Friday, July 25, 2025

Preserved Lemon Loaf Cake #SummerDessertWeek


Tender cake with a punch of lemony goodness from the preserved lemons used in the batter.  This cake, like many loaf cakes is delicious warm from the oven and continues to stay moist and develop even more flavor in the next day or two.  That is...if it lasts that long!!


Preserved Lemon Loaf

 This is the final day of Summer Dessert Week. I hope you have had as much fun as I....

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Orange Skillet Cake #SummerDessertWeek

This Orange Skillet Cake is chock-full of flavor from the zest and puree of Navel Oranges.  It is a wonderful coffee cake served up as is, or an amazing dessert with the addition of whipped cream or, as I topped it, Orange Sherbet.

Orange Skillet Cake with Sherbet

We are sharing Summer Desserts this week.......

Monday, July 21, 2025

Camping Life-Trip 2-Tobermory, Canada

An ongoing Journal of our Adventures with our Travel Trailer. This trip was July 18-21, 2025.  Destination: Tobermory, Canada.

Day 1-Headed out around 9 and caught the Ferry to Canada from Algonac. It was a little tight for Frank to maneuver the trailer through immigration on the Canadian side of the river. We enjoyed a pleasant drive, stopping about halfway to meet with Jim and Sharon for lunch on the water.

friends at lunch

Beach Street Station in Goderich, was the halfway point to our final destination.  It sits right across from a beautiful park on Lake Huron. The service was excellent and the food was good.  We sat outside enjoying the lovely weather.  The inside of the restaurant is also gorgeous.  The building was once a Train Station that is now converted into a restaurant.

Interior of Camper

We set up camp at Tobermory Village Campground.  This is a very kid-friendly campground, and it was packed.  Tons of kids enjoying the pool, splash pad, playground, paddle boats, kayaks, and pedal go-karts.  

We then headed into town to meet up with the gang from Anchor Bay Scuba, who were staying at the Blue Bay Motel right on the harbor of Bruce Peninsula.  We enjoyed dinner with some of the gang at the Princess Hotel before heading back to the campground. I had a roasted vegetable lentil bowl that was very good, and Frank had fish and chips (Haddock) that he enjoyed.

Day 2-started with the Luths and Wronas joining us at our campsite for breakfast sandwiches, and we made plans on how to spend the day while the others were diving the shipwrecks for which Fathom Five National Park is renowned.

two couples by tour boat

We, along with the Luths, decided to take a glass-bottom boat tour to Flower Pot Island.  It was a 90-minute tour, passing over The Sweepstakes, a very shallow wreck right in the harbor.

The Sweepstakes

It was a gray day, threatening rain, but it stayed dry during our cruise, and the sun even peeked out for a bit.

Flowerpot Island

After the tour, we enjoyed some ice cream.  Then Frank and I went back to the campground, where I finished up a Brownie Pizza and made some Peach Salsa and Ham and Cheese Roll-ups for the annual potluck held in the parking lot of the Blue Bay Motel.  Stay tuned for the salsa and roll-ups recipes.

Potluck Dinner

The rain that threatened arrived right before dinner but we didn't let that stop us from having a great time.

Day 3-arrived with beautiful sunshine and temps in the 70's.  A perfect day.  We started with breakfast at the Princess Hotel with some of the gang who decided to stay back from the morning dives.

Friends at breakfast

When we awoke, I went to make coffee in our brand new Keurig that we bought for the camper, and it would not brew.  I was pretty desperate for some coffee when this photo was taken.  I felt much better after a couple of cups of coffee and Shakshuka.  

People at top of Fire Tower

Jim and I climbed to the top of the Fire Tower, and then we went for a hike in Bruce Peninsula National Park to the Niagara Escarpment overlooking the Georgian Bay.

friends on a hike

We stopped at the Visitor Center to enjoy a short film about the Park and the Fathom Five National Marine Park.  

Sign

We walked through the Museum and then headed back to town to do some shopping.  About halfway through our shopping, we came across the Crows Nest Pub and heard some drinks calling our names.

Pub

We enjoyed some drinks and appetizers sitting on the rooftop patio watching all the tourists wandering around the town.

friends

We visited the remaining tourist traps and then walked along the harbor back to the Tobermory Brewing Company, where we enjoyed lunch.  Frank and I split the BBQ Rib dinner.

Friends at lunch

We headed back to the campground and I grabbed a catnap before Jim and Sharon came to join us for a Campfire Dinner.  It was a perfect day.

Day 4- We packed up in the morning and headed out, meeting the Luths for lunch again at the Beach Street Station.  This time I had the Chicken Shwarma Sandwich. It was okay but nothing to write home about. 

couple by sign

It was another beautiful day.  We are now home, the camper is cleaned and buttoned up, the laundry is in the washer, and I'm sipping a glass of wine as I write this post.  It was a great weekend.








Rhubarb Upside Down Cake #SummerDessertWeek

This cake is easy, delicious, and impressive.  Tender, tart rhubarb is sweetened and caramelized in a cast iron skillet, covered with a citrus-tinged cake, and finished with a crunchy crumble.

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

We are sharing Summer Desserts all week long.......

Sunday, July 20, 2025

Brownie Pizza #SundayFunday

Life doesn't get much easier than this Brownie Pizza.  Boxed mix, topped with canned frosting and sprinkled with fresh fruit.  Simple, Beautiful, and always a hit whenever it is served.

Brownie PIzza

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are celebrating Junk Food today.....

Friday, July 18, 2025

Red Wine Risotto and the Weekly Menu #MoviesandMunchies

Have you watched the Netflix film, Toscana, yet?  We watched it and I enjoyed it so much I decided to choose it for our Movies and Munchies pick this month.

Toscana

It is a wonderful, touching film filled with tons of food inspiration....

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

O is for Overnight Oats

This high-protein, high-fiber breakfast is easily adaptable to your taste.  I used Chocolate Almond Milk and Strawberries, but any milk and/or fruit will work just as well.

Chocolate Strawberry Overnight Oats

O is for Overnight Oats.......

Sunday, July 13, 2025

German Chocolate Cake with Caramelized Coconut Pecan Icing #SundayFunday

Classic German Chocolate Cake. Light, fluffy, and frosted with a delicious Caramelized Icing chock-full of Coconut and Pecans.

German Chocolate Cake

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are Nuts about Pecans today.......

Friday, July 11, 2025

Venison and Green Bean StirFry and the Weekly Menu

Venison steaks, thinly sliced and quickly marinated in Asian flavors, before being stir-fried with fresh Green Beans.  A quick and easy weeknight meal.

Venison and Green Bean Stir Fry

This can also be made with beef, yielding similarly delicious results.

The Wine I Paired with Classic Summer Fare #WinePW

Summertime and the Livin' is Easy.  Here on the Farm our days consist of lounging in the pool and grilling dinner for whoever happens to stop by.  I always try to have a variety of wines available to please any palate, but for my palate, I prefer this hearty red blend from Decoy, especially when it is burgers on the grill.

Wine and Dinner Plate

We are pairing wines with Summer Fare this month......

Thursday, July 10, 2025

A Vatican Cookbook Review for #EattheWorld

When my sister visited Italy, she returned with a wonderful gift for me.  This cookbook, compiled by the Swiss Guard, shares their favorite recipes, as well as those of the Popes who have served in Vatican City.

Vatican City Cookbook

I am getting excited about my upcoming trip to Italy in September, so I chose Vatican City, the smallest Country in the world, as my choice this month as we Eat the World......

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Orange Sherbet #IceCreamSocial

Only 3 ingredients, an ice cream maker, and a little bit of time provide you with this sweet treat that will have you reminiscing about those push-ups that you adored as a child.

Orange Sherbet

Welcome to our Ice Cream Social.......

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

PÄ…czki na Parze (Polish Steamed Donuts) #BreadBakers

These sweet little desserts are called PÄ…czki because I filled them with jam.  You can also use the same recipes, sans filling and topping, to make savory dumplings, called Kluski na Parze. Parze means steamed.

Paczki na Parze

The Bread Bakers are steaming today.......

Sunday, July 6, 2025

Pasta with Sweet Corn Pesto #SundayFunday

This Pasta dish is tossed with a delicious Sweet Corn Pesto.  It makes a wonderful Meatless Entree, taking advantage of the fresh garden produce available right now.

 
Pasta with Sweet Corn Pesto

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are celebrating National Corn Month.......

Friday, July 4, 2025

Brunswick Stew, an Invitation, and the Weekly Menu #LitHappens

Happy Independence Day!!  I think today is a great day to introduce a very funny, yet serious book about the Country in which we live today.  

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books

This novel will make you laugh and make you cry, but most importantly, this novel will make you pause and think.  

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

N is for Nuts

Raw cashews tossed with maple syrup and spices, then roasted to a golden brown.  A delicious sweet/spicy treat.

Sweet and Spicy Cashews

N is for nuts......

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Preserved Lemon Hummus

This quick, easy dip is loaded with flavor from the preserved lemons.  Sure to be a hit at your next gathering or enjoyed as a snack or light lunch.

Preserved Hummus