I know none of us really want to think about Christmas right now. But last year being short on money and long on time, I decided that I was going to take a step back in time and make most of my Christmas gifts
By the time the holiday actually got here I was more than ready. No real rush at the end of the year to make sure that I had every one covered. So hang in there with me and we will make this journey together.
Eggplant is popular in most regions of the Southern United States. Thomas Jefferson, was the first to experiment with several types of eggplant in his Virginia garden, and it was he who introduced eggplant to The United States. Of Asian origins, the first types ended up being extremely sour tasting, but through cultivation and crossbreeding the flavor has greatly improved.
Posted in AllRecipes, Main Dishes, Stews, Vegetables 
Tags: bell peppers, Eggplant, Ratatouille, recipes, summer recipes, summer squash, Zucchini 
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This is an herb, vegetable or salad green, depending on the recipe. Try it torn up as a salad on it’s own with chopped apples & blue cheese, or just add to a lettuce salad for a zip. A wonderful salad is made with spicy arugula, shredded radiccio, a few seeded and sliced cucumbers and a simple vinaigrette. Or as a lettuce-replacement on a sandwich. It can also replace spinach in many cooked spinach recipes. (How about that famous American appetizer: spinach dip?)
Until a few years ago I had never heard of Arugula much less tasted it. My daughter introduced me to it and I became an instant fan.
Posted in AllRecipes, My Family Recipes, Pasta, Salads, Sandwich Recipes, Vegetables Tags: arugula, mayonaise, pasta, recipes, salads, sandwich, shellfish, Turkey Comments Off
I love food, all food. My favorites though are Italian and Mexican. I like my pasta to taste fresh and with the summer vegetables coming in all at once it seems, this is a perfect dish. The dish has a lightness of flavor.
I will tell you though the red sweet pepper fettuccine was a little hard to find in the grocery store. I had to go to a specialty shop to purchase it. If you don’t have a specialty shop near you use regular fettuccine and use red sweet peppers (canned or otherwise) in the dish. The flavor might be a little different than what I had, but it will be unique and good.
Posted in AllRecipes, Chicken, Ethnic, Italian, Main Dish, Vegetables Tags: chicken, fettuccine, Italian, main meal, recipes 2 Comments »
My family loves tomatoes. Growing up in Kansas probably had something to do with it. My mother would plant row after row of tomato plants. We would eat them green-fried, sliced for sandwiches or as a side dish with just salt and pepper sprinkled on them. My mother made the best homemade tomato soup with chunks of cheese floating in it.
The part I remember most is when it came time for canning. I would sit in the kitchen for what seemed like hours on end pealing tomatoes so my mother could cook and then can them. Even though I thought it was an endless chore, I loved the fresh spaghetti sauces and tomato soups that came from these delicious jars of tomatoes.
Posted in Vegetables Tags: peeling tomatoes, ripen tomatoes, storing tomatoes, tomato paste, tomatoes, using tomatoes Comments OffThe Play by Play: In just minutes, stir up a chili-and-salsa-based veggie dip at home. Try serving the dip with chips or atop a burger.
Pre-Game: Steam and chill the veggie dippers.
Game Day: Bring in insulated container with an ice pack. Make sure to serve within four hours of preparing.
Ingredients
* 1 16-oz. carton dairy sour cream
* 2 7-oz. cans diced green chilies, drained
* 1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro
* 1/4 cup jarred salsa
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tsp. mild or hot chili powder
* 2 tsp. finely shredded lime peel
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* Bottled hot pepper sauce to taste
* Assorted vegetable dippers
