The bulk of our meat comes from farmers we know, raised humanely, less than an hour from our house. I typically make two trips a year, in the spring and fall, to pick up eight whole chickens or a processed half-a-hog. Which means that I have to get creative in my meat cooking. IContinue reading “Pork Rubs”
Tag Archives: cooking
Basic Meatballs
Meatballs are a staple in our kitchen. Whether served as a complement to roasted vegetables, atop spaghetti and mixed with marinara or stirred together with a sweet and sour sauce, they are a versatile and easy dinner, beloved by all. We have, over the years, tried many recipes: Swedish meatballs, slow cooker meatballs, Asian meatballs. ButContinue reading “Basic Meatballs”
Celebrations
Thursday is Thanksgiving — a time to gather with family and friends, a day to indulge and relax. It’s an occasion to count our blessings and to spend time romping in the chilly sunshine and lounging in front of televised parades. It’s also the only holiday I can think of that isContinue reading “Celebrations”
Fried Okra
This summer, we grew okra in our garden for the first time and came to discover how much we loved it. While there are certainly healthier ways to eat this summer veggie, I don’t think there are any tastier ways. The crisp of the corn meal and the slight sweet of the coconut oil turn this intoContinue reading “Fried Okra”
Traditional Basil Pesto
If you grow basil in your garden, at some point in the summer you’ve got way more than you can eat in salads or on sandwiches or even steeped into tea. That’s when you know it’s time to make pesto. I made three pestos on my local TV mid-day show, Daytime Blue Ridge. For a step-by-step how-to, youContinue reading “Traditional Basil Pesto”
Grateful for Zucchini Galore
Growing zucchini can be tricky at our house. We have a small yard with a big garden and once we attract insects like squash bugs or squash vine borers, it’s tough to find a way to give our plants a pest-free zone. One year in an attempt to save them from the bugs overwintering in ourContinue reading “Grateful for Zucchini Galore”
Blueberry Zucchini Muffins
When your garden gives you more zucchini than you can eat for dinner, it’s time to start eating them for breakfast. My family fell in love with these hearty, just-sweet-enough muffins. Recipe inspired by Ambitious Kitchen Makes 12 muffins (I often double the recipe to be sure to have leftovers) Ingredients 1 1/2 cups white wholeContinue reading “Blueberry Zucchini Muffins”
The Raspberries Are Ready
My raspberry bushes made me so happy I could cry last week. For the first time since we bought those first woody canes four or five years ago, they produced more fruit than we knew what to do with. Bowl after bowl, day after day, we picked big, bright berries. And the next day, thereContinue reading “The Raspberries Are Ready”
Sampling Scapes
Garlic is not a mainstay of our garden. We have grown it a few times, but most years we struggle to find garlic bulbs in the fall, when it’s time to plant. Last year, though, I asked at my farmers market: Will you be selling any seed garlic this year? When should I look forContinue reading “Sampling Scapes”
Spring Stir Fry (with Scapes)
In early summer, our garlic bulbs send up flowers that must be picked if the plants are to grow into fat, tasty bulbs. The best part is the flowers (scapes) are edible — and delicious at that. I experimented and found I liked the stem of the scapes best. They have a starring role in this simple, yummyContinue reading “Spring Stir Fry (with Scapes)”