Honey-sweetened lemongrass soda brings a delightful zip to any party, especially when it’s a baby shower for a few Peas and Their Pod. Soft fuzzy skin and sweet-smelling heads. Tiny little fingers that grasp on tightly when you place your finger in their palm. They way they curl into themselves, looking so vulnerable and Even the little cries that come from newborns sound so different than the demanding cries they start emitting just a few months later. It’s no secret that I have a soft... more

1 cup water 1/2 cup honey 4 tablespoons chopped lemongrass club soda Add water, honey and lemongrass to a saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat stirring frequently until bubbles start forming on the outside wall of the pan but the liquid is not boiling.  Reduce heat to medium or medium low and continue cooking down the liquid for another 10 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain the syrup to remove lemongrass pieces and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator... more

Nearly a year ago now (9 months is close to a year, no?) Kjell was in the hospital. I sat next to him. It meant time away from my family, time away from work, time away from my house and my three other kids. The implications on a mom who runs their own business were huge. It was terrifyingly hard as a mom. It was stressful as a freelancer. When we left the hospital we faced weeks and months of returning there for tests, which was heartbreaking as a parent, not to mention time consuming, which meant... more

This month’s Eat Well, Spend Less topic is all about back-to-school, from breakfast to creative lunch ideas to easy snacks to last-minute dinners. We’re breaking down the process of how to feed those school-bound mouths. In exactly 13 days, I will be getting ready to pack the first school lunches of the year. This year, Lene is joining the ranks of school-bound kids, which leaves me with three lunches that need packing five times a week. While this can be a bit overwhelming, I instead... more

A honey-sweetened jam made with summer raspberries, fresh peaches and Gewürztraminer white wine for a bit of added complexity and fun. Too much to do. I’m desperately trying to fit in as much as possible into the last weeks of summer. Suddenly it was here, and I wasn’t ready for it. Where did the blueberry-picking season go to? Where have all the raspberries gone? Did they run off while I was gallivanting in Pennsylvania? Did they sneak under the rug while I pulled tomato blight leaves... more

2 cups raspberries, washed, dried and smashed 2 cups peaches, peeled and puréed 2/3 cup Gewürztraminer 3 tablespoons lemon juice 3 tablespoons no-sugar pectin 1 cup raw honey (light like clover or sandalwood) 1/2 teaspoon butter, optional (helps with foaming) Combine raspberries, peaches and Gewürztraminer in a large saucepan. Stir in lemon juice, pectin, honey and butter. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil hard for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Pack into sterilized jars, wipe rims and... more

This peanut butter pie is creamy, chocolatey and everything you’d expect from a peanut butter pie. Made specifically for Mikey Perillo, as requested by his wife, Jennie, it will forever serve as a reminder to hold those closest to you daily and tell them how much you love them. I’ve been staring at the screen since Monday, unable to find the words. Writer’s block isn’t necessarily a new thing, but that’s not what I’m suffering from. Instead, there is only a heart,... more