how this simple syrup can transform the drink. A quick simmer of sugar, water, fresh rosemary, and a…
The 2025 Holiday Gift List
Thinking of the perfect holiday gift for the special people in our lives tends to be harder than the actual shopping. In that spirit, the following list is full of delights that are bound to please even the hard-to-gift people in your life! Coming up with gift ideas that are thoughtful, clever, and won’t end…
Blueberry Peach Yogurt Muffins
Loaded with whole grains, protein, calcium, and a generous dose of naturally sweet fruit, these muffins offer an easy, nutritious, and decidedly delicious way to start the day! As with many recipe on this site, the following peach- and blueberry-studded muffins came about thanks to a different recipe. Black and Blueberry Oat Muffins were such…
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites
Three simple ingredients come together with ease for a salty-sweet frozen treat that mimics a store-bought favorite for a fraction of the price. My nieces introduced me to Tru Fru last year. The company makes a variety of chocolate covered fruit—raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and more—that are enrobed in dark or milk chocolate (or some of…
Chicken & Rice Dog Treats
Easy to digest and nutrient dense, your four-legged friends will fall in love with these homemade dog treats. No waffle iron? Make pancakes (pupcakes?) instead! When we adopted our rescue puppy, Daisy, I received several requests for dog treat recipes. Until now, there was just one recipe for our four-legged friends on the site, the…
Favorite Things for Springtime Holidays!
Flowers, showers, graduations, and holidays are hallmarks of the spring season, and many of these occasions call for special gifts. To save you the legwork, following is a list of creative and practical gifts that we have given or gratefully received. The winter holidays are typically considered the height of annual gift giving, but the…
Valentine’s Day Cheerio’s Snack Mix
This creative (and low effort!) snack may be all that’s needed to make Valentine’s Day feel extra special this year. 💘 For years, this effortless, no-cook mix was a regular after-school and lunch box snack for my boys. Thanks to the simple combination of sweet, salty, and crunchy, they continue to enjoy it now…
Food Gift Guide
Looking for a thoughtful (and delicious!) DIY gift that even the most discerning recipient will love? This list is chock full of easy recipes for gifting at all occasions! So often, well intentioned gifts end up in a drawer or closet, never to see the light of day. When we struggle to come up with…
Lavender Syrup
Lavender Syrup is simple to make and adds a sweet, floral note to hot and iced coffee and tea, lattes, lemonade, cocktails, desserts, and more. A clever trick makes the syrup a pretty shade of purple! The first time I had a lavender latte, I didn’t finish it. Despite rave reviews from friends who claimed…
Mix and Match Trail Mix
A wholesome trail mix is easy to make and offers much room for variation, from basic nuts and dried fruit to an assortment of delicious extras. Recipe includes our favorite combinations! I love nuts of all kinds. Their crunch is appealing, and the balance of fats and protein makes them an especially satiating snack. As a…
Butterscotch Rum Ripple Cake
Butterscotch Rum Ripple Cake reinvents the classic pound cake with the addition of caramel-like swirled layers and an irresistible glaze. This recipe goes WAY back. As a newlywed, my husband, Jack, and I drove to Philadelphia to see his niece, Judy, perform in a play. She was in elementary school and had a part…
