Grow and Garnish with Tina

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Grow and Garnish with Tina Backyard garden, edible flowers, a recipe or two and lets Make it Pretty!

10/24/2026

Game-day snack idea:
Chicken Parmesan Nonna Bites!

Crispy chicken nuggets, marinara, melty mozzarella, Parmesan, and fresh basil—all tucked into one cheesy little bite. They’re easy to make, easy to grab, and very hard to stop at just one!

Press a crispy nugget into each muffin cup, add a few more nuggets, spoon on marinara, and top with mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until hot and bubbly, then garnish with fresh basil.

Will you be serving these on your game-day?
Tag your snack-loving friend and tell me: one bite or three bites?

Chicken Parmesan Nonna Bites

Makes 12

Ingredients

* 36 to 48 fully cooked chicken nuggets, depending on size
* ½ cup marinara sauce, plus more for serving
* 6 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, cut into 12 small pieces
* ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan
* Chopped fresh basil, optional
* Cooking spray or a little oil for the muffin pan

Directions

1. Heat the oven according to the nugget package directions. Bake the nuggets on a sheet pan until crisp and hot. Let them cool just enough to handle.
2. Prepare the pan. Grease 12 regular muffin cups well. Set one nugget in each cup and gently press it flat to make a sturdy base.
3. Add the chicken and sauce. Cut the remaining nuggets into bite-size pieces and divide them among the muffin cups. Spoon about 1 teaspoon marinara over each bite.
4. Top with cheese. Add a sliced mozzarella and a pinch of Parmesan to each.
5. Bake at 375°F for about 5–7 minutes, just until the cheese melts. If your nuggets need a hotter oven according to their package, use that temperature and watch closely.
6. Let the bites rest in the pan for a few minutes, then loosen the edges and lift them out. Finish with basil and serve with warm marinara for dipping.

10/22/2026

The secret to pimento cheese that disappears before the crackers? Smoke it!

Smoked Pimento Cheese🔥🧀

RECIPE BELOW

Creamy, smoky, a little spicy—and even better after it rests overnight.

To cold-smoke the cheese

• Chill the cheddar and Gouda in the freezer for 30–60 minutes, until very firm. The cream cheese is fine from the refrigerator.

• Keep the pellet smoker off and use a smoking tube. Check the temperature near the cheese and keep the chamber below 90°F.
• Smoke the cream cheese for about 45–60 minutes, then pull it. Smoke the cheddar and Gouda for about 1½–2 hours.
• Cool the cheeses, then refrigerate them overnight before making the pimento cheese or you can make after the cheeses have cooled.

Ingredients

• 8 oz smoked sharp yellow cheddar
• 8 oz smoked Gouda
• 8 oz smoked cream cheese
• ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons Duke’s mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or up to ¾ teaspoon for more heat
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 oz diced pimientos, drained well
• Kosher salt, to taste, if needed

Directions

1. Add the cheddar, Gouda, cream cheese, mayonnaise, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and black pepper to a food processor. Pulse until creamy and well combined.
2. Add the drained pimientos and pulse just a few times, or fold them in by hand to keep little pieces throughout.
3. Taste and add salt if needed. Cover and refrigerate overnight so the flavors can settle in.

For chunkier pimento cheese, mix everything by hand. For a milder smoke flavor, use regular cream cheese.

Make it Pretty with a sprinkle of paprika, then serve with crackers, vegetables, or your favorite sandwich bread.

Are you team creamy or team chunky? Tell me below!

fyp

10/13/2026

I PUT A SPELL ON YOU… and now you want a COOKIE!

I went to Publix for groceries and came home with a bag of eyeballs. You know, perfectly normal behavior. 😂

A little brown butter, a little dark chocolate, a few creepy stitches, and P**F! My Hocus Pocus Spell Book Shortbread Cookies came to life!

Buttery, crunchy, chocolatey, and wickedly delicious!

The Sanderson Sisters would be SO proud. Or possibly jealous.

Now tell me… are you brave enough to eat the eyeball, or are you eating around it?

My recipe is below!

10/06/2026

FALL HAS OFFICIALLY ENTERED THE KITCHEN—AND IT BROUGHT BROWN BUTTER.

Say hello to my Brown Butter Apple C***r Cakes—six little cakes with enough fall personality to fill an entire pumpkin patch!

They’re made with reduced Honeycrisp apple c***r, nutty brown butter, freeze-dried apples, and warm spices. Then, while they’re still warm, they get an apple c***r soak before being crowned with creamy c***r glaze and a sparkling sprinkle of apple goodness.

Tender, buttery, bursting with apple c***r flavor—and sweet without making your teeth file a complaint.

My recipe is in the comments.

Now I need your help! Should the next batch stay:

🍎 CLASSIC
or
🤎 APPLE CENTER with brown-butter sautéed apples?

Drop CLASSIC or APPLE CENTER in the comments—because this decision is far too delicious for me to make alone!

Made with love and shared with joy.🧡

***r

I joined Monarch Watch this summer because I love raising monarchs and releasing them. Now I can tag them and follow the...
10/06/2026

I joined Monarch Watch this summer because I love raising monarchs and releasing them. Now I can tag them and follow their journey!

This little traveler is AMSW 775. I hope she makes it all the way to Mexico. 🧡

Monarchs born in late summer and early fall begin an incredible journey south to spend the winter in Mexico. They may travel thousands of miles, guided by an instinct they’re born with—even though they’ve never made the trip before.

Safe travels, little one! 🦋
Would you like to tag Monarchs?


10/04/2026

Goodbye, summer. Thanks for the Key limes—I’ve got them covered in brown butter and toasted coconut. 🍋‍🟩🧈🥥

These Brown Butter Key Lime Pie Bars have a toasted coconut graham crust and a bright, extra-zesty filling. Tart, toasty, and full of Key lime flavor!

BROWN BUTTER KEY LIME PIE BARS
For an 8-inch square pan | Makes 9 generous bars

Toasted coconut

* 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Toast at 350°F for 4–7 minutes, stirring once, until golden. Watch closely. Use ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons in the crust; save the rest for topping.

Brown butter coconut crust

* 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
* ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons toasted coconut
* ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
* 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons salted butter, before browning

Brown the butter in a saucepan until the milk solids turn golden and smell nutty. Mix with the crumbs, coconut, and brown sugar. Press firmly into a parchment-lined 8-inch square pan. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.

Extra-zesty Key lime filling

* 1½ cans sweetened condensed milk (21 ounces total)
* 5 large egg yolks
* ¾ cup fresh Key lime juice
* 2 tablespoons finely grated Key lime zest
* ¼ teaspoon salt

Stir the zest into the condensed milk and let it sit for 10 minutes. Whisk in the egg yolks and salt, then gradually whisk in the lime juice. Pour over the warm crust.

Bake at 350°F for about 22–26 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight wobble. Cool, then refrigerate at least 4 hours—overnight is even better. Cut into bars and top with the reserved toasted coconut and a little extra zest.

Made with homegrown Key limes, brown butter, and a whole lot of love. 💚

Do you live Key Limes? What is your favorite Key Lime dessert?

Morning garden moments!Hope you have a beeutiful day!🐝🌞🌸
10/01/2026

Morning garden moments!
Hope you have a beeutiful day!🐝🌞🌸

09/26/2026

Southern Italian Cream Cake

If you’re looking for a cake made for celebrating, this is it.
RECIPE IN CAPTION👇🏼

Three tender layers filled with toasted coconut and pecans, a touch of brown sugar, buttermilk and vanilla bean paste—then layered with silky vanilla bean cream cheese frosting and finished with toasted coconut and buttery salted pecans.

It’s rich, moist, nutty, and full of flavor without being overly sweet.

But my favorite part came after the cake was served. One of the ladies at the party texted me:

“I don’t even like cake, but this I love!”

Well… I’m not sure a baker can ask for a better review than that. 😍

This one took a little testing, tweaking and plenty of taste-testing along the way, but Southern Italian Cream Cake has officially earned a permanent spot in my recipe collection.

Save this one for your next birthday, shower, holiday, dinner party—or simply because some days deserve cake.

What is your favorite celebration cake?

05/09/2026

I’m not growing a large vegetable garden this year. Only a small one in pots. I’m mainly growing a pollinator garden. Today I have enough to make a really nice salad.
Did you know that you can eat pansies?
You see those three blueberries, they survived my two year-old grandson, who thought it was his job to pick all of them.🤭

05/05/2026

Cinco de Mayo + Taco Tuesday = 🌮✨

Zesty Lime Chicken Fiesta Tacos topped with fresh cilantro + lime zest… cheesy, a little spicy, and SO good.

Will you be making my NEW RECIPE?

🌮 Zesty Lime Chicken Fiesta Tacos 🌮

These baked tacos are packed with flavor—zesty lime, fire-roasted tomatoes, a little heat, and melty cheese ✨

Ingredients:
• 1 lb boneless chicken, diced
• 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 small can corn, drained
• 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ jalapeño, diced
• ½ red chili pepper, diced
• Juice + zest of 1 lime
• ½ tbsp adobo seasoning
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 2–3 sprigs cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 block pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 1 block sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2–3 tbsp olive oil
• 10 small flour tortillas

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly brush tortillas with olive oil.
2. Season chicken with adobo, salt, and pepper.
3. Sauté onion + garlic in olive oil until soft.
4. Add chicken and cook until browned.
5. Stir in jalapeño, red chili, corn, beans, and tomatoes. Simmer.
6. Add lime juice, zest, and cilantro.
7. Fill tortillas, top with cheese, and bake 12–15 min until crisp + melty.

Garnish with:
✨ Lime zest + cilantro
✨ Serve with salsa

Fresh, zesty, cheesy, and just the right amount of heat 🔥

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Panama City, FL
32405

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