A Bushel of Apples: Sweet Simplicity

This isn’t a recipe post. Not really, anyway. I just felt compelled to share the moment of rediscovering that Simple is Beautiful. We all know this, but it must be human nature to over complicate things, because even in a time when Simplicity is clearly and splendidly Trendy, we continue to make things more difficult than they need to be at frequent turns. At least, I know I do. My eye-opening recollection came from a...

Feels Like Cheating: Toasted Chick Peas (Citrus-y ...

Remember the first time you tried crispy kale, roasted with a little olive oil and sea salt? If so, then surely you remember, too, the bubbly glee that rose up through your chest and into your throat, when you found kale could indeed be a nutritional power house of a substitute for potato chips? Assuming, that is, that you’ve had crispy kale. If not, try it. You’ll know exactly what I mean. Of course, this post...

Just Beet It: Spinach and Beet Salad with Citrus V...

I could be wrong, but I don’t think I’m alone in having grown up with a latent schema associating beets strictly with cans. As in originating from, and best kept there indefinitely unopened. Over the years, though, I’ve grown to  appreciate these hardy yet sweet leafy root vegetables, and to admire their range of hues, from deep red purples to warm and golden. But this summer, I’ve really learned to...

Quick post: clean and easy, versatile Thai sauce

Since I can’t take any credit at all for the recipe brilliance that motivates this post, it seemed sensible to make it a quick one, but I could expound upon it for pages with ease! Last week, we grilled pizzas with some friends, a summer tradition that must become a much more regular habit…yumm! We had three kinds of dough and a range of toppings, resulting in margherita, pesto, and Thai varieties. The Thai pizza...

Too Many Tomatoes?

Never! Of course not! They’re totally tasty and terrific! Yet I couldn’t resist the fun flow the words took on for the title, no less than I can help but throw in the gratuitous alliteration above. And the fact is, if you’re gardening, it is possible to be a tad overwhelmed by these plump luscious vegetable-fruits at their height. The average person only has so many stove standby hours to devote to soup and...

Thoughts on Reluctant Harvesting part 1: Garden Ba...

  Scroll to the end of this verbose post for a chard stew recipe–it’s a great basic template, one of those big pot meals you can throw just about anything in! The theme of our backyard garden this year has definitely been baby steps, in more ways than one. Although my husband Dave and I celebrate local, seasonal food and are inspired by goals of sustainability, neither one of us has ever possessed much of a...