Shaina Olmanson's Blog, page 5

Avocado Caprese Salad: The Reset Button

Don’t miss this summer recipe for an updated take on the traditional caprese salad with ripe avocado, shallots, and a hint of lemon to play nicely with the fresh basil, summer tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella.

I am in need of a reset button. A small black button, no cautionary signs or flashing lights warning you of the consequences should you press it. Rather, a button that invites you to push it down, the perfect amount of resistance followed by a satisfying, rewarding click. And then it’s a...

Pimento Cheese Pinwheels: Keep School Lunch Cold with PackIt

A recipe for a flavorful pimento cheese spread, as well as an easy school lunch of pimento cheese and ham pinwheels for the back-to-school season. Keep it cool until lunchtime with PackIt Insulated Lunch Bags and enter to win $100 in our giveaway below.

I tucked him in tight, zipping his sleeping bag around him, only his mop of sandy hair visible as he clutched his stuffed red squirrel purchased at the Chik-Wauk Museum on Lake Saganaga at the end of the Gunflint Trail. “Get some rest because...

Blueberry Oat Granola Bites: Back-to-School with Mighty Nest

A recipe for blueberry inspired chewy granola bites full of pumpkin and sunflower seeds, coconut, chia, hemp, and plenty of oats. They make a wonderful lunch box treat for back-to-school. Plus a special MightyFix Lunchskins offer from MightyNest.

School for us doesn’t start until September. We’re on a “post Labor Day First Day of School” schedule. August for us is meant to be enjoyed on our backs in the warm grass, staring at the sky. It’s a cabin month – glass blue water cut by the tip of a...

Marzipan Raspberry Swirl Gelato: A Taste of Italy

Get the recipe for this creamy marzipan gelato with a fresh raspberry sauce swirl. The almond and raspberry complement the rich, frozen dessert and take you straight to the streets of Italy.

I’m sitting here with a fan blowing hot, humid air on me. It is slightly better than the alternative – still air that hangs heavy and thick around me like a cloud – but barely.

Try as I might to create a bit of order and structure to our long summer days, I’m finding that they run together. It is often mi...

Rhubarb Coffee Cake

A quick and easy recipe for rhubarb coffee cake, great for everyday entertaining or just because.



Today is the first day of summer break for my children. Our alarm went off at 6:15 a.m. I rolled over onto my husband’s pillow as he begrudgingly exited the bed. This is, in fact, my favorite part of the day: occupying the empty hole he has left in our dingy-white-sheeted queen. I pressed my face deeper into his pillow.

At 6:30 a.m. I begrudgingly exited the bed.

Throwing on a sweater to ac...

Coconut Crepes {Gluten Free & Dairy Free}

A quick and easy recipe for gluten-free, dairy-free coconut crêpes made with coconut flour and coconut milk for World Fair Trade Day and Mother’s Day.



My oldest child is taller than me. For the past few years we appear to be sisters when we’re out in public. At the dentist an older gentleman told me it was nice of me to bring all my younger siblings there for my mom as he handed out lifesaver mints to each of my children and then me in turn. People balk when I say she’s my daughter. Sometim...

Heirloom Tomato Salad for an Avocado Toast Bar Brunch

A quick and easy recipe to dress and serve fresh tomatoes that gives them a salad-like quality without distracting from their true flavors.



My second-born sister, Rachel, will tell you stories about what it was like living with me as the oldest child. She’ll talk about living in my shadow at school and teachers who expected the same from her as they’d seen from me, not realizing our gifts lay in different areas. She’ll warn you about my sarcasm and how she constantly questioned whether I w...

Steel-Cut Oat Griddle Cakes to Start Your Morning Right

A recipe for steel-cut oat griddle cakes with cardamom and topped with berries and yogurt utilizing leftover steel-cut oats.



The alarm goes off early. Its distinct song piercing the quiet morning signals another day beginning. Soon there will be four kids milling about in different states of waking: rubbing sleep from their eyes, showering, flopping on the couch in protest to the sunrise.

Our morning routines are a bit chaotic at best, with everyone crowding into the kitchen as I lay out...

Salted Maple Whiskey Caramel Corn with Pecans for Movie Night

This recipe for maple caramel corn with a shot of whiskey, plenty of pecans, and a sprinkling of salt is just what your movie night ordered.



Every morning over breakfast Magnus asks me if it’s a school day. His sweet voice calls to me from the kitchen table even as I move to pack lunch boxes.

“Mom, is there school today?” Magnus’s inquisitive voice calls to me from the kitchen table. Some days I wonder if he lacks the power of observation, as I stand across the counter from him with lunchb...

Cheese-Topped Potato Dinner Rolls

A recipe for soft, fluffy potato dinner rolls topped with nutty, tangy cheese.



I’m sitting here with my knees pulled up to my chest staring at my to-do lists. Multiple. A cup of coffee long cold sits on top of a stack of post-it notes on the desk, my water jar is empty. There are two chuck roasts thawing on the counter that need to be dealt with in short order for dinner tonight, and I don’t have even an inkling of a plan outside of the usual braising method, which I, frankly, don’t feel li...