Kevin Lee Jacobs – Gardening, Recipes & Home Décor Tips

Rustic Apple Galette

I made this apple galette the other day, and it was everything I'd hoped it would be: delicious, dramatic, and downright addicting. A brushing of melted red currant jelly gives the tender apple slices a sexy sheen. And oh, the crust! It's crunchy, buttery, Pâte Brisée Sucrée. Need some easy elegance in...

Glazed Strawberry Tart

I love this seasonal tart. I made it last Saturday, when my cousin Heath was visiting. I also made it on Tuesday, as part of a live cooking-demonstration for the Kinderhook Garden Club. And this morning, I whipped up the tart yet again, in order to photograph the step-by-step recipe for...

Recipes from “A Colorful Dinner to Welcome Spring”

Here, for your convenience, are the printable recipes from my "A Colorful Dinner to Welcome Spring" video that was recently published on YouTube. Each dinner course -- Roasted Bell Pepper Salad, Penne with Parsley, Peas, Bacon and Mint and Mixed Berry Crumble -- is very easy to do. I hope...

Turkey and Sweet Potato Pie

I made this Turkey and Sweet Potato Pie the other day, and it was love at first bite. Below a golden blanket of mashed, cinnamon-scented sweet potato is a satisfying symphony of ground turkey, leek, tomato paste, and peas. Need a comforting dinner dish that you can make ahead of...

Huevos Rancheros

I love Huevos Rancheros. I love the crisp corn tortilla base. I love the spicy black bean center. I love the colorfully-garnished egg that sits on top. Do you love what I love? Here's the recipe for this Mexican magic that comes together in about 15 minutes: Tip! To watch...

Bundtlettes with Strawberry Glaze

I love these mini Lemon Pound Cakes, or "Bundtlettes." I love how they look. I love how they smell. I love how they taste! The ornate cakes have a moist but tight crumb that is downright addicting. You can enjoy them as-is, or top them, as I did for a...

A Beautiful Beet Soup

Please enjoy this Beet Soup recipe from my "Romantic Make-Ahead Dinner | Recipes | Flowers | Setting the Table" video that was recently published on YouTube. Brilliantly-hued, the soup is the ideal first-course for a Valentine's Day dinner. It's earthy with beets, bright with lemon, and exquisitely perfumed with dried...

Little Lemon Pudding Cakes

Little Lemon Pudding Cakes are dreamy-delicious for afternoon tea. They are made from a simple custard batter to which a small amount of flour and some softly beaten egg whites are added. When the batter is poured into ramekins and baked in a water bath, or "Bain Marie," the egg...

Make-Ahead Appetizers from “Cocktails in the Parlor”

Love cocktails? Appetizers? Stress-free entertaining? Then you will love the appetizers from my latest YouTube video, "Cocktails in the Parlor. " The appetizers in question can all be made ahead of time. This means that you, the host who might also have to wear the hats of cook, butler, and...

Make-Ahead Brunch: Video + Recipes

Thinking of hosting a brunch party for Father's Day or any ole day? I think you'll enjoy my latest YouTube video. Please join me as I set the table, make a flower arrangement, and prepare several cook-friendly recipes for an elegant make-ahead brunch! I hope the above video is useful...

Beef Stew with Dark Beer and Bittersweet Chocolate

Holy shamrock, Batman! I made this stew the other day, and it totally rocked my world. It's a symphony of carrots, parsnips, and seriously-tender beef, all gloriously perfumed with dark beer, strong coffee, and bittersweet chocolate. In other words, it's...The Most Delicious Stew In The World.

Rice Pudding

Here's the printable recipe from my latest YouTube episode, "Classic Rice Pudding." This long-forgotten dessert deserves a comeback. Why? Because it's creamy-dreamy delicious. It's gluten-free, too, if that dietary aspect is important to you. And few desserts of silken custardy-ness require so little effort to make. All you need is...

Cabbage Pie

Here's the printable recipe from the "Cabbage Pie" video that was recently published on my YouTube channel. The pie is delicious at any temperature -- hot, warm, or even cold from the fridge. And nothing could be easier to make. Make this vegetarian masterpiece once, and I promise you will...

Rustic Beer Bread (Hand-Kneaded)

This is my own, original recipe for Rustic Beer Bread. The bread -- actually, it's a "boule" -- has a deep, fermented flavor and a crackling-crisp crust. Its crumb is delightfully chewy and baguette-like. Looking for a loaf that goes with everything, and that you can easily mix and knead...

French Butter Cookies (Sablé Breton)

French Butter Cookies -- Sablés Breton -- originated in the northwest region of Brittany, France. In France and elsewhere in Europe, the cookies are instantly recognized for their fluted edges, crosshatch markings, and brilliant sheen. To me, the buttery biscuits taste like a trip to Paris without the jetlag. They...

How I Smother Weeds with Newspaper

WHEN WEEDS INVADE MY PERENNIAL BEDS, I don't get mad -- I get newspaper. Newspaper-mulching, as we have discussed before, makes weeds disappear instantly. And it prevents them from re-emerging for an entire season, if not longer. I newspaper-mulched one of my weed-choked beds just this morning. Would you like...

Penne alla Vodka in the Instant Pot

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | October 19, 2023 2 Comments

I love this 1980s Italian-American classic. It's creamy. It's luxurious. It freezes perfectly well. And it comes together very quickly in the Instant Pot! You might like to serve Penne alla Vodka with a side of homemade Garlic Bread, just as I did in my "Fireside … [Read more...]

Roasted Root Vegetable Pizza

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | October 6, 2023 2 Comments

Take a store-bought pizza crust, spread it with creamy ricotta cheese, sprinkle on raw, diced garlic, top it off with caramelized root vegetables and a handful of Asiago cheese, and what do you get? Sensual deliciousness. You can enjoy this magic as a main course, or … [Read more...]

Applesauce Bread Recipe

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | October 1, 2023 2 Comments

Please enjoy this Applesauce Bread recipe from my recent video "A Relaxing Sunday At Home." The bread is about as wonderful as wonderful can be. Moist. Slightly sweet. Fragrant with cinnamon. I love it all on its own for Afternoon Tea, although you can certainly toast … [Read more...]

Rustic Apple Galette

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | September 24, 2023 18 Comments

Zucchini-Basil Soup

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | August 13, 2023 2 Comments

This Zucchini-Basil Soup is one of the BEST soups I have ever tasted. The recipe, which I adapted from The New York Times, is almost too easy to make. There's zero cooking to do. Just toss the ingredients into the jar of a blender, blitz until smooth, and you're done. … [Read more...]

Zucchini Bread

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | August 6, 2023 2 Comments

Here is the Zucchini Bread recipe from the "Organizing My Kitchen" video that was recently published on YouTube. The bread in question is moist, fragrant, and sweet. You might like to serve it just as I did in the video -- topped with good butter, and alongside a cup … [Read more...]

Blender Garden Soup

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | July 15, 2023 4 Comments

Easy, healthy, and bursting with great flavor, Blender Garden Soup checks all the right boxes for me. I like to cook the ingredients directly in my VitaMix blender, and then chill it overnight. Served cold in tea cups, and garnished with crunchy slices of green onion, … [Read more...]

Buckwheat Pancakes with Blueberry Compote

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | June 25, 2023 17 Comments

Rich in fiber, protein, and B vitamins, buckwheat flour is a gluten-free "super food." Use the flour for pancakes, and you won't be sorry. Top the pancakes with my uniquely delicious blueberry-lemon compote, and you just might be the happiest eater in the … [Read more...]

Afternoon Tea: Blueberry Traybake

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | June 18, 2023 6 Comments

Here's the recipe from "The BEST Blueberry Cake for Afternoon Tea" video that was published today on YouTube. The sheet cake (or "traybake," as it is known in Britain), is marvelously moist, fabulously fragrant, and definitely addicting. I love it for Afternoon Tea, but … [Read more...]