Berry Basil Sorbet

August 5, 2011
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Wow! It tastes like pizza! said a friend when I gave him a scoop.

That’s not exactly what you want to hear when you’re making a dessert sorbet, right?

Inspired by some fresh berries and an abundance of basil sitting on my counter, I made this sorbet for a party last month. I was surprised at how much everyone seemed to enjoy it (the pizza comment notwithstanding). And no, I don’t think my friend really meant that the sorbet tasted like tomatoes and cheese, but rather that the fresh basil was surprising and basil makes him think of pizza. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

But the comment got me thinking and clearly had an impact since I could not let it go.
What is dessert and what isn’t?
How savory can you go and still call it “dessert?”

The lines seems to have been blurred more in the last decade and …

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Nosy Neighbor Virtual Homestead & Garden Tour

August 1, 2011
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A little while ago, one of the blogs I follow, Northwest Edible Life, posted this on their Facebook page;
Interested in participating in the Nosy Neighbor Virtual Homestead & Garden Tour? All you have to do is take pictures or video of your garden/homestead and post them to your blog, website or photo-hosting site.

I thought, well yes, I am a nosy neighbor and I’d like a peek into other people’s gardens and urban homesteads! While this year is smaller than normal, I’m always happy to share, so here is an update on what’s going on with my Summer 2011 garden. Also, if you’re new here, I’m also involved with some friends and family over at Mount Royal Farms. While I don’t raise chickens in my own yard, I’m happy to participate over there.

The current garden consists of 3 raised beds; two which are 4′x5′ and one …

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Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

July 25, 2011
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It’s summer and most of the U.S. is swealtering under a blanket of record breaking heat. The last thing anyone wants to do is cook in a hot kitchen, right? Both my grandparents and my husband’s grandparents had outdoor canning kitchens and I think they had the right idea; get the heat out of the kitchen! This recipe is both flexible in cooking method and usage; cook it outside to beat the heat, and use it with multiple dishes.

First, while you can roast the vegetables in the oven, you can also cook them on an outside grill, keeping your kitchen cool. If you choose to cook outside, I recommend you still place the vegetables on a pan on the grill because the tomatillos will get very soft and you don’t want to lose any of their juice or any of the smaller pieces of onion and garlic.

Second, while the salsa can certainly be eaten right out the bowl with …

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Meyer Lemon Vanilla Bean Creme Caramel

July 19, 2011
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What, another lemon dessert?

Shhhh…yes, another one, and don’t give me any flack about it. I love my little ancient lemon tree and it loves me back. It’s my own personal “Giving Tree” providing me with luscious, sweet, Meyer lemons almost year round. Of the 22 desserts in my “Dessert” category, 6 are made with Meyer lemons, but only 9 of the 150+ recipes on the blog are tagged with “lemon.” And what’s not to love about lemons? The flavor is bright, fresh and clean so how can you go wrong incorporating it where ever possible? In summer we drink lemonade, so why not make a light lemon dessert?

This is the perfect do-ahead dinner party dessert. You can make them up to the day before and then just invert them onto plates (or eat them right out of the ramekins!) right before serving.

Lemon Creme Caramel Recipe
Printable Recipe in PDF

For the

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Grilled Goat Skewers with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

July 11, 2011
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Got goat?

If you live in the United States, chances are the answer to that question is “no.” However, something like 70% of the world regularly eats goat meat. Goat meat is under appreciated here, which is unfortunate because it’s low in fat and considered a sustainable meat.

goaterie iconRecently on twitter, a group of food bloggers started discussing cooking with goat (meat, milk, and cheese), and my mother, who like me, is always up for cooking something new, got involved and tagged me on it. The discussion went from cooking with goat, to an actual event called #goaterie (if you are on twitter, follow the hashtag). To read all about how #goaterie started, check out Creative Culinary’s post on goat sfeeha orFujimama’s post on the goaterie challenge. Also involved is Mark Scarbrough, one of the authors of the book, “Goat: Meat, Milk, Cheese.”

I’ve cooked with goat cheese before (6 posts, it must be one …

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Grilled Asparagus and Spring Onions with Dijon Vinaigrette

June 28, 2011
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Sometimes the best meals are those which are uncomplicated; those which allow you to share a glass of wine and chat with your guests while cooking at the same time. This dish is one which will enable you to do just that. You can even prepare it before your guests arrive, because it’s just as good at room temperature as it is hot off the grill. In fact, it may even be a little better if the vinaigrette has time to “marinate” the vegetables a bit.

I used Mexican Spring Onions in these photos, but you could also use the ones which are slightly pink and oblong at the base. Spring onions can range in size from a large version of the standard green onion to small round bulbs about 2 inches in diameter. For the larger ones, it’s a good idea to cut them in half so they cook more evenly on the grill.

Every …

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