Asparagus Recipes for Easter and Spring!

Yesterday was fun, a productive day. Son Jason brought 2 of his boys over to help with spring chores. The guys got the chimney and gutters cleaned, and paver brick walls reset. Me? Well, I got the tiller going and tilled the big garden. So satisfying! The asparagus bed needed a bit of tilling and dressing, too. It won’t be long before asparagus pops up … Continue reading Asparagus Recipes for Easter and Spring!

Discovering Spice Bush on a Springtime Walk

Ron Wilson Plant of the Week – Spice Bush Mar 18, 2021 Yesterday I was walking along our old country road when I spied something very yellow, sort of fuzzy and delicate looking. It was spicebush! Wow! I have one growing in my herb garden, but have never seen them in the woods here. That’s because I wasn’t looking during the right season. And now … Continue reading Discovering Spice Bush on a Springtime Walk

Boone County Arboretum Annual Tea Recipes

Oh gosh, I had so much fun doing my first Zoom presentation for the Boone County Arboretum’s Annual Tea with Josh, Nicole, Stephanie, Donna, and Kris last night. Log onto to their site to see just how lovely and productive this community arboretum is. There may be time for you to bid at the silent auction, too. My talk was about the 4 seasons and … Continue reading Boone County Arboretum Annual Tea Recipes

Passover and Palm Sunday Foods to Celebrate

Today when Matt Swaim on the Sonrise Morning Show chatted, it was about Passover and Palm Sunday. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey to celebrate Passover, and His path was strewn with palms. Passover is a freedom festival and begins with the Seder or Passover supper. It commemorates the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, and their departure from slavery to freedom.  The word … Continue reading Passover and Palm Sunday Foods to Celebrate

Lois Boekley’s Coconut Pound Cake

Oh, gosh, I’ve shared this recipe before but it’s worth sharing again. For Terri, who requested it. Lois is a student of mine who is a creative, careful cook and baker. Any recipe she shares is so good, and always tested. Here’s her lovely coconut pound cake, in detail. That’s so you’ll have excellent results. Wouldn’t this be nice for Easter?  COCONUT POUND CAKE 4 … Continue reading Lois Boekley’s Coconut Pound Cake

Maple Syrup Time! Tap those Trees!

I feel like a modern pioneer. The past few weeks we’ve been tapping maple trees. And we harvested gallons and gallons of sap. Guess how much maple syrup we got? Well, here’s a hint: it’s a 40:1 ratio.  We boiled sap from morning to late afternoon, and watched it turn from clear to a golden brown as the water evaporated. Our bounty of maple syrup … Continue reading Maple Syrup Time! Tap those Trees!

Dublin Coddle for St. Pat’s Day

How are you going to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Regardless of  your ethnicity (even I’m a bit Irish on St. Pat’s Day!), St. Patrick’s Day is a day of fun and joy of all things Irish. And green. St. Patrick was a real person, born in Britain. He died in the late 5th century AD. The Patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick had a significant … Continue reading Dublin Coddle for St. Pat’s Day

Chickpea Vegetable Stew for Lent or Meatless Days

As many of you know, Thursdays are my day to chat with Matt Swaim of the Sonrise Morning Show/Sacred Heart Radio. Today we talked about chickpeas – a staple bean in Bible days. CHICKPEAS Chickpeas are not mentioned specifically in the Bible, but we know that it was a staple in the cuisine of that era. Cultivation of the chickpea began so long ago that … Continue reading Chickpea Vegetable Stew for Lent or Meatless Days