At Home My Way

Slices of hot, buttered toast using homemade sandwich bread + juicy, garden ruby-red orbs of deliciousness a/k/a "garden tomatoes"  = one amazing summer lunch! Tomato sandwiches!!  YUM!! Not only do I LOVE summer for sandy beaches, hot concrete under my bare toes, and shorts & flipflops.  I also love summer for the abundance of fresh garden food!  Last week it was peaches and this week, we are popping at the seams with garden fresh tomatoes! Lucky are we that my husband's uncle lives in our neighborhood and that he has a bumper crop of garden goodies!  He leaves garden goodies all over town!  For us, we find bags of red, plump tomatoes, dark green zucchini, cucumbers and peppers hanging on our front door while we are at work. Rolling into the driveway, we can see that "Jerry's been here!" Yesterday, I put a loaf of our everyday white, sandwich bread ( RECIPE HERE ) in the oven with plans of eating it for breakfast as toast, slathered in...

* Because I hate scrolling down for the recipe, my recipes are AT THE TOP - comments are at the BOTTOM below!  :)) "They are mighty little peaches; sweet, juice running down your chin kind of peaches! Delicious and smell divine!"                           Fresh Peach Preserves  Less Sugar Recipe 5 half-pint canning jars with lids/rings 4 1/2 cups peeled/chopped/pitted fresh peaches (place peaches with skins in boiling water and then in ice water and the skins loosen, just like for peeling tomatoes) 2 Tablespoons lemon juice 3 cups white/granulated sugar , measured into a separate bowl 1 box SUREJELL For Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes 1/2 tsp. butter or margarine (optional) Instructions (FOLLOW directions in order exactly or pectin won't work): Sterilize jars, lids and rings per USDA recommendations. Place peaches in boiling water and then place in ice water for...

* Because I hate scrolling down for the recipe, my recipes are AT THE TOP - comments are at the BOTTOM below!  :)) *I love sharing recipes at Weekend Potluck.  This week is Weekend Potluck #284 .  Come find ME and lots of other fantastic recipes HERE !  Super Easy Crockpot Granola 4 cups old fashioned rolled oats 1 cup raw nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, etc.)  (I only had about 2/3 cup) (nuts could be omitted all together) 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup oil (olive oil or melted coconut oil) (I used coconut oil) 1/2 cup liquid sweetener, such as maple syrup, honey, agave syrup)  (I used maple syrup) 1 Tablespoon vanilla Add-ins for after cooking (dried fruit such as dried blueberries, cranberries, raisins, apricots, apples) Super Easy Instructions: Spray or lightly oil the sides and bottom of crockpot. In a small bowl/mug, mix the liquid sweetener (maple syrup), liquid oil (melted coconut oil...

It's that time again!  Not black Friday, not Christmas, nor your birthday!  It's Zucchini season! You know what that means?  Those dark green beauties start popping out on super hot days, growing at a fairy tale rate until they are huge blimps in the garden, and people are handing them out everywhere!  You find them on your door step, hanging in bags on your front door, and even slid underneath your desk by zucchini fairies who leave them like secret gifts by unknown admirers LOL. Like the ever elusive valentine, zucchini are given secretly and offered up with well wishes.  They are a symbol of prolific and healthy gardens, and given by folks who have too many and no idea what else to do with them. If you find yourself the keeper of a prolific zucchini garden, or if you find some left at your door by a secret admirer, here are a couple of random and superb zucchini recipes to use up these precious gifts of summer! Sharing this recipe at Weekend Potlu...

Keeping Recipes at the top!  My message is now at the bottom. Also - I'm sharing this recipe at Sweet Little Bluebird - Weekend Potluck.  Find me and some other amazing recipes HERE ! Here's how I make Southern Buttered Cheese Grits AT HOME MY WAY: Southern Buttered Cheese Grits 2 cups water 1 cup milk 3/4 cup  Quick  Grits (I used Quaker brand) 1/4 teaspoon salt (or a tad more than that) 2 Tablespoons butter/margarine 1/2 to 3/4 cup of grated SHARP cheddar Instructions: Combine the milk, water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Be careful!  Remember, that milk will scorch so stir often and don't cook on complete high. Add grits and stir.  Stir occasionally until back to boiling.  Cover.  Time and cook for 5 minutes while covered, stirring often - lowering the temperature almost off so that they don't boil over or scorch.   After cooking 5 minutes, covered, remove from the hot burner.  T...