Just~One~Donna

If you are lucky, you live in a place where hydrangeas grow in abundance.  New England is one of those places.  Summer in New England is a feast for the eyes with all of the hydrangea bushes in full bloom. Tips for Making Beautiful Hydrangea Arrangements for Your Home Hydrangea Arrangement Hydrangeas are one of my favorite flowers, so as soon as the blossoms start to open you'll find me cutting them to bring into the house.  I have eight hydrangea bushes so there are plenty of blossoms to choose from.  All but one of my hydrangea bushes are a gorgeous blue color.  The other one is a deep, lovely purple that I love as well. Purple Hydrangeas Hydrangeas can be a challenge to arrange because they are so top heavy.  I like to use wide, short vases for my arrangements and I find that the hydrangea blossoms will often topple out of the vase.  The same is true for lilacs and peonies that also grow in my yard. Keeping them corralled in the vase can be a challenge.

Do vegetables often take a back seat to the main dish you serve for your dinners?    Lately, I have been spending more time thinking about ways to jazz up the vegetables I serve.  Vegetables are available in abundance at my house with my garden producing at peak rates these past couple of weeks.  With fresh green beans in generous supply, we are happily eating them several times a week. Green Beans with Red Onions A Green Bean Side Dish with Fresh Flavor Green beans are one of our favorite vegetables.  We like them steamed crisp with just a little salt, pepper, and butter.  Most of the time that is exactly how we eat them.  When I want my beans to have a little more flavor, this recipe takes the simple green bean's flavor up a notch or two.   As a bonus, it is easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner while being flavorful and attractive enough to serve to guests. These green beans make a perfect summer side dish because you can serve them either warm or at room temper

One of my lovable, little quirks is that I am very particular about what I drink from.  The size and shape of glasses and cups are important to me.  That means I am very picky about the glasses and mugs I buy and use.  Today I want to talk about my coffee mug obsession and share a recipe for Cinnamon Scones.  These Cinnamon Scones pair very nicely with anything you might want to drink from your favorite mug. The Yummiest Cinnamon Scones (This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.  When you purchase using these links I earn fees that help support this blog.) Cinnamon Scone with Cinnamon Icing Last weekend I had breakfast at a new-to-me local breakfast place.  It is a cute little place with the yummiest breakfast, but the thing that blew me away was their coffee mugs.  I fell in love with those mugs the minute they were placed on our table.  I loved the matte black color on the outside and the bright colors on the inside.  I loved the shape.  I had to have tho

Weeknight dinners can be a challenge. For me, the closer I get to the weekend, the less motivated I feel about dinner planning. I'm tired, but not in the mood to go out for dinner. I want dinner to be yummy.  I want it to signal the end of the week and the beginning of a relaxing weekend.  I want it to be easy. That's when I turn to my freezer and pantry. Shrimp and Ravioli Pesto Alfredo Grilled Shrimp Pesto Alfredo Do you want the same?  Well, with ingredients you have on hand or a quick trip to the grocery store you can make it happen.  This Shrimp Pesto Alfredo with Cheese Ravioli is slap-me-delicious but easy enough to tackle on a Friday night, or any night of the week.  I'm always pleasantly surprised when a yummy meal can be pulled together in a few minutes with just a few ingredients. Using packaged fresh cheese ravioli, or frozen, if that's what you have on hand, some cream, butter, Parmesan cheese, and prepared pesto you can make a delicious

I'm happy to say it is time to give my basil plants a haircut.  This has been a very good year for herb growing.  All of my basil plants are doing very well and I couldn't be more delighted.  I recently used up the last of my frozen basil from last year's harvest so I have been waiting patiently for the time when I could make my first batch of pesto this season. How to Make Classic Basil at Home My Classic Basil Pesto Pesto has become a staple in my freezer.  Once you get used to having it on hand you never want to be without.  It works for appetizers and main dishes and is a flavorful condiment to perk up an otherwise ordinary sandwich.  Freezing my basil in individual cubes makes it very easy to keep them on hand. Make Basil Pesto Cubes Pesto is a versatile condiment to keep on hand.  It is a delicious way to jazz up a simple pasta dish.  I love to add it to bread crumbs to make a special beef tenderloin dinner.  We love, love, love pesto as a spread f

It's grilling season!   During the heat of the summer, my grill works overtime and I'm happy to find marinades that turn a simple grilled beef dinner into a delicious treat.  This savory beef marinade is our favorite for beef tips. While I use this marinade for my grilled beef tips, you can use it for any cut of beef you want to marinate. Grilled Marinated Beef Tips (This post contains affiliate links.)   What Are Beef Tips? You might be wondering what exactly are beef tips?  The beef tips I buy at my local grocery store are tenderloin tips.  They are pieces of beef cut from beef tenderloins that are being trimmed. Unfortunately, this is not standard across the United States, so your best bet is to ask what cut your beef tips come from at your local market.