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I’ve been wanting to feature my friend Cathy’s book, Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry: Recipes and Techniques for Year Round Preserving for some time now, but I had to wait until spring. Why? Because I am finally using up my remaining frozen strawberries and rhubarb from last fall and want to feature her amazing Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce. Also, Cathy’s book WON the 2015 IACP Single Subject Cookbook Award so now I can officially brag about that for her. (There is even a new beauty mark on the cover!) Congratulations, Cathy!

You all know how much I love preserving and Cathy does too. In fact, Cathy has written this beautiful book for us home preservers. In it she shares her infinite knowledge about home preserving and everything in between. This week Cathy and I had a little chat about her book and she graciously allowed me to share her sauce recipe. If you want to see this book for yourself don’t forget to enter the giveaway below!

Over the weekend we celebrated my husband’s birthday. In keep with tradition I made him a cake. My kids were slightly disappointed that this chocolate cake wasn’t as kid-friendly as last year. But, they still had plenty of Easter candy to enjoy so I really didn’t feel guilty. The original cake recipe is adapted from Molly’s famous rich and fudgy wedding cake recipe. I’ve tweaked it by adding a generous nip of kahlua and an extra topping of whipped cream. It takes very little time to prepare and is perfect for any celebration.

(Photo via William Hill Estates)

Hi Friends! I am heading to San Francisco and Napa Valley for a much-needed vacay soon. I am SO ready for some sun and a change of scenery. Do you have any tips for places I must see in Napa? I would love to hear any and all suggestions. I love wine, riding bikes, and anything to do with being outdoors and enjoying good food. I’ll be sure to report back after our trip. Thanks in advance!

(image via Swanson Vineyards)

Obviously this 24-hour itinerary from Alexis Swanson looks amazing. If it was created for Ina I’m sure that means I’d like it too!

Spring and summer entertaining season is on the horizon and that means one thing: showers. As in, baby showers, bridal showers, and engagement showers. So many showers! I personally love showers of all kinds and have thrown quite a few myself. In doing so I’ve learned a few things along the way as well. First: have a standby menu. It is best to have a few standards you can riff on: chicken salad, quiche, punches, bon bons, and a solid dessert nibble. For a baby shower you might do a big cake too, but I find having a bite size dessert on hand is always an good idea. Which is where my Lemon Raspberry Jam bars come in.

I love these roast potatoes because they are perfect for entertaining. As in, you can make a nice big batch and serve them in a bowl to lots and lots of people and everyone loves them. Potato dishes are usually good for entertaining in general, but this one is totally foolproof. The come out perfect every time and the paprika and crispy skins make them so delish. They also don’t need any heavy adornments which I don’t find as appealing in the warmer months. There is no cream, cheese, or onions, just salt, pepper, oil, and paprika. In the oven, then done and done.

Our kitchen renovation is still in the works. All winter we’ve been checking out design books and kitchens we like around town. I also found this great article about 15 small and clever kitchen designs and I want all of them to be included in ours! One thing I’d never paid much attention to before was the sink. Every kitchen has one, but I never gave much thought to how they fit into the overall design scheme. Equally as important: functionality. What do I use my sink for and what kind do I need?

(photo via: alfaplit)

I’ve lived with both single and double sinks and think we should go with a double sink. I love the option of one space to wash and one space to drip dry. The hardware above is not my style, but that is a different design decision altogether. This undermount double sink catches my eye in particular because it is paired with my favorite wooden countertop. (But is an undermount easy to keep clean around the top edges?)

(photo via Design Mom)

(via Elements of Style)

Then I see these gorgeous deep apron sinks and think how pretty they are. They give a room a nice polished feel and the gleaming white always looks clean and modern. Maybe I’ll have to add a utility room to our wish list just so I can have a sink like this.

(via Country Living)

I like this sink with the apron and the window above it. I definitely want to position our new sink so I can look out on the yard and the kids while I wash dishes.

(via Design*Sponge)

I am gaga for Grace and Julia’s recent kitchen renovation. Bright space, wooden countertops, antique wooden floors, sink with a window view, giant island, open shelving, pantry to the side… So many of my favorite elements! I have pinned every image from their renovation to my idea board.

What kind of sink is your favorite?

ps – So far we’ve covered: Refrigerators, Pantries, Countertops, and Ovens

One thing that is a surefire hit with breakfast entertaining is coffee cake. There is no way to go wrong with it which is why it is important to have a couple good coffee cake recipes up your sleeve at all times. I made this last Friday when my parents came to town for Easter weekend. It is your basic sour cream coffee cake made in a tube pan. I added cappuccino chips and a little espresso to the crumb to make it extra decadent and ideal for my coffee-loving parents.

Just a couple of weeks ago there was still so much snow in our yard I honestly didn’t think I’d ever see the grass again; let alone a blooming rose or single lilac. But! We are slowly but surely turning the corner weather-wise. The snow has melted and I am excited to say that we are finally making big plans for our garden this year. Last year we focused on returning the grass to health, chasing out vermin and trapping a large groundhog that resided under the porch, and experimenting with vegetables in our new raised bed. I carefully studied the sun and shade patterns on our property and worked hard at digging out old vines and stubborn weeds once and for all.

It was a steep learning curve but the knowledge I am starting with this season is incredibly helpful. I’ve started mapping out a plan for flowers and shrubs that will work well in our climate based on the light and heat we get from May through October. This week I even started flipping through my favorite gardening books for inspiration and have added a new one to the mix: Bunny Williams: On Garden Style.

This tome is reissue of an earlier version of the book from 1998 and is a treasure for any gardener. It is part aspirational, part practical, and all eye candy. While I don’t have nearly the kind of estate like the ones in this book there are still many ideas I can apply to our yard.

Lavender does really well in our area because it can endure the heat and minimal rainfall in the summer. It also attracts bumble bees and butterflies, both hallmarks of a healthy garden. So far our lavender has been doing well and I even dried some for Christmas gifts. I love Bunny’s idea of using it to line paths in big, voluptuous bunches.

It can be fun to play jokes with food if you are super clever. But I am not one of those people so I just give something a little twist and call it my own personal April Fools joke. For example, are these blondies or are they brownies? Or are they both? I called them marbled blondies because that is the easiest thing to say.

This salad is a mash up of the many grain and asparagus salads I’ve seen floating around the web lately. With asparagus season truly getting underway, and a big bag of barley in our pantry, I knew this just had to be made. The general idea is that delicious fresh cooked asparagus is tossed with hot barley, a sharp lemony vinaigrette, and topped with shavings of salty Parmesan. The concept is simple, and so is the recipe, and the result is nothing short of delicious.

I don’t want to jinx mother nature, but we finally appear to be turning the corner with spring. You guys, it has been an effing long winter and I am SO happy it is over. I even caught myself going through the spring cleaning ritual yesterday. One minute I was getting rid of a shirt that my son had outgrown. The next minute his dresser contents were all over the floor and I had a fresh bag of hand-me-downs. I also went through our pantry and dining room chucking this and that and even had the windows open for a little while. Welcome, spring, we need you to freshen us all up right now!

I’ve been having a little fun styling up our table for Easter and generally getting things put together again and thought it would be fun to look at some photos for inspiration. Here are a few of my favorite spring tables styles from around the web:

Sometimes I forget how food makes a great centerpiece. A giant footed bowl, or even a cake stand, piled high with a pyramid of fresh tangerines is so pretty and bright! (via Frances Palmer)

I love the newly revived Dodie Thayer line for Tory Burch. This green is my favorite color in the whole world and it would be the most gorgeous table setting for spring and summer. (via Tory Burch)

These egg shells holding flowers and succulents are adorable. This would be such a fun project with kids! (via Camilla Styles)

Anna’s friend Chinae just launched an event company and created these gorgeous flower arrangements. I love how they are dramatic without feeling heavy. They’d be beautiful for the late winter/early spring Easter we are going to have this year. (via The Yellow Table)

Artichokes are my favorite vegetable so this is right up my alley. A big pitcher full of artichokes would look so pretty on a side table or a countertop where they can really make a statement. (via Shelterness)

I’ve been having so much fun seeing what recipes you want to try from Butternut Mountain Farm. Don’t forget, the maple syrup giveaway is continuing until Thursday so please come by and enter!

In the mean time, last week I had gathered some great recipes from many of my favorite food blogs. These all feature maple syrup as a natural sweetener and main ingredient. Since maple syrup season is now in full force there is no better time to try them. Enjoy!

Beverages:

Maple Latte – Simply Stacie (image above)

Maple Bourbon Smash – Food & Wine

3 Maple Syrup Cocktails – The Wall Street Journal

Dark Chocolate Maple Cocoa – Babble Food

 Maple Syrup Milkshake – Bite Me More

Meat, Poultry, Fish:

Grilled Salmon with Maple Sriracha Lime Glaze – Kalyn’s Kitchen (image above)

Maple Sausage Patties – Simple Bites

Maple Bourbon Apple BBQ Ribs – Snappy Gourmet

Maple Steak Walnut Salad – Our Small Hours

Bourbon Maple Glazed Chicken Wings – Simply Recipes

Maple Roasted Turkey with Sage, Smoked Bacon, and Cornbread Stuffing – Creative Culinary

Vegetables:

Maple Glazed Carrots with Bacon – Confessions of an Overworked Mom

Maple Roasted Butternut Squash – Sidewalk Shoes

Salad with Goat Cheese, Pecans, and Maple-Balsamic Dressing – Two Healthy Kitchens (image above)

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Maple Orange Glaze – Pinch of Yum

Miso Maple Sweet Potato Tacos – Love & Lemons

Desserts:

Pumpkin Bread Pudding Maple Glaze – Confessions of an Overworked Mom

Maple Apple Pudding – Simply Stacie

Maple Delicata Squash Brownies – Fearless Dining

Maple Chocolate Fudge – Our Small Hours

Spicy Maple Cashew Crunch – Around My Family Table

Maple-Pecan Mini Tarts – Babble Food (image above)