thyme

We're not the only ones obsessed with stone fruit these days. So is YumSugar member Funkytime. Check out what she did with her latest batch of plums!
Is it plum season? I don't know, but they laughed at me at the grocery store so I bought a bunch! I remember my Mom making "Pflaumenkuchen" or "Zwetschgendatschi" all the time. This recipe has an extra touch, sprinkled thyme on top.

For more pictures and the recipe, check out her blog! Want to be featured here, too? Then join the Savory Sights group in our YumSugar Community!

I finally got around to making the blackberry margarita I wanted to try a couple of weeks ago! I'm glad I did because it's a wonderful cocktail. It's fruity and summery, yet potent and balanced. When you try it out, don't skip the final step; the sparkling wine provides a lovely effervescence to the drink. This blackberry marg was so amazing that I will probably enjoy another one tonight. I sipped it solo, but it would be great with Mexican food or any seasonal grilled dishes, like steak with chimichurri. Learn how to prepare it after the break.

Panna cotta is a super-easy dessert to make at home that will surely impress guests! The whole process of cooking the cream and setting the gelatin takes no more than 10 minutes. The hands-off time requires a bit of patience: it takes several hours for the cream to set.

While waiting, roast the strawberries. This enhances the fruit's sweetness and a touch of thyme adds a nice earthiness. Since it can be prepared and plated ahead of time, this dessert is perfect for a dinner party.

If you have trouble getting the panna cotta out of the cups (like I did), set them in a shallow bowl of hot water to loosen the sides. Each bite of scrumptious strawberries and creamy panna cotta is light and full of flavor. Start warming up the oven to roast your strawberries and keep reading for the recipe.

At any sort of celebration, it's always nice to start things off with a special cocktail. Easter is no different. It gives guests something to do, stimulates conversation, and loosens up the crowd.

The appetizer is rich and buttery, so select a potent and refreshing cocktail, like this raspberry-thyme smash, to pair with it. The drink is herbal, fruity, and downright delicious.

Although the recipe calls for gin, I'm sure it would be equally delightful with vodka. For the easy method, keep reading.

When YumSugar suggested I make crackers as an edible gift, I immediately envisioned a cheesy cracker that would pair nicely with a bottle of bubbly. However, I realized that if I made a light, crisp herb-infused cracker instead, then I could gift it with a beautiful chunk of cheese. Who doesn't want homemade crackers and artisanal cheese?!

Although the thought of cracker dough can be a little intimidating, this recipe is surprisingly simple and straightforward. After chilling in the fridge for a couple of hours, the dough was no trouble to roll out. The more rustic the better — these crackers should look homemade. Package in a cellophane bag and give with a nice circle of brie or my favorite cheese, Cowgirl Creamery's Mt. Tam. Get the recipe now.

During December, many people host cookie swaps. Organizing a festive cookie party is a great way to cut back on your holiday baking. Instead of making a million cookies, you and your friends each bake a different cookie. Then you get together and trade cookies; everyone walks away with an assortment of treats. To ensure that you don't end up with 10 dozen chocolate chip cookies, ask your guests what type of cookie they will bring. Throw the party on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon in between lunch and dinner.

Don't worry about serving a bunch of appetizers, but do offer a couple of easy nibbles like mixed nuts, cheese, and homemade savory cookies. Thyme, lemon, and sea-salt shortbread is crisp and buttery, while blue cheese pecan crackers are rich and addictive. You'll have to wait until tomorrow to see my suggested sweet cookie recipes, but you can learn the techniques for the salty shortbread and cheesy crackers when you keep reading.