Have you ever read a recipe and thought “that can’t be tasty”? I usually skip right over those. Many of us also have food gifts that are getting dusty in the pantry because we are unsure if they will be good. The “It Couldn’t Be…” dinner I hosted Saturday, supported by Foodbuzz, was a chance to try those offbeat dishes. I invited food and recipe loving friends to contribute a suspect course to a pot-luck [...]

Lots of awesome things happened around the homestead today: we pickled homegrown peperoncini peppers, filled the basil jar with dried basil, made stuffed sausage, put cabbage into a crock for sauerkraut, and brined pork belly. In the evening I convinced Alex to clear out the cornichon cucumber patch because they were past their prime. What happened with the excess cukes? Witness the unscripted madness: 1) Take a bite to confirm it’s bitter. The cuke is [...]

Trash or Treasure? In this pile of salsa-making scraps, what do you see? Trash? Compost? How about the genetic code necessary to plant a whole garden of peppers next year? By taking a little bit of time now, in the height of the harvest season, home gardeners can save seeds for next year. Which Seeds Most popular Mid Western garden seeds are easily saved. Tomatoes, peppers, beans, and squash take little more than a piece [...]

On a recent Saturday morning, I woke early and drove to the Worthington Farmer’s Market. I was on a mission to buy sour cherries and meet AJ of Sassafras Bakery. Fruit in tow, I introduced myself to the sweet bombshell that is AJ and chatted with my friend Patti who happened to be working the bakery stand too. I couldn’t leave without purchasing Sassafras’ most hyped treats – the potato & bacon pocket pie and [...]

Every year I commit to growing something completely new to me. This year, that distinction went to sesame. I sprinkled seeds, liberated from Franklin Park Conservatory, in rich soil in mid May. They sprouted and grew to three feet tall. A string of pentagonal buds formed into sweet white flowers. Below the flowers, strings of five pointed pods grew around the stem. The pods are swollen and dark green now. In time they will dry [...]

Ingredients & Inspiration: It’s still really hot. We are planning lots of low-cooking time dishes. Alex’s birthday is Tuesday! Fresh peppers (nardello and pepperoncini), green beans, violet jasper tomatoes, and herbs in the garden. Menu: Monday – green bean pad thai Tuesday – Alex’s wishes – maybe sushi out? Wednesday - BLTs with homemade bread, bacon, and aoili, and fruit salad Thursday – Grilled fish, bok choi, and sweet potatoes Friday – Pork belly roast (in [...]

On my mind these days: 1) Hoop Houses – I was honored to meet Will Allen and attend workshops with his staff last weekend. I now know how to build a hoop house and can’t wait for some land on which to build. I’ll share more about the Growing Power way soon. 2) Better Living Through Chemistry – I am 20 days into another sinus infection. Yes, I had surgery on my headbone back in [...]