Happy Spring to all and Happy Easter for those who celebrate! Save this message to "read later" because it'll keep, just like seven quick pickles ("quickles""?!) being highlighted. If you're new to this world of small-batch pickles that don't require canning, just refrigeration, it's a revelation, turning almost any vegetable into a pickle or a relish that'll keep for days and weeks and even longer.

How to transform everyday carrot into a special pickled relish spiked with both jalapeño and cumin, a magical combination. It's easy to use and better still, this is a "quick pickle" that requires no canning, just refrigeration. Pickle Relish Made from Scratch, No Canning Required. Whole Food, Fresh & Inventive. Year-Round Kitchen Staple. Budget Friendly. Great for Meal Prep. Great for Food Gifts. Easy DIY. Not just vegan, Vegan Done Real . Naturally Gluten Free.

Still thinking about Easter menus? Last week, I shared side dishes for spring celebrations . This week, I closed my eyes to imagine a dessert buffet, special sweets for spring, simple to sumptuous "celebration breads" and "celebratory cakes". Chocolate? Strawberries? Rhubarb? Yes, yes and yes. Plus, our Easter lunch menu is 90% nailed down. Fingers crossed you find much inspiration!

A Master Recipe Who else loves quick, healthy, flexible breakfast ideas? Here's my master recipe for an oh-so-easy make-ahead breakfast casserole that flies together in 15 minutes. Unlike many breakfast casseroles, it's packed with protein. (Eggs! Hash browns! Salsa! A little cheese! But no bread!) Yes, it's Weight Watchers friendly and low-carb! Options for on-the-go portable breakfast-casserole muffins and individual ramekins. Whole Food, Simply Prepared. An Approachable, Homestyle Casserole, Fresh & Flexible. Hearty & Filling. Year-Round Kitchen Staple. Budget Friendly. How to Feed a Crowd. Easy DIY. Low Carb. High Protein. Weight Watchers Friendly. Vegetarian. Naturally Gluten Free.

Seven side dishes to consider for Easter and other spring celebrations, mostly featuring spring vegetables like asparagus, artichokes and carrots but with a surprise ingredient or two. I hope you'll find one or two that will grace your own celebration tables ...

How to make fresh, clean-tasting vegetable stock in a slow cooker with just a few simple vegetables. You've got onion, carrot, celery and maybe mushrooms too, right? The broth tastes so delicious, you just might find myself sipping a glassful while cooking dinner. Vegetable Stock Made from Scratch. A Year-Round Kitchen Staple for Cooking But Good Enough to Drink. Budget Friendly. Great for Meal Prep. Easy DIY. Low Carb. Low Fat. Weight Watchers Friendly. Not just vegan, Vegan Done Real . Naturally Gluten Free. Whole30 Friendly.

Seven cabbage recipes (and only one coleslaw) to take advantage of an abundance for the next while, inexpensive cabbage, so healthy, so easy to lean into for sides, salads, soups and more. I hope you'll find one or two destined as "keepers" in your own recipe collections ...

How to make traditional Pub Cheese in two ways, either from scratch with sharp cheddar and beer (making it a "beer cheese") or a semi-homemade version that starts with a store-bought pub cheese then boosts flavor and improves texture (that's non-alcoholic) . Make one, make both, each takes just minutes to pull together for an impromptu soft cheesy spread packed with zing and fun to serve with crackers, veggies, fresh fruit (especially apples!) or alongside pretzels or warm pretzel bites. Home-style Bar Food. Whole Food, Fresh & Family-Tested. Easy Addition to Charcuterie & Cheese Boards. Fun & Portable Picnic Food. Mere Minutes to the Table. Year-Round Kitchen Staple. Budget Friendly. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Great for Meal Prep & Food Gifts. Potluck & Party Friendly. Easy DIY. Low Carb. Naturally Gluten Free.

Spring is as much a state of mind as a season ... so let me tempt your tastebuds with seven easy pies and tarts that evoke robins and spring baseball and Easter dresses and ... and ... but leave plenty of time to step outside for a deep breath of cherry blossoms or the sound of spring peepers. Here's my promise, there's at least one that's going to call to you over the next few weeks as spring emerges at its own pace. Just make it!

My first and still favorite Finnish pastry, Finland's traditional fruity dessert called rahkapiirakka [RAW-kah-PEE-raw-kah] in Finnish. It starts with a whole-grain press-in crust that's baked with fruit tucked into a sweet sour cream mixture. Blueberries are especially popular in Finland for a mustikka-rahkapiirakka but pick your own favorite because other fresh fruits and berries (even dried fruits) can be just as good. I fell in love with this simple dessert when I lived in Finland as an exchange student many years ago; it tasted just as special when we last visited Finland and my Finnish "sister" served it to end a traditional Finnish meal in her home. A Traditional Finnish Pastry, A Favorite in Homes and Coffeeshops. Made from Scratch and Baked to Serve in Wedges Like a Pie or in Squares Like a Brownie or Rounds Like a Danish. Mixes in One Bowl, No Mixer Required. Keeps Well for a Couple of Days.