Pleasures of a backyard garden
Monday, March 10, 2008
It was 50 degrees on Leap Day, warm for February in Kansas. I wandered out to the backyard to my already-tilled garden and dropped some seeds into the cold, wet dirt. Soon more seeds, herbs, and a few tomato plants will follow.
From Farm to Fork
Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008
For those of you who don't live in Kansas, I host a weekly cooking show, "Jayni's Kitchen," that airs across much of the state. In January, my guest was Simran Sethi, a contributing environmental correspondent and expert for NBC News. Simran suggested that we do a show together based on the 100-mile meal concept.
Roasting Winter Vegetables
Friday, Jan. 11, 2008
With the bounty of summer vegetables a fading memory and spring's offerings too far away to imagine, it's time to embrace winter vegetables. Don't consider these hardy fellows second choice.
Goat cheese: The perfect party hors d'oeuvre
Saturday, Dec. 8, 2007
It's December and the party season has officially begun. Along with the invitations from the office, friends and family comes the usual request. Now, try not to wince when you hear these words, "Could you please bring an hors d'oeuvre to the party?"
Not so sweet on sweet potatoes
Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007
Unfortunately, it seems that sweet potatoes are never sweet enough. It's likely that we'll be dining on sweet potatoes dredged in brown sugar, soaked in syrup, topped with marshmallows and adorned with orange slices. I don't know if this is more about tradition, or that cooks simply don't know what else to do with them.
Pork & apples: Foods to fall for
Monday, Oct. 8, 2007
To celebrate autumn, I'm sharing a recipe that calls for my two fall favorites, pork and apples, and including my favorite mashed potato recipe to serve on the side.
Bid adieu to summer
Thursday, Sept. 6, 2007
Summer is winding down and I'm feeling a bit melancholy. I certainly won't miss the relentless August heat and humidity, the chiggers and mosquitoes, or the late summer pollens that envelop our city and make me sneeze. What I will miss is plucking ripe tomatoes off the vine, digging heads of garlic, snipping fresh herbs to garnish a summer dish, and shopping at the farmers' market for small, firm eggplants and other just-picked vegetables.
I love California
Monday, Aug. 6, 2007
I love California. Every couple of years my husband, Frank, and I make a pilgrimage west in search of great food and wine. In May we visited Napa, Sonoma and the Paso Robles wine country on the central coast.
Recipes to spark your 4th of July
Friday, June 29, 2007
With Independence Day just around the corner, the thought of barbecued ribs is sparking my appetite. Hearty, succulent pork ribs, smoked and basted with barbecue sauce, are a uniquely American tradition. I'll admit, I'm no barbecue expert, but I've found a method of cooking ribs that gets expert results without much fuss. The goal is to get moist, tender ribs from the grill to the grin with as little effort as possible.
Meal-in-one for a warm summer night
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
As the weather warms up, lighter meals cooked on the grill fit my summer mood. A meal-in-one of pork tenderloin and seasonal vegetables grilled and served on a bed of salad greens hits the spot on a warm, starry night.
April showers bring May salads
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
The tiny seeds I planted in my small Kansas garden in late February have now blossomed into beautiful mixed greens just as pretty as any bed of spring flowers.
Green jewels from the garden
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
I'm crazy about spring vegetables. My favorites are sugar snap peas and asparagus spears. These seasonal beauties are best plucked from the vine or snapped from the earth in your own backyard garden.
It's time to grill
Thursday, March 1, 2007
It's early March, and I can now go out to the grill without shoveling a path through the snow or wearing a winter coat and gloves. I'm already longing for light spring meals, and what better way to fulfill my fantasies of warm days ahead than to grill a chicken and some spring vegetables?
A table for two
Recipes for romance
Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007
My husband Frank and I rarely go out for dinner on Valentine's Day. We prefer to stay at home and cook. What could be more romantic for two people who fell in love over their first soufflé? We enjoy cooking meals together and think those who haven't tried it are missing out.
Chili warms up chilly nights
Friday, Dec. 15, 2006
I make my chili with chunks of beef simmered slowly with caramelized onions, tomatoes and a variety of spices — toasted cumin seed, cinnamon and clove — guaranteed to send you into a pleasant sensory overload.