GOOD TASTE: Homemade Vanilla Extract & Free Printable Labels

Friends, I can't tell you how long making Homemade Vanilla Extract has been on my to-do list. I've been wanting to do this for years. 

GOOD TASTE: Candied Citrus Peel

Making candied citrus peel has been on my list for the longest time.

GOOD TASTE: Pantry Buster Homemade Granola

The other day as I stared into my pantry looking for something to snack on, I realized I had steel cut oats, some cereal that no one was going to finish, and some peanuts and chocolate. I could eat the chocolate and call it a day or whip up some granola.

GOOD TASTE: Easy Pasta with Pink Sauce Recipe

It’s back to school time in a lot of households and that means the schedule starts to get jam packed with activities, homework, and earlier bed times. It also means less time for meal prep. Pasta is always a winner in our house and this Pasta with Pink Sauce is easy to make and delicious. I can whip this up in a half hour and when the schedule is tight, every minute counts.

GOOD TASTE: Cranberry, Apple & Mandarin Orange Conserve

Even though Thanksgiving is a distant memory, my annual Cranberry, Apple & Mandarin Orange Conserve is the perfect side for your holiday table. This super duper easy dish looks festive and pairs perfectly with just about anything.

GOOD TASTE: Los Angeles Times Company Rice

Years and years ago, I was invited to the Los Angeles Times for a luncheon and presented with an autographed copy of Dear S.O.S.: Thirty Years of Recipe Requests by Rose Dosti. Dear S.O.S. was a popular column for years in the Los Angeles Times. Readers would request favorite restaurant recipes and the column would print them. Now there’s Pinterest and other food blogs where we can instantaneously get copycat recipes. But I still cherish this book and this recipe for Company Rice is one of my favorites.

It’s that old-school type of recipe, you  know, with soup and butter. According to the author, this recipe won her “My Best Recipe” prize in 1972! Yup, it’s an oldie but a goodie. Let’s make some…

GOOD TASTE: Sautéed Beet Greens

My beet obsession continues. If you follow along, you may recall, I posted a round up of beet inspiration and then made some yummy and healthy Beet & Apple Salsa. But did you know that originally it was the beet greens that were eaten not the beet root – makes sense I think.

GOOD TASTE: Compound Butter | Brown Sugar & Cinnamon

Compound butter seems to be very popular right now. I’ve been seeing gorgeous blends in magazines and online. Compound butter is a mixture of butter and, well, anything you choose. Common blends are herbs, chives, honey and the version I made, brown sugar & cinnamon.

GOOD TASTE: Japanese Eggplant, Shitake Mushroom & Bok Choy Stir Fry

Today I’m sharing a delicious and nutritious recipe with you. If you like stir fry and Szechwan flavoring, you’ll love this vegetable stir fry.

AU NATURALE: Bird Seed Acorn Cakes

As the weather turns colder, it’s time to remember our little backyard friends. I’ve been wanting to make some bird seed cakes for the longest time and finally took the time to whip some up.

GOOD TASTE: Sloppy Dogs {Kid Friendly Sloppy Joes}

I’ve been making Sloppy Joes like this since my son was little. I think it happened by accident when I was going to make Sloppy Joes but didn’t have any rolls or hamburger buns – but I did have some hot dog buns. That’s the night the Sloppy Dog was born in my house.

GOOD TASTE: Duncan Hines Classic Sock It To Me Cake

If you’re as old as I am, then you might remember this classic Duncan Hines back-of-the box recipe.

GOOD TASTE: Warm Pear, Apple & Pineapple Salsa

Today I’m sharing some Warm Pear Salsa with you. These pears started as my table décor. I love a bowl of beautiful fruit and pears are definitely one of favorites.

GOOD TASTE: Purple Potato Vegetable Medley

I was so excited to see these little purple potatoes at my regular market. It’s always fun to try new things. And these little guys exceeded my expectation with their incredible burst of color.

GOOD TASTE: Sriracha Kale Chips

I’ve been really into Kale lately. It’s so versatile. You can throw it in soups, pasta, casseroles – just about anything. The leaves cook up really quickly and add a dose of healthy to your meal.

GOOD TASTE: Pistachio Pomegranate Granola

I’ve been trying to be healthier and snack on things like veggies, fruit and granola. It irks me every time I buy granola at the market because it’s so darn expensive. And I don’t even get the really good stuff – that’s just too pricey. I finally had some time and made up a batch and it is so good.

GOOD TASTE: Crockpot Shredded Beef {BBQ Beef Sliders}

Crockpot recipes are popular for a good reason. We are all so busy, it’s hard to pull together dinner and eat at a reasonable hour. But with a little planning, you can have a delicious meal when you’re done with work.

BE MY GUEST: Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies by It’s Always Ruetten

Hi there, Homework readers! My name is Julia and I blog at It's Always Ruetten! Thank for having me over! I am really excited to be here today to fill in for a great blogger! It's not everyday that one of my favorite bloggers asks me to step in for them. Thanks, Carolyn for the opportunity to introduce myself to your readers!

 

Over at It's Always Ruetten I blog about DIY projects, handmade cards, my attempts at cooking, and other fun adventures about living in the Southwest!

After checking out my recipe below, I hope you'll hop on over and read more about what I'm all about!

So, onto the reason I'm here today! To share a tasty (seriously, OMG) recipe for Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies! This idea came to me after standing in front of the vending machine at my office, indecisive between the raspberry thumbprint cookies and the peanut butter and cracker sandwiches. All it took was finding an old handwritten recipe of my mom's to kick me into gear!

GOOD TASTE: Homemade Carrot & Banana Dog Biscuits

This is another project that I’ve wanting to make for some time now. I’m trying to give our dog Sammy some healthier treats. She’s getting older and getting less exercise – just like me!

GOOD TASTE: homemade candy round up {valentine’s day}

I know we just wrapped up the holidays and I’m only on day two of my post-holiday diet but Valentine’s Day is coming up. And what would Valentine’s Day be without candy? I’ve rounded up 25 beautiful homemade candy recipes for you. There’s something for eveyone: sweet pastels, dark chocolate, fudge, bark and gummies.

Take a look at all of the beautiful “eye-candy”. You can click through to the original posts for the recipes.

ENJOY