When spring finally decides to arrive here in north Idaho, my allergies decide to arrive as well. For years I have been drinking wild nettle tea as a way to help ease my spring allergies, the itchy eyes, sneezing and runny nose. I prefer to forage for wild nettles for this tea but I have purchased it in the past. The downside to purchasing nettle tea is most likely it's not grown in the region or area you live in. Nettle tea works best when it is from the area where you live and where you are experiencing the allergies. Plus, nettles start growing their fresh tips right when allergy season starts and the fresh tips are the best for making tea. A couple years ago I came across a little patch of nettles down by the river on the property where we live. This little patch has become my go to spot each spring for me to forage for my nettle tea. I usually gather about four big handfuls (which is probably about four cups) from this little spot. I put them in a pot and fill it with about 12 -14 cups of water. I bring that to a very low simmer, I don't let the water come to a boil. Then I let that simmer on low for about twenty minutes. Next I strain the tea into half gallon mason jars and let cool down to room temp before putting on the lid and storing in the fridge. The tea will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days and will turn a darker green. I sip on this periodically throughout the day for a few days to help keep my allergy symptoms in check and while my body is adjusting to the fresh spring allergens in the air. You can pick extra tips, dehydrate them and keep in mason jars for storing so you can have some when fall allergies arrive… *DISCLAIMER* Obviously I am not a doctor and you should always check with your health care professional before using herbal remedies. Also, when foraging and consuming wild edibles always make sure to check with an expert before consuming if you are uncertain.

I always have bananas on hand and inevitably some get overly ripe before they get eaten. It gets boring making the same old banana bread each time I want to use up the ripe bananas instead of throwing them away. So I decided to try something a little different and came up with the recipe for these Banana Cream Cheese Muffins. These are a fun and yummy alternative to regular banana bread. Banana Cream Cheese Muffins Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 tsp salt 3/4 tsp baking soda 3 ripe bananas 2 eggs 1/4 cup whole fat yogurt (fat free yogurt or buttermilk would work great too) 6 tbls unsalted butter, melted 2 tsp vanilla Cream Cheese Filling: 5oz cream cheese, room temp 1 egg 1/4 cup sugar 2 tbls flour Directions: 1.) Preheat oven to 350. Line two 6 cup muffin tins with paper baking cups. 2.) In a medium bowl mash the bananas. 3.) In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. 4.) To the mashed bananas add the eggs, yogurt, melted butter and vanilla. Whisk together. 5.) Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. 6.) In the bowl of a mixer add the cream cheese filling ingredients and blend well. 7.) Put two tablespoons of banana batter in the bottom of the muffin cups, top with one tablespoon of cream cheese filling and top that with two tablespoons of banana batter. 8.) Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

I have been baking these cookies close to two decades now. I have tweaked the recipe over the years to make them exactly the way I like them. You can adapt them for any holiday or season by changing the M&M's to colors inspired by the season. At Christmas time you can also switch out the vanilla extract for a couple teaspoons of peppermint extract to make chocolate mint cookies. Ingredients: 1 3/4 cups flour 3/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder. 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 1/2 sticks butter, melted 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 whole egg, and 1 egg yoke separated 2 tsp vanilla 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips 3/4 cups M&M's of your choice. Directions: 1. Cream together the butter and sugar. 2. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. 3. In a separate bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. 4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined. 5. Mix in the chocolate chips and M&M's. I do this part by hand so the candy doesn't break. 6. I use a 2 tbls size cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. They can be close together because they are going to be going into the freezer for a little bit before baking. 7. Gently press a couple extra M&M's into the top of each dough ball. 8. Put in the freezer for 20-30 minutes until firm. At this time preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 9. Bake for 15 minutes. Since they are brown you can't tell when they are done by looking at them so I have found 15 minutes to be just right. 10. Let cool on a wire rack.

When you don't have time to roll and cut out biscuits these drop biscuits are an easy and equally delicious alternative. I sometimes have to make a double batch because my son and husband gobble them up. Ingredients: 4 cups flour 2 tsp salt 6 tbls baking powder 2 tbls honey or sugar 2 cups whole milk 1 cup butter, melted Directions: 1.) Preheat oven to 425°. 2.) Combine dry ingredients then add the milk and melted butter and stir to combine all the ingredients together. 3.) Spoon your desired size of biscuit onto a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet. I usually making the aboit 1/4 cup size. 4.) Bake for 10-12 minutes depending on size. Enjoy!

This simple, nutritious soup is perfect for a fall lunch or dinner. Keep it warm on the stove so everyone can help themselves throughout the day. Serve with homemade sourdough or any other favorite crusty bread. Ingredients: 3 carrots, finely diced 3 stalks celery, finely diced 2-3 small onions, finely diced 3 garlic cloves, finely diced 2-3 tbls reserved bacon fat (adds good flavor), or other oil of choice 3 tbls tomato paste 14oz can petite diced tomatoes 2 cups green or brown lentils 10 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 2 cups set aside Salt and pepper, to taste Directions: In a large pot heat your oil of choice. Add the carrots, celery and onions and sauté over medium heat for about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and let that saute with the other veggies for just 1 minute so the garlic doesn't burn. Add in the tomato paste and stir until combined. Then add the diced tomatoes. Add 8 cups of broth and the lentils. Bring to a low simmer, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes checking the liquid and tenderness of the lentils. You may need to add more broth after 20 minutes to continue to cook the lentils. Once the lentils are tender add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

One of the things I discovered this year was homemade mayo and I can't believe I haven't made it sooner. It's so easy and you control the ingredients. I will never go back to store bought. The only downside is it only keeps in the fridge for a week. You can definitely half the recipe if you need a smaller amount. Ingredients: 2 eggs (preferably homegrown fresh eggs) 1 tsp salt Juice of one small lemon 1/2 tsp distilled vinegar 2 cups Avacado oil Put the first 4 ingredients into a large wide mouth mason jar and blend together with an immersion blender. Slowly add the oil while blending until you get a nice thick, mayo consistency. Will keep in the fridge for one week.

I threw together this crust-less quiche for dinner this week and it was a hit. I decided to caramelize the onions and I'm glad I did! This makes a big quiche that is baked in a 9X13 inch casserole dish. Ingredients: 2-3 tbls bacon fat or oil of choice 2 onions sliced and chopped thin 2 medium zucchini shredded, salted and drained of liquid 3 garlic cloves diced very small 3/4 cup flour 6 eggs 1 1/2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup cottage cheese 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded 1/4 cup fresh Parmesan, shredded 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg Salt and pepper to taste Directions: 1.) Preheat oven to 350°. Line casserole dish with parchment paper. 2.) Sauté the onions with oil on medium heat until caramelized. Once caramalized add the garlic, toss together and immediately remove from heat. 3.) While the onion is caramelizing grate the zucchini, place in a tea towel, toss with aboit a teaspoon of salt. Let sit in a bowl for about 5 mins. Wrap up the towel and squeeze the water out of the zucchini. (This helps control the amount of moisture in the quiche.) 4.) In a large bowl toss the zucchini and onions with flour and a little salt and pepper. 5.) In a very large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, cottage cheese, cheddar, Parmesan and nutmeg. 6.) Add the zucchini and onion mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until well combined. Pour the mixture into the lined casserole dish. Bake for about 1 hour until set and right before it starts to brown on top. Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Sprinkles are one of my favorite decorations in baking. I recently started making my own sprinkles and it's so much easier than you might think. Plus you get to make whatever colors and color combos you'd like. Here's my recipe for homemade sprinkles: 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted 1 tbls light corn syrup 2 tbls water Mix together 1 cup of the powdered sugar and the water and corn syrup. Add the additional 1/2 cup powdered sugar gradually until you get the right consistency. It needs to be pipe-able and not too runny or too thick. Separate into as many portions as you need for the colors you are going to use. Using small piping bags or ziploc bags with the corner cut off, pipe in straight lines on parchment paper. You can also make little dots. Let dry overnight then break up and store in an airtight container.

We love these quick and easy pickled jalapenos. They don't last long once I make them so I make a nice big batch. You can always halve the recipe you need a smaller quantity. These are so good on tacos, burritos and salad or anything else your heart desires. Ingredients: 3 cups distilled white vinegar 3 cups water 6 tbls sugar 3 tbls kosher salt 10 garlic cloves, peeled, whole (or more if you'd like) 20 large(ish) jalapenos, sliced into rings, about 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick 3 pint size mason jars with lids, cleaned Directions: 1.) In a large saucepan, combine the water, vinegar, garlic, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil. Add the sliced jalapenos and cook 6-7 minutes. They will go from vibrant green to muted green. 2.) Using a slotted spoon, scoop the jalapenos into the jars. Make sure to get a few cloves of garlic in each jar. Using a measuring cup, pour the cooking liquid over the jalapenos until each jar is full leaving a tiny bit of room at the top. 3.) Put the lids on the jars tightly and let cool completely before putting in the fridge. I have found they are good for up to 4 weeks in the fridge. You can use them right away or wait a few days for the heat to mellow a little bit more.

There's nothing like a good ol' fashioned snickerdoodle cookie fresh out the oven. This is my son's favorite cookie. Old Fashioned Snickerdoodles: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 whole egg and 1 egg yoke separated 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour 2 tsp cream of tartar 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt For rolling the cookie dough balls: 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2-3 tsp cinnamon 1.) Cream together the melted butter and sugar. Beat in the whole egg and egg yoke. 2.) Mix together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to the wet ingredients until incorporated. 3.) Mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Using a cookie scoop (I use a standard sized scoop) scoop the dough into your hand and roll into a smooth ball. Roll the ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Place the balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet and freeze for at least 15 mins. 4.) Preheat the oven to 350°. Place balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake 14-16 mins. Place the rest of the frozen balls in a ziploc bag and keep in the freezer until ready to bake.

I had so much fun creating this recipe for Birthday Cake Cookies! They taste like birthday cake and your house will smell like you just baked a cake. 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 3oz cream cheese, softened 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted 1 cup granulated sugar 1 whole egg and 1 egg yoke separated 2 tsp vanilla 1 tsp almond extract 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles 1.) Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. 2.) In separate bowl mix together the melted butter and softened cream cheese. Add the 1 cup sugar and cream until light and fluffy. 3.) Add the whole egg and egg yoke and mix together. Then add the vanilla and almond extracts. 4.) Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet until well incorporated. (Make sure to scrape down the bowl periodically.) 5.) Hand stir the in the sprinkles. The dough will be soft and sticky. 6.) Scoop the dough (I use a standard cookie scoop) onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Put in the FREEZER for at least one hour until frozen. When ready to bake preheat the oven to 350°. Put balls of cookie dough onto a separate cookie sheet lined with silicone mat or parchment. Don’t put too close together because they will spread. Bake the cookies for 12-14 mins. Tap the pan on the counter when you pull it out of the oven. Let the cookies cool on a cooling rack. Enjoy!

This is my favorite recipe for a simple homemade bread. I also use this recipe to make my hotdog and hamburger buns. Honey Wheat Bread (makes 2 loaves or 16 hot dog buns or 12 hamburger buns) Ingredients: 2 cups whole wheat flour 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus more if dough is sticky) 2 tsp kosher salt 6 tbls oil (I use avacado oil but you can use olive oil as well) 1/4 cup honey 2 cups lukewarm water 3 tsp active dry yeast 1 egg (for egg wash) Directions: Add the water, honey (stir to dissolve) and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit for 10 mins to make sure the yeast activates and blooms. Add the whole wheat flour and start. Using the dough hook attachment start the mixer. While the mixer is on gradually add the oil. Gradually add the all-purpose flour until fully incorporated and the dough forms a ball and cleans the sides of the bowl. (You may need to gradually add a little extra flour if the dough is sticky.) You can let the mixer kneed the dough for you (about 5 minutes) or you can hand kneed (about 10 minutes). Grease a large bowl. Form the dough into a ball, place in the bowl, roll the dough around so it gets a light coating of oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or tea towel and place in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Depending on how warm your room is this could take a little longer. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Punch down the dough and divide into two equal halves. Line two loaf pans with parchment paper. Shape the dough into a loaf shape and place in the pans. Optional: Make an egg wash by beating one egg together with 2 tsp water. Brush the top of the bread with the egg wash before baking. This will give the bread a lovely, shiny brown top. Bake for 45 minutes. (For hot dog buns and hamburger buns bake 30 - 35 mins) Remove the bread from the pans by picking it up with the parchment paper and cool on a wire rack. But of course you do not have to wait for the bread to cool to enjoy!