One of the things we strive for when planning our menus is making everything fit together into one nice, neat little package. We look to use ingredients in different ways throughout the week so that we’re benefiting from the ability of do-aheads and being able to buy in bulk. We also benefit from a well-stocked pantry. I have been loving my garden. From tomatoes to zucchini to herbs and more, I can’t get enough of it. Over on Smithfield I shared some of the benefits we see from gardening... more

One of the things we strive for when planning our menus is making everything fit together into one nice, neat little package. We look to use ingredients in different ways throughout the week so that we’re benefiting from the ability of do-aheads and being able to buy in bulk. We also benefit from a well-stocked pantry. We just returned home from a long weekend in the Boundary Waters, and I thought it’d be fun to share a campfire cooking menu with you. Several campgrounds will include... more

One of the things we strive for when planning our menus is making everything fit together into one nice, neat little package. We look to use ingredients in different ways throughout the week so that we’re benefiting from the ability of do-aheads and being able to buy in bulk. We also benefit from a well-stocked pantry. We had a busy, full weekend with dinner guests, birthday parties and extended grocery shopping trips. It’s actually the first weekend for me that felt like summer.... more

One of the things we strive for when planning our menus is making everything fit together into one nice, neat little package. We look to use ingredients in different ways throughout the week so that we’re benefiting from the ability of do-aheads and being able to buy in bulk. We also benefit from a well-stocked pantry. I spent last week in Scottsdale, Arizona with a fantastic group of bloggers courtesy of Thermador. (Like Todd from White on Rice Couple, who helped me with the above shot,... more

The leaves are turning on the trees here, signaling the end of summer and the return of brisk nights and even shorter days, as if school starting and the Halloween and Christmas decorations in stores weren’t enough. Yes. Christmas decorations. Keep your pants on, Mr. Retail Giant. The return of cold nights also means my herb gardens are in their final moments and will soon be ready for their final harvest, if I haven’t done so already. It means that fresh herbs will come from the... more