A Tasty Thought by JG

~Freezing Butternut Squash~

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 23:23:37 +0000

Butternut Squash is a favorite vegetable in my family! When it is available at the local farms it is always time to purchase many of them to prep and freeze. The prep work is done back in autumn. That is NOW! It's when these "buy local" vegetables are found at Farmer's Markets and also in the produce departments of local grocery stores at a "good" price. Later in the year taking a bag of Butternut Squash out of the freezer and microwaving it is so easy. These past two weeks Butternut Squash has been purchased, then prepped and frozen.

The process in photos:

Butternut Squash Chunks
(File Photo)

Mashed Butternut Squash
(File Photo)

Butternut Squash ready for the freezer.
(File Photo)

For my complete instructions to prepare Butternut Squash to freeze, click here.
Freezing Butternut Squash

I also use this delicious vegetable as a substitution for pumpkin when baking. It looks like a few more bags will need to be prepped and frozen to enjoy in the next few months!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Saving Marigold Seeds

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 21:37:47 +0000

Marigolds
(File Photo)

The question is, "Can you harvest and save Marigold seeds to plant next year?" The answer is yes! This is another annual flower that is easy to grow and it begins with planting seeds. That is- if you do not purchase small plants to place in your garden. If you have these beautiful bright flowers growing in your garden or flower pots now, save some flowers, dry them and save the seeds. Plant the seeds next Spring!

Like saving Zinnia seeds, saving Marigold seeds is an easy process. The colorful flowers are snipped from the stems and placed in a cut down tissue box to dry out. After the flowers dry out the seeds can be separated. A Marigold seed is slender and black. It is attached to the petal that is now brown.

Dried slender black Marigold seeds
(File Photo)

Save those dried seeds in business sized white envelopes that are labeled/ sealed. The seeds will be ready to be planted next year!

Happy Gardening!

~Saving Zinnia Seeds~

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 22:30:30 +0000

Colorful Zinnias
(File Photo)

If you have been enjoying the colorful beauty of Zinnias in your yard this summer you may want to save the seeds from these plants. Next Spring the saved seeds can be planted in your garden. It could be a repeat of the red, pink, yellow and white flowers that added so much color to your yard this year.

The process is easy. Snip the colorful flowers from the stems in your garden and place the flowers in a container. The containers I use are cut down tissue boxes. I put the containers of cut Zinnias in our garage while the flowers dry out. The air circulates between the flowers easily while they are drying out.

Zinnias drying out.
(File Photo)

After the flowers dry out it is time to harvest the seeds. Pull the petals from the short stems and you will find tear shaped seeds. Sometimes, the seeds do not break away from the dried petal easily, so I leave the dried petal on the seed and plant "as is" the following Spring. I store the seeds in business sized envelopes that are labeled/ sealed.

Tear Shaped Zinnia Seeds
(File Photo)

When you save the seeds from your current crop of these beautiful flowers you will have so many seeds to plant next year.

Enjoy!
Happy Gardening!

Cheesy Eggplant Parmesan

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 20:46:33 +0000

Cheesy Eggplant Parmesan
ready to be placed in our oven
(File Photo)

It's great to find that local Eggplant is now available to purchase at Farmers' Markets and at roadside stands. For me it is the time to bake Eggplant Parmesan. It is a delicious dinner and I also freeze the extra portions to enjoy when our weather gets colder. It will get colder outside before we know it. At this time of year buying local vegetables is great.

No longer do I eat fried foods, so baking the Eggplant Parmesan works so well. It is a 2 step process, but it is easy to prep.

A few years ago I shared the directions, so I am giving that link to my post here and below:

Cheesy Eggplant Parmesan

This is a great dinner! For me it is especially tasty, because it is not fried. We enjoy it served with spaghetti or penne.

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Freezing Green Peppers: Strips and Chunks

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 21:43:41 +0000

Green Peppers ready for the freezer.
Pepper Strips and Pepper Chunks

August is a great month to "buy local" and visit a local farmer's venue to purchase fresh vegetables. Tomatoes, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Eggplant, Corn on the Cob and yes, Green Peppers are available. They are all ready to be purchased! This past weekend, time was set aside to return to one of our local farm's roadside stand to purchase Green Peppers. At this time of year I purchase this vegetable to prep and place in our freezer. During the year whenever a recipe has a Green Pepper for an ingredient it is so easy to reach into my freezer and take out a needed frozen bag to defrost.

The process is easy!

Rinse the vegetables under cool running water.
Dry each Green Pepper.
Cut into slices or chunks and discard the stems and seeds.
Place a handful of slices or chunks into a sandwich bag, close.
Then place the sandwich bags into freezer bags and seal.
Label and freeze.

Seven Green Peppers were prepped yesterday and are now in our freezer. Earlier last week seven were also purchased and prepped. A few at a time works well.

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Colors of Summer!

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 20:50:51 +0000

The bright colors of summer are enjoyed on days when the raindrops are not making appearances.

Enjoy!

~Simply Delicious~

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 22:15:23 +0000

Lime Simply Delicious
(File Photo)

Ohh, the heat is on!! 90°F days in June are tough- especially when we are heading into what could be our second heat wave of the year. A cool refreshing dessert is what is needed on a hot day. A quick and easy to prepare dessert! One that requires only 3 ingredients is great. Simply Delicious! There are 3 ingredients: 1 small package of flavored Jello, 1 Cup of Vanilla Ice Cream and 1 Cup of hot (boiled) Water. Everything is mixed together (in order) in a medium size bowl. It is that easy! It also tastes so good!

Preparing Strawberry Simply Delicious
(File Photo)

Simply Delicious- serves 2

Ingredients:

1 small package flavored Jello
1 Cup hot (boiled) Water
1 Cup Vanilla Ice Cream

Method:

Boil cold water and measure out 1 Cup.
Place contents of 1 small package flavored Jello in a medium bowl.
Pour hot water in bowl and stir Jello.
Dissolve Jello completely.
Add 1 Cup Vanilla Ice Cream to mixture.
Whisk or stir well until Ice Cream melts.
Pour into 2 servings dishes/ mugs.
Refrigerate several hours.
Serve with whipped cream on top.

Strawberry Jello and Strawberry Ice Cream tastes delicious! Lime is so tasty! Orange flavored is so good! There are so many choices. On a hot day make a batch or two of this dessert.

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Spring Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:26:56 +0000

A cloudy day looks a lot brighter with these beautiful Spring flowers!

Enjoy!

Today, May 10th

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Sun, 10 May 2026 17:51:00 +0000

Wishing all moms
a very
Happy Mother's Day!!!

Enjoy your special day!!

Roasted Asparagus

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:10:00 +0000

Roasted Asparagus
(File Photo)

Fresh Asparagus is a veggie that I have enjoyed for so many years. A great way to prep it is to roast it! Roasting Asparagus is easy and it is also delicious! So delicious! After prepping the stalks, the cleaned cut stalks are combined with olive oil and herbs. Then, they are placed on a cookie sheet and roasted in a preheated 425° F oven. 12- 13 Minutes later it is done. It is that easy! Tonight we enjoyed it again.

**I line my cookie sheet with foil first.

Ready to place in my oven!
(File Photo)

For my complete instructions, click here.

Enjoy!

Crocuses!

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:23:00 +0000

Crocuses

After our frigid winter and snow that did not want to melt very quickly, we were waiting for the colors of Spring to arrive. Yesterday, the colorful lavender Crocuses popped open.

Officially it is Spring!!!

Enjoy the color!

Best Ever Irish Soda Bread

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 21:46:00 +0000

Irish Soda Bread
(File Photo)

It's March! It's also that time of year to bake an Irish Soda Bread! You know, that yummy bread that is just filled with plump raisins. The bread that tastes so good with every bite. Add Buttermilk and unsalted Butter to your grocery list this weekend, so you can bake this delicious bread, too. Add Raisins to your list, also.

The first time I baked it I realized that it was just the best Irish Soda Bread that I had ever baked or tasted! Many are too dry. Many do not have many Raisins. Many are not baked with Butter. This bread is the best!! Yum!!

Bake this bread this weekend and enjoy a slice on St. Patrick's Day!! Heating a slice a few seconds in the microwave = yummy plus!!

For the Irish Soda Bread recipe click here.

Remember to soak the Raisins before adding to the batter!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:11:00 +0000

Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel)
and The Cat in the Hat
at the Springfield Museums, Springfield, MA

The word is-

It's March 2!!

Happy Birthday to you,

Dr. Seuss!!!

Today is March 2! Many school children will be celebrating the birthday of Springfield, MA native Theodor Seuss Geisel. However, to so many he will be remembered as Dr. Seuss. This author/ illustrator wrote many interesting stories for children- of all ages. In Springfield, MA there is a wonderful museum dedicated to this author- The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss. It is one of the five museums of the Springfield Museums.

On the grounds of the Springfield Museums are there are large bronze statues of Dr. Seuss and some of the characters in his books.

Horton and his friends

with Thing 1 and Thing 2

The Lorax has a special place.

Inside The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum you can learn about local history while having fun.

Yertle and the Turtles are stacked and waiting for your visit.

There are so many interesting colorful things to see in this museum. Look around and do not forget to look up, too.

Stop in to visit this museum for kids of all ages! It is a cool place to visit!
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!!!

~Hearty Minestrone~

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 22:02:00 +0000

Hearty Minestrone
(File Photo)

On a chilly day a bowl of hearty hot soup is always enjoyed at dinner. Hearty Minestrone is a great choice. It is filled with colorful nutritious vegetables, too. Spinach, kidney beans, green beans and carrot slices are some of the veggies that can be found in each yummy spoonful.

Click here for my easy recipe for Hearty Minestrone.

When I prepare a pot of this soup there are always extra portions left after dinner. Those extra portions are placed in single serve plastic freezer containers. After labeling/ dating they will find a place in our freezer. They will make easy dinners on other nights.

Do you make soup and freeze the extra portions? They do come in handy!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Cornbread

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 23:37:00 +0000

Cornbread
cooling

It has been on my "to do" list! Not just for the past 2 days, but for the past 5 days. Baking a Cornbread! I could almost taste it whenever I looked at my recipe here on my blog. Yum! A piece cut in half, heated up in the microwave for a few seconds and then a small amount of butter/ margarine on top makes a delicious breakfast.

This is definitely a favorite breakfast! Not just for the next day, either. After it cools I cut the Cornbread into individual servings and place each in a sandwich bag. Then, I place the individual servings in a larger freezer bag.

Cornbread freezes very well! For a quick breakfast, take the needed portions out of the freezer and heat in the microwave.

This is easy to prepare. For my Cornbread recipe, click here.

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Wishing You A

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 23:29:00 +0000

Happy Cooking!

Happy Holidays!!

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 22:40:00 +0000

Wishing You, Your Family
and Friends
Happy Holidays!!!

from,

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies!

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 23:11:00 +0000

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
(File Photo)

Add Sour Cream to your grocery list if you do not have it in your fridge! It is one of the ingredients in Sour Cream Sugar Cookies! Nutmeg is too! These Sugar Cookies are prepared in a 2 step process. On Day 1 the dough is prepared and placed in the fridge to use the next day. On Day 2 find your rolling pin, rolling mat, favorite cookie cutters and colored sugars. Day 2 is the day to have fun rolling out, baking and yes sampling these yummy light cookies. They are so good!!

After the cookies are baked/ cooled they can be packaged and placed in your freezer. Defrost the needed amount to share for the upcoming holiday. Your family and guests will enjoy biting into this cookie and taste the hint of Nutmeg. These are the best sugar cookies!!

*****I use Unsalted Butter and Fat Free Sour Cream when preparing the dough. If Margarine is used the dough is sticky and difficult to roll out.

Click here for my recipe for Sour Cream Sugar Cookies. Delicious!!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Turkey a la King!

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 21:52:00 +0000

Turkey a la King
(File Photo)

On the day after or two days after enjoying a delicious Thanksgiving Day Dinner, Turkey a la King is on the menu! Chunks of roasted Turkey surrounded by veggies in a creamy sauce that are served over toasted bread. So good!! Did I mention so easy??

There is no need to roll out a pie crust to prep a Turkey Pot Pie nor purchase a commercial crust to use. Toasted bread works so well.

Turkey a la King will be on our dinner table tonight. This is when my foodie blog comes in very handy for me. I pull up my recipe to use.

Click here so you may also view and use my recipe.

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Wishing You-

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 21:49:00 +0000

Wishing all of my readers
who celebrate-

Have a Happy and a Safe Thanksgiving!!!

Enjoy!!

Cranberry Bread

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 23:25:00 +0000

Cranberry Bread
(File Photo)

Cranberry Bread! YUM!! The delicious dessert bread that is orange flavored with chopped cranberries in every bite. It is at Thanksgiving time that so many of us think about using cranberries when baking. So many of us also add cranberry sauce to our grocery list. That is- if we do not prep this sauce ourselves for the Thanksgiving Day dinner. I purchase the sauce for all of us to enjoy.

A bag of fresh Cranberries is purchased in order to bake this treat. Orange Juice is also a needed ingredient. The cranberries are rinsed in cold water/ drained and then chopped before adding them into the batter.

I have not baked this bread for Thanksgiving, yet, because it does NOT freeze well. Usually a day or two before eating is when I bake it.

For the Cranberry Bread recipe that I have used for decades, click here.

It is so good! Add a bag of fresh Cranberries and also Orange Juice to your grocery list for this weekend. Then, bake this delicious bread!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Butternut Squash Bread

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 21:24:00 +0000

Butternut Squash Breads cooling
(file photo)

There are quite a few 2 Cup bags of Butternut Squash in our freezer. Last week 3 more Butternuts were purchased to prep for the months ahead. A delicious dessert to bake using this tasty vegetable is Butternut Squash Bread. It requires the same basic recipe as Pumpkin Bread, but I substitute the defrosted mashed Butternut for Pumpkin. Pumpkin tastes bland, so in addition to cinnamon and nutmeg, ground cloves are added to the batter. That spice is not necessary in Butternut Squash Bread, because Butternuts have flavor. The cloves can be added though, if desired.

I have posted my recipe in the past, so to view it today, click on this link below:

Butternut Squash Bread

***With the increased cost of groceries, including baking supplies, I have made a change with the Egg Whites that I used in the past. Rather than using Egg Whites, I use Whole Eggs. When baking there is a formula for Egg Whites = Whole Eggs.

2 Egg Whites = 1 Whole Egg

Butternut Squash Bread is a family favorite! In our home it is always enjoyed over Thanksgiving Day Weekend!! I bake 2 breads rather than one. Just stagger the pans in the oven when baking. The extra bread can be frozen after it is cooled/ wrapped in foil. I cut one bread in half. Then wrap/label/date and freeze both halves. A frozen half is always a great treat for our family members to take home with them after enjoying a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration.

Bake a Butternut Squash Bread, or 2, to enjoy over Thanksgiving! Your guests would enjoy taking 1/2 a frozen bread home, too. It is delicious!

I need to bake these breads again this week!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

~Freezing Butternut Squash~

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 19:08:00 +0000

Mashed Butternut Squash
ready to pack into freezer bags
(File Photo)

Sometimes slowly and at other times quickly when the wind blows, the leaves are falling down from the Maple and the Oak trees. It is at this time of year that our purchased Butternut Squash is prepared for our freezer. It has been a tradition for so many years to purchase the Squash and prep them to enjoy this delicious veggie at dinnertime throughout the year. Two pots of cleaned, cut squash is steamed on our stove at a time. Packaged in dated freezer bags these bags can be easily located later in our freezer.

Ready for our freezer!

It is so easy to open a bag to remove the frozen squash and place it in a microwave safe baking dish. Cover it, leaving a vent and defrost it in the microwave, quickly. Or, defrost overnight in the fridge and heat in the microwave (in a microwave safe covered dish) just before serving.

I also use the Butternut Squash by substituting it for Pumpkin when I bake. This delicious veggie is always at my fingertips whenever needed for a tasty recipe. There are SO MANY recipes!

For my easy instructions for freezing Butternut Squash, click here! No need to purchase the frozen squash in your supermarket.

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Craisin Raisin Apple Crisp

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 21:50:00 +0000

Craisin Raisin Apple Crisp
needs a small scoop of vanilla ice cream
(File Photo)

Apples are a great tasting fruit! There are so many different varieties. One of my favorite desserts to bake using apples is- da da- Craisin Raisin Apple Crisp! It's the yummy dessert containing raisins and craisins mixed in with baked apples. It has an oat, cinnamon and nutmeg topping. After placing each serving in a dessert dish, top with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream! What a great dessert! Quite often at Thanksgiving rather than bake an Apple Pie, I bake a Craisin Raisin Apple Crisp. It is that good! There is also no pie crust to roll out.

In autumn I like to use Cortland Apples when baking this dessert. As the year moves along I switch to Empire Apples. I have posted this recipe in the past and I am sharing it again today.

Click here for my easy Craisin Raisin Apple Crisp recipe.

Add apples to your grocery list to bake this very tasty dessert. Vanilla ice cream too, if you do not already have it in your freezer!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

~Saving Marigold Seeds~

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 22:08:00 +0000

Marigold Seeds
(File Photo)

The small Marigold plants that were placed in pots on our deck this past Spring grew and are still adding so much color to our yard. An added plus was that those little bunnies did not hop up the steps to investigate. Seeds from these beautiful flowers can be saved and sowed next Spring. Like with Zinnia seeds, it is an easy process. Snip off the colorful flowers and dry them out. The seeds are long, slender and black. So many seeds can be harvested/ saved and planted next Spring after the danger of a frost is past. Marigolds are very pretty flowers.

Orange Marigolds
(File Photo)

Usually a long planter filled with yellow and orange Marigolds is also found on our deck.

My "Orange Pineapple" Planter
(File Photo)

In the past few years I have planted both Vinca and Marigolds together in pots for added colors on our deck. They also grow well together. If you have been enjoying Marigold flowers these past few months, consider harvesting some of the seeds to plant next Spring.

For my complete instructions on saving Marigold seeds, click here.

Next Spring plant the seeds in the ground or in planters. Beautiful flowers!

Happy Gardening!