I have been running around frantically for the past week or two with more things to do than i can possibly keep track of. There’s been coordinating the book fair, baptisms for itty bitty babies, hospital visits with my sister-in-law and niece, doctor’s appointments and, of course, the ever present work that fills my days. Luckily, simple dinners like this can be assembled a day or two before and require only minimum prep work to get them in the oven and steaming hot to the table. If... more

It seems as though everyone has jumped on the mini burger bandwagon as of late. Sit down and fast food establishments alike have been serving up these pint-sized patties for their guests of all sizes. It’s time for you too to embrace the three-bite burger. When Kiwi was five years old she hated burgers. Burger night was met with tears and cries about the evils of grilled meat patties squished between two toasted buns. While I don’t care that she prefers steak to hot dogs and sushi... more

The other week we had purchased these turkey cutlets on a whim. Outside of Thanksgiving and Christmas, we don’t really cook much with turkey. And a turkey cutlet at that. A breast or a whole bird I can handle, but a cutlet? Feeling uninspired, I turned to the Google to answer my cries for help and the L.A. Times answered. While all of their suggestions sound delicious, I could only pick one. This is that one. Kidney Bean was there, as he so often is, eating a snack while his parents prepare... more

I suppose I could think of and share a reason why it would be called Texas caviar, but the point is that there are no fish eggs in it. I like to think of it as salsa that has been kicked up a notch or two. In fact, it’s been changed so drastically, I dare call it a salsa. My sister’s friend brought this to a birthday dinner a few years ago. I was instantly hooked. It’s tasty, interesting, flavorful and packed full of protein. There are beans. There are enough beans for this... more

While this lemon chicken pasta salad could function as a side dish or a potluck item, we eat it on top of a bed of organic spring mix greens as a meal. It’s fantastic paired with garlic bread or pesto cheese bread as well or even just a few raw vegetables for dipping. It’s easy to make ahead, and it stores well in the fridge. As with any creamy pasta salad, it absorbs the moisture the longer it sits. If this bothers you, simple stir in a tablespoon of milk or two tablespoons of ranch... more

Our initial reason for gardening, before we even owned our own home, was to make pesto. We had always enjoyed pesto, and at the time with Ole in graduate school, buying the often expensive jar of it at the supermarket wasn’t something we were willing to do. And the “pesto pot” was born. The pesto pot is nothing more than a pot planted with Genovese basil and flat-leaf parsley. If you don’t have basil and parsley already growing in your garden, fear not. Parsley is cheap... more

It’s here. The last week of the summer is in full swing, and I am over my head in work and events and activities and last-minute to-do lists that just may very well not get done. Throw in a couple phone calls about the school book fair (remind me again why I am the chairperson for that) and three open houses for the kids, I’m starting to feel like summer is already gone. Still, determined to stretch those warm summer nights and days as long as possible, this pasta’s fresh taste... more