This weekend many local farmer’s market’s will open. Homegrown or homemade products will be sold directly by their growers, without the costly distributor. Freshness is the biggest advantage to buying at farmer’s markets. Direct communication with the grower can be beneficial if you are inquisitive about chemicals or pesticides being applied to the food you will eat. Growers can tell you exactly what they may have put on the food. Also, supporting your own community is gratifying. Usually, farmer’s markets feature vendors within 50 miles or so, of the city in which the market is advertised. I plan to visit 4-5 local area farmer’s markets this Saturday morning. I will…
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Pasta alla Trapanese (courtesy of David Rocco)
Portions enough for 3-4 servings. You can double the recipe for a larger crowd. 3 vine ripe tomatoes, quartered 2 cloves of garlic Basil leaves torn 1/4 cup of the best olive oil you like Mix all of these ingredients, using a mortar and pestle, or if you don’t need the exercise, use a food processor and pulse a dozen times, till the mixture makes a good pesto. 1 eggplant, cubed 3 Idaho potatoes, cubed 1/2 pound spaghetti, or other thin string pasta that you like 1 cup Parmesan cheese After prepping vegetables and starting hot water for pasta; pour 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet. After oil…
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Pasta for lunch?
Traditionally, we have pasta only at dinner time. If I have it for lunch, it is a late lunch, when I plan NOT to have a dinner at all. Tonight, we had a pasta dish that was light enough for lunch (see Recipe blog for Pasta alla Trapanese). It was good, but way too light for dinner. Served with bread, this pesto, vegetables and pasta mixture was delicious, but just seemed to be lacking something. If I cook it again, I think I will toss in a bit of italian flavored chicken, just to give it some heartiness. Try it! It actually took only 20 minutes prep and 20 minutes…
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Lock and Lock
These are from QVC. I was reluctant to try them but they fit a tight shelf in my pantry perfect. I really like the convenient lid on the front that allows you to get just the right amount of sugar, flour or whatever, without spilling excess everywhere. Under $25 for four, in a variety of colors.
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The Easiest Party Appetizer Ever!
This is the easiest and tastiest party appetizer I have ever made. Make this, allow it to chill, and I promise it will be a hit at any gathering you attend. My husband and I have even made this a meal during the summer months when we did not really want to cook anything. Chicken Cheeseball Appetizer This recipe was given to me, by a neighbor, over 10 years ago. She was surprised, I had never heard of this delicious treat. Using three pantry staples, anyone can make this and be a hit at the next friendly get-together. I allow mine to chill for at least three hours for…
