Happy Thanksgiving, dear readers!!

Here in the United States, we are celebrating Thanksgiving, the harvest, our families, delicious food, and life in general. This recipe celebrates all of those, fully and simultaneously.

One of my very first cookbooks when I was a little girl was the Care Bears Party Cook Book. It had lots of kid-friendly recipes for fun and festive treats. To this day, I still make a dessert that is based on a recipe from this cookbook. It’s called Cloud Cake. I have included the original recipe and my simplified version below.

I usually make this light and easy dessert with just strawberries, but for the Fourth of July? Red White and Blue Cloud Cake just seemed right!

Yes, dear readers, I know I just posted a recipe for peach cobbler a mere three days ago, but are you seriously complaining?? Peach cobbler is the best!! And this one is different – you’ll see . . .

Don’t you love that blueberry running down
my oh-so retro-foil muffin liner?
Try not to drool on your keyboard, kay?

It’s no mystery around here that I am a Georgia girl, through and through. One of the best things about being in my beautiful state at this time of year is PEACHES.

For years now, I’ve heard stories of my husband’s grandmother, who passed away shortly before he and I met. Granny is a legendary cook – I wish I could find her secret recipe book. Although most of them were probably never written down.

Southern girls know how to whip up a cobbler without looking at a cookbook. One of my favorite things to do during the summer months is to eat fresh berries, peaches, and fruit baked in a cobbler after dinner. Um, and for breakfast on top of my oatmeal, too . . .

Fresh Blackberry Vinaigrette

This fruit dip is absolutely addictive. My sister-in-law makes it for us on occasion, and it works great as either an appetizer, dessert, or summer afternoon snack. I was so excited that she agreed to let me blog it when she made it for Mother’s Day this weekend! There was a good bit of impatience and teasing aimed in my general direction as I snapped these photos – the whole family loves this stuff – but I think you will agree, dear readers, that it was worth it.

You will not believe how tasty this dip is. Plus, you know me, friends, and you KNOW how I love an *unexpected ingredient* – check out what makes this recipe so special! Good ol’ fashioned Tang!

Banana bread should be many things. It should be very banana-y. It should be a beautiful golden brown. It should be studded with toasty nuts or melty chocolate chunks. It should be fresh, flavorful . . . homey. Must most of all? Banana bread should be outrageously, unbelievably moist.

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