In advance of National Trail Mix Day on August 31 (who knew that was a *thing*?), here’s my favorite homemade trail mix recipe. My ideal mix is a salty-sweet combo with mostly healthy stuff (whole grain cereal, unsalted nuts, raisins) plus some Reese’s Pieces. I’ll be packing this along on our next road trip. Let my trail mix recipe inspire you to try your own combination: see it on writes4food.com!
It’s gazpacho time, people! Time to use all those tomatoes, cukes and bell peppers threatening to overtake the yard (or is that just my yard?). Time to toast up some croutons to go on top. Time to not really cook at all, but still feel like you’re eating like royalty. Get my latest gazpacho recipe!
Around here, we’re knee-deep in corn season, and these hot days are producing fat, juicy, sweet ears ripe for the picking. I’m a corn-on-the-cob girl all day long, but sometimes I want to enjoy it in different ways, raw or cooked. Here’s a roundup of my favorite corn recipes, just right for summer. Enjoy!
This stretch of otherworldly hot weather has me craving my mom’s gazpacho: cool, savory, unfussy, utterly satisfying. All I have to do is gather some fresh summer produce and plug in the food processor; it does all the work and the kitchen stays nice and cool. Make this at least a day before you plan to serve it; the flavors really develop over time. Get the recipe for Mom’s Quick Gazpacho!
You may ask yourself, “tomato jam?” And I say, “yes! Tomato jam!!!” Fantastic with sharp cheddar and chevre on a cheese board. This excellent Spiced Tomato Jam recipe is a gateway to both jam-making and home canning: It yields a small batch, cooked without pectin, that’s easy to manage if you want to give canning a try. (Freezes well, too.) Get the recipe!
Pack-able, healthy lunch option; easy afternoon snack; part of a festive array of appetizers: Tabbouleh — that Middle Eastern salad of cracked wheat, herbs and vegetables — is a rock star. You know you have all this stuff in your fridge (OK, maybe not the cracked wheat, but we can remedy this). Get this easy recipe for homemade tabbouleh!
Are you ready? I mean, READY, people? It’s tomato season, folks. Here’s a whole library of my favorite summer tomato recipes to get you psyched about this most magical of times. Bookmark it: You’ll be wanting these tomato dishes all summer long. Get the recipes!
Here’s another taste of California Wine Country cuisine for you: a bright, velvety, gorgeous pesto made with Swiss chard, enhanced with the creamy tang of creme fraiche. (Who knew?) Get this recipe for pasta with Swiss chard pesto, inspired by our recent travels!
A recent trip to California’s Sonoma County and its lovely wineries and dining scene provided a ton of much-needed inspiration for new recipes — especially for dishes that are simple, seasonal and produce-centric. I’ll be posting several of these new recipes in coming weeks. First up: a fantastic sweet potato-bacon hash with poached eggs that’s great for brunch or “breakfast for dinner.” Get the recipe!
