Good Friday Request

 With today being Good Friday, the usual question about food and drink is being replaced with a request. Consider your neighbors this Easter and Passover season as well as family. Feed and nourish them if they are having difficulty feeding their own. Lend them a couple of dollars or share bounty from upcoming gardens this summer.

This is Holy Season by the generous, thoughtful, and considerate the rest of the year too.

Freezer Bingo, Cooking Roulette

Our freezers have taken on a new aspect in the past few months. They've been vaults to all sorts of frozen foods. Boxes of frozen essentials have been crowding out those containers of homemade sauce and ice cube trays. It's time to use them with interesting combinations for meals.

Many overbought waffles . They are tasty and make for a satisfying and comforting breakfast . However as the weather turns warmer, the kids may want cold cereal to start the day. Not to worry. There's always chicken and waffles.  You can easily make fried chicken or even buy tenders along with fake chicken such as Gardein's. Serve with maple syrup or syrup with a kick of cayenne added like Ree Drummond's recipe. They're also great as the bread for breakfast sandwiches holding scrambled eggs and sliced ham. They are also good stuffed with bacon and cheddar cheese as a fun lunch.  You may have also bought Texas toast during one of your grocery foraging trips. It's very versatile. It makes the base for pizza if you just add sauce and mozzarella. Have the kids add chopped fresh peppers and onions along with pepperoni and olives for a fun dinner. Another idea is spooning sloppy Joe mixture on top for a different take on this classic sandwich.

Your freezer must look like a frozen vegetable garden right now. You may have overbought a ton of those easy to steam packets. Now the freezer is  bursting with them. Luckily many can be turned into salads. Frozen green beans can be turned into a salad just in time for barbecue season. Broccoli can be turned into a flavorful salad or as part of a cheesy bake. It , along with other frozen veggies like peas can be cooked with rice along with fresh cut onions and soy sauce for an interesting side dish. Peas have a versatility too. You can make the classic dish risi e bisi which is arborio rice cooked with frozen peas and garlic. It's a great weekday dinner that's a snap to whip up. You could also just cook them up Italian style with olive oil and garlic along with onions and chicken stock. Cauliflower can also be turned into a salad or a side. Try roasting it in your air fryer or oven after it's been spiced up with turmeric and garam masala, that great blend of Indian spices. You can also pan roast it for a crunchy side or even snack with a ranch dressing.

Forage your freezer. You'll be surprised at what you'll find to make interesting dishes. It's a fun way to create new dishes from all that over buying..

Lessons From Lent

With today being Ash Wednesday  it's time to think of what most Christians can give up.Most Catholics have a long list of foods that they'll give up. This is the start of a good healthy diet. Another idea is to give up ones' time to cook or  serve others.It's a great way of teaching kids how to behave towards those less fortunate.

Yes, you can give up meats and sweets for Lent. Doing such will help you lose weight and possibly go off your favorite foods. The Greek Orthodox have a much stricter rule. Not only do they have to give up meat, dairy, eggs and cheese are also off the table. Wine and olive oil are also nixed. What is left is fruits and veggies.A diet like this may seem severe but it is the healthiest..The Orthodox are allowed rice and pasta which is a plus. No matter what faith you follow, this is a great fast. Unhealthy fats and sugars are eliminated replaced with a boost of  nutrients and fiber. The Orthodox are allowed to have olive oil and wine on weekends.Veggies could easily be made into a ratatouille but veggies such as tomatoes and peppers can be roasted and served over any kind of pasta or rice. They can also be turned into a salsa crudo or raw sauce for spaghetti or angel hair. Finishing with fruit slices is always a better idea. Get yourself and the kids hooked on fruit slices as a great dessert.

Another idea for Lent is giving up your time. Many churches have food drives during the Lenten season. You can easily go around to friends and neighbors and collect cans and boxes from them for an Easter food drive. Have your local supermarket donate small hams along with canned or fresh asparagus along with other Spring veggies to make a filling  holiday meal. If the stores don't want to donate, then have fund raisers or make a plea when the donation plate is passed around. Late winter and early Spring is a time for planning gardens. If you belong to any church group or teach Sunday school, bring up the idea of a  church garden to supplement the food pantry. Think rows of tomatoes, peppers  and carrots to start off with and then get adventurous with potatoes and even watermelon. The last can be started indoors and planted outside when the temperatures rise past seventy degrees. Just remember too that a church garden can supply some of the food for carnivals and picnics. It can also be used in the parish's soup kitchen as well

It's Lent. If you don't want to give up food , then think about giving up your time to help your local church. Both will be  a learning experience that you'll benefit from.

The End Of The Harvest

Summer is coming to a rapid close and with it the harvests of the seasons. Many plants are still producing fruit and vegetables well into apple and pear time. Don't worry if you still have some. There's so many recipes that call for them.

Tomatoes are the most versatile of any garden fruit.If you still have an abundance of them, then consider the red gems for salsa cruda. This is a simple sauce to  make because the only cooking involves the pasta.It's taking tomatoes of any kind, chopping them and letting them marinate in garlic and olive oil.Feta or mozzarella can be added as well. Of course salsa is the easiest way of dealing with a bumper crop. Roast the tomatoes along with chili peppers for a smoky rich flavor. Like any other fruit, tomatoes can be turned into a preserve.The best part, it doesn't require any elaborate canning equipment or skills. It's just cooking it on a low heat for two to three hours and then letting it set in the fridge in any kind of jar.Tomato jam is versatile and can top anything and everything from crab cakes to fried eggs. It can also be whisked into a vinaigrette for some punch or served on toasted and oiled Italian bread. If you have green tomatoes and want to clean out the garden, pick and put in a paper bag to ripen. You can also fry them too. The coating is a double one, with the first just being flour and the second being a mix of breadcrumbs and cornmeal for some crunch and bite.

Tomatoes also go well with another end of harvest veggie - pepper. Combine the two with eggplant and onion for a tasty ratatouille, perfect for an early fall al fresco lunch. Peppers, alone , can be tasty. Use any bumper crop to make a pepper salad. Julienne into strips and toss with a simple vinaigrette. Crumble in some feta cheese for variation and bite. Of course, there's nothing like that great comfort dish  - stuffed peppers. Make them the traditional way with ground beef and rice or mix it up with ground turkey and chili powder. Yes, they can also be pickled too. The process is an elaborate canning one, that does require skill and equipment. Zucchini is another part of a late summer harvest. Try spiralizing them to create a healthier kind of pasta. Saute the strands in an olive oil and crushed garlic. It can be stuffed too or split in half to create boats. This last is a fun way to serve the squash. You can stuff them with meat and cover with sauce and mozzarella or skip the meat for a pizzaiola .  A sweeter idea is using it in a spice laden bread, redolent with cinnamon and cloves or a cake, 
rich with dates, topped with an orange cream cheese frosting.

An end of season bumper crop is a true gift. Use this harvest in a variety of ways to create tasty dishes and desserts. It's a nice way to clean out the garden and fill up the fridge.

A Quick Herb Guide

Spring brings the urge to plant an herb garden .Home chefs want to add a sprig of this or a few leaves of that .Yet many have no clue as to herb usage. The will add bay leaf to pizza or dried rosemary to ice cream.A good knowledge of herbs is vital to cooking good meals.

Rosemary and oregano are the most popular and most used.Rosemary is a fragrant plant with a variety of uses, from cooking to the medicinal.It is one of the pillars of Italian cooking, going into everything from sausage to pizza.A flavorful tomato sauce relies on its sprigs for some depth.It can also add zing if added to pizza or calzone crust.Oregano is another staple of not just Italian but also  Greek and Eastern Mediterranean cuisine.It gives marinades an earthy green flavor.It can also be put into olive oil for a fragrant oil , perfect for drizzling over slices of French and Italian bread.it can also be used in Eastern Mediterranean dishes too such as the trendy za'aatar along with savory and thyme.Surprisingly these versatile sprigs can also be used in various desserts.Imagine a coffee cake sprigged up with both oregano and thyme.Honey paired with it makes an awesome ice cream, both subtly sweet and herbal.They can even be baked into lemon cupcakes for a jolt of fresh springy flavor!

Tarragon is the herb most used by the French.It is one of my favorites and I use it in both my chicken and egg salads.It's flavor is a milder version of the stronger anise.It also is vital in creating the perfect Bernaese sauce along with herb rice and broiled fish such as tilapia and halibut.Cilantro is an easy herb to grow as well as being versatile.The sassy green leaves add dash to any salad and would be great in a chicken marinade.It can also add some zing to grilled veggies too as well as being a staple in Mexican cooking.Cilantro is actually the younger version of coriander, another versatile and necessary kitchen herb.It's excellent in exotic cuisines such as Indian and Morroccan, giving color and zest to curries and tangines.One of the sweetest and most delicious is chive. This is the season for them, as they grow abundantly in yards and even parks. The wild variety has an onion-y sweet taste . Yes , freshly chopped chives are good on baked potatoes , add color and flavor to sour cream but they're also good mixed in with cream cheese and dressings. Try cooking them with carrots in a yummy butter sauce.

Grow herbs.Just understand their uses and what foods they'd enhance.Use them correctly and you'll create deliciously tasty meals.

Front Yard Farming

Imagine taking a step out your door and picking a pumpkin for soup or tomatoes for a salad. You can, thanks to turning your front yard into a garden. It's a great way to save money as well as practicing sustainability. Besides, nothing beats cooking with  fresh ingredients.

Since it's the middle of the fall growing season, you can easily plan your garden for Spring 2017. First of all, decide if you want to do it yourself or leave the initial planning and planting to landscapers who specialize in front and back yard gardens. Also, decide on how much land you want to designate for growing.Discuss it with everyone in the family and also consider neighborhood activities. A front garden may have to be moved to the back or the side of your house if you live in a one with a lot of active kids.It's no fun having to deal with trampled vines or the occasional baseball or Frisbee lobbed into your corner of Cobb lettuce. Your yard's location is another aspect to take into consideration. If there's too much shade, then plan to plant veggies that grow well in them such as beets , carrots, and turnips . Kale, lettuce, and spinach are also shade lovers too.The same goes for plants,such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and peas that thrive in direct sunlight. If the yard is big enough then draw out sections where you;d like to plant three or four  kinds of veggies. Make sure you include paths for easy access.Another must is carving out space for a compost heap.It's usually in the farthest corner of the yard, far away from the house.

Many towns across the country have bans and restrictions on front yard gardens. Before you even plant, query and see if it's legal in your neck of the woods. Another potential roadblock may be neighbors. There are some who want their block to look like the cover of a landscaping magazine. The idea of  a front yard garden may not be to their snooty likings. Granted it's your property and you can do whatever you ant in it but there may be some opposition. Feel them out.If the all over tone is favorable, then tell them your plans . You may inspire them to start their own and begin a neighborhood collective where veggies and even herbs are traded.. Be prepared, though for some opposition. Gardens not only bring pests such as aphids but they also bring larger pests such as squirrels. raccoons, woodchucks and even bears. Your neighbors may not cotton to the idea of having their street turned into a salad bar for creatures. You could then wind up getting slapped with some kind of citation. What could be done to win them over is just tell you're only going to plan a small garden, They won;t wake up to see a cornfield or a pumpkin patch. A sneakier way of  introducing a front yard garden to the neighbors is planting decorative herbs, sort of the first step in starting a garden. Basil and chives can be used as ornamentals in a rose garden or arranged around fruit trees


A front yard garden is an excellent way to not only save the planet  but eat healthier. It's also a great way of .introdicing veggies to the family diet. Think about it in your plans for next Spring.

Planning Your Spring Garden

Even though it's still winter and there's a foot of snow on the ground, it's still a good time to plan your Spring garden. Plant what you know you'll use both vegetable and herb wise and then start plotting where each will go. Weigh need with desire in choosing what your cooking and canning needs are.The result is a highly productive garden bursting with ingredients for good summer and even fall eating.

If you haven't already buy yourself the 2015 Farmer's ALmanacIt has the entire year in weather  and more or less  accurate.This guide will aide in picking out when is the best time to start hoeing and seeding. Another must is  ask yourself what plants thrived last year? Did the beets work? Were the green beans dried out?  Stick with vegetables you had success with and replant them. Also plant what you use the most. If last summer was spent making sauces , salsas and catsups then plant plum tomatoes. A family of salad lovers would most  likely plant romaine and Bibb lettuce than they would onions and scallions. For first timers. think of what you bought at the farmer's markets during the summer of 2014 and then buy the seeds for those favorite veggies. Another step in Spring garden planning is laying out where you want the veggies. Using paper and pencil, make a blueprint for where you wish to put each veggie.

The same planning goes for fruits and herbs. Keep in mind that some fruits such as melons and pumpkins (technically squash) require a lot of space.Their vines or tendrils  tend to choke other nearby plants, so they either need isolation or be trained to grow up a lattice. (which is another story if you want them trained). The same applies to grapes which require both trellises and a lot of ground. Another fruit that requires a lot of land sacrificeis the strawberry  . Like grapes they need a distance of eight inches to a foot between each other and a soil build up of five to six inches high. If this is daunting ,then stick to herb growing.The best ones to grow in the Spring are parsley,cilantro (its' seeds are coriander), chervil, dill,and chives. All are easy to plant and are versatile to use in both meat , fish and veggie dishes,Spring is also the time for basil, a kitchen must have no matter what time of year.It's also one of the simplest herbs to grow and yields the biggest harvest.

Yes, there's a foot of snow on the ground yet but Spring will be coming soon upon us. Start thinking about your garden and what you want planted in it.A  well planned one is a successful one,.

Sharing The Wealth

Bartering is nothing new. It’s been around for centuries until currency replaced it. However there’s a new movement during these recession times that lets you barter your veggies and fruits for different produce. This is a great way of making ends meet plus also meeting home farmers in your area too.

There are a number of sites where you can look for reciprocal families in your neighborhood. Type in food bartering into any search engine and all sorts of sites will pop up. Go through them to find a bartering program in your area. If you’re in the Richmond Virginia area you may want to check out Richmond Homegrown,. This is a site dedicated to swapping homegrown harvests in that area. These sites are also a great ways of meeting fellow gardeners and potential foodies . Not only can you swap fruit and vegetables but you can also exchange gardening tips and recipes. When you do set up an exchange program , arrange times and dates for picking(not that you see strange people in your garden at 7 or 8 AM).

If there are no bartering gardens in your neighborhood then be the first to start your own. You could also go in with neighbors if they or yourself is willing to sacrifice an entire yard to various patches of fruits and vegetables.. If you’re at a loss for how to start up then check the boards. Also advertise on blogs or start your own swap blog. don’t limit yourself to one town either . Swap with people from neighboring towns as well.

Bartering during the recession is a a step in the right direction. You’ll not only get rid of
Any extra harvest , you’ll be receiving some good quality home grown produce. It’s a wonderful way of eating healthier and meeting new people all at once,.

Zucchini - The Perfect Summer Vegetable

Every garden, at onetime or another has sprouted zucchini, This easy to grow and delicious to eat summer vegetable is a staple at tables. It’s versatile enough to be made into a main dish and even a dessert. If you or your family have second doubts about it, now is the time to try it.

Zucchini or Cucurbita pepo is really part of the cucumber and melon family. Native Central and South Americans have been eating it for thousands of years. Italy also produces a similar one, a summer squash that we Americans eat. It was called zucchino or small squash , The indigenous peoples named it skutasquash meaning “green thing eaten green. We have Christopher Columbus to thank for bringing the seeds back to the Mediterranean region and Africa. Zucchini has a soft pliable skin and a very pulpy inside. It has a very fresh “green taste” that reminds you of the outdoors and gardens. It’s long and cylindrical which makes it ideal for slicing or stuffing. A good healthy one is always dark green in color.

My favorite recipe is a simple one. My Mom and I always make this in the summer. It’s just zucchini slices sautéed in garlic and oil , seasoned with sea salt and pepper. This is a great accompaniment to any meat dish or even veggie burgers. You can also add it to vegetable soups and , of course that all time summer favorite, ratatouille. Zucchini is also good in loaf breads, adding a unique taste and texture. If you have a bumper crop of them, consider freezing them for future use.

Zucchini is a wonderful taste of summer It is also versatile to go from a dinner plate to a dessert dish with the many recipes that honor it. Enjoy it any way you can during its’ harvest season.

Zucchini Saute

Olive oil

2 cloves garlic roughly chopped up

5-6 small zucchinis.

Salt and pepper to taste.


Wash and slice zucchini into medium sized slices. Heat oil in a medium sized skillet and a sit bubbles , add roughly chopped up garlic. Add zucchini . Saute for about 20 minutes with a cover over the skillet. Remember that zucchinis are very “watery” plants so your dish will have a lot of liquid. You can drain this however it adds to the dish. Store leftovers , if there are any, in the fridge. You can microwave them for two minutes to heat up.