Bulgur Citrus Salad

  No, we’re not quite in the salad days yet. But my body is craving fresh and the spring sun is shining its welcome warmth, so plenty of salads are on the menu. I am fond of bulgur, a grain made from the wheat kernel that has been parboiled, dried and cracked. Its starring roleContinue reading “Bulgur Citrus Salad”

Good for the Soul Chicken Noodle Soup

I make my own chicken broth and grow my own vegetables. When I cook chicken for dinner, I begin by roasting a local, whole chicken, so there’s always dark meat and less desirable bits leftover. And yet, for years I did not make my own chicken soup! This winter I’ve remedied that and I’m passing along aContinue reading “Good for the Soul Chicken Noodle Soup”

Chestnut Pumpkin Soup

  Chestnuts turned into kind of a project for me last fall as I discovered their rich history and buttery, satisfying flavor. I had pounds of chestnuts in my fridge at various points testing and tasting to find recipes that were worth the extra work of cooking with these incredibly nutritious nuts. Below, I bringContinue reading “Chestnut Pumpkin Soup”

Zucchini Feta Pancakes

I cannot tell you how many times we have made these. Typically we make ahead, then reheat for dinner, but I can’t keep myself from snitching throughout the day. Especially in the crazy zucchini days of summer, but also in winter as we reach into the freezer to feed us, this recipe is a definite go-to. My frozen, shreddedContinue reading “Zucchini Feta Pancakes”

Okra Gumbo

On a cold winter day, nothing warms quite like gumbo. And in the heat of summer, gumbo is a great way to stir together so many flavors at their peak of ripeness — tomatoes, peppers, and of course, okra. We had such a bumper crop of okra last summer that I blanched and froze some forContinue reading “Okra Gumbo”

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

In a good summer, we grow zucchini, lots of zucchini. I love it baked into breaded rounds, diced and added to pasta or other veggie dishes, fried by the panful. But what I end up doing with most of what our garden grows is shredding the zucchini, tucking it into ziplocks stored in the deepContinue reading “Chocolate Zucchini Cake”

Bulldog Tofu

This recipe, like so many of my favorites, is really a framework to support a meal of creativity and whim. It’s different each time I make it, depending on what’s growing in the garden or what I can pull from the freezer. It was passed along to me by a friend who got it from aContinue reading “Bulldog Tofu”

Silken Turnip and Potato Soup

  One year, after a bumper crop of turnips, I was searching for ways to cook them when I came across this lovely dish. Despite including no milk or cream, this soup is so rich and tasty. I cooked it for a neighborhood potluck, afraid no one would come near it if I ’fessed up aboutContinue reading “Silken Turnip and Potato Soup”

Turnips Anna Livia

When the weather turns cold and the tomatoes are done for good, it’s root vegetables that begin to star in my dinners. As much as I love butternut squash, pumpkin, potatoes and beets, turnips are the vegetables that grow most easily in my garden. And they store even better. So it’s turnips I have learnedContinue reading “Turnips Anna Livia”

Minestrone

  When it’s cold out, there’s nothing that feeds the body and soul so well as a good hearty soup. And I’m not sure any soup fits the bill so well as Minestrone, an ancient Italian soup that includes pasta and beans, onions and tomatoes and whatever you’ve managed to put up from your summerContinue reading “Minestrone”