An easy recipe to make creamy whole milk ricotta at home to spread on crostini, add to pasta, spread between layers of lasagna, or just eat by the spoonful while it’s still warm. To begin again. I try and try and try again, To at once start over and then again. My family is often frustrated with the state of being, the simple condition of life. The monotony of daily life can be tiresome, wearing on us until we feel thin and weak, holding on to the threads of a well worn sweater. The same homework,... more

This tomato salsa is roasted over the grill to add some depth and flavor to a homemade salsa combination. Can it for later or serve it fresh. I got up from the couch in a huff. The majority of my marital disagreements focus on two things: church and a clean house. They often come when I’m stressed with work and life and am trying to juggle too much. This isn’t anything new, but it’s usually a word or a comment that sets me off, gets me thinking about all the other things that... more

A honey-sweetened jam made with summer raspberries, fresh peaches and Gewürztraminer white wine for a bit of added complexity and fun. Too much to do. I’m desperately trying to fit in as much as possible into the last weeks of summer. Suddenly it was here, and I wasn’t ready for it. Where did the blueberry-picking season go to? Where have all the raspberries gone? Did they run off while I was gallivanting in Pennsylvania? Did they sneak under the rug while I pulled tomato blight leaves... more

Pickled peppers and a few vegetables mix together to become one of those classic sub sandwich condiments. Plus, a few tips for successful pickling adventures this season. I was supposed to share these on Wednesday for the pickling party, but instead, I found myself wanting to sit a bit longer around the dinner table, taking a walk through the neighborhood with the kids and being grateful that I had the opportunity to clean up after all of them. I thought a lot about how I often put off family activities... more

We’re having weekly Food Science Camps here in an effort to create our own bit of learning this summer. Today’s lesson is on how to make butter by shaking cream in a jar. The kids all got in on the shaking action, making butter for the next morning’s breakfast. Summer, with its sticky air and bright sun can serve to make us enjoy the outside space, but it can also cause a frenzied state of affairs. When the air is thick it can be hard to motivate myself to do the daily things... more