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When Grill Meets Vegetable
Grilling is the perfect way to take full advantage of fresh vegetables. The high heat boils out some of the water and enhances the natural flavors. Whether you have a gas or a charcoal grill, you can make a great…
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Reach for a Peach
With peaches hitting the local farm stands, it’s tempting to grab a few. But peaches are not just for snacks and dessert. That sweet, juicy fruit is a fantastic pairing in a number of summertime main dishes. That wasn’t my…
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Saucy Salsas, So Simple and Savory
What a time to take advantage of all the fresh fruit and vegetables now available at local markets, farm stands, and maybe your own garden patch! The hot weather of summer means grilling time, and what better to pair with…
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Giving Those Underappreciated Vegetables Another Try
We’re entering the season of garden bounty when locally grown vegetables of all shapes and sizes are available from nearby farm stands and even from our own gardens. String beans, lettuce, cucumbers, and soon sweet corn will be ripe for…
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On a Quest to Concoct the Best BBQ Sauce
I was a born carnivore, but lately I’ve found that I can do without meat in a number of meals. Usually, four or five of our weekly main meals are vegetarian, and the others include fish or chicken, not red…
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Better Than Baked: Cowboy Beans
It’s official: summer! Now we’re into June and grilling season. Rather than opine on burgers or barbecue, I thought, how about a blog on my latest side dish? What are we having that’s different? In my case, it’s cowboy beans. I…
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The Quest for Protein: Making a Meal of Vegetables
What a great time for vegetable lovers, compared to the situation when I was growing up. Back then, vegetables were mostly an afterthought in meals. Many times, they were canned versions, although my mother took advantage of the locally available…
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A Family Tradition: Real Sonoran Chili
Here’s a story in honor of our mothers and grandmothers who taught us how to cook. It all started with tacos. When they were young, my children Jamie and Ben preferred tacos above most other foods, especially Ben. But they…
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Cooking Together, Separately: A Recipe for Sharing
Staying in touch with friends and work comrades has been a challenge this past year, but four ladies in Germany have managed a weekly work-around that allows them to cook, chat, and dine together. When confronted with the lockdowns a year…
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In Spring, the Asparagus Is Always Greener
Thank heavens for the lowly shoot of the lily family plant known by the Persian word for sprout, “asparag.” The British, for a brief period in the 18th century, called it sparrow grass. Too many of us today think of…
