I was visiting my parents a couple weeks ago and since their kitchen is much larger than my apartment kitchen, I decided I wanted to do some cooking. With fresh fruit easily available during the summer, I decided to try my hand at making jams. For many years I have watched from a distance when my mom made jams, but if I had known it was so easy I would have tried my hand at it years ago. I made a batch of rhubarb-ginger jam, which is a standby in my house because the rhubarb plant in my parents' backyard is enormous, and then decided to branch out with this delicious raspberry, jalapeno, and cilantro jam from Cupcake Rehab. If you like a bit of heat in your preserves, this is the recipe for you!

Summer is the perfect time to catch up on reading and I am a huge fan of British detective stories. I saw a reference to the Rivers of London series with Constable Peter Grant and knew I had to find a copy. One of the blurbs on the back cover refers to the series as "Harry Potter joins the Metropolitan Police" and the books do not disappoint. The first in the series is Midnight Riot and is not pictured above because I have already passed it onto my mystery-loving mom. If you like a little bit of magic, a lot of wit, and a great plot, then you should check out this series by Ben Aaronovitch. I have finished all five books that are currently out and am already impatiently waiting for the next installment!

If you are looking for an easy project to work on this summer, check out this tutorial from Spoonflower on how to make recipe tea towels. I made a batch for my family reunion and they were such a big hit that I had to order more fabric to keep up with the demand! I did not have handwritten recipes to scan, so I used GoogleDocs to create a design that looks like a recipe card. They look great, can be completed in an afternoon, and make a great gift for family members!