Holiday hosting gets much easier when the side dishes are handled before the first guest rings the doorbell. Whether you’re planning Thanksgiving, a Christmas potluck, or a ham dinner that needs a little something extra, these 12 easy holiday side dishes for a crowd have you covered. Many are make-ahead, nearly all use simple ingredients, … Read more
Is your freezer packed with frozen blueberries, and you’re wondering what to make with them besides smoothies? You’re in good company, and you’re about to be very well fed! These easy recipes with frozen blueberries turn that icy bag into warm cobbler, buttery scones, bubbling crisp, silky gelato, and jars of homemade jam. Whether you … Read more
What happens when rich, silky semi-sweet chocolate meets a spoonful of sweet-tart blueberry jam? Pure magic in bite-sized form! These easy blueberry chocolate truffles look like they came from a fancy chocolatier, but they need only a few simple ingredients and basic kitchen tools. Make a batch to tuck into a handmade chocolates gift box, … Read more
Fluffy, pale green, and unapologetically retro, old fashioned Watergate salad is the potluck dish or holiday side dish people hunt down the minute they spot it. This easy pistachio pineapple fluff mixes instant pistachio pudding, crushed pineapple, whipped topping, and mini marshmallows into a creamy, no-bake side dish. Some people serve it as a dessert … Read more
Picture this: your mini desserts for parties look gorgeous, the dessert table is glowing, and then the pumpkin pies vanish in ten minutes while a tray of toffee sits untouched. Planning tiny desserts for a crowd is part math, part psychology, and part gut instinct. Whether you’re building a dessert table, a mini desserts charcuterie … Read more
Ready to turn a handful of mini pumpkins into the most adorable little bookworm on the bookshelf? This very hungry caterpillar pumpkin project is the perfect no-carve way to bring Eric Carle’s famous caterpillar to life. It works for kids, classrooms, library displays, and book character pumpkin contests. With a little paint, some glue, and … Read more
Few flowers announce the arrival of fall quite like asters. Their star-shaped blooms in shades of blue, purple, pink, and white show up right when the rest of the garden is winding down, making the aster flower a favorite for pollinator gardens, fall garden ideas, and gift-worthy container displays. Whether you’re working asters into an … Read more
Learn how to make easy peanut butter fudge with marshmallow cream (sometimes spelled creme) using the fantasy fudge recipe you might remember from your youth. Made with simple ingredients, this recipe for peanut butter fudge comes together quickly. The only challenge is waiting for this peanut butter marshmallow fudge to cool before you have some! … Read more
Looking for the best bulbs to plant in fall for a zone 8 garden? You’re in the right place. This guide covers which spring bulbs actually thrive in mild winters, how deep and how far apart to plant them, and a full zone 8 garden plan that pairs bulbs with annuals and perennials for months … Read more
Looking for the best lilac companion plants? You’re in the right place. Learn which flowers and shrubs make the best lilac bush companions, what not to plant near lilacs, and how to keep your lilac tree blooming for decades. I’ve grown lilacs in our Pacific Northwest USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8 garden for years, tucked … Read more