When temps get cooler and the leaves start to change, there’s a recipe I like to make that transitions the summer season into fall. Curtis and I love to enjoy short rib sliders on the deck with some wine or beer in the late afternoon hours, just before dusk. When I found the blackberry wine at a local winery, I thought this would be an excellent addition to my recipe. Because we like to keep our sandwiches simple, we only add coleslaw and brie slices. However, you can make this slider yours and add whatever condiments please your taste buds. A sweet and tangy bourbon glaze is the crowning glory of these juicy, bite-size short rib sandwiches.

Fall—is that you? It IS! The first week of fall weather is here. With the temps dropping at night, I can enjoy my Spicy Hot Apple Cider any time I want without breaking a sweat. This drink is so easy to make and the best thing is that you have control to adjust the flavors to your taste. Enjoy!

The garden fairies have truly blessed us with an abundance of poblano peppers this year! So what do I do with all these tasty veggies? Well, fortunately, my mom taught me how to can vegetables when I was a kid. Canning any can be a little intimidating and also time consuming, but, it's really worth it.

Poblanos are like tomatoes—they can be used in a variety of recipes such as sauces, enchiladas, fried risotto balls and anything else I can imagine. Here is one of my favorite sauce recipes that can be used on anything like tacos, burgers and enchiladas. It really bumps any recipe up to another level. Hope you enjoy.

I loved this salad the first time I saw it on The Kitchen. It’s the perfect salad to eat as is or as a meal, I add roasted fish or chicken. The original recipe uses Calabrian chilies. I tweaked it a little for my taste because I really like poblano peppers. The salad will be excellent even without the peppers. So, make it your own!

My fur babies are in hound heaven when I make this simple and healthy recipe for a grilled open faced hamburger with spinach, carrots, egg, rice, a Secret Sauce and their favorite cheese.

Curtis and I are hosting our neighborhood 4th of July party potluck. We'll be providing the hamburgers, dogs and the fixins. I like to add some special twists to holiday parties when the kiddos aren't around.

Guarding the health of my liver in order to optimize the quality of my life is essential to keep my Hashimoto's disease in remission. However, this cleanse is great for anyone who needs an energy boost and provide better liver health. "Cleansing" the liver doesn't have to be forever, complicated or overwhelming. I give my liver a boost by starting with a quick, 24-hour liver cleanse. I've found that my body works best when I have a quick cleanse of my liver and then take special care of what I ingest on a daily basis after the cleanse. I prefer to do a natural cleanse because I know exactly what I'm putting into my body.

The summer sun and humidity can be brutal and we can all use a little something to cool us down—even our pups. So, I like to make frozen treats filled with real fruit and vegetables called Pup-sicles! These Pup-sicles are easy to make and nutritious. I use two simple ingredients—carrots and watermelon. Both have vitamin A and are low in calories. Watermelon has vitamin B6 and C, which is always good for pups, and it also provides incredible hydration because it contains 50% water.

Last year when everything shut down, I couldn’t just run to the coffeeshop and grab my favorite coffee and I had to find a solution ASAP. So, I learned how to make my own coffee drinks, and now I'm hooked! Here are a few recipes that make me happy and are easy to make at home…

These Memorial Day recipes have simple ingredients, quick to make and you can enjoy your guests and food without feeling stretched and confined to making more food for your guests: a paloma, a refreshing tomato-avocado salad and flank steak.

Keep Calm and get your Cinco De Mayo on, Y'all! May is the beginning of warm-weather parties for my household . I break out the party plates, my favorite recipes, the blender and salt. This year, I'm looking to make quick and easy nibbles that pack a flavor punch, and of course, I’m sharing all my recipes with you.

My interest and appreciation of the Mexican culture was ignited when I went to my first Cinco De Mayo festival in Santa Barbara. I tasted all the amazing food, watched the dancers in their colorful dresses—I was mesmerized. And because Cinco de Mayo is only a few days away, I thought I’d start with a few celebration-worthy recipes for our fiesta this year.

A dog’s dream—Peanut Butter and Sweet Potato Treats

When I was spring cleaning my pet pantry, I thought about what “clean” treat I can make for my fur babies to celebrate a clean pet pantry. I usually make this treat in the fall since it’s sweet potato based. But, I really want to spoil Mercedes and Zsa-Zsa with something special. I hope your fur baby enjoys these, too!

You can bake gluten-free doughnuts in a donut pan or mold. Using this method makes for the correct shape of a doughnut. The finished doughnuts are easy to glaze and decorate. To get that crispy golden donut, heat a quart of oil in a dutch oven or other deep pot.

Can you believe that I’ve Iived my whole life without ever knowing about Hummingbird Cake? I can't believe it either. OMG! Having a slice of this cake is like visiting heaven.

Because I'm technically on my sugar fast until Easter, I'm going to give you the "Happy Side" , where you can let your heart be free and indulge in everything you've ever wanted, and the "Skinny Side" for those of us who want the amazing taste but not the amazing calories. Either way, is going to be tasty and wanting you want more. Enjoy!

Poke Pronounced Poh-Kay

I chose these three unique recipes for the final Fish Friday Celebration because I couldn't decide between my favorite Poke bowls at Sweet Poke in Las Vegas. Our small southeast Missouri town doesn't have a lot of fresh sushi or poke options so, I wait for the fresh fish to arrive at my door and make my own at home. The bowls don't always turn out as fancy as the picture, but, the flavors are still there. Poke bowls are really easy to make and truthfully, you can use grilled fish or shrimp instead of raw fish if you desire. Enjoy!

These grilled Mahi Mahi sandwiches are the BOMB! I make them for casual weekend dinners. Trust me when I say they're always a hit, especially for social night get-togethers.

Spring is officially here tomorrow, and this fish dish is perfect for the warmer weather. It’s light, flaky, and of course, delicious. Add some chips and guacamole for an appetizer and you’ve got yourself a quick, healthy crowd-pleaser for Fish Fry-day!

Ginger Shrimp & Mango Skewers with Paleo Crema. Unique and tantalizing flavors come together in this delicious essential oil recipe to make a delicious appetizer, side dish, or snack that will liven up any meal. The fresh, light flavors of these Ginger Shrimp and Mango Skewers with Ginger and Lemon essential oils make it the perfect addition to your spring menus. Not to mention, the use of Lemon oil helps add a tart, refreshing taste to the entire dish. We know that you’ll love this essential oil recipe as soon as you take the first bite. Plus, everything tastes better on a stick, right?

The first time I ate ceviche I was in Heaven. Well, actually I was in New York City visiting my friend, Grace, and I had never tasted such a fresh, light and filling fish dish. I'm glad I didn't know Ceviche meant "raw fish” because I would never have tried it. But, I learned that the acidity in the lime and/or lemon juice actually "cures" the fish, meaning that it's cooked without heat. Because ceviche originated in Peru, I wanted to honor those flavors in this recipe. I hope it makes it on your menu soon.

I love to challenge myself with new recipes and I confess that I'm a Food network addict. When I was searching for my 'Fish Friday' recipe, I stumbled across this one from Bobby Flay. I changed a few of the ingredients since I live in southeast Missouri and don't have access to all the fancy things the popular cooking shows have.