A fresh-tasting salad of seasonal fruit, arugula, and smoky bacon.

Buttery cookie cups get filled with white chocolate ganache and topped with a maraschino cherry. A pretty addition to the holiday cookie tray.

Humble root vegetables get dressed up with cream, cheddar, and panko for a delicious winter gratin.

A simple blondie bar made special with the addition of toasted walnuts and fig preserves.

A banana cake without bananas? Yes! The flavor comes from a honey-scented banana chip brittle and banana liqueur.

A quick to prepare, healthy vegetarian dish full of seasonal vegetables, tofu, spicy chile sauce and fresh herbs.

An individual version of the traditional French-Canadian pork pie, "tourtiere". A hearty meal for one or a tasty snack.

A great use for all those garden tomatoes: a chutney that is spicy with curry paste, warm with garam masala, and sweet with golden raisins.

This is a yeast-leavened coffeecake, with a layer of sweet summer plums and a cinnamon-scented crumble to top it off. Perfect for breakfast or snacks.

A simple tomato soup made with the freshest garden bounty, enhanced with sweet basil and orange, and garnished with salted whipped cream.

A flaky, buttery, herb-filled biscuit serves as a platform for sweet, warm cherry tomatoes and soft goat cheese.

Sweet cornmeal pancakes with a homemade sour cherry syrup. Plus, the winner of my first blogiversary cookbook giveaway.

Pork potstickers are a family favorite, and remind us of an old Chinese restaurant in our hometown. The cookbook giveaway is to celebrate a one year blogiversary.

The saskatoon berry, native to the Canadian prairies, makes beautiful pies. it was the perfect dessert for our famiy reunion. Made with a lard pie crust it was almost as tender and flaky as Grandma used to make.

The best spicy jerk marinade makes chicken kebabs a delicious and easy summer dinner.

A traditional brioche is swirled through with a little cinnamon sugar and served with honey butter.

My favorite quinoa salad. It's not new or trendy, but it's good and reliable, just like a best friend.

Ginger ice cream with the trifecta of ginger root, ginger liqueur, and candied ginger. Cool and creamy, sweet and spicy. Perfect with roasted summer fruit.

Quick pickled cherries make just the right accompaniment to spicy , rich salami and ham. A great snack with three-cheese spread and baguette slices.

A food photography workshop in beautiful Charleston SC inspired a little Southern flair.

A family favorite and a birthday request: bright, fresh, lemon meringue tart. A buttery, flaky crust filled with lemon curd and topped with marshmallowy Italian meringue.

Here is a delicious and bright-tasting homemade wine cooler. The sunny flavors of orange and passion fruit will be so welcome on warm summer days. Keep a big pitcher in the refrigerator.