Refreshing Fruit Salad With Honey Lime and Mint

What You Need:

6 cups of fresh mixed melon fruit such as cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew.

1 1/2 tablespoons of raw honey

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

2 teaspoons of lime juice

A pinch of salt

2 tablespoons of fresh chopped mint, and extra for garnish

Steps:

1. In a small bowl mix together the lemon, lime, honey and salt. Pour juice mixture over the chopped fruit.

2. Right before serving add the chopped mint and mix well.

*can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 12 hours*S

Enjoy!

Spring Time Lemon Bars

Spring time calls for lemon bars! The perfect tart, sweet treat to enjoy in some beautiful weather! This is also a great recipe to make with your little ones! Especially when pressing the dough!

Let’s get started!

What You Need:

For The Crust:

8 tablespoons of unsalted butter softened

1/2 cup of white sugar

2 cups of flour

A pinch of salt

For The Filling:

6 eggs

3 cups of white sugar

2 grated lemons for lemon zest

1 cup of fresh lemon juice

1 cup of flour

Powdered sugar for dusting

Steps:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350.
  2. For the crust, mix together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until combined. Then add the flour and salt. Mix well, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.
  3. Once all combined flatten the dough into a 9 by 13 glass baking dish.
  4. Bake the crust for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned. While crust is baking prepare your filling.
  5. For the filling, mix together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over hot crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling is set and not wobbly. Let cool to room temperature. Then chill in the fridge for an hour.
  6. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into squares. Enjoy!

Tip: place lemon bars in freezer for 30 mins and once removed will be easier to cut squares!

Spicy-Sweet Candied Bacon With Cayenne Pepper And Brown Sugar

Brunch anyone?

What You Need:

12 – 16 slices of bacon

1/3 cup of dark or light brown sugar

1 teaspoon of black pepper

1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Steps:

1. preheat the oven to 400.

2. Line a baking sheet with foil and place bacon strips on the sheet. (If you have a metal rack you can place that on the foil and then lay the bacon on that. This is optional and not absolutely necessary. If you don’t have a metal rack it will still come out yummy!)

3. Bake bacon for 12 minutes; when it’s sizzling and brown a little. Pull bacon out, flip the strips, and sprinkle on brown sugar mixture. Allow to bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes or to your liking.

4. Once done use tongs to lay on a plate and pat dry with a paper towel to soak up excess grease. Serve warm or room temperature!

Enjoy!

Spiked Lavender Lemonade Cocktail

Servings: 2 cocktails

What You Need:

4-6 tablespoons of lavender syrup (give or take)

2 shots of gin

2 Sprigs of rosemary (don’t forget it, every time you sip you get this sweet aroma)

1 1/2 cups of Homemade lemonade divided into two glasses

1 cup of ice


Recipe for Homemade Lemonade

https://thewildgems.com/2021/12/30/homemade-lemonade/

Recipe For Lavender Syrup

https://thewildgems.com/2022/02/17/lavender-simple-syrup-mix-it-in-everything/


Steps:

1. Divide the lemonade into two glasses, and pour 2 tablespoons of lavender syrup into each glass.

2. Add a shot of gin to each glass.

3. Mix well, add ice, and place a sprig of rosemary into each drink.

Sip and enjoy! Add more lavender syrup if necessary.

Happy hour anyone?

Easy Jambalaya With Beef Smoked Sausage And Bell Peppers

What You Need:

2 bell peppers of your color choice chopped

1/4 to 1/2 of an onion chopped

1 can of fire roasted tomatoes undrained

Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Hillshire farm beef smoked sausage (12oz) sliced into 1/2 inch thick

1 box of Goya Jambalaya Rice

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Steps:

1. Sauté the sausage in the olive oil for about 5 mins until the sausage is a little crisp on each side.

2. Add the bell peppers and onion and sauté for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until veggies are soft.

3. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and the fire roasted tomatoes undrained to the skillet with the veggies and meat. Add the contents from box (rice and seasonings). Cover with a lid and cook for 25 mins.

4. Once all the water is absorbed garnish with fresh parsley.

Enjoy!

Avocado Toast With Pan Roasted Grape Tomatoes And A Fried Egg

Servings: 1 piece of toast

What You Need:

A piece of hearty multigrain bread

1 small ripe avocado

A small handful of grape tomatoes cut into halves

Salt, pepper, and rosemary for seasoning

1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic

1 Tablespoon of Olive oil for cooking the tomatoes

Cooking spray for the egg

Steps:

1. Heat up a small skillet on a low medium heat. While that is heating up slice open your avocado and smash it into a bowl seasoning it with salt and pepper.

2. Throw the tomatoes on the skillet in the olive oil and garlic. Sauté until soft. Set aside.

3. Spray the pan with cooking spray leaving behind a little bit of the leftover olive oil and garlic from the tomatoes and begin cooking your egg seasoning it with salt and pepper.

4. Place bread in toaster. (This is where you gotta move fast.)

5. Once the toast pops, smear on your avocado, place the roasted tomatoes right on top, place your fried egg gently on top of the tomatoes, season with some rosemary.

I love a yolky egg.
Ta-da!

It’s so delish!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Raw Honey

What You Need:

4 sweet potatoes cut into cubes with skin

1/4 cup of raw honey

Salt, pepper, and cinnamon for seasoning

Olive oil (3-4 tablespoons)

Steps:

1. Lay out foil (optional) on a baking sheet. Scatter your sweet potatoes and drizzle on the olive oil and honey. Season the potatoes with the salt, pepper, and cinnamon.

2. Mix it all together and ensure all the potatoes are evenly coated with the oil, honey, and seasonings.

4. Bake at 375 for 30 to 45 mins.

Pairs so deliciously with chicken breasts covered in a hearty pesto sauce! Trust me!

Lavender Simple Syrup – Mix It In Everything

This lavender syrup is so good. Mix it in your lemonade, your favorite cocktail, a mimosa, raw honey, cream cheese frosting, the possibilities are endless!

Enjoy!

What You Need:

1 1/2 cups of water

3 tablespoons of dried lavender

1 1/2 cups of sugar

Steps:

1. Bring the water and lavender to a boil.

2. Add the sugar and mix until it dissolves completely. Allow to simmer for 15 mins. Boiling lightly.

3. Remove from the heat and let sit for 2 hours. The aroma is so relaxing.

4. Strain the liquid into a mason jar discarding the dried lavender. Store in the fridge for 2 weeks.

Soften The Heart: Devotional #15

For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave.”

1 Corinthians 7:22

Everyone has a designated plan or purpose in this life. We are apart of this miraculous design, yet we do not know quite yet what we are creating. All we know is it’s something beautiful and something we can trust.

God works through each and every one of us everyday. Strengthening us, as well as , using us to strengthen others. In this time or maybe even decades to come. We are the project and the tool. Some are aware and some are oblivious to the way God is working for them. God is on our side though, always.

Sometimes we see humans do things that we don’t quite understand. Then we judge. Then we think they need God. But who’s to say they aren’t in the process of receiving God in their life? They have to go through the motions just like anyone else. One could say you were lost before you let God into your heart. If anything we should be giving those who are “in the process” or “lost” more love and compassion. Everyone’s path is a little different. Some smooth and some very rough. A person’s sacrifice and hardship are never in vain.

God will soften their heart, God will liberate those souls, but it takes time like anything else. Certain steps need to be taken the same way certain recipes have to be followed specifically. Have you ever cooked or baked something and forgot a necessary ingredient like salt, or baking soda? God doesn’t forget. He knows the steps that need to be taken for complete liberation.

We can’t see the whole picture. We can see maybe but a small corner. Not the front, back or side, but a tiny, tiny, corner.

This scripture reminds us that we belong to God in whatever state we are in. And those that know God (the slaves of Christ) are to help and encourage those who are in the process of receiving God and accepting His love. If we go back to the scripture it reads “The Lords Freedman”. If we define ‘freedman’ it means an ‘emancipated slave’. And if you define emancipated it means process of being set free. We must be patient the way God has been with us. Each one of us is loved, and God doesn’t love anyone less or more. Nobody is more righteous than another.

The truth is we live in a broken world with much pain and suffering. And Everyone is in need of mercy and grace and we must give it and give it often to one another. We must be that example that many need, we have been given our own power to help liberate others and point them in the right direction. We have been given a gift to encourage others to seek God themselves and find that comfort, peace, and love. And we know in our hearts they will find that mercy and grace that has been given from the very beginning.

God loves us all. He knows this is hard. He reminds us that we are not alone. We are bound together.

German Pancakes With Powdered Sugar And Honey

Servings: 2 large German Pancakes

What You Need:

4 eggs

1 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of salt

2/3 cups of flour sifted (I used a small strainer and it works just fine)

2/3 cup of milk

2 tablespoons of soft butter

2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and honey for drizzling (optional)

Would also be great with some fruit compote, maple syrup, or baked apples with cinnamon

Steps:

1. Heat oven to 400 and butter the cake pans well.

2. Best eggs well, and then add remaining ingredients.

3. Once mixed well pour evenly into the two cake pans.

4. Bake for 20 mins at 18 mins. Then open oven to release some heat and turn down to 350. Bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

If it begins to expand in the middle that’s fine! It will go down some when it comes out and will still be delish!
When I took it out this is what I looked like.
Honey and powdered sugar is usually are go to but you can get really creative with it!