Good Things by David

April should have marked the beginning of spring for all of us, but I feel as if the season has been delayed somewhat.  Our weather patterns have given us colder-than-normal temperatures, yet Mother Nature has already forged ahead with her wonders.  As much as I love autumn and the changes it signals, I also love spring and everything that comes with it.  Around our home I can always tell when change is in the air.  The little yellow flowers of the invasive species of lesser celandine pop up everywhere, the ostrich ferns shoot out, the trees begin to bloom and the birds chirp all day long.  Just the other morning I woke up  to the Canadian geese heading back north to their native habitat.  Yes, spring is wonderful! On the blog I covered a lot that was tasty, sweet & appealing for everyone.  After the introduction to the Monthly Cookie, I decided to have a cookie contest.  I wanted to give back in some way to the many readers I get h...

I've written about the gorgeous ostrich ferns around our home before, so I thought I'd repost that information, because we're currently in the midst of a dramatic change in the landscape thanks to these wonderful plants.  It's always amazing to me how quickly the ostrich ferns unfurl within a week to two week time span.  Many of the magnolia trees around the neighborhood have already bloomed, the cherry blossoms have a few more days left before their blooms fade, but the ostrich ferns are here to stay for several months.  If you have any around your home do enjoy them!     ................................. Matteuccia struthiopteris  or ostrich ferns, are beginning to show their glory at our house right now and it always seems like they magically appear overnight.  For me it's a dramatic event every spring when the first fiddleheads pop out of the ground and continue to grow for about a 3-4 week period into enormous, broad ferns....

Are you a fan of lobster rolls?  I am.  Found at lobster shacks, roadside stands and fancier restaurants throughout the state of Maine, lobster rolls are now gaining popularity throughout the country for one reason & one reason only.  These sandwiches are delicious!  I feel it is important that the sandwich be filled to the brim with fresh, cold lobster taken from the tail & claw, and that the bun be either toasted or warmed, and lightly buttered.  Whether you like your lobster filling mixed with mayonnaise or butter, the condiment should be used judiciously, and to my mind, there should be no other “filler”.  It’s perfectly fine for me if a small amount of fresh herbs or a kiss of lemon juice finds its way into the filling, but that should be it. On my quest for such a sandwich, I was recently lead to a wonderful eatery called The Green Bean in the beautiful town of Gladwyne, Pennsylvania.  I had been told by several people that this pl...

A reader recently asked me if he could share a delicious vegetarian recipe here on the blog and after looking at it I agreed, because it looked fantastic.  Many of us are trying to stay fit these days and trying to keep our new year's resolutions from falling apart.  Let this recipe inspire you to try something new.   Thank You James! Author: James Puisis  ♦ Slimming Down for Spring Spring is officially here! For some, spring only means better weather. But for many others spring is the beginning of transition. It is a time of change. People choose to make many personal changes during spring because they see it as a great time to transition into the summer. If you are looking to be healthier this season here are some tips for staying healthy and recipe for a delicious and nutritious meal for you! Keep the Good Carbs It is very essential to a good diet that you incorporate good carbohydrates. Too many fad diets call for you to get all carbs out of ...

Let me just say one thing: Thank You!  Thank you all for your kind words regarding my blog and what I try to do here for you.  It takes a great amount of effort to produce good content and I'm glad that it is appreciated.  And, a big thank you for submitting a request for a few of my homemade cookies!  It's nice to see that so many kind-hearted individuals want to spread a little cheer to a loved one.  As you can imagine, it was a tough decision for me to choose the winner of the contest.  I only wish I could send each of you a thank you set of cookies to enjoy, but I have to make a decision.  I'm choosing to make two of you the winners of the contest!   Thank You!

A set of furry feline cookies decorated in adorable shades of royal icing would make the perfect gift for any cat lover.  These clever designs were an exclusive creation for the Martha by Mail catalog many years ago, and collectors can’t seem to get enough of these cookie cutters.  I don’t blame them.   Charming as a host or hostess gift, the edible kitties can be designed to look like true cats that many of us own or they can be made to look unlike any cat we know.  Pipe a dot here, a dot there or give the kitty cat whorls of color any which way you choose.  If you want to be nice you can add a little bow of royal icing or flock the cat to accentuate the design.  Whatever you do, make them adorable and make them your own.  Everyone is going to want one. Return to these copper cookie cutters and their clever designs so that you can create your very own cat cookies.   For collectors and bakers everywhere! Set of 5 cutters...

Don't forget that my cookie giveaway ends this coming Monday.  You have until that evening to submit a request for a few of my homemade cookies.  It's easy, just click  HERE  or click the small image on the sidebar and read what you have to do.   I hope you submit a request! The winner will be announced on Tuesday. ~David

I’m a huge fan of lemon desserts, always have been and always will be.  Lemon cupcakes often disappoint when you get them from the market (not something I do, but I have tasted them on occasion--one must compare), but if you make them at home and add a bit of extra indulgence, you can make sublime cupcakes that far surpass those which are mass produced.   I recently made a batch of some that included lemon curd, along with an easy lemon buttercream to crown each treat.  An ode to that marvelous cake I’ve shown you before, these sweet miniature versions are so much fun to make.  The hardest thing to do, perhaps, is the lemon curd, but if you give yourself some time to get it just right, it too is not a task that is unattainable.  I love making the curd a day in advance and having it cold & ready in the refrigerator.  The cupcake batter is a straightforward version of the 1-2-3-4 cake and is divided among 24 cupcake liners.  Two dozen...