News From The Nest, April 13

These Sourdough Discard Biscuits are a new family favorite! They have tall, flaky layers, a crispy golden exterior, and a soft, tender inside that pulls apart beautifully — and the sourdough adds just enough subtle tang to make them taste more interesting than a standard biscuit. They come together in about five minutes of active work and freeze beautifully unbaked, so you can have fresh, hot biscuits any morning of the week with almost no effort. We now keep a stick of butter in the freezer at all times so we’re never caught unprepared!

From Knit + Crochet Studio

Everyone I know seems to be becoming a grandma or great aunt lately! This free Rosebuds & Ruffles Baby Blanket features scattered rosebuds throughout the body and a sweet crochet ruffle edge that looks far more complicated than it actually is. Even newer knitters will find it very doable — and don’t forget to tuck in one of our free printable care tags when you gift it!

What could be sweeter than pairing that baby blanket with a handmade Knit Teddy Bear for the perfect newborn gift? The bear works up in the round with a gently shaped snout and the option to add safety eyes or embroidered features for a softer, vintage look.

Our Magic Loop Knit Tutorial is a very handy knit technique to have in your back pocket. This technique lets you knit small circumferences using just one long circular needle instead of juggling double-pointed needles — and you can even knit two items at once for matching tension. There’s a full step-by-step photo tutorial plus a video to walk you through every step.

From the Kitchen

Spring strawberries are here, and our Strawberry Rhubarb Jam is one of the best ways to put them to work. This recipe skips commercial pectin entirely and relies on Granny Smith apples for a beautiful set that keeps the fresh fruit flavor intact. Reader Kathleen said it was her very first jam attempt, and she loved how simple it was — spread it on those biscuits you just made, toast, or scones and feel like the most accomplished human alive!

We’ve all been that person who buys beautiful strawberries, fully convinced this will be the week we eat them every single day — and then finds them fuzzy three days later. Our post on how to keep produce fresh longer covers more than 17 tips, from giving berries a vinegar bath before refrigerating to which fruits shouldn’t be stored together. The comments section alone is worth the click!

This Cardamom Date Cake is one of those recipes that works equally well as a dessert or a very special mid-morning coffee cake. The dates soak before going into the batter, which transforms them into something almost toffee-like, and the cardamom adds a warmly spiced note that makes the whole thing feel a little special. There’s an optional toffee sauce too, if you’re feeling extra…but truthfully, you don’t need it.

I resisted this one for years out of pure traditionalism and now eat it by the spoonful — that tells you everything you need to know about our Mango Habanero Salsa. Fresh mango, habanero, cilantro, and lime come together in about 15 minutes for something sweet, bright, and just spicy enough. It’s fantastic with chips but really shines on grilled fish or folded into shrimp or chicken tacos.

This was my dad’s signature brunch cocktail, and once you’ve had one, you’ll understand why the Ramos Gin Fizz made an appearance at every special occasion growing up. Light, creamy, and citrusy with a beautiful froth on top, it’s the kind of drink that feels elegant but comes together in a blender in under five minutes. Purists shake theirs for 12 minutes — Dad used a blender and nobody ever complained!

Some of the most satisfying soups are the simplest ones, and this White Bean and Cabbage Soup is a perfect example. Cabbage, carrots, celery, and creamy cannellini beans come together in one pot in under an hour for something brothy, nourishing, and filling enough to be a full meal. It freezes beautifully, too — toss in a Parmesan rind while it simmers if you want to take it up a notch.

From the Arts + Crafts Studio

When Kate headed back to college several years ago and left behind an old acrylic box frame in her discard pile, my kismet crafting angel went to work — and the result is this Faux Marble Tray. A little white paint, a few shades of gray, a feather, and a spritz of water are genuinely all it takes to create a convincingly marbled surface. This project is completely forgiving — paint over any mistakes and start again — and once you try it, you’ll start seeing everything in your house as a marbling candidate!

These Lavender-Scented Sachets are made from fabric scraps, dried lavender buds, and small wooden beads painted as tiny faces — and you can even match the hair and eye color to whoever you’re making them for. Reader Lori made a batch for Valentine’s Day gifts and reported they were a big hit! Lavender buds retain their fragrance for up to 20 years, making them a truly lasting handmade gift.

From the Garden

Think of Compost Tea as the garden version of probiotics — it introduces beneficial microorganisms to your soil that help make nutrients actually usable by your plants. We’ve been applying it to our organic garden twice a week during the growing season for years, and the difference in how lush and productive everything grows is undeniable. Pop over to learn the difference between passive tea and actively aerated compost tea, and why one gives you a serious advantage over the other.

No garden? No problem — a sunny porch or balcony is all you need for homegrown tomatoes! Our guide to Patio Tomatoes covers ten of the best container varieties, along with everything you need to know about pot size, soil, watering, and fertilizing to actually get a real harvest. Fair warning — the birds will be watching those tomatoes just as patiently as you are, and they have no manners whatsoever.