homemade spiced cherry tomato jam recipe | writes4food.com

Spiced cherry tomato jam.

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!

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homemade tabbouleh salad recipe | writes4food.com

Easy tabbouleh salad.

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!

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quick refrigerator dill pickle recipe | writes4food.com

Quick dill pickles.

Just when I thought our cucumber crop was a bust (pollinators were slow to find all those yellow flowers hidden beneath giant leaves), we’re finding ourselves with something of a cuke farm. What to do with them? As they say on Portlandia, “We can pickle that!” Get the recipe for quick refrigerator dill pickles; they’re on our dinner table alongside burgers and chips for a summer supper tonight!

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Best summer tomato recipes.

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!

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pasta with swiss chard pesto and creme fraiche recipe | writes4food.com

Pasta with chard pesto and creme fraiche.

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!

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poached eggs and sweet potato hash recipe | writes4food.com

Poached eggs and sweet potato bacon hash.

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!

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fresh strawberry pie in salted brown butter graham crust recipe | writes4food.com

Strawberry pie in a brown butter graham crust.

We’re on the cusp of strawberry season, and I plan to eat as many local strawberries as I can, prepared in as many ways as I can, for as long as I can. First up: my grandmother’s classic strawberry pie, moderned-up in a salted browned butter graham cracker crust. Yeah, you’re gonna want to make this. Get the recipe!

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whole grain farro salad with corn and tomatoes recipe | writes4food.com

Whole grain salad with tomatoes and corn.

This recipe is inspired by a dish that a colleague many years ago brought to an office potluck. Some 15 years later, it’s still one of my favorite lunchtime salads, and a great side dish for grilled chicken, too. This fantastic salad features whole-grain farro, sweet vegetables, herbs and an easy balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Get the #recipe!

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