According to the calendar, summer is just about half over -- which means that there's still six weeks left to enjoy! (Officially, summer started on June 21 and ends on September 22 this year.) Sure, if the kids are heading back to school in a few weeks, or work starts getting busy again right after … Continue reading Summer Check-In: 650 Blackberry Mojito
This past weekend I held a casual, bring-the-kids, I'll-make-the-drinks, backyard summer party. After cleaning the patio furniture and stringing outdoor lights, not to mention doing the all-important work of mixing pitchers of Spicy Cucumber Margaritas and Garden-Mint Mojitos, I didn't have a ton of time to spend prepping food. (Priorities people, priorities!) Yet, I really … Continue reading Take a Dip: Cashew-Adobo Dip
This summer, between my thriving garden and regular CSA deliveries, I've been eating plenty of healthy, fresh food. I'm experimenting with recipes for things that turn up in the CSA box -- like shishito peppers -- and ways to preserve what I'm growing. I have bright-red ancho chili peppers drying on the windowsill, a freezer … Continue reading Gettin’ Sauced: Single Malt Milk Chocolate Sauce
While visiting my parents in the midwest earlier this month, I learned three things: The town where I grew up built a new police station directly across the street from my old house. Seriously. Right. Across. The. Street. (Good thing that didn't happen while I was in high school -- just sayin'!) I am lucky, … Continue reading Spicy Cucumber Margaritas
One of the items on my Summer Bucket List this year is "blackberry picking at a local farm." Blackberry season here in the Bay Area is rather short, usually running from the end of June until the end of July. If you want to get the best berries (or any berries at all, for that … Continue reading Field Trip: Webb Ranch Blackberry Fields
Recently, while I was sitting in my home office putting together a post for this blog, I heard my elderly neighbor -- the one with the tomatoes -- yelling my name as he came across my driveway to the back door. He'd come over to give me a "zucchini" from his garden. Now that both … Continue reading Cooking from the Garden: Get Stuffed
I hope you rested up after National Doughnut Day yesterday, because today is National Chocolate Ice Cream Day! Come to think of it, you better pace yourself because June is packed full of sweet food holidays. Oh, and in case you missed it, National Rocky Road Ice Cream Day was on June 2, but don't … Continue reading I Scream, You Scream: Rich Chocolate Sherbet and Rocky Road Redux
It's been one of those weeks: delays, fixes, and do-overs. Nail in the tire of my car (amazingly, same time as last year's nail in the tire -- what's up with that?!). Clogged drain. Leaking shower. Browser that keeps screeching to a halt, forcing reboots. You get the idea: one step forward, two steps back. … Continue reading Hit the Road!
It seems that I have a problem when it comes to citrus -- oranges, in particular. After taking a quick inventory of my refrigerator recently, it turns out that citrus (mostly of the orange kind) has taken over both of the crisper drawers. As in, the drawers are so full that I can barely open … Continue reading Orange You Glad?
Cinco de Mayo, your annual excuse to drink too many margaritas, is coming up on Monday -- although some of you over-achievers might be getting a head start this weekend (in that case: rock on witcha bad selves). You know I love my margaritas, but this year I'm celebrating by shaking things up with another … Continue reading My-my-my-my Paloma!*
