Almost-Summer Strawberry Cake

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

strawberry-cake-6

After living in  South Florida for more years than I care to remember, I’ve gotten used to the subtle clues that signify the  change in seasons.  They’re hard to define, but over time one gets better at identifying them.  Some years, however, it seems like Mother Nature is downright schizophrenic.   Take this winter, for instance.   For a few days at a time, the temperature would dip down into the forties and for the next  week or two, it would spike back up to  seventy-five.    I’d leave my house in the morning wearing a cozy sweater, and by noon I’d be sweating bullets!  And, the plants and trees were confused too.   I had azalea bushes blooming in January, that were nothing more than a mass of barren, brown twigs by mid-February.

We had no real springtime this year either.   By the time St. Patrick’s Day rolled around, my weather thermometer hit eighty and never looked back.    I really missed that transition period!   But apparently, Summer was in a hurry to get here and  would not be delayed.  So, while the calendar tells us that we still have another six weeks for it to officially be summer, the weather says otherwise. read more >>

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Candied Vanilla-Poached Kumquats Recipe

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Next to the temperate weather, one of the nicest things about living in Florida is the abundance of citrus fruits we have here.  Several years ago, I planted a kumquat tree in my front yard.  It’s a spindly, sad-looking, little thing.  But, every year around this time, it give …

Full On Oregon, Part 2 and Basil-Infused Watermelon Lemonade

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Well, this certainly took a bit longer than I had planned!  Besides a nasty bout of bronchitis that totally took me down, I’ve found myself in the throes of college applications, SAT’s and ACT’s, plus a few magazine deadlines just for good measure.   Unfortunately, poor little SGCC has had …

The Fig Tree, the Cardinal and a Fig and Honey Clafoutis Recipe

Tuesday, August 30, 201124 Comments

My father had the most magnificent fig tree in his yard.  It was about twenty-five feet tall and the breadth of its branches was almost as wide.  Though he would never actually confirm it, the rumor is that he bred the tree using cuttings smuggled here from a bigger …

Whole Grain Krispie Granola Bars Recipe

Tuesday, August 16, 201121 Comments

In just a few short days the kids will be heading back to school, and parents everywhere will be breathing a collective sigh of relief. Summer vacation can be tough on us moms and dads! Sure, it was great not having to get up at the brink of dawn …

Peachy Keen Buttermilk Cake Recipe

Sunday, July 10, 201122 Comments

When I was a little girl, my mother had two sets of dishes: the “everyday” dishes” and the “good” ones.  The everyday dishes were, of course, the ones we used for meals every day.  The “good” set only came out for holidays and special occasions. She had a set …

Red, White and Blue Ricotta Tart Recipe for a Tasty Fourth

Friday, July 1, 201112 Comments

Last week, I made a batch of the most luscious homemade ricotta cheese.   I do this often.  Ricotta is super easy to make, and the homemade stuff is so, so delicious.   Unfortunately, I got a distracted and left it draining in cheesecloth longer than I’d planned.  The result was …

Rhubarb Berry Crumb Bars Recipe

Tuesday, June 21, 201116 Comments

Remember that luscious rhubarb berry jam I made last week?  Well, we’ve been enjoying the heck out of it here at Chez SGCC.  I’ve slathered it on homemade bread, spooned it into creamy yogurt and cooked it into a few tasty recipes.  I also baked some into these delectable …

Rhubarb Berry Jam Recipe

Thursday, June 16, 20117 Comments

Every year around this time, I find myself feeling out of the loop and a bit frustrated.  It seems like all the other food bloggers are surrounded by a bounty of fresh rhubarb and are proudly flaunting their mouthwatering rhubarb creations, while I remain pathetically rhubarb-less.    I’m not sure …

Ba Da Bing Cherry Pie Recipe

Thursday, June 2, 201117 Comments

When I spied the first Bing cherries of the season at the market the other day,  I delightedly stashed a few pounds in my cart.    Yes, I know that it’s still a little early for them to be at their peak, but after being cherry deprived for nearly a …

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Hello and welcome to SGCC! I’m Susan, a professional writer, food columnist, recipe developer, wife, mother, daughter and sister, who used to be a lawyer in a previous life. My love of food comes from a long line of wonderful and creative Italian home cooks who didn’t always have a lot, but knew how to make a lot out of what they had. I hope that you enjoy yourself while you’re here, and visit often! read more >>

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