🌸 Hello Baking Buddy! 🌸

May is in full bloom—and that means it’s time to celebrate all the beautiful moms, grandmas, and mom-figures out there with something homemade and heartfelt.

Whether you’re planning brunch, baking ahead, or simply want a quiet moment with a scone and cup of tea, I’ve got you covered with fresh, flavor-packed recipes perfect for this month.

I don't talk about it much, but we own 65 acres of forest in the southeast Minnesota driftless region. It's like our own private oasis where we hope to someday build our home. The area is rich in wildlife and natural beauty with rolling bluffs and rivers.

Every spring, our family spends days upon days hiking and foraging on our land and public lands for mushrooms (morels mostly), fiddleheads, ramps (wild onions), and a few wildflowers. It's arguably my favorite time of year because there aren't any mosquitos and it's warm out.

We also planted our garden this year - full of tomatoes, peas, squash, peppers, and many other veggies. We get our seeds from Driftless Seed Supply, a local family owned business that sells high quality seeds specifically for our MN-WI-IA region.

What's Inside:

• Cinco de Mayo favorites
• Mother's Day Treats
• Spotlight Recipe: Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
• Favorite Springtime Recipes
• Baking with Foraged Ingredients
• Cookies & Cream Desserts

🌼 Cinco de Mayo Fiesta 🌼

If you didn't know already, my husband is hispanic and loves all hispanic foods. His father came to the U.S. from Cuba, not Mexico, but we still celebrate this holiday because we love the food, the culture, and our local Mexican food trucks & restaurants.

Spice up your May with our perfect recipes for Cinco de Mayo:

​Margaritas: Lime + tequila with a zesty twist - make an orange or pineapple version of this classic drink. Experiment + have fun!
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Tip: My secret to making the perfect Margarita is using a quality Orange liqueur, like Grand Marnier.

​Corn Tortilla Chips and Roasted Tomato Salsa: Roasting your vegetables first makes an even more delicious homemade salsa.

​Guacamole: Herby, garlicky, and irresistible!

​Tres Leches Cake: Vanilla sponge cake covered in a sweet milk mixture of three milks.

​Tres Leches Bread Pudding: (Popular on TikTok) A hispanic spin on classic bread pudding. It's seriously good, too. Use an enriched bread like challah or brioche for best results.

💐 Mother's Day Brunch Bakes

Looking to bake something beautiful for Mother’s Day? These treats strike the perfect balance between comforting and celebratory:

• ​Chocolate Orange Breakfast Rolls – A luscious blend of chocolate, nuts, and zesty orange in a soft, sweet roll.
• ​Orange Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting – The perfect homemade cake with a burst of sunshine in every bite. Tangy, sweet, and totally brunch-worthy.
• ​Ham, Leek, & Gruyere Quiche – Rich and savory with a flaky quiche crust—this classic never goes out of style.
• ​Strawberry Cream Cake - Pillowy layers of whipped cream and fresh strawberries tucked between vanilla cake layers.

💡 Baking Tip: For moist, citrus-flavored cakes, cupcakes, muffins, or scones, rub orange zest into your sugar before mixing—it releases the oils and enhances flavor naturally.

🌟 Spotlight Recipe: Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

There’s something about baking for someone you love that just feels extra special.

These lemon poppy seed scones came straight from the heart—and straight to my friend Kiley’s doorstep. She had just welcomed her second baby boy (a feat that deserves all the scones in the world if you ask me). Knowing lemon poppy seed is her absolute favorite flavor, I couldn’t resist.

Tender, buttery, and speckled with crunchy poppy seeds, they’re the perfect excuse to sit down with tea and a friend.

✨ Make a batch for yourself or share with someone you love.​
👉 Get the recipe.

💡 Baking Tip: For scones with the perfect rise and flakiness, chill your cut dough in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking.
Cold butter = perfect texture.

🌱 Springtime Delights

With spring comes a whole new feeling of fresh energy.

👉 Here are 30 of my favorite Springtime Recipes with fresh flavors like lemon, mango, strawberry, rhubarb and plenty of veggies, too! I hope you’ll find a few special treats for your next gathering!

🍄 Foraging and Baking

It’s one of my favorite times of year in Minnesota—Morel Mushroom season has arrived! These elusive and highly coveted mushrooms are popping up, ready for our annual foraging adventures. If you're curious about our success so far, I post our mushroom adventure stories on Instagram.

Morels are known for their distinctive honeycomb appearance and rich, earthy flavor that makes any dish a gourmet experience. They happen to be an absolute favorite treat in our household.

They taste so good just sautéed in a little butter with salt & pepper. But I also use them on my savory mushroom ricotta tart as well.

Latest Roundup: Cookies & Cream

If you’re a cookies & cream lover, don’t miss my latest roundup: fudgy brownies, creamy cheesecakes, no-bake bars, and even a dreamy Oreo pie.

📌 Perfect for birthdays, bake sales, or Netflix nights.​
👉 Check out all 11 desserts

One last thing... Did our recipes find their way onto your dessert table for Easter or Passover?

We'd love it if you would review the recipe you made and loved so that others can find the recipe, too!

Cheers,

Stephanie Gonzalez

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