Fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs bring vibrant flavor that elevates every recipe!

Let’s have fun with the best herbs, fruits, and vegetables… you’ll be making tasty recipes year-round. Whether you’re picking fresh from your backyard garden or grabbing seasonal vegetables at your local farmer’s market or grocery section, there’s nothing quite like cooking with fresh ingredients.

Fresh herbs, berries, and garden vegetables not only boost flavor, they also elevate your meals with vibrant color, essential nutrients, and that just-picked taste.

Fresh produce is packed with flavor and nutrients. Herbs like basil, cilantro, and parsley can turn an everyday dish into something extraordinary. Vegetables like zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, and leafy greens are staples in recipes ranging from salads to stir-fries.

Homegrown or freshly purchased ingredients are typically better tasting and more aromatic

From Basil to jalapenos, aloe, to swiss chard, pasley, oregano, broccoli, and snow peas, these are all items I’ve grown in my garden. While some plants do well, some don’t produce as much as I’d like over time, and some produce year after year with great success. I’m curious what grows well for you (and where that is). I grew up in NJ with a huge garden, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, melons, and corn. We had fresh produce all summer long.

I myself do not have the greenest thumb, but I do grow herbs, and I can grow jalapenos! And every year or so, I try my hand at something new!

I love cooking with fresh herbs. Oregano, parsley, basil, lemon thyme, Thai basil, and rosemary grow well for me year after year; some plants survive our mild winters.

I love jalapenos, they are just the right kind of spice for me. Not too hot that I can’t eat them. I have a handful of jalapeno plants, one is over 6 years old and still produces jalapenos all year long…

Which is why you can find lots of jalapeno recipes here,

learn how to pickled jalapenos, make jalapeno pepper jelly, and add them to my favorite cilantro lime sauce!

And my most requested recipe, I made two double batches in the last week for parties this Jalapeno Bacon Mac and Cheese is always devoured.

Picked, Purchased, or Shared… Delicious Recipes Start Here:

No matter if you are into gardening or prefer to get your produce at the grocery store, I have some fun recipes to try. Maybe you’ll stop by a roadside stand, or farmers market, or have a friend who has a garden.

I look forward to fresh-grown produce, any chance I can get it. In the summer, my all-time seasonal favorites are zucchini, tomatoes, corn, jalapenos… I’ve grown lettuce, broccoli, and snow peas, but I rarely grow them all consistently.

Let’s get on with the summer specialties!

Zucchini– you’ll find tons of great uses for zucchini here. I just love this zucchini italiano recipe my mom always made it, and it’s still a favorite! And if you love soup, even in the summer you’ve gotta make this creamy zucchini soup!

Tomatoes– there really is nothing like a home-grown tomato, and here you’ll find plenty of tomato recipes. These recipes include using canned and fresh tomatoes, fresh tomatoes can easily be substituted for canned in most recipes.

Corn– I love when corn on the cob is nice and sweet, loaded with flavor. But if you don’t have any or it’s out of season, most recipes can use frozen white corn- it tastes very similar! I prefer it over the frozen yellow corn, but sometimes stores don’t carry white corn, so you can use what you can find in these corn recipes.

Avocados-Now I love guacamole, but wow you can do so much with avocados, from my favorite sandwich, to snacking on these avocado cream cheese wontons, and this super easy avocado caprese, full of fresh veggies is this California Roll BOWL, the perfect easy item to make anytime and give this pineapple guac a try- it’s paired up with coconut chicken!

If you are looking for fun summer FRUIT recipes, give these a try.

Strawberries– OMG, the possibilities are endless, and there are decent strawberries year-round, but when they’re in season, they really win the prize. From this 1 hour strawberry shortcake to overnight oats, nothing beats pretty pink strawberry frosting, and I have lots of varieties! And a real show stopper is this Frozen Strawberry Margarita Pie with Pretzel Crust.

Raspberry Recipes– oh, and don’t miss this great vanilla cake, raspberry filling chocolate frosting, it’s yummy!

Blueberries– I think blueberries are my favorite fruit: I love blueberry muffins, and blueberry scones are amazing, don’t let pie seem complicated… make a blueberry galette is always on repeat in my kitchen, my go to syrup to make is blueberry syrup, and it’s perfect in Blueberry Margaritas– which I know to make often! If you need a good cookie for breakfast, these grab-and-go blueberry oatmeal breakfast cookies are a must.

Blackberries– aren’t they just gorgeous, always plump and such a deep color, they go great in drinks and appetizers, take a look…

Lemons– this lemon pasta salad is sure to win you over! As well as my all-time favorite Lemon Wine Sauce, it’s like liquid gold! And if you have an abundance of lemons, juice them and freeze the juice to use later. You can freeze whole lemons and grate them rind and all when you want to add a nice lemon juice and zest to recipes!

Limes– key lime pie, and my all time favorite sauce is Cilantro Lime Sauce. These coconut lime scones are so flavorful, and limes are a must in these Margarita Cupcakes!

Cherry Recipes– cherry muffins, and they are great with cherry lime curd! And give this Cherry Italian Cream Soda a try!

Fresh Herbs:

Cilantro– if there is one recipe you make from this whole list, make this Cilantro Lime Sauce! It’s my favorite on tacos and so much more.

Basil– Fresh basil is always a winner, and a great summer favorite is this feta basil balsamic pasta salad. Try these mini basil bundt cakes, how about some marinated caprese– it’s a must to have in the fridge to snack on. And if snacking is as much fun for you as it is for me, enjoy some caprese crostini.

Rosemary– a fun twist on a summer classic, this Garlic Rosemary Potato Salad is so fun! I typically like my chocolate chip cookies just by themselves, but WOW, these Rosemary Chocolate Chip Cookies take them over the top to fantastic. These pork chops are sure to win you over. And before we know it, it’ll be the holidays, and you have to make this Cranberry Rosemary Toffee!

Parsley– Nothing is better than homemade buttermilk ranch, and this green goddess dressing tastes amazing. Quinoa Tabbouleh is full of fresh flavors!

dill– Dill adds a fresh, bright flavor, Lemon Dill Potato Salad, and how about some quick pickles, a must if you have an abundance of cucumbers! And this pickle chicken is wildly tasty!

oregano– brings on the Greek and Italian vibes, so try this Greek Pasta Salad and Italian Chopped Sub Salad.

lavender– Lavender Syrup, and the perfect summer drink is Lavender Lemonade, and this wonderful and oh so pretty… Chocolate Lavender Cake.

mint- healthy mint chocolate chip smoothie, and I love fresh mint in this Roasted Cauliflower Pasta Salad and this yogurt dip is a must, especially for Greek beef kabob style meals.

Why I Ignore Plant Spacing Rules — And My Garden Still Thrives!

I rarely plant items with the spacing they suggest, it may work well if you live someone else or aren’t planing in containers. I think plants like friends! And it seems to work well for me!

The post Recipes: Fresh from the Garden or Grocery Store first appeared on Created by Diane.

Simple, delicious flavors come together wonderfully.

• Cilantro lime rice
• Pork tenderloin with onions and jalapenos
• Vegetables, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, and green onions

I cooked this dish on a Blackstone griddle, it can be grilled using a grill pan or keeping the pork tenderloin larger and using the pan for the vegetables.

Also, it can be cooked in two skillets on the stove or placed on a baking sheet and cooked in the oven at 400° for 10-15 minutes. It’s great to have options, right!?!

Sauces make everything better! I love sauces, and cilantro lime sauce makes it to the top of my favorites list. It’s the perfect blend of cilantro, lime, and jalapenos, I added a couple of jalapenos to make it a bit spicy… total yumminess!

If this meal appeals to you and you want to try the meal I’ve been making on repeat for years, give my Taco Bowls a try!

More Pork Recipes

• Portuguese Pork and Clams
• Roasted Pork Loin with Brown Sugar Apples
• Instant Pot Shredded Pork
• Chili Verde
• Instant Pot Teriyaki Pork Chops
• Saucy Pork Fried Rice

In fact there are more great vegetable options for this dish: carrots, broccoli, asparagus, and peppers.

Also, this is great for meal prep.

I served this with Cilantro Lime Rice (recipe coming soon), another great option try my Simple Mexican Rice.

And don’t forget the cilantro lime sauce!

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Pork Tenderloin Bowls

Marinated pork with lime, jalapenos, and onions cooked to perfection with vegetables topped with cilantro lime sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Blackstone, meal prep, pork

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Author Diane Schmidt – createdbydiane.com

Cost $16

Ingredients

• 2-2 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin, diced into 1" pieces
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or olive oil
• 2 fresh limes, juiced
• 1/2 cup diced white onion
• 4 jalapenos, diced
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• pinch salt and black pepper

Vegetables

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, sliced
• 1/2-1 cup diced red cabbage
• 5 whole green onions

Instructions

• I cooked this dish on a Blackstone griddle, it can be grilled using a grill pan or keeping the pork tenderloin larger and using the pan for the vegetables. It can be cooked in two skillets on the stove or placed on a baking sheet and cooked in the oven at 400° for 10-15 minutes.
• Heat the Blackstone, grill, or oven to 400-425°.
• Place the diced pork, oil, lime juice, onions, jalapenos, garlic, salt, and pepper in a plastic gallon zipper bag or marinating container and mix well. Allow the meat to marinate for half an hour to an hour.

  It's a great time to prepare the cilantro lime sauce (linked in post) and rice if serving it over rice.
• Cook pork until it reaches 145°. I typically add a tablespoon water and cover the meat on the Blackstone to make sure it'll all to temp at 145°. And the same to ensure the Brussels sprouts are all cooked and fork tender.
• Plate up teh food into bowls with rice, pork, and vegetables, and add the sauce.

The post Pork Tenderloin and Veggie Bowls first appeared on Created by Diane.

Just one bite of these Stuffed mushrooms with cheese and bacon and you’ll want more!

Mushrooms are so versatile and can be added to so many dishes, sometimes we forget that they are delicious as a main course themselves! I just love when mushrooms are the star of the show, they blend beautifully with all the toasty and smoky flavors brought on by the jalapeno and bacon – and cheese is there to cool it all down and add a creamy, sweet element.

Packed with protein and fiber, these “fun-guys” contain B vitamins as well as a powerful antioxidant called selenium, which supports the immune system – so you can feel good about eating them.

And mushrooms are meaty in texture, they are good on their own, like these Garlic Mushrooms, or as an addition in my Pork Chops in Wine Sauce and these Marinated Mushrooms. There are so many ways to enjoy this ingredient!   

Continue reading: Cheesy Jalapeno Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

The post Cheesy Jalapeno Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms first appeared on Created by Diane.

There is a delicious flavor from fresh roasted peppers and tangy tomatillos. There are three options to cook this, On the Stove, Slow Cooker, and Instant Pot Chili Verde… you choose the method, it’s all delicious. 

Chili Verde is the ONE recipe my husband bases how good a Mexican restaurant’s food is.

He orders it each and every time we try a new Mexican restaurant. 

In the past I’ve made it at home with a jar of green sauce, truth be told I have bought tomatillos, but never really knew what to do with them.

I had no idea if they were “ripe” or not, and I just gave in and would end up using a jar or can, and while not half bad… I knew it didn’t compare to fresh.

I go to lunch at a Mexican restaurant with a friend often and I just LOVE their salsa verde I finally made a batch and I think it’s quite close to what the restaurant serves. This recipe is based on that exact salsa. 

I’ve made Chili Verde in a pot on the stove, and in the instant pot (pressure cooker),  you can also make it in the oven in a dutch oven, or even a crockpot (slow cooker).

Follow the method that is easiest for you because as long as the pork is cooked until tender, it will taste great no matter how you cook it. 

Since pork needs to be cooked for several hours in order to be pull-apart tender, it gives everything a chance to come together. The combination of tomatillos, peppers, chilis, and onions builds into a rich sauce for the pork. The result is tender pork in a delicious thick green sauce!

Continue reading: Chili Verde (Pork in Green Sauce)

The post Chili Verde (Pork in Green Sauce) first appeared on Created by Diane.

I love vegetables and am always looking for a new way to enjoy them, 

so I thought I’d give them a “Thanksgiving” type of style,

I sautéed jalapeños to give it some spice without it being too hot but to have a great contrast in flavor to the cranberries.

I was not a huge cranberry fan as a kid, what on earth was wrong with me… I love them now. It seemed years ago I mainly saw cranberry sauce come out of a can. I had a much bigger sweet tooth as a kid, and think the cranberry was too tart for me, but now I’m all about tart items!

Don’t forget to check out more of my cranberry recipes:

• Cranberry Sauces (6 recipes) – I made a slew of cranberry sauces and there is sure to be a great new one you’d like to try. 
• Cranberry Cheesecake Pie – OMG the flavor of this is a huge hit!
• Mini Cranberry Lemon Meringue Pies – individual desserts perfect for the holidays

Continue reading: Cranberry Brussels Sprouts

The post Cranberry Brussels Sprouts first appeared on Created by Diane.

Add pickled onions to tacos, sandwiches, and appetizers!

I am a HUGE pickle fan, I have jars of them in the fridge at all times to prove it!

I love the tangy, vinegary taste.

This recipe will show you how to quickly pickle some vegetables that will be ready in an hour, but I almost always make them the night before.

Pickled onions are my absolute favorite on a roast beef sandwich! Another favorite to add is marinated artichoke hearts.

You can add diced jalapeno to any vegetable, and it will make it a bit spicier.

I prefer my red onions without jalapeno, but I do love garlic and peppercorns added. I do love jalapenos in my carrots!

My favorite dinner to serve the quick pickled vegetables with is this Banh mi meatballs, such great flavor in this dish, topped with the marinated veggies, puts it over the TOP!

If you like onions take a look at…

• Caramelized Onions
• Sour Cream and Onion Mashed Potatoes
• Avocado Onion Dip
• Salisbury Steak

Continue reading: How to Make Quick Pickled Vegetables

The post How to Make Quick Pickled Vegetables first appeared on Created by Diane.

It’s really heating up…

and I don’t just mean the weather.

This salad has a great heat going on.

Not as much heat as the concrete I was sitting on today, WOW was that hot. I may need to remember to bring a blanket or towel with me and carry it around at all times!

The fried jalapeños add a fun kick and just wait until you get a taste of the dressing.

Continue reading: Avocado Salad with Fried Jalapeños and Spicy Avocado Dressing

The post Avocado Salad with Fried Jalapeños and Spicy Avocado Dressing first appeared on Created by Diane.

Hope your summer is going well.

It’s pretty hot out today and super sunny.

I planned to get some must do things around the house done today.

Still not sure why making wet footprints in the cement around the pool wasn’t on the list, that really would have been a MUCH better idea.

Some days I don’t know where the time goes to…..but it seems like hours are just missing!

Now it’s time for me to hit the gym and get my work out in, not loving that idea at the moment either.

But what I am loving is this super easy pasta salad.

Well let’s face it when it comes to pasta it’s all GOOD….isn’t it.

I love pasta salad and have made many varieties and here are a few if you’d like to check out some more. Luau Pasta Salad, Pesto Pasta Salad, Mexican Pasta Salad, BLT Pasta Salad and Lemon Pasta Salad with Feta Cheese.   

This Strawberry Lime and Jalapeño Pasta Salad not to spicy, not to sweet, and perfect for bringing with you on the go…..especially now when the strawberries are in abundance.

So grab some ripe strawberries and give this quick and easy recipe a try.

I could grab a bowl full of this and head to the beach right now….whose with me?

There are never enough days at the beach in the summer for me, it’s 5 o’clock and I’m thinking the beach would be perfect. (Only if it was a little closer…takes about 45 minutes so that’s not in the cards for today…..maybe tomorrow)

Continue reading: Strawberry Lime & Jalapeño Pasta Salad

The post Strawberry Lime & Jalapeño Pasta Salad first appeared on Created by Diane.

I just love potatoes at breakfast.

Hash browns are always a good thing.

But what about those days, you know the ones where you have no potatoes or hash browns anywhere in site.

You guessed it…use french fries.

I didn’t want to heat the oven seeing as it’s well over 100 degrees and we’ve been on conserve energy days so heating up the house for breakfast didn’t seem right. After all I may have to make some yummy cookies later! LOL they would warrent heating the kitchen, right?

Here is an easy breakfast or dinner, yep this would make for a very fun BRINNER, (breakfast for dinner)

The french fries browned nicely in the cast iron skillet. These were thin french fries, if you use thicker fries, defrost them for a minute in the microwave so they don’t take too long cooking.

I love having cooked crumbled bacon on hand. It’s to convenient  to add to many dishes.

I cut the corn off a fresh ear of corn, frozen corn would work well too.

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scrambled eggs and french fries

Author Diane Schmidt - createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 12 oz approx frozen french fries
• 3 scallions diced
• 2 jalapenos diced
• 1 cup corn (cut corn off cob or use frozen corn)
• 1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon
• 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese
• 1/8 cup Cotija cheese
• 1/8 cup chopped cilantro
• 4 eggs-scrambled

Instructions

• Heat cast iron skillet
• Place a tablespoon oil into skillet and add french fries
• Cook on medium heat.
• When the french fries begin to get golden, add scallions and jalapenos.
• Add bacon and corn.
• when all items are cooked add scrambled eggs, cheeses, and top with chopped cilantro.

 I really should have made more. There wasn’t enough for seconds and we were all wanting more. I’m sure this will make it’s way onto our dinner table too. It’s quick and easy and a great idea for the nights when you walk in the house and realize you didn’t plan out dinner. Often that happens with sports running over or meetings at school that seem to occupy our dinner time that we hadn’t plan for.

The post scrambled eggs and french fries first appeared on Created by Diane.

Chicken, black beans, corn, jalapenos, tomatoes, cilantro, and lime.   

This give a whole new meaning to the term chicken salad.

There is no mayo, or canned shredded chicken here.

This is a quick and easy dinner I make often.

It’s great if you have leftover chicken cooked, or if you use a rotisserie chicken, or fried chicken if that is your preference.

This chicken salad is great to bring to a party, or to a friend who may need a meal prepared for them for those times when life is just too difficult to get dinner on the table. It’s great for the hectic school nights when there are only minutes to spare before running out the door again as well.

What a great bunch of colors! I think Chicken Salad just got a NEW makeover!

I roasted the jalapenos, and placed the corn in a skillet and roasted it for a few minutes to give it a fresh grilled type of taste.

I grilled 4 split chicken breasts. It would be fine to substitute a whole rotisserie chicken, or leftover chicken or even fried chicken. The possibilities are endless, you could use fish, or steak or pork. Whatever your go-to protein is I’m sure it will work.  Well, maybe I didn’t think that one through, eggs….well hard boiled eggs would be great. I wouldn’t mix it all up thought I’d serve it like a cobb salad.

I pulled the chicken off the bone and tried to keep all the pieces about the same size so they would mix evenly in the salad.

This will easily adapt to other vegetables that you may have on hand or to incorporate your favorites.

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Easy Dinner in Minutes: Chicken Salad! chicken, black beans, corn, jalapenos, tomatoes, cilantro, and lime

Author Diane Schmidt - createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts or 4-6 cups cooked chicken.
• 1 can black beans rinsed
• 3 cups corn
• 2 cups grape tomatoes cut in 1/4's
• 4 jalapeno
• 1 bunch cilantro chopped
• 4 scallions chopped
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 tablespoon oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• cut chicken into bit sized pieces
• Heat corn in skillet until it's hot.
• Saute scallions until soft.
• Roast jalapenos on grill or stove, then remove rib and seeds and chop.
• In large bowl place, chicken, cilantro, corn, scallions, jalapenos along with black beans, juice of a lime, tablespoon oil and salt and pepper.
• Mix well and serve.

Notes

If you are using leftover chicken and it's cold, place in pan to heat for a minute. It does not need to be hot, but room temperature will taste nice with all the other flavors.
If you are planning to serve this dish cold, you may find it nicer to have the chicken cut smaller.

The post Easy Dinner in Minutes first appeared on Created by Diane.