A Tasty Thought by JG

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!

Freezing Green Pepper Strips and Chunks

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 19:05:00 +0000

Fresh "Buy Local" Green Peppers
(File Photo)

This is the time of year when I freeze Green Pepper strips and chunks to use while cooking in the future months. In January rather than purchase a Green Pepper at the grocery store, I reach into my freezer and take out a small bag of Pepper strips to defrost. The Peppers are purchased fresh- locally during August/ September when they are in abundance and available at the local roadside stands. Yes, bags of frozen Pepper chunks are sold in grocery stores, but it is an easy process to get them ready to freeze, so why not freeze the "buy local" produce yourself?

Yesterday the last of 6 Peppers were prepared/ labelled and placed in our freezer. I have been freezing this veggie for so many years.

Strips and Chunks
from last year
(File Photo)

For my very easy Instructions on Freezing Peppers, click here!

Purchase a few Peppers to prep for your freezer. Then, this winter reach into your freezer and take out a small bag of already prepared Pepper Strips or Chunks whenever you need one.

Enjoy!
Yummy!

~Saving Zinnia Seeds~

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 21:31:00 +0000

"Tear Shaped" Zinnia Seeds
(File Photo)

This is the time of year when I usually save many of the bright Zinnia blossoms that usually add so much color to our garden. After drying out the blossoms I usually harvest the seeds to save and plant the following Spring (after danger of frost is gone). These flowers attract the Monarch Butterflies.

A Visitor to Our Garden
(File Photo)

I wrote usually, because this year there really are not many Zinnias in our front garden. However, there is one plant that is producing bright orange blossoms. It was a different growing season this year for my Zinnias. In the Spring the seeds were planted and they did sprout. However, there was a family of bunnies that wandered into our yard. Those tender, small green sprouts made a delicious meal for those hungry bunnies! Only one sprout was able to hide from the bunny family. That sprout hid among the white and pink Vinca that we planted after realizing that the Zinnias would no longer be a reality. Yes, I will save the seeds from the orange flowers and plant them next Spring. Maybe I will plant them in a pot on our deck where the bunnies cannot find them.

The Surviving Zinnia Plant
with a blossom and 2 buds

For those of you who do have beautiful colorful Zinnias in your garden, save the seeds to plant next year. It is an easy process! Cut the colorful blossoms and let them dry out. After they dry out, harvest the seeds and place them in a labeled paper envelope. It is cool to save the seeds and plant them the following year.

Click here for my complete Instructions for Saving Zinnia Seeds.

I wrote the instructions above a few years ago, but I have been using this process to save Zinnia Seeds for so many years.

Happy Gardening!

Late August

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Sat, 30 Aug 2025 23:39:00 +0000

August 2025

Beautiful weather in Western MA for our last weekend of August! With the sun shining it's great to take a moment or two or three and enjoy the bright colors in gardens. The summer flowers continue to blossom. The Mums that survived the cold winter sprouted up and now have blossoms. It is a pretty time of year!

August 2025

Wishing you-

a happy and a safe Labor Day Weekend!!

Bright Flowers!

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 20:16:00 +0000

Rudbeckia

Bright and beautiful on a HHH day!

Enjoying the view!

~Creamy Cheesy Pie~

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 19:43:00 +0000

Creamy Cheesy Pie
ready to cut into needed slices
(File Photo)

A delicious and easy to prep dessert is Creamy Cheesy Pie! It is great to make and then enjoy on a hot summer day. There are 4 ingredients. You probably have 2 of them in your fridge and pantry. The other 2 can be easily purchased in your local grocery store.

Ingredients:

(1) Pre-made Graham Cracker Pie Shell
(1) pkg. 2 serving size cook and serve Vanilla Pudding Mix
(1) pkg. 8 ounce Cream Cheese
(2) Cups Milk

Method:

Prepare the Vanilla Pudding according to package directions.
Place Cream Cheese in large bowl.
Pour hot Pudding over Cream Cheese and whisk until smooth.
Pour mixture into Graham Cracker crust. Smooth to edges of crust.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Chill for at least 6 hours.
Cut into needed serving slices.
Top with whipped cream and serve with fresh berries on the side.
Keep remaining pie in refrigerator.

Instead of fresh berries, I top our slices with a little Strawberry Freezer Jam and then whipped cream.

So easy and so good!
Enjoy!
Yummy!

Happy 4th of July!!

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 21:50:00 +0000

Liberty Bell (Celebration)
Norman Rockwell
cover illustration for American Artist (July 1976)
courtesy of Norman Rockwell Museum

Have a Happy and a Safe July 4th!!

Chicken Thighs with Orange Veggies

noreply@blogger.com (JG) — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 20:51:00 +0000

Chicken Thighs with Orange Veggies
prepped in my Slow Cooker (Crock Pot)

It probably comes as no surprise- I cook off my blog. The recipes are readily available with ingredients and complete instructions. There always are a few recipes that I need to add to my collection. As a matter of fact we enjoyed one of those recipes at dinner last night. Sometime last year I read an interesting recipe in the newspaper. No, I did not save it. I just remember the basic ingredients. The basic ingredients were Chicken Thighs, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Paprika, Black Pepper, Orange Juice and Honey. Everything was baked.

After thinking about that recipe last week and considering the heat wave that we are now experiencing, it was an invitation for me to place these ingredients in my Slow Cooker and let dinner prepare itself. Who wants to cook on a hot humid day??? I sure do not!! Long story short- dinner was delicious last night! There were 4 portions, so the extra 2 portions are now in our fridge and will be enjoyed tomorrow night.

I used boneless skinless Chicken Thighs. Just a few shakes of Paprika for us. Paprika is always located in my spice rack.

****Note: My Slow Cooker has a non- stick interior, so I place the cut Carrots on the bottom. If I place chicken or meat directly on the bottom it gets crusty.

Chicken Thighs with Orange Veggies

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless Chicken Thighs
1 pkg. Baby Carrots
2 Yams or 2 Sweet Potatoes
1/2 teaspoon Parsley
Paprika- a few shakes from canister
Black Pepper- a few shakes from canister
1/4 Cup Honey
1/2 Cup Orange Juice

Method:

Rinse Baby Carrots under cold water, drain.
Cut Carrots in half and place in bottom of Slow Cooker/ Crock Pot.
Rinse Yams/ Sweet Potatoes under cold water.
Cut into 1" slices.
Cut each slice in half.
Place in a bowl.
Remove fat from Chicken Thighs.
Place on top of Carrots in Slow Cooker/ Crock Pot.
Sprinkle Parsley on top.
Sprinkle Paprika and Black Pepper on top of Chicken Thighs.
Place cut Yams/ Sweet Potatoes on Chicken Thighs.
Drizzle Honey over top.
Then pour Orange Juice over all.
Place Slow Cooker/ Crock Pot lid on top.
Cook on High for 3 Hours. Reduce to Medium for 1/2 Hours.

This dinner cooks itself and is so delicious! It will be a dinner to enjoy any time of the year. A Slow Cooker/ Crock Pot comes in very handy! That small kitchen appliance is great to use on a hot summer day!

Enjoy!
Yummy!