Category Archives: gardening

Quick Pickled Beets

Preserving the harvest continues. I had forgotten about one lonely row of beets. Despite the jungle of weeds, they persisted. They were chiogga beets, which have the most lovely pink and white spirals. Although the stripes don’t withstand pickling, they have the advantage of turning the pickling liquid a daring magenta (in lieu of the […]

Ode to the Quick Pickle

I love a good pickle. Sweet, spicy, garlicky, tart, live fermented…I haven’t met a pickle I don’t like, regardless of my pregnancy status. Making your own pickles at home is wonderful–not only will you get that smug Super Domestic Goddess feeling as you don your cute little apron to toss together some incredible snacks, but […]

Strawberry Cream Waffle

Spring gardening is well-underway here in the Upper Midwest. The rhubarb and asparagus are mere DAYS away from first harvest, I have some tomato and pepper seedling starting in the basement, and out in the garden we’ve put in potatoes, onion sets, leeks, and a salad garden with carrots, kale, and lettuces. I plan to […]

Gardening: Make your own seed tape

Spring is almost here…right? Right? We are steadily above freezing, and we can get outside almost everyday now. Which is great, because we were developing a serious case of cabin fever around here. Primarily my two and a half year old. All those people who compare raising dogs and kids are nutso–they are not at […]

Preserving Zucchini

My garden is winding down. I need to can tomatoes, but a free afternoon eludes me. Canning isn’t really that big of an operation, but until I get everything out, it feels that way. But zucchini? Zucchini is easy. There are always several ‘escapees’–you know, those squash you somehow overlook until they are the size […]