The spearmint in my backyard The herbs in my backyard have grown so fast, I can’t keep up with them. So I invited my next door neighbor Joelle to bring a bowl over and I’d fill it with the herbs of her choice. She selected spearmint, basil, and rosemary. Oregano To thank me she brought … Continue reading Herbs
Food
A Better Carrot Cake
One of my favorite things that I’ve baked has been carrot cake, but there were a few problems with it. It was too large, for example. The recipe called for a 13 by 9" baking pan which is enough to make 18 servings, or more than I can eat in a few days. Plus, the … Continue reading A Better Carrot Cake
Tomatoes and Baklava
A few days ago it had been raining overnight and the day turned partly cloudy, which of course meant partly sunny. When it’s sunny all day, I have to water those tomato plants twice a day, that’s how thirsty they get, but I figured with the rain and the intermittent sun, they’d be all right … Continue reading Tomatoes and Baklava
Mint
On the farm there used be a patch of mint growing in the corner of the meadow nearest the house where my grandparents lived, and periodically my grandmother would harvest the mint and brew a pot of herbal tea out of it. I tasted the tea one time and didn’t care for it. It didn’t … Continue reading Mint
Taking a Break from the Diet
I’ve been doing so well with my dieting, that when I came across a recipe for lasagna for two, I figured I could ease up on it for a day or two. It’s been a long time since I made lasagna. I’ve long since lost my mother’s recipe, the one she got from my aunt … Continue reading Taking a Break from the Diet
Icelandic Yogurt
The Acme was out of Greek yogurt the other day, so I bought some Icelandic yogurt. It’s just as thick and creamy as the Greek yogurt, and it has a few advantages as well. It has three more grams of protein per serving but 20 fewer calories. Of course, it has some disadvantages also. Like … Continue reading Icelandic Yogurt
Out with the Old
I was going through my spice racks and I came across this jar of beef cubes. I couldn’t recall the last time I ever used beef cubes for anything. How old are they? Hmm. I probably don’t need those any more. My freezer drawer has been getting awfully full lately, so I decided to take … Continue reading Out with the Old
Lemon-Garlic-Chive Vinaigrette
Here’s tasty salad dressing from Julia. Ingredients: 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 tablespoon molasses 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest 2 teaspoons minced fresh chives 1 garlic clove finely minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup vegetable … Continue reading Lemon-Garlic-Chive Vinaigrette
Upside Down Tomato Tart
This is one of the best recipes that I’ve made, as it turned out even better than expected, especially as the tomatoes didn’t look all that promising. I used the strawberry huller that I got a while back to core the plum tomatoes, and that worked very well. Then cut them in half and removed … Continue reading Upside Down Tomato Tart
Vinegars
I frequently try new recipes, and often those recipes call for a particular ingredient, such as a type of vinegar. So I go out and buy that vinegar and then never use it again. Or rarely. I now have a variety of vinegars, some of which, like white vinegar, I use all the time, and … Continue reading Vinegars