Fruits & Vegetables

My #FreshFromFlorida Spring

March 12, 2018

This post was sponsored by Fresh From Florida as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central, however all opinions expressed are my own.

Spring brings an abundance of Fresh From Florida fruits and vegetables that the whole family enjoys!

My #FreshFromFlorida Spring from LoveandConfections.com #ad #IC #FollowTheFresh

Some parts of the country are still covered in snow, but here in Florida, we are enjoying the sunshine and beautiful Fresh From Florida produce! I was born and raised in Florida and have never lived anywhere else. We are lucky to have such beautiful and delicious produce available this time of year, especially strawberries, tomatoes, mushrooms, cabbage, and much more.

When I shop at Publix, I look for the Fresh From Florida signs and packaging in my produce section. If we don’t get something at a u-pick or farmer’s market, we try to buy local from our grocery store. I love being able to know that the fruits and veggies I am feeding my family are grown right here in our state.

Strawberries are our favorite snack right now. They are so juicy and sweet – perfect for eating as-is, but I use them in my baking and daily smoothies too! Strawberries on top of angel food cake is a family favorite, and my little one loves to share strawberry smoothies with me in the morning. Our smoothies are packed with nutrients and vitamins from fresh Florida berries. Did you know that you can roast strawberries? It makes them even more sweet and delicious. A tiny bit of sugar and some vanilla extract take the berries from great to extraordinary!

We cook snap beans at least once a week with our dinners. Mushrooms are almost always on our meal planning menu too. When writing our grocery list, I like to have options, so we usually add fresh cabbage and peppers to the list as well. A lot of these fresh vegetables are great not only cooked in meals, but to have as snacks throughout the day. I love being able to provide a nutritious option. Sometimes the veggies are paired with hummus, dip, or even some cheese to add protein.

We always have a bowl of beautiful, red tomatoes on the counter to use in sandwiches and salads. I love making Caprese salad with basil from our garden too. There is nothing like using fresh Florida produce made available year-round from Florida farmers!

What are your favorite Fresh From Florida ingredients? Do you have a tried and true or family recipe using fresh Florida produce?

You can find delicious Fresh From Florida recipes on their website, as well as follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Until next time,

LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Skillet Sweet Corn Blueberry Cornbread #FreshFromFlorida

June 25, 2016

This post was sponsored by Fresh From Florida as part of Influencer Activation for Influence Central.

Fresh from Florida Sweet Corn and Blueberries combine into a delicious and moist cast iron skillet cornbread – perfect for any Summer meal.

Click here to PIN this tasty recipe so you can make it later!

Skillet Sweet Corn Blueberry Cornbread from LoveandConfections.com #FreshFromFlorida #IC (ad)

The weather this Summer is quite warm, with days in the mid-90s recently. We have been doing a good amount of grilling and hanging out by the pool. I love using seasonal ingredients and Summer in Florida is one of my favorite seasons for fresh Florida food.

Blueberry and Sweet Corn season are among my favorites, in addition to tomatoes, watermelon, and the abundance of fresh Florida seafood during the Summer months. Just as important as it is to use local Florida ingredients, I think it is equally important to get the family involved from the ingredients through cooking.

I love taking my toddler to farms and farmer’s markets so she can see where the food comes from and have a greater interest in the food she eats. She loves picking blueberries. We pick buckets every year, and freeze a bunch, so we can enjoy them until the next blueberry season. She also enjoys helping me pick and shuck the sweet corn we buy from the farm or farmer’s market.

I decided to combine two of my favorite Summer ingredients, blueberries and sweet corn, into one amazing dish – Skillet Sweet Corn Blueberry Cornbread. While we do a lot of grilling outside, I love having a side dish, like cornbread, available for mealtime. This bread is extremely moist, with just the right amount of sweetness.

I even tried a new way of cooking the corn. I read online to fill a large pot halfway with water, bring it to a boil, then add a cup of milk, 1/2 cup of butter, and corn. Then cook it for 8 minutes and you have a juicy and delicious corn on the cob. For this cornbread recipe, I simply cooked the corn in milk and butter, then cut the kernels off of two medium-large cobs.

I also baked the cornbread in a cast iron skillet. I am still new to the cast iron cooking world, but have fallen in love with it. The skillet created a delicious crust on the cornbread that you wouldn’t normally get when using a regular baking dish or cake pan. I will definitely be using my cast iron skillet for more recipes this Summer.

Fresh From Florida and the Florida Department of Agriculture, promotes locally grown Florida produce and fresh seafood, and guarantees fresh and delicious food to inspire healthy and wholesome meals that the whole family will love. Visit the Florida Department of Agriculture to learn more about all the delicious seasonal produce and seafood, as well as the Fresh From Florida recipe page for more great ideas on using all the wonderful ingredients Florida has to offer this Summer. I hope you enjoy my Skillet Sweet Corn Blueberry Cornbread!

Skillet Sweet Corn Blueberry Cornbread

By Love and Confections
Published 06/24/2016

Fresh from Florida Sweet Corn and Blueberries combine in a delicious cast iron skillet cornbread

Ingredients

3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 cup Cornmeal
1 cup + 2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour, divided
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 cup Buttermilk
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled
1 cup Florida Blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup cooked Florida Sweet Corn Kernels

Instructions

Pour vegetable oil into cast iron skillet. Place skillet into cold oven, then heat to 400F, making sure the oil is hot. Once hot, take out of the oven and using a pastry brush, brush the bottom and sides of the cast iron skillet to coat.
In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, 1 cup of flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar.
In a smaller bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk and butter together. Pour into dry ingredients and mix to combine. In another bowl, add the blueberries, corn, and 2 tablespoons flour. Toss to combine, then gently fold into the batter.
Pour the batter into the hot cast iron skillet and level the top with a spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Yield: 12-16
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 20 mins.

Cook time: 00 hrs. 30 mins.
Total time: 50 mins.
Tags: Skillet Sweet Corn Blueberry Cornbread, Fresh from Florida, Florida Department of Agriculture, Sweet Corn, Cornbread, Blueberries, Skillet, Cast Iron

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

My #FreshFromFlorida Summer!

June 1, 2016

This post was sponsored by Fresh From Florida as part of Influencer Activation for Influence Central.

Summer brings an abundance of Fresh From Florida fruits, vegetables and delicious seafood for everyone to enjoy!

My #FreshFromFlorida Summer by LoveandConfections.com

I was born and raised in the Sunshine State and love celebrating Summer. When I was a kid, Summer meant no school, pool parties, celebrating my birthday, barbecues, and catching lightning bugs after dark. Family cookouts, lazy days by the pool, and watching the sun set are still some of my favorite Summer activities.

Summer in Florida also brings an abundance of seasonal ingredients, seafood and fresh produce. Farmers’ markets and u-pick fields and orchards are a great way to find local fresh Florida produce. I love strolling through the market, picking up the tastiest fruits and veggies. Tomatoes and watermelons are delicious and juicy and cold watermelon is amazing on a hot Summer day.

When tomatoes are in season, we eat them every day. Green salads and pasta salads get dressed up with vibrant tomatoes, and we usually have tomato and mozzarella caprese too. I love to make Eggplant, Tomato and Mozzarella Stacks with fresh Florida tomatoes and spicy arugula.

I eagerly await blueberry season, and it is one of the most delicious and fun times during the year. My family and I load up on buckets of plump and juicy, sun-kissed blueberries. We eat them as-is, use them in baked goods, and freeze a bunch, so we have them available until the next blueberry season. I always have blueberries handy to make parfaits, sangria, crepes, and so much more.

I have been blueberry picking with #ToddlerLnC since she was a baby. We go every year, and this year was so much fun. She picked, showed me each one, then promptly ate them, disregarding the bucket and my instructions to fill it up with blueberries. She probably ate her weight in blueberries.

Sweet corn is another Summer treat. Grilled corn, with butter and a dash of salt is my favorite way to eat it. Farmers’ markets carry delicious corn, but it is always fun to go out into the fields and see where it is grown. We have one local farm that grows sweet corn, and also has a giant corn maze in the Fall. It can take anywhere from 1-4 hours to complete this maze.

Fresh From Florida and the Florida Department of Agriculture, which promotes locally grown Florida produce and fresh seafood and guarantees fresh and delicious food to inspire healthy and wholesome meals that the whole family will love.

I love cooking and baking with seasonal and local ingredients. What are your favorite Fresh from Florida ingredients?

You can find delicious Fresh From Florida recipes on their website, as well as follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!