Some of you have asked why I have a food blog filled mostly with flower photos instead of food photos.  I guess my reasoning is that there are thousands of food blogs out there filled with photos and facts on or about food and I wanted to do something a little different for us nature and especially flower- lovers out there who love looking at floral photographs but also enjoy a good recipe too…

So I decided to start this blog. It never has been (nor do I ever want it to be) a serious food blog filled with hardcore facts. It’s just a little “light read”… that includes a recipe along the way and is filled with some floral photography to help brighten your day. ( Does looking at flowers brighten your day? It does mine… 🙂  ) 

I will be releasing my first DVD in a couple of weeks! In this DVD, I will be demonstrating how to make some very unique cookie bouquets. When I talk about this a little more in depth in the upcoming weeks, the reason why I have filled my food blog with floral/nature photos will become more clear. Until then, here are some photos I took while on a drive through a prairie preserve in central Minnesota this summer.

 While driving through the preserve,  I came across a field filled with pink ball-shaped flowers. Upon getting out of the car to get a closer look, I noticed the the air was thick with perfume! I couldn’t figure out where it was coming from until I realized it was coming from the milkweed! I didn’t think milkweed had a fragrance…

I’m glad I got out of the car for a closer look that day or I would have never known these flowers had such a heavenly scent…

Here are a few more of my photos…

 

 

 

I think my favorite flower that day was the butterfly-weed! I would find them clustered together in giant orange masses. I loved it! Talk about an explosion of color…

 

 

I love the color orange in the Fall. Here is a recipe filled with the quinessential  colors and flavors of Fall.  Years ago, there was a photo of this particular pepper recipe in a magazine and it caught my eye because of its beautiful colors but as I read the ingredients, it sounded wonderfully delicious too! It’s a great recipe for the gardener this time of year, who may have some sweet bell peppers to use…

Autumn Burst Salad

Whisk together in a small bowl:

      6 Tablespoons cider vinegar

      6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

      6 Tablespoons honey

      2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

      1/2 teas salt

      1/2 teas garlic powder

       1/2 teas teas celery seed

      1/2 teas pepper

      1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

Into a large bowl, put:

      3 green sweet peppers, thinly sliced

      2 orange sweet peppers, thinly sliced

      2 yellow sweet peppers, thinly sliced

      2 red  sweet peppers, thinly sliced

      2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

      1 cup pepperoni, thinly sliced and cut into strips

Pour the dressing over the ingredients, toss and serve.

*The first time I made this salad, I thought I’d let the peppers marinate overnight in the dressing. It turned out to be a bad idea because the vinegar softened the peppers and dulled the colors. So when I serve this salad now, I prepare all the ingredients, toss them together and place them into the refrigerator. I also prepare the dressing, cover it and place it into the refrigerator as well. When it comes time to serve the salad, it’s just a quick toss-together and the result is a beautiful vibrant and delicious salad, perfect for this time of year!  

Happy Autumn! 🙂