Kevin Lee Jacobs

Gardening, Recipes & Home Décor Tips

Crispy Orange Chicken

This Crispy Orange Chicken is my stay-in version of the well-known Chinese take-out dish. The chicken gets its fabulous crunch from a coating of egg whites and cornstarch. And oh -- the sauce! It's extra citrussy with orange juice and orange zest. You might like to serve this fun main...
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Crispy Orange Chicken

Video: How to Build a Tomato Trellis

Want to build a tall/tan/handsome tomato trellis on which your indeterminate varieties can cheerfully grow? I have good news for you! The trellis in question is very easy to make. The only required tools are a hammer and some some wine. I mean twine. To watch me build this structure...
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Video: How to Build a Tomato Trellis

Strawberry Jam Twist Bread

There's nothing about this Strawberry Jam Twist Bread that doesn't float my boat. It's soft and gooey, sweet and sticky. And it's not too difficult to make! Here's the video recipe, which explains every step in full detail. Too much detail, in fact. That's why God invented the fast-forward button....
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Strawberry Jam Twist Bread

Staying Home, Staying Safe

Hi friends! Today marks four (or is it five?) weeks that we've been under quarantine. I hope you are all okay, I hope your family and friends are safe and well, and I hope you're finding ways to muddle through this maddening time. I'm grateful for the medical, grocery, sanitation,...
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Staying Home, Staying Safe

How to Proof and Store Yeast

How to Proof and Store Yeast. Last week, because active dry yeast is impossible to find in supermarkets these days, I decided to purchase, for what seemed an excessive sum, a two-pound bag of the stuff from an on-line source. When the yeast arrived three days later, I wondered if...
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How to Proof and Store Yeast

Basic White Bread

I love this Basic White Bread for everyday sandwiches and toast. It's terrific for French toast, too. And no yeast-leavened loaf could be easier to make. Heck, all you need is a bowl, a spoon, and a loaf pan! Watch me mix, knead by hand, and bake the bread right...
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Basic White Bread

Sweet Orange Rolls

These Sweet Orange Rolls taste exactly like sunshine. I know, because I ate an entire pan of them. Good thing the rolls are loaded with Vitamin C and calcium! Need something soft, sweet, and gooey to accompany your morning Champagne or evening coffee? Here's the video how-to plus printable recipe:...
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Sweet Orange Rolls

19th Century Pantry

TRUE CONFESSION: Today I had planned to write an engaging post called "Organizing the Pantry." Then I realized that my own pantry isn't well-organized at all. So instead of telling you about what goes where, let me offer you a brief tour of the pantry here at Clover Hill. This...
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19th Century Pantry

My 2020 Proven Winners Review

My 2020 Proven Winners Review. What luck! In the spring of 2019, Proven Winners sent me several plants (okay, a boatload of plants) to try out in my garden. These new hybrids will be offered to the public this spring (2020). And here, for the horticultural-minded, is my review of...
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My 2020 Proven Winners Review

Almond Flour Sandwich Wraps

I can't stop eating these almond flour sandwich wraps. They're wonderfully spongy, delightfully chewy, and remarkably bread-like. They are gluten-free too, if that matters to you. Easy to make? Yeah, baby. The only ingredients they require is almond flour for structure, tapioca flour for elasticity, milk for richness, and some...
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Almond Flour Sandwich Wraps

May 2020 Kitchen and Garden Chores

May 2020 Kitchen and Garden Chores. Take a tip from the nesting robins – May isn’t the month to snooze! Garden work we accomplish now will determine our success for the remainder of the growing season. Not sure what to do for your perennials, annuals, and vegetables? … [Read more...]

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | 8 Comments

Strawberry Jam Twist Bread

There's nothing about this Strawberry Jam Twist Bread that doesn't float my boat. It's soft and gooey, sweet and sticky. And it's not too difficult to make! Here's the video recipe, which explains every step in full detail. Too much detail, in fact. That's why God … [Read more...]

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | 24 Comments

Staying Home, Staying Safe

Hi friends! Today marks four (or is it five?) weeks that we've been under quarantine. I hope you are all okay, I hope your family and friends are safe and well, and I hope you're finding ways to muddle through this maddening time. I'm grateful for the medical, … [Read more...]

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | 65 Comments

How to Proof and Store Yeast

How to Proof and Store Yeast. Last week, because active dry yeast is impossible to find in supermarkets these days, I decided to purchase, for what seemed an excessive sum, a two-pound bag of the stuff from an on-line source. When the yeast arrived three days later, I … [Read more...]

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | 31 Comments

Basic White Bread

I love this Basic White Bread for everyday sandwiches and toast. It's terrific for French toast, too. And no yeast-leavened loaf could be easier to make. Heck, all you need is a bowl, a spoon, and a loaf pan! Watch me mix, knead by hand, and bake the bread right before … [Read more...]

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | 23 Comments

Sweet Orange Rolls

These Sweet Orange Rolls taste exactly like sunshine. I know, because I ate an entire pan of them. Good thing the rolls are loaded with Vitamin C and calcium! Need something soft, sweet, and gooey to accompany your morning Champagne or evening coffee? Here's the video … [Read more...]

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | 29 Comments

Kitchen Garden Makeover: New Raised Beds

How are your timber-framed veggie beds holding up? Mine, after more than a decade of faithful service, finally succumbed to the deteriorating effects of sun, rain, snow and ice. I recently tossed out the world-weary wood out and replaced it with new. But this time … [Read more...]

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | 18 Comments

Video: Easy Brioche

I love Brioche. I love it so much that I can eat an entire batch in one sitting. Can you blame me? Brioche is deliciously buttery, eggy, light, and fluffy. It's wonderful all on its own or topped with a bit of good jam. It's awesome also for toasting or for turning into … [Read more...]

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | 26 Comments

19th Century Pantry

TRUE CONFESSION: Today I had planned to write an engaging post called "Organizing the Pantry." Then I realized that my own pantry isn't well-organized at all. So instead of telling you about what goes where, let me offer you a brief tour of the pantry here at Clover … [Read more...]

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | 47 Comments