Kitchen Stories

Windowsill Salad Garden

Posted on by Jean Campbell

I'm ready for a big, hearty salad out of my own garden -- NOW! But my lettuces, although lovely and green, are still rather small. If I picked them all I could come up with one good chef's salad, but that would be it, and I'm impatient! What's a girl to do? Sprouts to the rescue! Sprouts of edible plants are packed full of goodness. In order to ensure the plants-to-be get a good start, sprouts begin life overloaded with nutrients. They contain significant amounts of vitamins A, C, and D,... Continue reading

Healthy dandelion salad – who knew?

Posted on by Melissa Carden

I have never understood America's aversion to the humble dandelion. Named for the lion-tooth shape of the leaves, this jubilant weed seems a happy addition to any yard. Is it because everyone can have them? Seriously, what is up? The lion's teeth As a child, I loved to blow away the little parachute seeds after the flowers had gone to seed. But if that childhood joy weren't enough, I recently learned these guys are loaded with good things! The sunny little "weed" is chock full of... Continue reading

Peter Peter (and Jean and Richard) Pumpkin Eater!

Posted on by Jean Campbell

I've probably thrown away 30 or 40 pumpkins during my adult life. Many of those, at least in the last 10 years or so, have ended up in my compost heap, but it still seems like not the best use of the squashy flesh of the good old pumpkin. But you can eat these guys! I've used pumpkins for soups and sides, but when I'm hankering for something sweet, I break out a pumpkin cookie recipe I used once to make use of the leftover canned pumpkin from a Thanksgiving pie. Yes, this year's pumpkin will... Continue reading

Homemade croutons

Posted on by Jean Campbell

Somebody let the bread go stale I looked in the refrigerator, and I found this!  :( Yes, it looked just like this. Poorly wrapped and hard as nails. I don't want to mention any names, but the initials of the person that let the bread go hard are RICHARD KIRBY. No worries. We are having butternut squash soup for dinner tonight, and I've got just the answer! Homemade croutons! First, grab the petrified hunk of bread and place it on the cutting board. Use whatever method pleases you to cut... Continue reading