It is summertime, and the garden is in full swing! This year, I added a raised bed to my deck. It is has officially replaced the random collections of pots on my deck that never successfully grew anything. The new raised bed on the otherhand is an herb master. Or it was until Charlie figured out that she can jump into it and tear plants out. Crazy puppy! (more…)
This year, the NHN family traveled to Tampa. It was the girls’ first time seeing the ocean, and while they marveled at its wonder, I marveled at a particular crab soup from a local restaurant, Frenchy’s. This soup was heaven on earth. To my dismay, Maddie felt the same and ate quite a bit of my soup that she insisted she was just sampling. I could have eaten a vat of that soup. When it came time for my turn to make our monthly dinner in September, I was still thinking about it. (more…)
I am a bad gardener. It’s true. But I’ve never found that to be a good reason to give up on the dream of having homegrown food, so I begin the fated adventure over again each year in hopes of a better return. This year, I succeeded! It wasn’t the success of a seasoned gardener. I lost a few plants to overcrowding and for some reason couldn’t get cilantro to grow. I did, however, enjoy my favorite arugula salad with my own arugula, and there was a solid week that I packed salads for lunch with my own green leaf lettuce. (more…)
Before I start, I have to make a confession. When I first made this dish, I used orange roughy. Lesley and I were in Florida, and the word “orange” in a type seemed appropriate for our Florida NHN meal. I also have never had it, so it fit nicely in our framework of trying out a food we have never made. (more…)
Summer is on it’s way! It seems like much too early to say that, but this past weekend boasted temperatures of 60 degrees and that trend is holding strong for the upcoming week. I’ve tried not to get too excited. There is certainly plenty of time for another cold spell or two, but I just can’t help it. The clouds have let the sun through, and it feels amazing! I want to plant the garden, shop for summer clothes, and spend all waking hours outside. I also want fresh summer meals full of flavor. (more…)
