Here's a fun project for a big garden: Grow pumpkins and give them away as Halloween gifts.By one recent count, 250 varieties are available to gardeners in North America. Jack Be Little, a bright-yellow two-inch-tall miniature, is popular. So is Rouge Vif d'Etampes, a red, 18-inch-wide French import with a flattened shape like Cinderella's pumpkin coach. Jarradale, a … [Read more...] about The gift you can grow
food
Classic Irish soda bread comforts the soul
Irish soda bread might be one of Ireland's most famous foods, but the technique -- leavening bread with soda instead of yeast -- is probably even more American than apple pie. Native Americans prepared the first quick breads with pearl ash, a potash-derived natural soda that reacted with mild acids like sour milk or honey to release carbon dioxide bubbles.Irish soda bread … [Read more...] about Classic Irish soda bread comforts the soul
Want to eat fresh? Buy from the farmer
Buying meat directly from a farmer has been around as long as farming, but these days, the grocery store is about as close as most people get to the farm. For omnivores who want to keep their dollars local and don't mind the upfront investment, buying a share of a cow or pig might be a great and surprisingly accessible option, with potential savings and the convenience of … [Read more...] about Want to eat fresh? Buy from the farmer
Make Valentine’s Day dinner special with homemade red sauce
Transform basic pasta and red sauce into a thoughtful and hearty dish that your sweetie will love.This classic Italian-American red sauce uses canned tomatoes (whole canned tomatoes provide better flavor than crushed canned tomatoes) and is ready in under an hour. For a spicier sauce, add red pepper flakes to taste. To transform it into a cream sauce, stir about 1-1/2 cups of … [Read more...] about Make Valentine’s Day dinner special with homemade red sauce
A sweet history of breakfast cereal
Is the best part of waking up cereal and milk in your cup? Turns out, dry cereal has quite a fascinating history, and while it's common today, it's also a surprisingly new invention. Before modern times, dry cereal wasn't really a thing. Folks might enjoy warm porridge or oatmeal, but not the cereal staples that now fill the breakfast aisle. Cereal offers a relatively … [Read more...] about A sweet history of breakfast cereal