One of the sweetest treats delivered by our CSA this summer – diminutive, fresh and utterly perfect – strawberries! With a box full of veggies screaming “Chop Salad!” the strawberries seemed the perfect match to the fresh crispness of the greens.This could be the “red” part of your Fourth of July weekend! Strawberry Vinaigrette 2 [...]

This is another kid-friendly soup that makes mama happy with all kinds of “goodness” hidden inside. This pureed number sports new potatoes, onions, garlic, zucchini and carrots that all help to nourish the body: low-fat, high protein, high fiber, vitamin packed. But who cares about all that after a week of trips to the old-fashioned [...]

All cooks have a signature style. More often than not, mine is heavily dependent on the food processor, and involves creating slathers, spreads and dips. All cooks who are bloggers have a signature style, too. Our photos begin to look the same, the reader recognizes dishware, a preferred backdrop and lighting tendencies, but more importantly, [...]

Our CSA box was the lucky winner this week of the great Minnesota Pineapple! I don’t usually photograph while I’m cooking, but as I began to cut this baby, I knew it needed a “before” picture to truly appreciate whatever the “after” would be. The after remained a mystery – what would I do with [...]

When Jeff tried this dish, he said, “Mmm, tastes like candy.” The Vindaloo I used comes from Penzeys, and it is a spice mixture made with coriander, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, mustard, hot peppers, cardamom, turmeric and cloves. Any curry powder roasted with veggies would taste great, but I particularly enjoy the cinnamon in this version. [...]

I’ve really been moving towards simple lately; cleaning out the basement, organizing cabinets, and sending excess stuff off to the thrift store. It’s such a liberating feeling for me to see a basement storage shelf empty, old things out with no new to replace, and clean uncluttered lines as I look around the house. The [...]

Jeff has been working on building a backyard pizza oven all summer, and it is finally ready for a test run! There is still lots of work to do to make it beautiful, but it is functional, so we decided to give it a GO! After an entire summer of digging dirt, building forms and [...]

I’ve been staring at zucchini in the crisper drawer for days – and of course, it multiplied. I don’t know how it does that. One minute you have three little demure zucchini hanging out in the fridge, then suddenly there are eight, they are huge and they are staring back at you! There must be [...]

Are you tired of fresh corn on the cob? Turn it into a fresh, spicy burrito garnish! If you eat at Chipotle as much as our family, then you will love this recipe when staying in for burritos. When a kid loves something from a restaurant they usually won’t have anything to do with a [...]

Potatoes? I have a love hate relationship with potatoes. They are starch, carbohydrate, heavy, and can be dry. They are time-consuming to cook and often need so much added “stuff” to make them palatable. Jeff loves potatoes – especially french fries, but it’s not really the potato he loves – they’re just a “vehicle for [...]