Flaky Nectarine Pie | The Biggest Little Farm #FoodnFlix

Have you ever cried watching a documentary about farming? I mean, if you had, it'd be okay. I mean, we've all done it. Right? No? Just me? That's fine. I'm okay with possibly being the only person who cried while watching this month's Food 'n Flix selection...a documentary...called The Biggest Little Farm. The Biggest Little Farm tracks the life of John and Molly Chester as they start on the daunting "adventure" of a lifetime in 2010. And as John tells us in the film, it all begins with a promise to their rescue dog, Todd {sniff}.

Peaches 'n Cream Stuffed French Toast

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Land O' Lakes, Inc. All opinions are my own.

Summer...lounging by the pool, fresh produce everywhere you turn, glowing skin, cook-outs and bonfires...longer days to connect with family and friends. Sunshine and beautiful days are glorious things. But there's a dark side too all of that sunshine too, and it manifests itself in butter dishes on kitchen counters across the country in the form of a pool of melted butter.

Yogurt Plum Coffee Cake

Let me ask you a question. Do you eat coffee cake for breakfast or for dessert? I've always thought of it as an a.m. food—surely because that's how we ate it in my house growing up. It's just like having a Danish or something. A nice slice alongside your...duh...coffee!

I only ask because I've noticed a fair amount of people who consider coffee cake dessert here in this wide world of food blogging. Is it a regional thing? A family-specific thing? A who-gives-a-f*ck thing? (I'm guessing that last one is the majority.) For me, it will always be a breakfast or brunch offering, though.

Cake in the morning just makes sense anyway. You know, more hours to burn it off.

Fresh Peach and Whiskey Ice Cream

I've got a double-whammy to share with you today—Eat a Peach Day and this month's round of she made, ella hace with my friend Leslie from La Cocina de Leslie! Two reasons for one delicious post. Well, I guess it's actually two since both Leslie and I are sharing a recipe. Hmmm, so maybe it's a triple-whammy. Or would that make it a quadruple-whammy? I'll let you ponder that (or not) while I turn my attention to PEACHES!

My kids went back to school this past week, but we still have another month of summer to go—that means tons of fresh produce is still rolling in. My kitchen looks a little ridiculous right now. My counters and table are overrun by tomatoes, chiles, zucchini and yellow squash, corn on the cob, and green beans. I'm not even the one with a garden, my neighbors are. Not that I'm complaining (much), but I find myself without any space in my teeny-tiny kitchen to prepare or put it all up!

So what do I do? Hit up the market and roadside stands for deep ruby plums and fuzzy peaches. You know, so I can fill in the tiny gaps and form teetering pyramids. The fruit disappears in a flash, though, so I had to snag a couple of those peaches to make this ice cream. Yeah, I'm still in full-on ice cream mode, too.

Sweet Tea Peach Popsicles (with or without Peach Bourbon)

I originally shared this recipe in a post that I wrote for Mrs. Happy Homemaker just after she unexpectedly lost the love of her life. The popsicles are made from ingredients that reminded me of the time I had just spent with Crystal two months before...along with her husband Michael.

That being said, these popsicles are a refreshing frozen summer treat - with a Southern twist that anybody can enjoy, but if you have a few moments, I hope you'll drop my original post at Mrs. Happy Homemaker to read about the inspiration behind these Sweet Tea Peach Popsicles!

Peach-Rosemary Shrub Syrup

I've been meaning to try making (and drinking) a shrub for at least 3 or 4 years now. I'm not really sure why I've waited so long, seeing as they couldn't be any easier to make. So, when you think shrub, does your mind automatically go to the bushes outside your childhood home? Or, if you're like me, a little TLC song might start playing on a constant loop in your head. (Yes, I know it's scrub, not shrub. I can't help the way my mind works.) What I'm really referring to are the shrubs that are also known as "drinking vinegars".

Basically, you macerate fresh fruit or berries with sugar until the fruit is soft and the sugar is dissolved, then you add vinegar and allow the mixture to infuse for several days. You can add fresh herbs or spices for different flavors. Once the mixture has infused, you strain out the solids and use the resulting sweet and tangy syrup to flavor things, usually drinks (though you could use it in vinaigrettes or sauces, as well).

Whole Roasted Trout w/ Sake and Plums inspired by Flask of the Drunken Master

I'm so excited to be hosting a tour stop for Susan Spann's latest release in her Shinobi Mystery series today. I'll admit, it was initially the title that drew me in: Flask of the Drunken Master. I hadn't read (or even heard of) the books before, but I'm a huge kung-fu fan, and Drunken Master is one of my favorite kung-fu flicks, so I couldn't wait to read the book. Now, there's actually no kung-fu involved in the book, and it's set in Japan, not China...fortunately, that didn't stop me from enjoying every minute of it!

So, I mentioned that this book is actually part of a series; it's book three. I ordered the first two books in the series with the intention of reading them before this one, but time got away from me and I didn't get the chance. Now that I've read Flask of the Drunken Master, I can't wait to go back and get caught up with the first two books, but my experience wasn't lacking for not having read them already. It can stand on it's own if you want to dive right in.

Flask is a mystery set in Japan in the year 1565. Our main characters are the Hiro, a translator who, unbeknownst to most, is actually a shibobi (ninja), and Portuguese Jesuit Father Mateo. Together they are working to prove sake brewer Ginjiro innocent of the crime of murder, and find the real killer before he is executed for the crime.

Red Fruit Salad

Red. The color of love and passion. It's bold. It's exciting. It draws the most eyes in any crowd. It disappears first in any candy jar. So, while it's important to eat the rainbow in order to get the best variety of nutrients and antioxidants, sometimes you just have to throw caution to the wind and embrace the intensity that is RED!

Who doesn't go crazy for sweet, juicy red fruit and berries at their peak? Who else has to purchase an extra pint of wild strawberries from the farmers market...just so that you'll actually have some left by the time you get home?

I've probably mentioned it a time or five before—for me, there's no season like cherry season. Is it wrong to eat one's weight in cherries? I think not.

Blueberry Peach Pie w/ Cornmeal Streusel and Crust | #FridayPieDay

'Tis the season to snatch up all the ripe, juicy fruits and berries I can get my hands on! Seriously, I go a little nuts when I hit the farmers market and see stacks and cartons piled high with beautiful jewel-toned orbs, big and small. My thinking switch turns off, and my impulse switch gets stuck in the on position. That's all fine and dandy until I get home and realize what I've done.

We do our best to eat that bounty before it gets too ripe, but oftentimes, I still find myself wondering how to use it all. Kidding! I'm making pie every time. Fruit pies put smiles on people's faces and sunshine in their souls. Duh.

And, since today is the last Friday of the month, that means it's time to celebrate Friday PieDay here at All Roads Lead to the Kitchen. I'm not sure if you noticed or not, but I neglected to share a pie with you last month; don't even get me going on May again (aka hell month). I think this blueberry-peach pie will make up for that.

Muesli Rolls | #BreadBakingBabes

I'm quite sure that I have no idea how we've hit the midway point in June already. But somehow today is the 16th, and that means it's time for another Bread Baking Babes challenge reveal! This month, Karen from Bake My Day! told us that it was "time to get rolling" with a breakfast roll of champions that is packed full of seeds, dried fruit, and chocolate; it also has oats, and when combined, those are the components of Muesli—hence, Muesli Rolls!

Here's the thing, though—these rolls don't scream breakfast to me. Like, at all. I do love a good muesli in the morning, but when deconstructed and put into a substantial roll? Not feeling it. That being said, I actually loved the rolls...but I'd rather eat them with lunch or dinner. They actually seem very "harvest-like" to me, as if they'd be perfectly at home on my Thanksgiving table. Split in half, they make one heck of a perfect vessel for a turkey sandwich.

Are you with me, or are you sitting there wondering how a roll with chocolate in it could possibly taste the way I'm describing it? Here's the thing—I left out the chocolate. I'm not one for chocolate in my muesli. Instead, I used some pepitas (pumpkin seeds) that are tossed and roasted in cocoa, giving a nod to the flavor profile without having to bite into actual chocolate bits. But, do you know what's funny? When I told the other BBBabes what I did, a few mentioned that even though they used chocolate, it wasn't all that noticeable anyway. So, take that and use it as you will.

Spiced Blueberry Peach Streusel Muffins

I'm super excited about two things today: delicious muffins (I'm super picky about muffins...weird, right?) and an amazing giveaway—both of which are related to a book that you have to get your hands on if you don't have it already, The Vegetarian Flavor Bible. As you may have guessed, this comes from the same people who brought us The Flavor Bible, Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg.

If you're not familiar with either, they are both very useful, working books. Not so much cookbooks, because they don't contain recipes, but rather tools. The Vegetarian Flavor Bible has around 550 pages...the first 90 or so are an introduction to a proper vegetarian diet. You'll find vegetable protein sources. as well as tips on how to maximize flavor. Plus, there's an extremely cool timeline of Vegetarianism Through the Ages. Even if you do not adhere to a strict vegetarian diet, there is so much to inspire in the first 90 pages alone.

Moving on to the remaining 450+ pages, you'll find ingredients listed alphabetically from Acai to Zucchini Blossoms—this is where you'll turn to match flavors. Under each ingredient is listed most (or all) of the following things:

• Season: peak growing season for ingredient
• Flavor: ingredient's primary taste
• Volume: relative flavor, or "loudness" of ingredient
• What it is: a brief description of less common ingredients
• What's healthful about it: nutrients, health benefits, etc

Rosca de Reyes (Three Kings Bread)

Growing up in my American household, January 6 was just another day. It usually coincided with the end of a winter break from school that was far too short. But while I was dragging myself out of bed and into school clothes, two thousand miles (or so) south of my location, my future husband was waking up excited to receive a gift left by the Three Kings.

January 6, or Dia de Reyes, was the day for presents, not Christmas. Three Kings Day follows the twelfth night of Christmas. The way I grew up having a hard time to falling asleep from anticipation on Christmas eve is the way my hubs had a hard time falling asleep on January 5. It wasn't Santa Claus he was waiting on, instead the Three Magi left gifts as they traveled through the town.

Of course the day also meant a celebration! The Merienda de Reyes was an Epiphany feast (a tradition brought to Mexico from Spain) that included food and drink like posole, tortilla soup, tamales, atole, hot chocolate—and of course Rosca de Reyes!

Peach Riesling Buckle

This summer has absolutely flown by. It's so hard to believe that Labor Day is lingering just around the corner. Although it's not the official end of summer, it's always been a marker of sorts to signal that the long lazy days we've been relishing are coming to a close. When I was a kid, we didn't head back to school until after Labor Day, so I'm sure that plays into my mindset. Of course, by the time it rolls around these days, my kids have already been back in school for a few weeks.

School or no school, we try to enjoy one last hurrah over the long weekend. You can bet that grills are fired up; coals sizzling as fat melts down...smoke clinging to the humid air. But there is also tons of fresh produce on display, like tomatoes so ripe and flavorful that you can eat them like apples, to peaches that streak your chin and arms with sticky sweet juices, to corn so sweet it's like eating sugar from a cob. Those are some of my favorite things about the tail-end of summer.

Well, today the Sunday Supper crew is joining Gallo Family again, and we're bringing you a menu filled with Labor Day Entertaining recipes. So, of course, my mind was turning over all sorts of riffs on that produce that just screams summer in my ear. Both of the wines that we are featuring this month are sweet and light bodied. Either would compliment a Sunday Supper under the late-summer sun. The first is Sweet Red, and the second is Gallo's newest varietal, Riesling.

Peach Amaretto Jam + 106 Peach Recipes to celebrate EAT A PEACH DAY!

There are some (okay there are many) food holidays that I can't resist. One of those holidays falls today, August 21. Yes, it has to do with my love of the late summer that is soft and fuzzy on the outside, and sweet and juicy on the inside. HOWEVER, it's not "National Peach Day" or "Peach Pie Day", it's one better. It plays not only to my "foodie" side, but also to my affection for music, specifically The Allman Brothers. Today is EAT A PEACH DAY!

Eat A Peach is the name of my favorite Allman Brothers album. With classics like Melissa, Ain't Wasting Time No More, and Mountain Jam, just listening to the album conjurs up warm summer nights and peaches picked straight from a Georgia (or Michigan for me) tree.

So, in honor of Eat A Peach Day, I really wanted to make some peach jam and call it "Mountain Jam" (like the song). Now my local SW Michigan peaches aren't plucked from trees in mountain orchards, so I suppose I can't rightfully call it that. But secretly (or not so secretly), I'm still going to.

Peach, Maple, and Bourbon-Glazed Ham Steaks

Growing up, we always piled into the car on holidays and headed to my grandparents' house. As the grandchildren got older started having children of their own, there were more card tables and folding chairs pulled up from the basement to accommodate everybody. As the family got bigger, so did the bird or the ham that was roasting in the oven.

As the house filled up, the noise level grew right along with the inviting scents wafting out of the kitchen. If you happened to be one of the last ones to arrive, a blanket of warmth and comfort enveloped you the moment you opened the door.

Grandma and Grandpa are getting older now, and though they usually still invite everybody over on the holidays, sometimes we just aren't able to make it. Between my kids getting older and having activities that (yes) overlap with the holidays, unpredictable work schedules, scary road conditions, and the overwhelming desire to hunker down in the house for as long as we possibly can, we often wind up celebrating and making meals for a smaller crowd. A much smaller crowd. Usually just the 5 of us.

Peach Focaccia

Although I constantly proclaim cherries to be my one-true summer love, in actuality, my heart is torn in two.  You see, I can't actually remember who I loved first...cherries or peaches.  Growing up in Michigan, the dog days of summer meant many things.

Summer meant swimsuits worn thin by long days in my grandparent's pool.

Summer meant beach trips in which our car was filled to the brim with brightly hued towels, plastic buckets and shovels and rakes, ice-packed coolers, and squirmy kids itching to run down the sand and splash in the waves.  Ending the day, of course, with sand in places sand should never be, and skin that was five shades darker than it was when we rolled out of bed that morning.

Peach-Coconut Paletas {#SummerOfThePopsicle Guest Post: Muy Bueno}

Hooray for Wednesday!  Why, you ask?  Well, if you have to ask, that means you've been missing out.  Every Wednesday since the last week in May, I've had the pleasure of welcoming some of my incredibly talented blogging friends to girlichef - and they come bearing popsicles!

Who's Holding the Stick: Today, please help me welcome the stunning Yvette, one third of the mother/daughter blogging trio behind one of my favorite blogs, Muy Bueno Cookbook!

It's summer time and the kiddos are out of school on summer vacation. Make it fun for them and take this opportunity to get them involved in the kitchen. Paletas are an easy way to introduce them to fresh summer fruits in season and get them to help you in the kitchen and have fun doing it.

I love summer and all the fruits in season this time of year. I live in Colorado and Palisade Peaches are so sweet and juicy here, and I knew I needed to come up with a peachy surprise when girlichef invited me to share a paleta recipe. My kiddos and I headed to the farmers market and came home with a handful of peaches and lots of inspiration.

I couldn't decide if I wanted a fruit based paleta or a fruit and milk based paleta, so I came up with a happy medium. This paleta is so refreshing – it’s like biting into a cold, juicy, fresh peach, and the light creamy coconut milk gives it a hint of a good old-fashioned creamsicle. What I love about using coconut milk is that it is dairy-free and the addition of diced peaches also adds a super fresh flavor. These paletas are perfect for eating on a hot day, and your kiddos won’t be begging you for money and chasing down the ice cream truck down the street.

Buen provecho!

Peach-Coconut Paletas

a guest post from Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack of Muy Bueno Cookbook

Prep Time: 10 minutes (+ time to freeze)

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: dessert snack vegan soy-free nut-free low-sodium gluten-free dairy-free coconut milk peaches popsicles frozen summer

Ingredients (8 pops)

• 3 medium peaches, sliced
• 3/4 cups coconut milk
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup peaches, diced

Instructions

In a blender add sliced peaches, coconut milk, and sugar. Blend until smooth.

Add diced peaches into the mixture and pour into ice-pop molds. Insert a popsicle stick into each mold and freeze until pops are solid, about 6 hours or overnight.

To release ice pops from molds, run the bottom of the molds briefly under warm water.

Ripe, juicy peaches are such a source of nostalgia for me, and next to cherries, are my favorite fruit!  I know that I will be making a batch of these beauties very soon - thanks Yvette!  If you're not acquainted with Yvette and the other Muy Bueno ladies, I recommend heading over there stat to enjoy some of their wonderful recipes - from the ones handed down through the generations to modern day fare.

You can also follow Muy Bueno on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.  Plus, they have a fantastic cookbook that was released towards the end of last year (you may remember seeing a Cookbook Spotlight here on girlichef devoted to it) that lover's of Mexican cuisine need on their bookshelves!

Dark Chocolate-Dipped Apricots

Raise your hand if you can't resist those high-quality chocolate bars that are studded with fun, and sometimes unexpected flavors.  Mine is raised.  It's true.  I was seriously contemplating hard... like 10 or 15 minutes hard... in front of a little (big) display of them at the drugstore the other day.  Dark chocolate with chile.  Dark chocolate with candied ginger.  White chocolate with cacao nibs.  White chocolate coconut.  Creamy milk chocolate with almonds and cherries.  It's torture.

At one point I had three different boxes in my hand.  I also love the fact that they come in boxes that you have to open to get to the fun wrapper inside.  I peel that crinkling wrapping back with all the care of Charlie Bucket, I tell you.

I wound up putting them all back.  I was like "this is crazy".  Or maybe something more ghetto like "yo, bleep this bleep. I'm out."  Oh yeah.  I'm as ghetto as they come.  I could not decide. And I wasn't going to drop a minimum of $7.50 on chocolate bars.

Although I did wind up passing another one of those evil displays at a different store a few days later.  I zeroed in on the white chocolate with cacao nibs, snatched it from it's shelf, faced forward, and walked away.  All fast like.  I made sure the bag containing that chocolate made its way into the car with me instead in the trunk.

This has been my idea of dessert and sweets lately.  I've been steering clear of cakes and brownies and cookies and pies.  And indulging in scrumdiddlyumptious squares bars of chocolate instead.  I have a feeling that my cravings for those things will make their way back into my being soon, though.

Along the same lines of scrummy chocolate studded with goodies are goodies bathed in scrummy chocolate. Like these plump little nuggets of sunshine.  They go swimming in a pool of lightly sweet dark chocolate.  Then they take a roll in salty shards of nuttiness.  As far as desserts go, I consider them virtuous.

What about you?  Virtuous or not really...

Dark Chocolate-Dipped Apricots

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: less than 5 minutes

Keywords: snack dessert vegetarian soy-free apricots chocolate nuts

Ingredients (3 dozen)

• ½ c. dark or bittersweet chocolate chips (or equivalent chopped chocolate)
• 36 dried apricots
• ~¼ c. finely chopped SALTED pistachios

Instructions

Line a baking tray with wax paper (or parchment).

Place the chocolate in a small glass bowl and microwave for about a minute. Stir with a heat-proof spatula. If not melted all the way, heat in 15 second intervals until smooth.

Dip the apricot (halfway to three-quarters of the way) into the melted chocolate. Sprinkle or gently dip one side into the chopped pistachios, then set on wax paper, nut side down; sprinkle pistachios on top. Repeat with all of the apricots.

If you like, slide the tray into the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so - the chocolate will harden quickly this way.

notes:

Once the chocolate has set, these can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

If you want a thicker coating of chocolate, slide into the fridge after the first dip (leaving off the nuts). Once hardened, dip into the chocolate another time and then finish as written. And yes, you will probably need more chocolate than listed if you do this.

adapted from Eating Well

Oh, and post script - if you like these, you'll probably also like Alyssa's Chocolate Covered Apricots w/ Crushed Almonds. I know I want some hanging out side-by-side with these little bites. They'd be besties.

Multi-Grain Bread, Pecan, & Dried Fruit "Stuffins"

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Nature's Pride Bread. All opinions are 100% mine.

Stuffins (plural noun) \stu-fins\ : Multiple servings of stuffing that have been baked in muffin tins.

Yes.  I just added a word to the dictionary.  I know, that's a little bit Rachael Ray of me, isn't it?  Oh, and also?  I just used Rachael Ray as a verb.  That's just the way I roll.  But it's also beside the point.

What I really wanted to talk about today is planning.  Holiday planning.  In truth, although deep down I know they're coming, the holidays usually sneak up on me.  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and though I usually spend at least three weeks planning for it, it's never enough.  Never enough in that I rarely get around to actually testing out any new recipes before using them.  Yes, I'm the kind of girl who makes recipes for the very first time on the holiday.  The day before or the day of the big dinner.  Because, while I've always spent enough time pouring over glossy new magazines as well as trusty worn cookbooks and yellowed clippings looking for new twists on old favorites, I've never actually had the time to try a few of them out to see if we will actually enjoy them.

I mean, nobody's ever complained (out loud), but I've seen a few things go basically untouched over the years.  Sure, my most adventurous eaters will try new dishes, but I also have my fair share of friends and family who don't want "strange" new dishes encroaching on their tried-and-true's.  So this year I've decided to start just a few weeks earlier with my planning.  Get a jump on things, if you will.  I am actually going to be testing out some recipes in advance.  Recipes that just  may make it to the Thanksgiving table.  And since the family will be my "subjects", they won't be surprised if they show up as part of my final menu.

I started with an easy one.  Something that everybody loves.  Stuffing.  Although technically, I suppose I should call it dressing since it is not actually stuffed inside of anything.  But I grew up calling it stuffing.  I think the only person I ever hear call it dressing is my grandma.  The thing is, I like my stuffing with crispy bits.  Wet, mushy bread is just not my thing.  And I figured that portioning the stuffing up into individual servings and baking them in muffin tins would give me plenty of crispy bits.  And I was not wrong.  Every person is guaranteed a little crispy-domed portion that is moist and flavorful on the inside.

I also wanted to experiment with using a good hearty whole-grain bread.  I thought, not only would it hold up well, it would be healthy.  And any chance to slip healthy and delicious into the same sentence is a chance I'm taking.  I used Nature's Pride Healthy Multi-Grain bread, which like all of Nature's Pride breads, is 100% natural.  It doesn't contain any high fructose corn syrup, no trans-fats or artificial colors or preservatives.  Plus, it's delicious.  As in, Nature's Pride bread is both healthy and delicious.  See that?  Same.  Sentence.

Multi-Grain Bread, Pecan, & Dried Fruit "Stuffins"

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30-35 minutes

Keywords: bake side bread apricots cranberries nuts Christmas Thanksgiving American fall winter

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 5 slices Nature's Pride Multi-Grain Bread
• ¼ c. brandy
• ¼ c. dried cranberries
• 3 Tbs. butter or olive oil
• 1 small onion, small dice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large rib celery, small dice
• ⅓ c. pecans, toasted & chopped
• ¼ c. dried apricots, small dice
• handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 Tbs. fresh sage, julienned (or 1 tsp. brushed sage)
• few sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped (or ½ tsp. dried thyme)
• ½ tsp. whole fennel seeds
• ~1 c. chicken stock or broth
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• softened butter, for muffin tins

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 275°F.

Lay bread slices on top of one another, lining them up. Use a bread knife to cut them into ½-inch cubes. You should have ~4 cups of bread cubes.

Spread bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Slide tray into oven and bake for ~ 25 minutes or so, until bread is dry (not toasted). Shake and stir the bread cubes around a few times during cooking.

Place cranberries and brandy in a small pot and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let sit while you get everything else ready.

In the meantime, heat the butter or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery; saute until translucent and just tender, ~5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly.

Increase oven to 325° F.

Combine bread cubes, apricots, veggie/brandy mixture, pecans, parsley, sage, thyme, and fennel in a large bowl. Gently toss with the broth and the egg. Season with salt and pepper.

Slather 8 compartments of a muffin tin with some softened butter and divide stuffing mixture evenly among them. Slide into oven and bake until deeply golden and crusty, ~30-35 minutes.

As soon as the Stuffins come out of the oven, run a thin-bladed knife around the edges.  Use a large spoon to help you pull the Stuffins out in one piece.

notes:

This does not have to be baked into "stuffins". You can just as easily pile it into a well-buttered baking dish and pile it in. Increase cooking time to ~45 minutes. You can also use this as dressing and stuff it inside a bird or pork chops and cook through.

For a change, substitute different types of dried fruits, nuts, or herbs. You can also use different types of Nature's Pride "hearty" breads like 100% Whole Wheat, 12-Grain, Nutty Oat, Hearty Wheat with Flax, or Country Buttermilk to suit your tastes.

Apricot Chamomile Popsicles (Paletas de Chabacano y Manzanilla)

It's that time again.  Time to play the Picnic Game! Every year, Louise announces her annual Picnic Game on International Picnic Day (June 18) and gathers participants dishes into her giant virtual picnic basket to share on the first day of National Picnic Month (July).  It's something I look forward to every year...this is my fourth year participating.

Taking that peek into the basket...lifting the virtual lid...spreading the blanket and loading up my plate.  Did you have any doubt that I would bring a popsicle this year?  I mean, even if my blanket was occupying space under a giant shade tree and a pleasant breeze was blowing, it's still sizzling out there.