Recipes

Quick pickles are incredibly popular these days. No fussing with canning in a hot kitchen, they take mere minutes to make, and they’re perfect for those who don’t have the …

Pickle season is here! And whether you plan on going all out and canning pickles to enjoy even in the winter months, or you’re a fan of quick and easy …

I’ve been making switchel for decades. Quite a few years ago, I introduced this summertime drink to the Rural Sprout community, and our readers loved it. As we head into …

It’s mid-March, and the soft magnolia buds are getting plumper and plumper. Any minute now, the fuzzy shells will no longer be able to contain them, and every single velvety …

You can keep your hot cocoa bombs. Hot apple cider is the way to go. And when you throw in a few spices, some pomegranate juice and honey, well, all …

If you do a lot of cooking, you likely go through herbs and spices much quicker than most. And if you’re anything like me, I’ll bet you go through garlic …

If “giftable” is a word, then allow me to declare this the most giftable advent calendar of the season. If you like fruit, if you like sweets, but especially if …

Whether you grow them yourself, buy a couple at the farmer’s market, or you’ve got a spare can of puree in the pantry, fall is the time for pumpkin in …

Ah, the humble crab apple. How many of us have walked right past these tiny little apples growing in our yards and parks? Sure, they have beautiful blossoms, after all, …

Everyone has recipes for tomatoes – sauce, soup, salads, sandwiches, the list goes on and on. But when the garden season draws to a close and you find yourself staring …

When it comes to tomatoes and pepper plants, I’m always feeding an army, even though there isn’t an army in sight. I assume the worst and end up planting way …

Kombucha is gaining popularity as a drink of choice not only for its delicious taste, but its health benefits too. Kombucha is chock full of probiotics and antioxidants. Many people …

Watermelon – the official fruit of summer picnics and barbecues everywhere. It’s hard to imagine a picnic table piled high with hotdogs, hamburgers, sweet corn, macaroni and potato salads without …

I love sweetcorn season! Nothing says summer like golden ears of corn dripping with butter, salt and pepper, served so piping hot you burn your fingers trying to pick them …

Move over plum chutney, there’s another jar that needs to fit on the shelf – or in the fridge. It has something to do with plums and a whole lot …

Did you know there are several fantastic reasons for growing peas in your garden? Spoiler alert – you don’t have to grow them for the sheer enjoyment of shelling peas …

If you are lucky enough to have a productive plum tree in your garden producing buckets full of plums, then you may be familiar with the overwhelming task of harvesting …

When cucumbers are in season, you’ve got to make at least one kind of pickle. Dill, garlic, 5-minute fridge pickles, or even bread and butter pickles if you are so …

Mouthwateringly ripe cherries of the red or black kind hang but once a year on the most beloved trees. Picking a bowlful (one for the bowl, one for the mouth) …

Zucchini plants are a staple in almost every vegetable garden. Famous for being highly productive, you’ll often end up with more zucchini than you can handle come the height of …

If your pantry doesn’t have at least one jarful of intensely flavored sun dried tomatoes from your own garden, you’re seriously missing out. Seriously, as you scroll through this list …

Long before peaches are in season, long before we’re enjoying baskets of plump blueberries, and yes, even before we can pick glossy red strawberries, one ‘fruit’ makes its appearance before …

A visit to any trendy food vendor will yield some interesting ingredients on the menu. For example, my daughter recently tried squid ink ice cream at one of our favorite …

Crunchy, tangy capers are a staple in Mediterranean dishes. These tiny buds pack a flavorful punch and go great in everything from seafood to the classic chicken piccata. Normally, there’s …