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Celebrating Easter with Texas BBQ and Timeless Family Traditions
Easter, for as long as I can remember, has been something we anticipated for weeks to arrive with the first hint of spring. Growing up in the South, the air was still cool, but you could feel summer waiting just around the corner. Our home would slowly transform as plans were made, menus discussed, and small traditions carefully carried out. Fresh flowers always found their way to the table, nothing overly fancy, but always arranged beautifully. We usually picked hydrangeas f
Karen Hand Allen
1 day ago3 min read


From Garden to Table: Honey Roasted Carrots
Spring feels like a breath of fresh air as I open windows all over the house. Bright sunlight abounds and birds chatter with cheerful song; the world outside begins to wake up again. In our family, spring means spending as much time as possible outdoors, walking through the yard to see what has survived winter, noticing the first green shoots pushing through the soil, and feeling invigorated. Gardening becomes one of our most joyful rites of the season, as garden beds are tur
Karen Hand Allen
Mar 274 min read


Easy Strawberry Shortcake Recipe Using Store-Bought Lemon Cake
Strawberry shortcake has long been one of those desserts that quietly marks the arrival of spring. The first bright red strawberries of the season are piled onto a yummy cake with clouds of whipped cream; the result is simple and satisfying. The sweet smell of berries mixed with cream instantly feels like a celebration of childhood with warmer days and the kind of dessert that brings everyone back to the kitchen for more! For many years in my family, strawberry shortcake was
Karen Hand Allen
Mar 162 min read


A Perfect Day in Paris: Notre-Dame, the Seine River Cruise, and the Eiffel Tower
Point Zero, the Center of Paris- Île de la Cité! You know the story, just like Groundhog Day, it’s 4:30 AM, I’m already awake, can’t return to sleep, and am in my polka-dot pajamas standing on my balcony. We’ve seen this movie before. After of days and days of not adjusting to European time, I’ve given it up. Besides, I like it out here on my balcony at this time of morning, I can look down and see the little store where last evening we bought breakfast fruit, plump apricot
Karen Hand Allen
Mar 1010 min read
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