Gluten-Free Apple Fritter Bites

Annalisa developed a recipe for gluten-free apple fritter bites that rival any fritter or doughnut we’ve eaten. It is a perfect Saturday morning treat.  Friends and family had no clue the fritters were gluten-free and enjoyed them to the last...

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Last Launch

sunset on the water - photo by Dave O
sunset on the water - photo by Dave O

The end of any season causes us to sigh with a bit of nostalgia. As leaves turn to crimson and gold, we realize that in our part of the country, both growing and boating seasons...

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Light as a Breeze Almond Meringues for the Tea Tray

Light as a Breeze Almond Meringues
Light as a Breeze Almond Meringues

Beyond the tent strung with its twinkling lights and tables decorated with rustic bouquets, George and Elizabeth Burden’s White House glowed in the falling light. I thought of all the many happy events held on the lawn...

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Gluten-Free Hello Dolly Bars

Hello Dolly
Hello Dolly

Gluten-Free Hello Dolly Bars 1/2 cup butter 1 1/2 cups gluten-free arrowroot cookie crumbs* 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut 1 cup sliced...

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Girls’ Night Out

candlelight dining
candlelight dining

The Cúpla Sisters enjoyed a girls’ night out with appetizers and drinks at the charming Pepper Sprout followed by The Hundred Foot Journey at the cinema. Pepper Sprout is a boutique restaurant on Dubuque’s Main Street with a...

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Green Tomato Pie: our new favorite

Green Tomato Pie
Green Tomato Pie

Often our gardens are still full of green tomatoes when frost is predicted. One delicious way to use these green tomatoes is in a pie. With the addition of orange zest, raisins and freshly grated...

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Out West in Carlsbad

Out West Menu
Out West Menu

Menu: Jicama and Orange Salad with Lime Dressing Black Bean Mango Salsa Chicken Enchiladas Apricot-Cheese Filled Grilled Hot Peppers Beth Ann’s Out West menu reminds me of an evening spent several years ago at El...

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Catching the Cassville Ferry

Cassville Ferry
Cassville Ferry

The designation as the Great River Road is no misnomer. The road follows 3000 miles along the Mississippi and nearly bisects the country from Lake Itasca, Minnesota, to Port Allen, Louisiana, on alternating sides of our...

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The Thing about a Silk Petal

Sli Cheann Sleibhe (Slea Head)
Sli Cheann Sleibhe (Slea Head)

We met a man walking his dog, or a dog walking his man, in the churchyard of St. James, home of Other Voices music event. He was an Airedale, the dog that is, wearing a...

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Piccalilli by Any Other Name

Piccalilli - green tomato salsa
Piccalilli - green tomato salsa

There is a poetic alchemy in canning piccalilli. Like the sentiments expressed in Ray Bradbury’s Dandelion Wine, piccalilli preserves the best tastes of summer gardens for future enjoyment when the world outside is not so lushly...

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Only What You Can Carry

Backpacking has a way of weeding out what is unnecessary. It makes you understand why there were so many discarded items along the Oregon Trail. If you have to carry it on your back for...

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The Deuce Coupe Followed Him Home

1932 five-window Deuce Coupe
1932 five-window Deuce Coupe

My husband said he needed to run an errand. Buying a 1932 five-window Deuce Coupe was his errand. Funny thing is, he had been trying to buy the car for fifteen years. Several years ago...

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Joy on Four Legs

Mila and Connor
Mila and Connor

The California Animal Welfare Law prohibits the adoption of puppies and kittens under 8 weeks old. The intent was to prevent puppy mill sales of underage animals. An unforeseen consequence is that litters taken to...

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Jewelweed – the Hiker’s Friend

Jewelweed

Hazel had a lot of good advice. One of her best gems was a cure for poison-ivy rash. Beth Ann had tried all the over-the-counter remedies and some other extreme measures to treat her poison-ivy...

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