Home & Living

With several years of baking experience, I have made several date puddings successfully. I found this version of this dessert quite appealing as it calls for the addition of ginger and lovely spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. This recipe is quite versatile as the pudding can be baked in individual portions, in a springform cake pan, or in a bundt pan as I did. You will need to adjust the baking times in the oven for individual portions. A portion of the sauce can be saved for later so that it warms the cake as well when it’s time to serve. This allows individuals to add their own desired amount of caramel sauce. This elegant dessert is very simple to prepare and will make you quite the popular baker yourself.

The Recipe

I would like to thank Kylie Flavell for making this delectable dessert from her website. According to Kylie, the amount of sugar used for this recipe can be adjusted if you prefer a little less. This is due to the fact there is already a good amount of sweetness in the dates and the sauce. If you are interested in more wonderful recipes like this, please feel free to check out more of her tasty recipes.

The Ingredients

For the Cake:

1 1/2 Cups Dates
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Ginger
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 – 2/3 Cup of Boiling Water
7 Tablespoons Butter for Cake (Plus a Little Extra to Grease the Pan if You Aren’t Using Baking Paper)
2/3 Cup Sugar for Cake
2 Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract
Zest of an Orange
1/2 Cups of flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
3 Shakes of Cinnamon
1 Shake of Nutmeg

For the Sauce:

9 Tablespoons Butter
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2/3 Cup Heavy Cream
A Pinch of Salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preparing the Dates

Chop and pit dates and place in a bowl. Finely chop ginger and add to the dates. Then add the baking soda, cover with boiling water, and leave the dates to soften for an hour.

Later on, check on the dates and see if they can be mashed into a thick textured consistency with a fork. If find that they are still too hard, you can lightly blend them in a blender, allowing several date pieces to remain. Make sure not to remove the water, you will need it to blend the dates, and also it has the baking soda in it that you need for the baking process.

Preheat the Oven

Grease or line your bundt pan with baking paper and preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit.

Mixing the Ingredients for the Date Pudding

Cream butter and sugar until pale and soft in a mixing bowl or with a wooden spoon. Add the two eggs, one at a time, beating well between each one. Add the vanilla and orange zest and mix. Next, sift the flour, baking powder, and spices into the batter. Gently fold the date mixture into the batter.

Pour into your bundt pan and cook for 30-40 minutes or until your cake becomes fragrant and just lightly golden.

Making the Sauce

In a medium saucepan, simmer the butter, brown sugar, and cream, stirring occasionally until it bubbles into caramel. At this point, add a pinch of salt. If you find that your sugar doesn’t dissolve and crystallizes and the butter separates, something has gone wrong and you should start over again rather than adding more butter and hoping it will come okay.

Now for the Finishing Touches

After removing the cake from the oven, it will be fragile at this point. Just leave it to cool and firm up before removing it from the pan. Meanwhile, if you would like, you can go ahead and drizzle the sauce through the cake, you can skewer little holes into the cake and then pour over some of the sauce so that it infuses the whole pudding. I skipped this step and just poured some of the sauce over the top while saving some to serve on the side for later.

If you didn’t add the sauce inside the cake and you are ready to serve, just taste the sauce after it has cooled and check to see if it needs more salt to your liking. You can gently reheat it and pour it into a pitcher to serve on the table. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (as I prefer) and extra sauce.

When Jay and I moved into our home here in Western Maine almost ten years ago, it was during the month of November. Being that it was fall already, we didn’t get a full picture as to what type of flowers we had growing in our newly acquired gardens. It wasn’t until the following spring, did we discover the many types of beautiful blooms we had inherited. I have to say one of the most pleasant surprises, was that of our several peonies plants. I’m not certain what variety of peonies they are but they are sure beautiful. Every spring I look forward to enjoying their beautiful pink color and fragrant perfume.

After a few years, I decided to plant several other species of flowers and would love to incorporate more peonies into my other gardens. I recently had a new gardening book come into my possession. Cutting Gardens by the National Home Gardening Club is part of a collection of five volumes. This is a beautifully illustrated book with detailed instructions on how to grow a garden that will in return provide beautiful flowers to cut for your home. It has an informative section on peonies and has become a wonderful addition to my library.

I hope you find the information below useful and find the same enjoyment I have from these lovely flowers.

About Peonies

Peonies are flowering plants in the genus Paeonia, the only genus in the family Paeoniaceae. The Paeonia genus contains more than 30 species and hundreds of varieties, some of which have been in cultivation for thousands of years, originally in China. Peonies are native to Asia, Europe, and Western North America.

These breathtaking blooms are dependable perennials that come back every year for your to enjoy for generations. In fact, the plants may live longer than you with little attention and some have been known to thrive for at least 100 years. These flowers bloom from late spring through early summer, depending on your location and the variety of peonies that you are growing. They are hardy to zone 3 and grow well as far south as zones 7 and 8. In most of the U.S., the rules for successful blooms are simple: make sure to provide full sun and well-drained soil. Peonies also relish cold winters, because they need chilling for bud formation.

As cut flowers, peonies have no rivals. Alone or in mixed arrangements, they have an elegant natural beauty and an exquisite, unforgettable fragrance.

When is the Best Time to Cut Peonies?

In order to keep your peonies fresher and longer, it is important to know when and how to do so. Peonies can be long-lasting flowers in an arrangement if cut at the right time.

The stages of blooms are called:

1. Marble-like Stage (hard & tight)

2. Marshmallow Stage (soft & squishy)

3. Early Blooming Stage (just beginning to bloom)

4. Fully Open Stage (fully open flowers)

The right time to harvest these flowers is in the marshmallow stage. If harvested in this stage, you will get six to seven days in an arrangement, and up to ten in ideal conditions. Typically, if you cut the flowers at the fully open stage, they will only last two to three days at the most. This is okay for your own personal use, especially if you are displaying them for an event or for your own enjoyment. However, you would definitely not want to give away any cut flowers at this stage.

The Best Time of Day for Cutting Peonies

The best time of day for cutting these flowers is in the morning when they are fully hydrated. Try to cut them when the morning dew has evaporated, especially if you plan to store your peony stems. Any extra moisture can contribute to the molding of the blooms during storage. Make sure to harvest on a dry day, instead of a rainy or misty day, for the same reasons. The extra moisture can cause future problems.

Cutting Peonies Stems

Before you cut your peony blooms, make sure that your cutting shears are clean and sharp. Reach down into the plant and cut stems at about eighteen inches on an angle. Find the peony stems with buds in the marshmallow stage. There may be side buds as well on these blooms and that’s okay. They’ll just bloom a little later.

If you leave a few sets of leaves from each stem remaining on the plant, this will help to provide energy for new flower production for the following spring. After cutting, strip the bottom leaves from the stem, leaving only several leaves at the top of the stem. Then place them directly into a clean container of lukewarm water.

Caring for Your Blooms

Once you have cut your peonies, you will find that they prefer a cool environment. They will last longer in a vase in a cooler location out of direct sunlight. You can try keeping your blooms in the fridge overnight as well. Also, make sure to change the water in a vase regularly. Every few days is a good choice for providing your blooms with fresh tepid water or cool water.

How Long Will Cut Peonies Last?

If you follow the tips mentioned above for cutting peonies at the proper stage of development, you will find that your blooms will have a much longer life in your arrangements. Once the cut peony buds are placed into a warm environment and placed in water, they will begin to gradually open and start blooming. The bloom time will be anywhere from five to ten days in ideal conditions. With the proper care, cut peonies can last for you to enjoy.

A Few More Tips for Cutting Peonies

Now, you may have found yourself in the same boat as me this season. I wasn’t planning on cutting my peonies this season because I didn’t get a chance to get out there in time. The majority of them were fully bloomed and of course, we were expecting a great deal of rain. I decided to do a photoshoot with them and time was of the essence. Here are a few more situations and tips on how to handle them.

What If My Peonies Already Bloomed?

When temperatures warm up, these flowers will burst open super fast. If you find that your peonies are fully open, this is the perfect time to cut them. Even though they won’t last for long in an arrangement, you will at least be able to enjoy them for a short time. What do you have to lose?

What If a Rainstorm is Coming?

If you are expecting a significant amount of rainfall, you should cut your blooms since the rain will wind up knocking them over anyway. This way, you’ll still get a few days of flowers! Once again, to cut your blooms in these situations, make sure to go down the stem and cut on a diagonal, leaving some leaves on the bottom. Just remember that you’re not going to have as many days of vase life as if you had cut your peonies in the marshmallow stage.

I actually had a pleasant experience with my peonies. Even though they were already opened, I kept them in the fridge overnight and changed the water frequently and they lasted far more than I thought they would. For almost two weeks! I will explain why and where I kept my arrangement below.

Here are a few photographs from my impromptu photoshoot.

Here is a photograph with my feline assistant. He loves when I take the camera out and he always seems to find his way into my indoor photo sessions. Anyway, as I mentioned above, I have to keep any sort of flower arrangements that I make high up and out of harm’s way. As you may know, cats can be curious and many blooms are a big no-no to have within easy reach in your home. Peonies are no exception. These popular springtime flowers contain paeonol, a toxin known to be harmful to cats and dogs. If ingested, peonies can cause mild to moderate poisoning. Some common signs to watch for would be gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, and diarrhea. It is important to remember to keep these beautiful flowers out of reach in regard to our furry family members.

I also recently purchased a variety of peonies seeds and plan to plant them this coming fall season. Hopefully, along with the help of more garden design ideas and growing tips from my new book, I’ll be able to grow more peonies from seed successfully. Eventually, this will bring me even more peonies for more colorful arrangements.

Planting in the early fall will give the seeds their obligatory warm moist treatment, as well as the cold treatment of winter followed by the warming of spring months. It will take quite a while for them to grow (about 3-5 years). I suppose the most beautiful things are worth waiting for and hopefully, my growing peonies from seed won’t be an exception. I hope to share my successful growing news in the future. Stay tuned!

A couple of years ago, Jay and I attended a book sale that our local library was hosting. We decided to go as I’m always on the hunt for new reads and I indeed found a great many books that day. Along with many interesting finds, I found The Little Paris Bookshop: A Novel by Nina George. I finally got to this book at the beginning of this summer and have to say that I was pleasantly surprised after reading this engaging novel. The story started a bit slow but after a few chapters, I was drawn to its adventurous story. When the story was all finished, the author included a few recipes at the end of the book that celebrates the diverse cuisine of the Provence region of France. One of the recipes that caught my eye was for lavender ice cream. I thoroughly enjoy the scent of lavender and I just so happen to have been growing these flowers in one of my gardens for years. Did you know that the lavender plant, a fragrant flower, is also an edible herb? You can use lavender to add flavor to baked goods and to an array of other recipes. There are several health benefits of eating lavender, including upping your intake of vitamins and minerals and protecting your body from antioxidants and stress. We also have an ice cream maker so perhaps this was fate that I attempt to make this appealing-sounding recipe.

Along with the many benefits of eating lavender in small amounts, there are many benefits of growing lavender. These flowers attract beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies, as well as other pollinators and beneficial insects. With the decline in bee populations, I like knowing that I have planted these flowers that bees enjoy and help them to thrive.

The Recipe

First off, you may be wondering, what does lavender taste like? As to be expected, lavender has a floral taste, but it also contributes a hint of mint flavor to recipes. It is also important to remember that a little goes a long way as it can overpower a dish. This is because lavender contains linalool, which is a floral and spicy terpene alcohol found in many many flowers and spice plants. Some individuals may find that lavender has a soapy taste while others feel it is quite calming.

If you ever get to enjoy this ice cream in a small town setting in France, you will often find this recipe is made without blueberries and is white with purple speckles in appearance. If you want to achieve a more intense purple color for your own homemade ice cream, you can try using food coloring, steeping lavender in hot water until the water is purple then straining the liquid, or experimenting with different amounts of blueberry juice as a dye. I used both the blueberries and the juice. Personally, I found that the blueberries or their juice didn’t really change the color of my ice cream. Although it didn’t do anything for the color, it complemented the other flavors nicely.

Also, although this recipe didn’t call for it, I added honey and vanilla extract for a richer and more luscious taste. These sweet flavors with the addition of lavender buds and flowers from my flower garden made for a winning flavor combination.

The Ingredients

4 Servings

1-2 Teaspoons Dried Lavender or 2-4 Teaspoons Lavender Flowers (Freshly Picked or Organic), Plus Lavender Flowers for Garnish
1 Cup Sugar
8 Tablespoons Fresh Milk
8 Eggs Yolks
1 Cup Cream (Yogurt, if You Prefer It To Be Lighter)
1 Handful of Blueberries for Coloring (Optional)

* I used 1 teaspoon each of honey and vanilla extract as an experiment and it paid off. My lavender ice cream turned out deliciously.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preparing the Mixture

In a small bowl, blend the lavender and sugar. Then push through a sieve until you have a fine powder. I chose to use a Cuisinart food processor instead and achieved the same result. Next, dissolve the lavender powder until you no longer get a “crunch” from the crystals. At this point, you may need to heat the mixture, slightly without boiling. I ended up heating my mixture for a few minutes and it turned out perfectly.

In a separate bowl, beat together the egg yolks, and cream (or yogurt) until smooth. Stir the lavender milk into the egg cream and then mix thoroughly.

If you are using them, puree the blueberries and add them to color the mixture. Perhaps you will have better luck with this than I did.

Making the Ice Cream

Place the mixture in an ice cream maker or you can also leave it to set in a freezer compartment, making sure to stir occasionally. I used a Cuisinart ice cream maker and being that it was about 78° Fahrenheit and extremely humid inside the house it took about half an hour for the mixture to become ice cream. I’m not sure if this was due to it being summertime and like an inferno in here or if this is the normal amount of time. If you are using this type of ice cream maker, you will find that there is no timer and you have to gauge if the process is complete through observation and your own desired consistency. Also, here’s a quick tip, if you are using this type of ice cream maker, make sure to freeze the double-insulated freezer bowl well in advance. This will cut down on churning time and help you to achieve the consistency that you are looking for.

Once you have finished the ice cream-making process, garnish with lavender flowers for decoration and serve. Voila!

The Recipe

While searching for crab cake recipes to prepare, I found an easy version using canned crabmeat. It consists of only a few steps and makes for a wonderful treat anytime of year or for a summery feel as though you were on a beachy vacation. Simple to prepare and chock full of flavor, these crab cakes are perfect for easy weeknight dinners or elegant dinner parties.

The Ingredients

I would like to thank Taste of Home for the recipe for these tasty crab cakes. As a side note, the original instructions didn’t call for Old Bay seasoning and I think the addition of this extra flavor gave these cakes the little kick they needed. Also, if you find that your cakes are too dry as you are preparing them, go ahead and add some extra mayonnaise. I also must give thanks to Jenn Segal from once upon a chef for the perfect tartar sauce that can be made quickly. Both of these recipes complement each other well. They are a breeze to prepare and make for a wonderful side dish or main meal.

For the Tartar Sauce:

1 Cup Mayonnaise
1-1/2 Tablespoons Sweet Pickle Relish
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Minced Red Onion
1-2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, To Taste
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

For the Crab Cakes:

1 Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs, Divided
2 Green Onions, Finely Chopped
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Sweet Red Pepper
1 Large Egg, Lightly Beaten
1/4 Cup Reduced-Fat Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/8 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
2 Cans (6 Ounces Each) Crabmeat, Drained, Flaked and Cartilage Removed
1 Tablespoon Butter

Step-by-Step Instructions

Combine the Crab Cake Ingredients

In a large bowl, combine 1/3 cup of bread crumbs, green onions, red pepper, egg, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic powder, and cayenne; fold in the crab.

Preparing the Crab Cakes

Begin by placing the remaining bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Then divide the mixture into eight portions and shape them into two-inch balls. Next, gently coat them in the bread crumbs and shape them into 1/2-inch thick patties.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Finally, add crab cakes; cook until golden brown, this should take about three to four minutes on each side.

Making the Tartar Sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, onion, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, to your liking. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!

It wasn’t until my mid-twenties that I came to appreciate the rich taste and creamy texture of Guinness. This unique beer is more than just a well-known Irish stout to enjoy at a bar. It’s also a great ingredient to use in cooking, baking, and other sweet treats. It has a malty sweetness and a hoppy bitterness, with notes of coffee and chocolate. It’s a favorite ingredient used to elevate the taste of your favorite recipes. Today’s recipe combines the best of two worlds, Guinness and vanilla ice cream. To finish, it’s topped with whipped cream and a pinch of nutmeg that ties all of these wonderful flavors together.

The Recipe

This recipe uses canned Guinness draught stout versus the available bottled variety. I find the cans much better tasting than the latter version. The cans are as close as you’re going to get to the experience of drinking a proper pint at a pub. With just a few extra sweet ingredients, you’ll have yourself a nice dessert; just in time for St. Paddy’s Day! I would like to thank Rachael Ray Every Day for this simple, yet delectable treat.

The Ingredients

1 Scoop Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
1 14.9 Ounce Can Guinness
Whipped Cream, for Topping
Dash Nutmeg

Step-by-Step Instructions

Place the ice cream in a large soda-fountain glass or a glass beer mug. Fill the glass with the Guinness. Top with whipped cream and add a dash of nutmeg.

With Valentine’s Day and chocolate going hand in hand, I thought this would be the perfect time to prepare a dessert for my very own valentine, Jay. I decided to make this chocolate mousse recipe. It includes fresh raspberries and makes use of the color red, which of course is perfect for this special day of celebrating love. This recipe is straightforward and with just a few steps, you will swear this is the most delicious mousse you’ve ever enjoyed.

The Recipe

I would like to thank Melanie at Garnish & Glaze for inspiring me to make this decadent dessert. The rich and fluffy texture of the mousse combined with the sweet and delicate taste of the raspberries makes for a real crowd-pleaser. For a lovely garnish, all you need to do is add a dollop of whipped cream, more raspberries, and yet even more chocolate! This also makes for a nice dessert for after a romantic dinner with your sweetie, dinner parties, or a sweet treat for any of the chocolate lovers in your life!

The Ingredients

2 Packages (6 Ounces Each) Raspberries, Divided
2 Cups Heavy Cream, Divided
4 Egg Yolks
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
8 Ounces Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, Chopped
Whipped Cream
Chocolate Curls Shavings

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Place one package of raspberries into a blender or food processor and add 1/2 cup cream.

2. Puree the mixture until raspberries are completely broken down.

3. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a small saucepan.

4. Pour puree into a sieve.

5. Push the puree through the sieve into a saucepan using a rubber spatula or ladle and then discard seeds.

6. Heat puree mixture over medium heat until just beginning to steam. Make sure not to overcook.

7. Set the pure mixture aside.

8. Place four eggs into the bowl of a stand mixer.

9. Whisk for about three minutes until yolks are thickened.

10. Add 1/2 cup sugar gradually while continuing to whisk.

11. Stream half of the warm puree mixture into the egg mixture while continuing to whisk.

12. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining puree mixture.

13. Cook over medium-low heat while stirring constantly until thickened, about seven minutes.

14. Stir in one teaspoon vanilla extract.

15. Remove from heat.

16. Add one-third of chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.

17. Add half of the remaining chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.

18. Cover the chocolate mixture.

19. Chill chocolate mixture in the refrigerator for one to two hours and make sure to stir every twenty to thirty minutes to help speed up cooling.

20. Whisk remaining one and a half cups heavy cream to stiff peaks.

21. Stir one-third of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until smooth.

22. Fold remaining whipped cream gently into the chocolate mixture. Do not over mix.

23. Pipe or spoon mousse into small glasses or jars.

24. Cover and refrigerate for a least two hours until ready to serve.

25. Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and fresh raspberries. Enjoy!