Vegetables

Squash, Apples And A Little Sage Advice For The Holidays

Squash, Apples And A Little Sage Advice For The Holidays

  Best wishes from those of us here at Blue Cayenne (that would be me and Juliet)  for a happy Thanksgiving. And, if the going gets tough around the table tomorrow, you might do well to remember the sage advice of Oscar Wilde: “After a…

Of Cabbages, Kings and Flying Pigs: Creamy Cabbage and Potato Soup

Of Cabbages, Kings and Flying Pigs: Creamy Cabbage and Potato Soup

The time has come, the Walrus said,       To talk of many things: Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax —       Of cabbages — and kings — And why the sea is boiling hot —       And whether pigs have wings.          …

Barley And Lentil Salad With Feta

Barley And Lentil Salad With Feta

  What a delightful way to get some fiber! According to the medical experts, you need about 30 grams of fiber each day (women/25 and men/38). This salad meets about half of your daily requirement. If you hog all the avocado, you get even closer…

Fast Food:  Skillet Chili

Fast Food: Skillet Chili

  This probably never happens to you, but I sometimes find myself wanting to get in and out of the kitchen quickly after a tiring day.  If I can do that and still produce a great meal, I’m one happy camper. This is a recipe…

Minestrone, A Wistful Pup and Letting Go of Summer

Minestrone, A Wistful Pup and Letting Go of Summer

    There is an old Italian saying O mangi questa minestra o salti dalla finestra. That roughly translates to “Eat the soup or jump out of the window”–an exclamation for those times when inaction is off the table and you just have to do something–anything. Take it…

Eggplant Gratin in Parmesan Custard

Eggplant Gratin in Parmesan Custard

  I’ll confess right off. Eggplant and I have a rocky relationship. It’s not because eggplant isn’t Robert-Redford handsome. Just look at that smooth skin and that sensuous coloring. It’s also not because I don’t try. I do.  I just have trouble finding stellar recipes that…

Ho. Ho. Ho. and Spinach and Mushroom Gratin

Ho. Ho. Ho. and Spinach and Mushroom Gratin

It is the Christmas season here in Huntington Beach. I know that because my local Costco has Christmas trees for sale.   Seems a tad early to me, but there is some research that holds that people who decorate early for the holidays lead happier…

Farro: You Can Take It With You (Apparently)

Farro: You Can Take It With You (Apparently)

This is a post about farro. People have been enjoying farro for a very long time. Farro images can be found on the walls of the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs. The Egyptians stocked the tombs of their leaders with all the good stuff they would…

Plum Cobbler Bars From The Heart

Plum Cobbler Bars From The Heart

“If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him… the people who give you their food give you their heart.” -Cesar Chavez   I get a lot of pleasure from sharing food.  There is something wonderful about watching…

Wicked Potato Salad with Dill

Wicked Potato Salad with Dill

    Apples and potatoes? Why not? This recipe brings together an eclectic mix of ingredients into one delicious whole and the magic of the salad is the dressing which incorporates a whole lot of crunch and a piquant sweet and sour dressing. It’s pretty,…