Ginger Spice Sugar Cookies

Ginger Spice Sugar Cookies

I love a good ginger cookie…especially when it’s rolled in sugar.

This recipe has a whole lot of spice, plus crystallized ginger for added ‘yum’. 

I’ve made them a few times; the first time with fresh ginger (because I didn’t have ginger powder) and it turned out just fine. So if you want, substitute the ginger powder with 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger. 

Hopefully, these cookies disappear right away, but if not, they are easy to freeze.

Ginger Cookies

Chewy Coconut Macaroons

Chewy Coconut Macaroons

Mixing coconut with sugar and egg whites is always a good thing in our house. These  are super-fast to make and will be gone by the end of the day!  These coconut cookies are perfect for serving when friends arrive unexpectedly because they're quick to make.

Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

These are fun cookies to make and you can get the kids involved to make the indents in the middle of the cookies. I use raspberry jam, but you can use whatever jam you like or have in your refrigerator.

To dust the cookies with icing sugar, simply put some icing sugar into a small mesh sieve and sprinkle over the cookies. It’s not necessary, but makes the cookies look festive.

Ginger Squash Coconut Muffins

Ginger Squash Coconut Muffins

This recipe is delicious! These muffins are similar to zucchini muffins, except they are made with butternut squash. They also have fresh ginger, coconut and pecans. The pepitas sprinkled on top add a nice crunch to the muffin. And if you’re wondering, pepitas are hulless pumpkin seeds and is Spanish for “little seeds of squash.”

Red Lentil Soup

Red Lentil Soup

Here’s a nice red lentil soup for the chilly fall/winter days ahead. It’s an understated but tasty soup to serve with a nice loaf of sourdough bread.

Shepherd’s Pie with Squash

Yummy Shepherd's Pie with Squash

Here is a nice shepherd’s pie recipe adapted from the one in Doris’s Greenspan’s, “Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook.” cookbook I’ve made it a few times now, and it’s been smashing every time. I especially like the squash in the filling, and of course, the mashed potatoes on top.

Black Bean Smash Burgers With Adobo Mayo

Black Bean Burgers

While stuck in my kitchen this summer nursing two different muscle injuries I started to cook more meals at home. I concentrated on cooking vegetarian meals, filled with fresh whole foods. 

I found this recipe in the Bon Appetit August 2024 edition on their list of top 56 recipes to try this year. They chose 56 because their first issue was published in 1956. 

It's one of my favourites and one I'd recommend you all try it.

This burger recipe is fast, easy, tasty and I especially like the adobo mayo sauce. 

I’ve included the original recipe here, but I did modify mine a bit by substituting  cilantro instead of coriander. I also used plain Monterey Jack cheese because I couldn’t find Pepper Jack cheese. 

Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins

Blueberry Muffins

There were an abundance of blueberries available where I live this summer, which inspired me to bake some delicious blueberry muffins. 

I usually use buttermilk in my baking recipes, and then a reader on Pinterest wrote to say she’d modified one of my recipes with sour cream. I decided to give it a try and it worked like a charm. Hence, these muffins are made with sour cream. 

Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake

Blueberry Pound Cake with Lemon

I’m a collector (some would say hoarder) of cookbooks and cooking magazines. So, while stranded at home with pulled muscles, I piled them up and spent time perusing new and interesting recipes to make. It’s a fun way to get back into the swing of cooking on a regular basis especially if you’re stuck in a cooking rut.

I love to bake, and since it was blueberry season, I decided to made a few recipes with blueberries. I made this lemon blueberry pound cake recipe a few times and loved it every time. 

Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds, Coconut and Almonds

Overnight Oats

This recipe is very versatile it has chia seeds, coconut, almonds and cinnamon.  I suggest you use it as a template to try different ways of making it to suit your taste. Try adding lemon zest, pear, fresh berries or berry compote. You could also add vanilla, honey, or walnuts.  The possibilities are endless! I’ll let you choose.

Overnight oats with chia seeds, almonds, raisins, coconut and cinnamon