Feta + Cream Cheese Dip w/ Red Onion (Lopez Island Dip)

Feta + Cream Cheese Dip w/ Red Onion (Lopez Island Dip)

Well, if you’ve been following me on Insta, then you know I was recently on the San Juan Islands in the PNW. We’ve been visiting these islands for several years and every year I try to see something new. This summer, we hiked several new 

Washington Cherry Upside-Down Cake

Washington Cherry Upside-Down Cake

Oh my. Cherry Upside-Down Cake. You really must taste it. People often ask me – “why ‘Food for a Year’? Do you make meal plans? Do you show people how to store up enough food for a year?”….  I think this recipe a good way 

Fresh Blackberry Syrup and Simple French Toast

Fresh Blackberry Syrup and Simple French Toast

Blackberries are one of my favorite summer fruits and freshly picked Pacific Northwest blackberries are about the very best a that blackberry could ever hope to be. To me, a bowl of sweet blackberries with a sprinkle of sugar is about as good as it 

BEST NYC Sweets, 6 Bakeries in 4 Days

BEST NYC Sweets, 6 Bakeries in 4 Days

While visiting NYC (for the first time ever) last week, I checked out a list of bakeries. In all, hubby & I visited 6 bakeries and tasted 15 cookies, 3 macaroons, 2 scones, one muffin, 7 cupcakes, 1 slab cake and a bowl of banana 

My Favorite NYC Eats

My Favorite NYC Eats

Whew – what a time we had in NYC last week. It felt like we squeezed in 2 weeks of fun into 4 food-filled days! In all, we walked 42 miles and tested over a dozen restaurants. I have my favorites listed below:

Cheesy Pepperoni Chicken :: Hobo Dinner (simple, yummy camp food)

Cheesy Pepperoni Chicken :: Hobo Dinner (simple, yummy camp food)

Cheesy Chicken Hobo Dinner! It’s that time of year — the bitter biting air has been exchanged for cool breezes, trees are budding, green grass is peeking through the winter browns, birds seem to be chirping a happier tune: and that means it is camping 

Smoked Salmon Scramble – a Berkeley favorite!

Smoked Salmon Scramble – a Berkeley favorite!

Several years ago, David and I stumbled upon, what has since become one of my all-time favorite restaurants :: Lama Beans Cafe in Berkeley, CA. We picked this spot because online reviews raved about this little local gem – high quality, delicious local food that’s 

Spicy Bean & Rainbow Veggie ((No-Peek)) Veggie Stew

Spicy Bean & Rainbow Veggie ((No-Peek)) Veggie Stew

A pound of dried beans, a colorful medley of fresh veggies and a few pantry staples are often my ticket to a simple, tasty dinnertime solution. While away on our recent vacation, NO-PEEK bean stew made it’s way to our dinner table several times. In 

Fresh Washington Apple Crisp w/ Cinnamon Streusel Biscuit Crust

Fresh Washington Apple Crisp w/ Cinnamon Streusel Biscuit Crust

While in Washington, it didn’t take me long to notice we arrived right in the middle of apple season. At almost every turn, I saw apple trees with branches bowing at the weight of large, brightly colored apples. I had to force myself not to pull 

S’mores Scones

S’mores Scones

I will admit, chopping chocolate bars, quartering jumbo marshmallows and crushing graham crackers are not on the list of breakfast-making activities I ever imagined I would be checking off at 8 o’clock in the morning. But, with that first sticky, gooey, chocolatey bite – s’mores 

Top Hikes & Eats On ((or near)) Orcas

Top Hikes & Eats On ((or near)) Orcas

After 3 trips to the San Juan Islands over the last 4 years ((read about are trip 2 years ago HERE)), I definitely feel as though that place is a second home. The first time we went, Gracie was only 2 – so our experiences 

3-Bean ((NO-PEEK)) Soup Meets Orcas Island

3-Bean ((NO-PEEK)) Soup Meets Orcas Island

I took a little break from the blog — I both missed it and enjoyed it all at the same time. While the blog was quiet, life was very full. We took a 16 day trip to my most favorite place in the world ::