It’s mid-June, my lavender is blooming. The butterflies love it, the bees love it and I love it! I like to leave lots of flowering stems on my plants for the wildlife and harvest the rest. There are tons of crafts to make with lavender, it’s extremely versatile. So, it’s good to decide what you want to do with your harvested lavender before you pick it, since some crafts require fresh lavender while others do not. Lavender bags or sachets … continued…

Contests & Giveaways Decorating Tips DIY Gardening Pam Freeman

Every now and then I feel I have to share some of my best finds. This post was inspired by something new (item number 1 below) that I now can’t live without — and got me thinking about other ways I’ve gone green over the years. “Going Green” is an ever-evolving process. I want to hear from you all about what new “green” products have made your own “must have” list.   1. Reusable Bags. We’re all getting these from … continued…

Barb Freda Contests & Giveaways Tips, Tools & Techniques

Here’s what I had: eye of round, some basil, fresh mozzarella and tomato. Next I knew, I had a hot “caprese” cheesesteak sandwich in hand. This uses simple ingredients, everything goes onto the grill, the kitchen stays cool and everyone is happy.   Prep time: 5 minutes plus about 1 hour for marinating Cook time: About 6 minutes Serves 4   12 ounces Laura’s Lean Beef Eye of Round steak, thinly sliced and pounded thin 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil … continued…

caprese cheesesteak sandwich
Barb Freda Contests & Giveaways Healthy, Delicious Recipes Heart Healthy Summer Grilling

I grew up loving the movie Gone with the Wind. I named my pet bunny after the character, Ashley. I quoted the lines constantly and I read the book over and over again. It’s in those pages that I was first introduced to the herb, lemon verbena. In the book, Ellen O’Hara (Scarlett O’Hara’s mother) loved the fragrance of this herb. And Scarlett always remembered her mother by this scent. As an adult with my own herb garden, lemon verbena … continued…

Contests & Giveaways Gardening Pam Freeman

In honor of Egg Day, I thought it would only be fitting to talk about how to make the best hard-boiled egg. I figure you’ll be headed to more than one picnic with deviled eggs, right? So first the method, then five ideas to gussy up those deviled eggs.   The reason I’m writing about hard-boiled eggs is to save us all from the overcooked gray/green yolks that so many people get–yolks so hard and gray they might double as … continued…

Barb Freda Entertaining Ideas Summer Grilling Tips, Tools & Techniques

In my Spring Into Fitness post from March, I mentioned that Spring is my favorite time of the year to exercise outdoors. Flowers start to bloom and the weather is perfect for enjoying time outside. As much as I love walking and jogging, I like to take advantage of other outdoor exercise options to avoid getting bored with my regular routine. A great way to do this is to head to a park with a walking trail. Not only do … continued…

Contests & Giveaways Fitness Judy Eggebeen

I love garlic — it appears in a lot of my recipes, I know. Caesar salad combines that garlic flavor with another favorite, Parmesan cheese. I may be gilding the lily a bit with the garlic toast burger buns, but what can I say? It works.   1 pound Laura’s 96% Lean Ground Sirloin Salt and Pepper to taste Sprinkle of garlic powder 4 rolls sliced open 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 clove garlic, peeled 4 tablespoons creamy Caesar dressing … continued…

Ceasar Burger
Barb Freda Contests & Giveaways Healthy, Delicious Recipes Summer Grilling

Could a glass of wine each day really help keep the doctor away? That sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? According to years of research and multiple studies, it does appear that moderate amounts of alcohol (especially red wine) could help lower the risk of many diseases. Red wine is the most beneficial due to the antioxidants in the skin of the purple and red grapes. Red wine ferments longer than white wine and that process further increases … continued…

Healthy Habits Jenny Kramer, RD

I was inspired to try this on beef when I saw a friend use the same preparation for pork tenderloin. I finished it slightly different, but I still love the results. The onions and mushrooms to finish this are cooked in the same skillet while the roast rests before cutting. (Note: This makes awesome roast beef for sandwiches the next day.) Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: About 45 minutes Serves 6   1 (1.5 pound) Laura’s Lean Beef Eye … continued…

Barb Freda Healthy, Delicious Recipes Heart Healthy

I love mixing fruit flavors with mustard – especially with fruit that is coming into season. If you are lucky, you’ve already gotten to enjoy some early peaches. I gave the flank steak a similar treatment to cooking brisket, but faster. If you want to really play on the peach theme, grill or broil some fresh peach halves to serve alongside of the steak. Prep time: about 5 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Serves 6   1 Laura’s Lean Beef … continued…

Flank Steak with Mustard and Peach
Barb Freda Healthy, Delicious Recipes Memorable Meals