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

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

Pickled peppers and a few vegetables mix together to become one of those classic sub sandwich condiments. Plus, a few tips for successful pickling adventures this season. I was supposed to share these on Wednesday for the pickling party, but instead, I found myself wanting to sit a bit longer around the dinner table, taking a walk through the neighborhood with the kids and being grateful that I had the opportunity to clean up after all of them. I thought a lot about how I often put off family activities... more

This month in the Eat Well, Spend Less series we’re looking at summer entertaining, and I’ll be taking a look at how to entertain in small spaces comfortably and with ease. My husband and I enjoy entertaining and always have. We invited over 300 family members to our picnic-style reception, where we provided the food with the help of my loving mother and her sisters. One week after my son was born, we had 50 people over to a backyard “meet the baby” barbecue at our college... more

A sweet and tangy watermelon lime sorbet is a great way to cool off in the summer. As a bonus, this recipe is frozen back in the watermelon rind and cut off into slices. It’s hot. The type of heat where when you step outside the door and your skin is wet before the door swings shut behind you. It’s a hot that hangs in the air, letting you breathe it in, that is cured only by two things: being completely immersed in water or hiding indoors, the air conditioning cranked as far as it... more

These red, white and blue cheesecake-stuffed strawberries come together in minutes and are perfect for festive Fourth of July treats. They’ll be the hit of your backyard barbecue or potluck picnic this weekend. Yesterday I packed up the car with the kids and headed towards the Minneapolis Farmers Market. This isn’t anything new. We can often be found browsing the vendor stalls while holding hands and maneuvering the crowds of people, trying to stay relatively together and decide which... more

Summer is here. Cool off and take refuge from the sun with some homemade ginger ale, perfect for sitting by the pool, with rum as a cocktail or with dinner on the patio. (Note to self: finish patio construction.) Most days, my mornings are hectic. I get up to the sound of Ole’s alarm going off. I push him until he gets up, and then I sit in bed thinking about how responsible it would be of me to get up with him and start my day. Instead, I try to savor the low spot in the middle of our... more