The secret to this cake is the peppermint Hershey’s Kisses. The little morsels are made of smooth white chocolate, but filled with tiny, satisfyingly crunchy pieces of peppermint candy. It takes a bit of time to unwrap all of the peppermint kisses you’ll need, and a lot of willpower not to eat them as you go, but the result is worth it. The already moist pound cake is full of little bits of creamy white chocolate, and the red and white dusting of peppermint kisses on top looks very festive. If you’re looking for something smaller than a pound cake, these would make great cupcakes (pictured is a miniature bundt cake). Enjoy!

Tabbouleh is a delicious, fresh Lebanese salad made with parsley, mint and a little bit of bulgar. This “Harvest Tabbouleh” is a heartier, cold-weather-friendly version of the traditional Lebanese dish. It is a widely variable recipe. No pumpkin on hand? Substitute butternut squash, acorn squash or sweet potato. No bulgar? Substitute quinoa or couscous. No sliced almonds? Use any other toasted nut or seed. No craisins? Substitute finely diced apple. Top with feta cheese for added depth. 

After a long summer of half-hearted gardening, the vines around my house are starting to brown. Nights are getting longer and colder and as they do, the garden slows down its once aggressive turnout of bulging tomatoes, glossy peppers and giant squash. 

As fall rolls into the mountains, so too does the season for soups, stews and chilis. Cold weather sparks cravings for all food warm, hearty and comforting. But, while the weather is still balmy early in the season, cast iron skillet recipes are a nice way to transition into cold-weather food. One of the best things about the skillet? There is minimal clean up involved. Below are two quick and easy cast iron skillet recipes I’ve been enjoying lately. 

By Maxine Hooten | I'm the youngest of my fourteen cousins. Ten of us are girls. I always love seeing them but since the pandemic I haven't gotten to see a lot of them. I was so excited when my cousins from Florida, Jamie and Katie, said they wanted to come spend the weekend with us because it was Jamie's birthday. We invited my other family to come celebrate too . My mom said that I could be in charge of making the birthday cake. But I decided to make a birthday pie, peanut butter pie to be exact.

It seems like every produce stand and farmers market in the south is bursting with soft, fuzzy peaches. This basic, peach salsa recipe is perfect for summer get togethers or relaxing on the porch.

Dusk was just starting to creep down the mountain when Megan rolled into the driveway, up from Charlotte for the weekend. 

When we are taking care of ourselves and the people we live with, eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, we can end up with a lot of scraps. Two ends, plus the skins, of every onion you eat, garlic peels, mushroom stems, carrot ends, cauliflower leaves, celery bottoms, parsley and cilantro stems, lemon and lime rinds, pumpkin and winter squash skin… the list goes on. 

Gathering violets for this Violet Gimlet will be the most time consuming part of the recipe, but it’s well worth it for a light and refreshing cocktail at the end of the warmer days to come.

Pasta is a very important part of life. It’s one of those necessities that lies alongside love, good conversation, music, books that envelope your soul, wine and rainy days.