A springtime menu and a few inspirational links that will get you in the “face the week” frame of mind. Plus, as always, there are a few tips on making the menu plan run as smoothly as possible. I got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. This may have to do with the undeniable fact that I went to bed feeling salty. It’s hard to start the week off right when your weekend wasn’t relaxing. There was no rest and recovery stage, and so hitting the ground running just... more

A little how-to and recipe on making ricotta gnocchi (gnocchi di ricotta) using our whole milk ricotta, as well as some perfection pondering. The answer is eluding me. There is this concept of grace I can’t quite grasp. I can feel it, invading my chest cavity and taking up residence there, pulsing along with the beating of my heart. However, when I reach out towards it and try to hold it in my hand, it dissipates, falling through my fingers like mist on a cold, wet morning. I tend to dwell... more

In which we turn our homemade ricotta into a spinach-and-ricotta-filled lasagna with ground beef and a homemade tomato sauce. The recipe and method of which was created and carried out by the four kids in our family with some help from their mom. “A light exists in spring Not present on the year At any other period.” -Emily Dickinson The beginning of spring marked more than just the vernal equinox in our house. New schedules are passed out during homeroom, and a new trimester calls for... more

Time for a little spring cleaning of the kitchen pantry. What to keep, what to throw, and how long do those shelf stable items really last? Outside my window I can see the water drip, dripping from glistening icicles off the roof. Spring is coming, and winter is moving silently through the backdoor like an uninvited guest, slinking into the shadows. Soon the snow will melt, revealing a brown lawn and gardens full of sad, brown plants and empty dirt, but as spring emerges, small bits of green will... more

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

A spring greens inspired menu plan with spinach, chard, and arugula all featured for those with a green-heavy CSA. Plus, a bit of Irish holdover. Get the recipe for creamed spinach cups over on the Attune Foods blog My hands were cold, so I made a cup of rooibos tea. An influx of rooibos in my cupboard collected from sample packs correlates to diligently making an effort to enjoy the red tea, but I can’t help but feeling as though I’m downing a steaming hot cup of Robitussin each time... more

Sturdy halibut chunks are marinated in lime, then tossed with grapefruit, red onions, jalapeños, and cilantro in this ceviche served with baked plantain chips. Now that I have confessed my inner most desires to you, I thought we should continue along the road of discovery. In addition to being less than well traveled, yet continuously fascinated by language and culture, reading endlessly trying to soak it up from my snow-covered corner of the universe, and lusting after worlds I have never seen,... more