A few months ago I saw an article in Fine Cooking and thought…my granddaughter would LOVE this! She loves and knows everything about dinosaurs, and one of the attractions is all the skeletons she sees at the Natural History Museum in LA. So, to use a whole fish and see the skeleton would be a hit, I knew. And she likes fish–in the little aquarium in her room and on her dinner plate.
It all started the day I was picking up my CSA box at the Farm. I was standing in line eagerly awaiting my box. Just in front of me, a woman was clasping several tomatoes and a bundle or two of curly leaf kale. I stared at the bunch of kale, thinking, “I sure hope I don’t get a lot of kale in my box, like I did last time.” ~which I did. I had to ask her, ” What does one do with all that kale? “
I have been getting CSA boxes for the last few weeks. I am so impressed with the ‘farm to table’ vegetables. The fact that they are organically grown gives me peace of mind that I am feeding my family the very best. I only wish I had enough space to grow them myself. Since I have been receiving the produce, I have felt an increase in energy (which is a necessity when you have small children) as well as discovering that the taste of the vegetables is quite different than what you find on grocery store shelves.
The traditions and superstitions of beginning a new year are numerous. What do you eat for New Years? Anything special? I can’t say we have ever had a real tradition, though beans and rice has been somewhat frequent on our table.
It is always fun to see the fruit trees bloom in spring, knowing that the flowers will turn into something so good and healthy to eat. This year I was blessed with an abundance of apples on my tree. Here in Southern California the apple tree of choice (about the only one that does not need cold temperatures to produce) is the Anna Apple.
Chocolate. I like to say my daughter was made of chocolate and spinach while in utero. That is about all I ate. If I’d known about this recipe then, it would have made my day.
Today, I made this salad using a strawberry jam imported from France and a dark Valrhona cocoa, one of my favorites. Really, who puts chocolate
Growing your own mushrooms seems a bit unusual, seeing as I steer clear of their random unwanted cousins in my garden. When I first tried this I was living in the Midwest. I had a huge crop of shitakes that were a great conversation piece when visitors came. I am not sure how I came upon getting my first kit. It has been so many years…
It’s time!!! For my Midwest climate, anyway. I’ve started several of the herb seeds this week. A full tray of sweet basil and a full tray of Italian parsley, as those are the two that I use the most of throughout the summer. Basil is preserved into pesto that is frozen and parsley is dried with a dehydrator, so there is never any waste there. I’ve also started a couple other kinds of basil
I found this simple flatbread in The River Cottage Family Cookbook by Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall. You just never know when you are going to find a secret technique. I’ve made tortillas many times, always with the hope of them puffing up. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they don’t. I know it’s all about the heat and timing. This author suggested holding the bread over a high flame, for the spectacle of it all, to impress
It is amazing how fast the years go by when you have kids. Watching them grow makes time so visual. Before you know it they are dressing themselves and making choices in their little lives that reflect their personality.
This year my daughter turned four. I asked her what type of birthday party she wanted. She has a very decisive personality. I noticed that from very early on!
Valentines day is upon us…what to make for my sweetie? It needs to be heart shaped, it needs to be red, and what is his favorite dessert? Pie! Little heart pies will be perfect! I got this cool little pocket pie maker for my birthday and I just haven’t had time to play with it. Now is the time! It worked very well, but you could also do it by hand with some cookie cutters, or just cutting out shapes with a paring knife. I used my
