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Preserving Summer’s Bounty

This is it—what my grandma used to call “the best time of year to eat.” We’re in it now, relishing in mountains of fresh heirloom tomatoes, piles of squash, and more peaches than we know what to do ...

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How to Make Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam

When you visit your friend who has a fabulous garden full of fruit, vegetables and herbs, and she gives you more rhubarb than you know what to do with, you make jam. Rhubarb is a perennial plant ...

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Pink Drink or Sultry Summer Strawberry Solution

We’ve come to the point in summer where strawberries are on the wane. This is always a melancholy time of year for me because in my opinion strawberries are one of the greatest treats that warm ...

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In a Pickle with a Peck of Peppers

I don’t think there is a season I look forward to more than summer. After a long cold winter, us Midwesterners long for warm weather and sunshine like a dog loves a bone. Without fail, by the time I ...

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Savor Summer with Pickled Corn Relish

If you’ve read some of my other blogs, then you know I enjoy preserving summer produce this time of year. All the greatest produce is in season right now, and I feel like I have a duty to can and ...

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It's the Season for Stone Fruit Jam

Summer officially starts this weekend, farmers markets are in full swing, and seasonal fruit is plentiful! A couple of weeks ago, we held a hands-on pie and tart class, and I had some leftover ...

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Garden Salsa

Our garden has exploded with tomatoes this year. We literally cannot eat them fast enough. When I counted 30 beautiful, bright red tomatoes on the counter, I knew it was time for salsa. On average, I ...

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Canning Boot Camp: The Next Step of Preservation

We did a lot of canning growing up. All four of us kids helped out: pitting cherries, snapping beans and shucking corn. My dad did the planting, and we all helped tend the gardens while my mom did ...

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Home Grown Gold

One of The Chopping Block’s all-time best-sellers is our Jalapeno Gold. This sweet and spicy treat is as versatile as it is addictive. Nearly every day, someone dashes into the store to scoop up a ...

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Put your Food Preservation Fears to Rest

Local farmers markets are bursting with late-summer produce right now. Wouldn't it be great if you could enjoy this bounty in the middle of a frigid Midwest winter? You can, simply by canning, ...

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Most Recent Posts

Limited Space? Here's Your Grilling Solution

Grilling season is finally in full swing, and I couldn’t be more excited! After years of not...Read more

Highlighting a Unique Herb: Tarragon

A coworker recently asked me what my favorite nontraditional herb is. It was a great question, and...Read more

Hot Honey: A Fiery and Sweet Condiment

  A current drive through any city neighborhood tells you farmers’ market season is upon us,...Read more

What I Got Out of a 15-Pound Prime Rib Roast

As a chef, I’m always looking for ways to stretch ingredients and make the most out of quality...Read more

What to Do with an Abundance of Rhubarb

  Rhubarb is thriving this time of year here in the Midwest, both in home gardens and in the...Read more

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