I have never made this before… but now I’m hooked. This traditional style English Cottage Pie is a new family staple especially after a winter like we had this year!The recipe below is a combitnation of a few different takes on the cottage pie, with a few of my own twists through in. Hearty, meaty and full of flavor; I hope you’ll try this recipe. Continue reading “Cottage Pie, you say?”
Friday night in the bottom and we were in the mood for something authentic. I remembered hearing a lot about this little place over by the 17th Street Farmer’s Market, called “Tio Pablo”. A taqueria and tequila bar by acclaimed owner of both Lulu’s and Millie’s, Paul Keevil. My husband and I both agreed a little fine tequila and tacos sounded mighty good!
Trying out a new recipe, and something I’ve never made before, a gratin. This recipe seems simple enough and I’ve got a 3 pound bag of Russet potatoes, so here we go! Continue reading “Potato & Fresh Thyme Gratin”
What a great find at the Fresh Market this afternoon… “Baby Looms”! These are miniature heirloom tomatoes, great for salads or pasta. Lots of sizes, shapes and colors. Very rich in vitamin C, low calorie, and cholesterol free!
Just a few are featured above:
Brandywine, dates back to the late 1800’s, reddish-pink skin with veins of green. Rich and succulent in texture with an old fashioned home grown taste.
Cherokee Purple, popular for over 100 years and is dark red to dark purple in color. Smokey in taste with a bit of sweetness. Originally grown by the Cherokee Indians.
And, the Gold Medal variety. Reddish pink and yellow marbling, very juicy and super sweet. This tomato originates from the Black Forest region of Germany.
All info on tomatoes found on thefreshmarket.com
First time ever roasting a whole chicken vertically using a great idea from Pinterest.com was delicious!
On Saturday the girls, (me, my Mom and my niece) spent a beautiful afternoon at the Lewis Ginter Plant Sale. Lots to see and purchase from trees to veggies, herbs to orchids.
Local farms and nurseries were out in full force
.
Radical Roots Farm and Tricycle Gardens are familiar faces offering beautiful organic veggies, fruits and herbs.
Urban Backyard Edibles were also at the plant sale, offering a variety of services and beautiful raised beds. Raised beds are great for renters or folks that are into small scale gardening. Raised beds are also great for “square foot gardening“.
Quick and easy weekday pasta. I needed to make a fast and tasty meal and the remaining asparagus from last week’s trip to the farmer’s market was calling my
name. Throw in some fresh shrimp, bow-tie pasta and Philly’s Savory Garlic Cooking Cream and I’ve got a happy hubby.
What you’ll need:
Add pasta to salted, boiling water; cook till al dente.
In medium sized wok, saute olive oil, garlic, onion, asparagus and chopped broccoli until onions are beginning to caramelize and asparagus is tender.
Add shrimp, toss until shrimp is cooked through. Drain pasta, add sautéed shrimp and veggies to pasta.
Toss thoroughly, add cooking cream. Simmer for 5 minutes, serve.
Wait for the oohs and ahhs, they’re soon to follow!
Farmer’s Market Red Potatoes, Baby Carrots and Rosemary fresh from the herb garden. This is one of my favorite side dishes, quick & tasty! Goes great with chicken or beef, tonight its grilled chicken at our house…
What you’ll need:
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Wash red potatoes, dice into half-inch think pieces. Cut baby carrots in half lengthwise. Toss in baking dish with salt and pepper to taste, olive oil, garlic and rosemary. Place in pre-heated oven for 30 minutes tossing after 15 minutes to cook evenly.
Serve hot with your favorite protein and a glass of wine!
My favorite time of the year to buy some of the best seedlings to jump-start your organic garden is at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s annual plant sale. And we’re in luck again this year with some of the coolest local vendors around!
Whether you are into flower or veggie gardening or a bit of both, you”ll find a large variety, tons of helpful folks and plenty of education at the sale. Remember to bring a cart or wagon for all your treasures, admission is always free to the sale. Let’s grow somthing this season!!
I have been really itching for some summer veggies to put on the grill! So off to the Lakeside Farmer’s Market I went. www.lakesidefarmersmarket.net
A pound of fresh asparagus, my bounty! Grilling asparagus can be difficult. Here is how I grill them…
Grilled Asparagus
What you’ll need:
Start by soaking the bamboo skewers in warm water for at least 30 minutes, to prevent burning on the grill. Take 8-10 spears, remove about an inch or so from the ends, brush with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Line up the spears, take your first skewer and push through each spear about 2 inches from top of the spear. Take your second skewer and repeat about 2 inches from the bottom. This will make turning the spears on the grill so much easier.
I usually place the spears in the middle of the grill and turn every 3 to 4 minutes until cooked through and a little charring appears. Goal: Crispy on the outside, tender inside.
Truly my favorite way to cook and eat asparagus!
Cook Something! RVA 