corn muffins

I bought some lovely finely ground corn meal from the farmers market and have been wanting to make something with it. I found a nice little muffin tin at the antique store and knew I had to make these corn muffins.

Because the corn meal is so finely ground, the muffins have almost a creamy texture to them when they are baked. They are on the savory side and can be served as a side, but I like them with honey and butter.

eggs and garlic roots

This may sound a bit strange, but have you ever had garlic roots with your eggs? I myself thought it was strange when a farmers market vendor suggested it to me after buying some green garlic a few weeks back, but I promised her I would try it. I am glad I did because it is really good.

What you first need is healthy roots. When you get your green garlic home, put it in a glass of cold water that covers the roots. You can cover the greens with a plastic bag to keep them in good shape as well. They will stay good for about 7-10 days this way.

quick & delish: roasted asparagus

If you hungry and don’t have a lot of time and really don’t want to spend what little time you do have cleaning, then maybe you should become acquainted with roasted asparagus.

It is done in less than 15 minutes and there is practically no mess. All you need is some fresh asparagus, olive oil, and salt. The result is a great little snack or side and the roasting really brings out the sweetness in the asparagus.

ramps & pasta goodness

This is another dish that I have been making obsessively lately. Partially because it is seasonal and the ingredients won’t be around for very long.

People around here freak out over ramps (wild leeks for those of you that don’t get them in your area) and for a while I was ignoring the hype. One day, I decided to give them a try and understood the reason behind the frenzy. They are really good! The leaves are so sweet and the bulb adds a lovely subtle flavor that marries very well with some green garlic.

Just a little prep and you have a tasty pasta dish!

practically tabouli

I don’t know about you, but when I find a dish I love I tend to make it over and over again – like several times a week.

I was making this kind of, almost, practically tabouli a few months ago but gave up because, let’s face it, the tomatoes weren’t really that fabulous. This morning at the farmers market though, I saw beautiful baby cherry tomatoes and some lovely Japanese burpless cucumbers and just knew I had to make this again.