It’s been a few weeks now, since my husband stepped outside to our verdant, twining cucumber vine, covered with sunshiny yellow petals and a healthy dose of meandering bees, and proclaimed that it wouldn’t be long till we were in Cucumber Heaven. By that, he meant that we’d soon be reaching the height of our cucumber harvest,Continue reading “Cucumber Heaven”
Author Archives: christinanifong
Tangy Tomato and Cucumber Salad
This is a simple salad but oh-so-good. The pucker of the vinegar, the heat of the jalapeño, the cool of the cucumber and the sweet of the just-a-touch of sugar hit pretty much every taste sensation out there. There’s even a little soy sauce to curb your umami craving. In summer, when the cukes andContinue reading “Tangy Tomato and Cucumber Salad”
A Midsummer Night’s Meal
Let’s pretend I have all the time in the world to create sumptuous feasts. And all the resources in the world to gather up the tastiest ingredients. In this fiction, I wave my wand and on the table every night fantastical, incredibly delicious multi-course meals appear. My reality, of course, is quite different. Cooking is hard, time-consumingContinue reading “A Midsummer Night’s Meal”
Crispy Peanut Butter Cookies
These cookies are among my most requested — both by my own kids looking for a favorite lunchbox treat and by friends who taste them and then want the recipe. A basic recipe (no chocolate or other fancy add-ons), the proportions create a cookie that is crunchy and flavorful. For the best results, choose a peanut butterContinue reading “Crispy Peanut Butter Cookies”
Bacon Gruyere Quiche
I have made my peace with quiche as a family dinner. Me? I love spinach quiche, or maybe a simple cheddar pie topped with tomatoes, gosh, I’d even choose mushrooms, onions, peppers and zucchini to stir in with my cream and cheese and crust. But nooooo. When I make such delicacies I get major pushbackContinue reading “Bacon Gruyere Quiche”
Flowers for Dinner
It’s been a disappointing zucchini year. Nothing like last year’s plenty that left me begging for mercy. But that’s okay. My dad sent me packing back in June with a bag full and my local farmers market tables are groaning with zukes. I feel certain that if I asked around, a few of you mightContinue reading “Flowers for Dinner”
Lemon Balsamic Dressing
I am always looking for tasty dressings to drizzle atop my garden veggies. I make a mean Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, a lovely Poppy Seed Dressing, a tangy Honey Mustard Vinaigrette and a garlicky Ginger Sesame Dressing. But for the cukes and carrots and one last leftover beet that wound up in this week’s salad, IContinue reading “Lemon Balsamic Dressing”
Make Mine Mexican
My husband is half Italian-American and nowhere is this clearer than the kitchen. Whether he’s stirring up marinara from a recipe encoded in his DNA or pressing pizzelle at Christmas or building his tasty sausage lasagna layer by layer, Italian cuisine is his comfort zone. My heritage is more complicated: English, German, Eastern European butContinue reading “Make Mine Mexican”
Guacamole
Guacamole may be my favorite condiment/sauce/topping on the planet. I love the creaminess of the avocado, the kick of the peppers and the medley of flavors that the tomato, cilantro and onion bring to the plate. Like any dish, the better the ingredients, the better the end result. I want my avocados soft, but notContinue reading “Guacamole”
Homemade Taco Seasoning
Over the years, I’ve discovered that if I want to eat food free from preservatives and chemical flavors and unpronouncable additives, then I pretty much need to make it myself. I’ve also been pleasantly surprised to find that making my own typically tastes better and costs less than what I can buy in a package.Continue reading “Homemade Taco Seasoning”