Only the Beginning

Vegetable Grub

I first started writing this blog ten years ago, because I was told I needed an online platform for my first published book. Little did I know how much I’d enjoy blogging.

Since the book was a short story memoir anthology, for the blog I decided to write little anecdotes about life. One of the stories in the book was/is about my adventure in learning how to cook. So, I added a recipes page. It’s been a while since I posted a recipe, so I thought I’d share one again.

How many Tomatoes can fit in a bowl?

Roma tomatoes anyone? How ’bout zucchini?

Greenery Green (and other Colors)

I took a little time away from blogging for the week of the 4th of July and posted without commenting anywhere.

Instead of my usual deep, philosophical posts, I’m back with a lighter topic today.

Do you like flowers? Do you grow any?

Splendid Sunny Summer

Hello blogging world. It’s been so long since I posted that It almost feels like my first time. I know other bloggers who have gone longer than me and then returned, but six weeks is quite a while for me to go between posts.

Eating Flowers

In our garden, the tomatoes aren’t doing so well. We are getting some, but not like last year. The heat stress is causing them to die or come up with dark spots.

Must Love Garlic

Summer lasted right through October 21st this year. Then, Mother Nature hopped right over fall and landed in winter. I tried to capture colors of autumn, but not a lot showed up. We actually got a sprinkle of snow over the weekend that didn’t stick.

Friday Philosophy

Before I Forget Eggplant

Have you ever created your own recipe for a meal that turned out delicious and then forgot what you did? I have done this countless times. When I try to recreate the same dish, it’s never quite the same.

It’s been a long time since I posted a recipe, which I started doing because of the cooking memoir in my anthology. I’m writing it on my blog immediately after dinner in order not to forget what I did. When I say I made this “today,” it’s actually not the same day that this post is going up.

If You Like Eggplant …

Courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

… you’ll probably like this recipe. This one is good for vegetarians too. (The purple font isn’t as close to eggplant color as I wanted it to be).

Leftover Holiday-Ham Stew

This is not my recipe (but it is my photo). It’s one I found on the internet a couple of years ago. Back then, just like this year, I had tons of ham leftover from Christmas. I was searching the web to find something I could do with it. I found this recipe that calls for ham steak, but I just cut up chunks of my leftover ham.

Swiss Chard

When I first moved to Florida (20 years ago), no one here ever heard of Swiss chard. People who worked in produce at the grocery store, or even at produce stands, looked at me like I had an extra eye on my forehead when I inquired about the green vegee.

The photo shown is regular Swiss chard. I prefer rainbow but this was all I could find this week at the store.

Mom’s Stuffed Artichokes

Since I write memoirs, and I discuss cooking with my Italian family in my memoir anthology, here’s some more talk on food.

Don’t know where my mom got this recipe, but I remember it from my childhood and now make it for us at home. It’s really easy to make, but it does take some prep time. This recipe is for two medium to large artichokes. If you’re making more, add ingredients and some prep time.

2 medium to large artichokes
1 garlic clove minced
1 1/3 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup to 1 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
water for boiling