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What Are Sea Buckthorns? Also known as a sand thorn, seaberry, and sallowthorn. Sea buckthorn is a shrub that produces small orange/yellow berries. They are commonly found in Russia, China. Northern Europe and Canada. Sea buckthorn berries are edible (often not eaten raw), healthy, and very nutritious. They are often used to make juice, tea, jam, puree, sauces, pies, ice cream. As well as cosmetics, moisturizing body lotions, and their oils are used for treating hair and skin....

I originally made these sheep cupcakes back when Gavin was turning five for his Skylander party. Aren’t they almost too cute to eat? Well, since it’s almost Easter, and sheep are so cute and spring like, I thought the recipe and the photos could use a little updating. Well . . . that and we had another Skylander party. Don’t judge us. These bad boys are completely from scratch. They have an awesomely moist chocolate cupcake body, that is just so good!...

We got new credit cards yesterday, and Eric handed me the new card with a pen to sign it. I was this close to accidentally signing the magnetic stripe at the top that you actually need in order to swipe the card. I was congratulating myself on not being an idiot when I hear Eric, “this pen isn’t working. Wait…” He was trying to sign the magnetic stripe. Karen: 1 Eric: 0....

If you haven’t tried making dinner on a sheet pan, I’m not sure what you’re waiting for. There’s something very pleasing to me about a whole dinner that includes potatoes and veggies that only requires me to wash one pan. It’s like a vacation from dishes! This really is the best recipe for salmon that you can make on a busy weeknight. It’s flavorful, perfectly cooked, and simple to put together....

Spring is just around the corner and I’m already seeing in-season veggies in the grocery stores and farmers markets. For this recipe, I chose 4 of my favorite vegetables – asparagus, leeks, cauliflower and carrots. Of course, you can use a selection of your own 4 favorites as there are so many choices. The herb sauce for the vegetables is vegan/plant-based, gluten-free and dairy-free and can be used as a dip, marinade or served over chicken or fish....

If you are looking for a delicious dinner to bring the family around the table, this pork tenderloin recipe should be next up in your menu rotation. We whisk together a simple sauce and combine it with pork and vegetables in the slow cooker. It leaves you with a mouth watering complete dinner at the end of your busy day. Pork Tenderloin vs. Pork Loin When buying meat for this recipe, note that pork tenderloin and pork loin are two different cuts of pig....

This post originally appeared in 2015 as a sponsored post for the Wisconsin Beef Council, who I continue to greatly support. This salad recipe will leave you feeling totally full and satisfied. It has the perfect Jalapeño Ranch Dressing to go on top. This salad is hearty enough to make a great dinner. Just throw some chips and guacamole on the table and a big pitcher of margaritas and you are good to go!...

It’s the same way I feel about this baby boy we are having in 12 weeks. (12 weeks people. How did this happen??) I feel like I kind of dodged the bullet with Charlotte, so with my second kid life is going to show me what it’s really like to be a mom. (Charlotte is so easy it’s almost scary. She slept through the night at 4 months, still does....

Blended with protein-rich Greek Yogurt, a strawberry and blueberry smoothie is a healthy and nutritious option for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Do you have a blender sitting around, bored, just waiting to be needed? It’s time to pull it out and blend up this easy Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie! It takes mere minutes to blend up this tasty drink, made with fresh or frozen berries, milk, Greek yogurt, and a little bit of honey....

As I mentioned, because this has no dairy, this is not a corn chowder. This makes it perfect for vegetarian, vegan/plant-based, low carb, gluten-free and low calorie eating plans. Fresh corn is best It is always better to use fresh corn off the cob, when available. There are a few methods of cutting corn off the cob and my method is simple. Hold the corn with its flat end on the cutting board, start in the middle of the cob and cut down....

If it’s been a bit since you were able to escape to a tropical destination, let’s do something small that can bring the tropical destination to you. I think we should pass on dragging sand and a kitty pool in your living room, but instead make this delicious Tequila Sunrise. Made with only three ingredients, this is the perfect little treat to pretend you are somewhere far off. Tequila Sunrise vs....

Here’s how my summer is going so far: Morning time: Poke around the house with the kids until they start strangling each other. Lunchish: Get kids out of the house to run errands. Forget to feed them lunch. (??? Okay I’ll be honest I think I was in denial about preparing another meal and just fled the house instead) Target time: Party Poppers! Firework Oreos! Water balloons! So much fun stuff for the 4th, but the food court in Target (what do you call it?...

There are a few moving parts to these tacos, and perhaps a special trip to the grocery store, but I promise, try them and you will understand why they’re trending all over social media! The little bit of extra effort is worth every last bite! I’ve had my fair share of shredded beef tacos, but these completely knocked my socks off when I made them for the first time. They’re kind of like a cross between a taco and quesadilla and couldn’t be any tastier!...

This tasty dessert is just like cheesecake, but easier to make and perfect for sharing! When I bring these blueberry cheesecake bars to a party or summer barbecue, everyone goes nuts for them. The cheesecake filling is so rich and creamy, and it’s studded with juicy berries that pop in your mouth, releasing their delicious flavor in each bite. A buttery graham cracker crust is a must for this creamy blueberry dessert, and always my favorite part....

I cant tell you how grateful I am of the amazing response from all my readers on this one. As is the moniker Cherry & Orange Pound Cake has moist red maraschino cherries which are available all through the year and some tangy Orange Juice. Ideally a pound cake is suppose to have a pound each of sugar, flour,eggs and butter but we have evolved the recipe since then to get a lighter and better butter crumb....

My friend Kate is a fabulous concert level violinist. This weekend she was playing with the Sacramento Orchestra and scored tickets for Sandi (my sis-in-law) and I. The first piece was amazing. A full choir sang with the orchestra, as well as a boy soprano. Both of us got chills, almost cried, the whole bit. The second piece…not so much. The moment the not-cool piece ended, Sandi turns to me during the applause and says, “I did NOT like that....

Tortellini Pasta Salad is one of my favorite summer side dishes, and it’s also hearty enough to be a light meal all by itself! This easy summer salad recipe comes together quickly, with a handful of fresh, flavorful ingredients. Your tortellini salad will definitely be the star of the show when you bring it to the next potluck or party. Why You’ll Love This Recipe Ingredients In Tortellini Salad Here’s what you need to make this easy tortellini salad: Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below....

You guys! It’s almost the Wednesday before Thanksgiving! Am I the only one who gets excited about this?? I feel like we should have a special name for this day, kind of like Christmas Eve. Christmas is such a big deal that even the night before gets a title. (The Brits even have a name for the day after!) Well what about Thanksgiving, HMM?? I just googled what to call the day before Thanksgiving and found out that some people call it Blackout Wednesday....

It is my humble opinion that if you have a good turkey recipe, you don’t really need a gravy. There’s no need to make a great turkey more moist with gravy, because it is already perfectly moist. My perfect Roast Turkey is one such recipe. But! The perfect roast turkey also happens to make a perfect gravy. Those flavorful drippings combined with a few pantry ingredients will knock your socks off....