Snow! and Grilled Asparagus Pizza with Oregano Lemon Pesto

Nothing says spring in the kitchen like asparagus, even when it’s decided to snow again outside. Darn…. but then I walked outside. It is sooo beautiful. I took so many photos after the storm – they might find their way into a second post today. You won’t mind, will you? I love to take walks…

Spring Crepes with Fresh Goat’s Milk Yogurt and Maple Sugared Violets

A sweet dessert to stun your loved ones with the fantastic fact that it is Spring… …started out like this, here’s the Girls giving some smooches… (take a visit to Rain Crow Farm in my herbed goat cheese au poivre post): …and then into the kitchen to make a batch of tangy, luscious goat’s milk yogurt….

Quadruple Coconut Chocolate Pancakes

Perfect for the weekend. Or a beautiful breakfast any day. When you have a little extra time to breathe…. These light, gluten free pancakes have a delicious quadruple dose of coconut: coconut flour – a high fiber, tender addition to the batter, coconut milk – luscious and pure, creamy coconut oil, plus flaked organic coconut…

More Snow! and the “Cozy Factor” of Barbequed Baked Beans

We’ve had a lot of snow! Coming inside after shoveling for the 4th or 5th day in a row, invigorated by the cold, the idea popped in my head to make a batch of baked beans with my favorite barbeque sauce recipe, hailing back to the days of cooking demos at Happy Heart Farm CSA in Ft. Collins,…

Bee Heaven, Elderberry Syrup, and a Sunrise Smoothie

When I first visited this amazing Paonia, Colorado home in July of 2011, and was taken into the back yard, I fell in love. The grape bower made of old tree limbs, with a shady alcove to sit underneath -looking out at a rich garden plot beyond. And the towering bushes framing the garden, were loaded, LOADED with elderberries….

Prayers, Pomegranates and Moroccan Fruit Salad

The allure of the pomegranate. I have been intrigued as long as I can remember. The abundance of hidden sweetness behind every papery membrane. Discovery. Stained fingers. The fruit of legends. The Stupa of Dharmakaya, Shambhala Mountain Center at Red Feather Lakes in Colorado is a setting where a beautiful depiction of the pomegranate fruit is displayed….

Lemon Curd and Other Love Stories

I walked into my bedroom after a busy day today and realized I hadn’t had time to make the bed this morning – a typical daily ritual before heading downstairs. It triggered the memory of the lines of a poem. I wrote it years ago, the day after the man I eventually married left my…

Chipotle Smoked Cheddar Mac and Cheese

When the temperatures dip below zero for over a week straight, the spice factor of dishes made in my kitchen spikes way up. And isn’t this as it should be? With a dish of chipotle smoked cheddar mac and cheese set on the table, everybody warms up and starts feeling lively again. This recipe, as you…