A Refreshing Beverage that can also be made into a Cocktail!

Don’t limit yourself to only cooking food with your produce. Here’s an idea that I got from The Lemonade Coookbook for making fun beverages. There are so many drink combinations you can create to cool you off on these hot summer days. I selected their Kiwi/Strawberry Lemonade. It was super delish on it’s own and made an amazing cocktail with some Vanilla Vodka! What is really … Read more A Refreshing Beverage that can also be made into a Cocktail!

Thinking Outside the Box; A Breakfast Salad

You’ve heard of breakfast food for dinner so why not change things up and make a salad for breakfast! Every year I try my hand at a small garden attempting to grow a variety of heirloom tomatoes. This year I was determined to make it a success and even attended a Tomato Masters Program seeking out additional gardening advice. Everything began quite nicely as I followed the lessons to … Read more Thinking Outside the Box; A Breakfast Salad

Farm to Table goes Asian!

There are so many wonderful ways to combine natures plenty into scrumptious dishes! With my amazing Talley Farms CSA produce offering lots of goodies like Snap Peas, Red Sweet Onions, Brussels Sprouts and Sunburst Summer Squash, I decided to go Asian. I paired up a thick, hearty sirloin steak and all of the veggies and created some grilled Teriyaki Madness! A simple marinade of soy sauce and … Read more Farm to Table goes Asian!

Move over Lasagne and make room for Ricotta Pie!

Ricotta cheese, eggs and Parmesan are a typical combination used in creating lasagne. Seriously, they work really well together. But they don’t need to be relegated exclusively to that dish. Throw out the pasta and add in some veggies and herbs and now you’ve created a yummy crustless pie that serves well as a side dish or light main entree. For my vegetable grouping, I sautéed leeks, Shitake mushrooms and … Read more Move over Lasagne and make room for Ricotta Pie!

Love this Way to Make Carrots!!

I get a lot of carrots from my Talley Farms Fresh Harvest CSA. I use them in tons of different dishes; chopped, julienned, sliced, whole and best of all served raw with an assortment of dips. They are some of the most flavorful carrots I have ever tasted. In the past, I have made a strong point against purchasing the little carrots packed in liquid … Read more Love this Way to Make Carrots!!

An Indirect Cooking Process on your Grill Cooks Artichokes to Perfection!

Vegetables are a very important part of your diet that provide you with nutrients and antioxidants. If you are boiling vegetables you may be destroying these essential nutrients and not receiving all of the health benefits available to you. Some nutrients in vegetables, known as water-soluble vitamins, dissolve in water. The longer vegetables are submerged in water, the more vitamins seep out. Knowing this, I have … Read more An Indirect Cooking Process on your Grill Cooks Artichokes to Perfection!

Impress Guests at Your Next Dinner Party with this Sumptuous Meal!

I’ve been working my way through the recipes in The San Luis Obispo Farmers’ Market Cookbook and I’m really enjoying it! There are some very talented chefs on the Central Coast of California and it is illustrated in the recipes they have contributed in this beautiful cookbook. I am also loving reading the short stories that showcase the chefs and local businesses who are featured in the book. … Read more Impress Guests at Your Next Dinner Party with this Sumptuous Meal!

Quick and Easy – Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Have you seen some of those fun videos that come over Facebook lately? They make the process look so simple and the food looks yummy! Most of the ones I’ve seen are not something I would generally make because they are laden with rich, fattening ingredients. However, the other day I saw one from Tastemade for Garlic and Herb Sweet Potato Fries that you bake … Read more Quick and Easy – Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

First Night of Hanukkah Feast!

Tradition with a twist was the theme for my Hanukkah menu. I knew it wouldn’t be traditional without Matzo Ball Soup and Latkes so, true to my character, I had to add some variation to my standard recipes. That meant that instead of plain matzo balls, I made them with ginger, fresh grated nutmeg and parsley. Additionally, over the last few years I have been trying out … Read more First Night of Hanukkah Feast!

A Greek Delight; Moussaka topped with Cauliflower Béchamel!

Ok, so the weather isn’t showing it, but nevertheless fall is here and I was feeling the need to enjoy some fall flavors. I purchased some amazing lamb from Adelaida Springs Ranch that is raised exclusively on Rangeland Wines pastures and in their estate vineyard. No antibiotics or hormones are used, and the meat is mild, lean and succulent. Lamb made me think of Greek food and that made me … Read more A Greek Delight; Moussaka topped with Cauliflower Béchamel!