SALAD GARDENS FOR EARTH DAY

When we were kids way back in the 50’s, Earth Day as a celebration was not yet in existence. But Arbor/Tree Planting Day was. During the last week in April, neighborhood schools distributed tiny redbud saplings, small enough to carry home wrapped in wet newspaper.  At our home, Dad planted those tiny specimens in the side yard, and they thrived. Red bud trees are still … Continue reading SALAD GARDENS FOR EARTH DAY

Whole Orange & Currant Muffins

One thing I have in common with colleagues writing weekly food columns is a deadline. Some weeks that deadline looms large, arrives way too fast, and the topic nebulous at best. I’m blessed, though, to have readers inspire me, sharing food thoughts, recipes and opinions. My goal has always been that I want you to feel like we’re side by side in the kitchen, or … Continue reading Whole Orange & Currant Muffins

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

I so enjoy chatting with Matt Swaim on the Sonrise Morning Show/Sacred Heart Radio. Today we talked about mustard! Yes, there’s a passage about mustard in the Bible. MUSTARD We’re all familiar with:  “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed….Matthew 13:31“… Yes, the Romans  made the first “mustard” by grinding the seeds into a paste and  the Greeks used in both medicinally and … Continue reading Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

Best Pantry Pasta Sauce

You’ve heard me say before that it doesn’t take much to please me. Like watching our neighbor, Josh, spread a layer of “black gold”/aged horse manure on our tilled vegetable gardens. Ready for planting! Coinciding with prepping the gardens is a spring inventory of the pantry staples in my heirloom pie safe. Enough air circulates through the punched tin door panels to keep jars of preserved … Continue reading Best Pantry Pasta Sauce

Waste Not Want Not and Give Alms

It’s interesting that in observing Lent, those of us who are Catholic, remember that this is also the time to give alms – donate to our church community if we can. Here’s some fun recipes that you can make at home and are perfect for Lent. By using some leftovers you can create another, tasty meal, and hopefully give what you save. Check out the … Continue reading Waste Not Want Not and Give Alms

St. Patrick’s Day Faves: Corned Beef & Cabbage, Buttery Soda Bread and a Bottle Lamb

It has been many decades since I woke up at 3 AM to feed an infant. But that’s just what I did a few days ago. The infant, named Aggie, was a 4-legged babe. A day old “bottle” lamb carried by neighbor, Erin Phillips, to my kitchen door.  This gentle lamb was abandoned by its mother, who went into premature labor during a coyote attack. Erin … Continue reading St. Patrick’s Day Faves: Corned Beef & Cabbage, Buttery Soda Bread and a Bottle Lamb

Stromboli/Savory Pinwheels

Regardless of what you call it, Stromboli or pinwheels, layering pizza dough with cheeses and meats if you like along with herbs and greens is what we call supper. And an easy one, too, since you can make your own pizza dough or purchase it. Today Matt Swaim and I chatted on the Sonrise Morning Show/Sacred Heart Radio, about cheese. Yes, cheese was an important … Continue reading Stromboli/Savory Pinwheels

Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut Milk and Turmeric

Here on my little patch of heaven Mother Nature can be fickle, but she does allow some consistent harbingers of spring. Like wild yellow aconite blooming, blanketing the hill down to the East Fork river alongside our home. Many years ago the first few seeds were flung at the top by dear friend Ike Leaf, of blessed memory. “The flowers will spread down the hill“, … Continue reading Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut Milk and Turmeric

Pancakes for Shrove Tuesday

I love talking to Matt Swaim today on the Sonrise Morning Show/Sacred Heart Radio. Each week we talk about Bible foods and herbs, and with Lent coming up, the subject was Pancakes!! The Shrove Tuesday tradition in England was that Christians went to confession and were “shriven”  – which means absolved from their sins.  in the villages A bell would be rung to call people to … Continue reading Pancakes for Shrove Tuesday