Wednesday Blog:  Campfire Cooking: As Easy as Camper Pie

In this age of technology and convenience one of my favorite activities camping, isn’t something that you hear much about. Maybe I’m just not talking to the right people! 😉 In any case, many of my most prized childhood memories are of camping trips with my parents and brothers and sisters. And, no surprise here, many of those memories center around food. What is it about cooking and eating out of doors that makes food taste so much better than at home? Is it the fresh air? The smell of a wood fire? I don’t know the answers; I just know it’s true!

With the pandemic looming every bit as large as it was a few months ago, we are very possibly looking at more time quarantined at home with our families. And whether you’ve enjoyed having your loved ones close to you in your safe little bubble or you are counting the minutes to when things return to some semblance of normal, some things remain the same. Eating, for example -- is something that is inevitable, right?

We’ve all been through so many “firsts” this year, and the 4th of July will be another -- our first Independence Day during a pandemic. Long-lived traditions will be scrapped this year. You might not even have a chance to see live fireworks anywhere in your community. Parades and festivals are cancelled, and even if they're not, it feels dangerous to be in a crowd. The dilemma becomes: How to celebrate The Fourth of July during the times of Covid 19?

Aahhh...sweet, sweet, summertime. It’s the season when we try to do as many things outside as possible -- even cooking! And while I’ve been known to stand outside in freezing temps in the dead of an Ohio winter just to get a little char on something, grilling is much more pleasant during these warmer months. In addition to having agreeable weather, having the right tools for any job always makes for a more pleasurable experience as well. That’s why I’m sharing 3 of my favorite grilling gadgets that will make cooking on the grill so easy it’ll be your “go-to” method for preparing fresh, healthy meals this season:

Wednesday Blog:   🍓 It’s Strawberry Season!

For me, nothing says “summer is here!” quite like that first-of-the-season strawberry shortcake. Of course, I’ll buy strawberries at the grocery store throughout the year when they look and smell good. They’re nutritious and are one fruit most of my family will almost always say yes to. Nevertheless, I’m invariably disappointed in the texture and flavor of the off-season strawberries. The first local, in-season ones, bought at a farmer’s market or harvested fresh at a pick-your-own farm, nicely ripe and firm and juicy, make me so happy!