Hosting nutrition students in Steamboat is one of the great pleasures of working as an Extension Agent for Colorado State University. I recently spent a week mentoring Kia, a talented graduate student and aspiring dietitian. Using one of my favorite (and easy-to-make) dip recipes we spent an afternoon making short food videos. Trying to replicate those popular, snappy…
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Carrot Cashew Soup
There is snow in the forecast and I’m ready! It’s time to dig out the sweaters and gloves, put on the snow tires and start making soup. Carrot Cashew Soup is one of our family’s favorite dishes for a satisfying cold weather meal. This recipe came from the vegetarian commune where Dean lived at Ohio State, but you don’t…
The Best Beef Tacos
Taco Night Gets Even Better Taco Night has always been a family favorite, then I found a secret ingredient that took my tacos to a whole new level. Oh sure, my tacos were passible back when all I used was the commercial taco seasonings, but they were nothing special. In search of the perfect taco, I’ve tried several…
Roasted Roma Tomatoes
In the Boat, many gardeners move their tomato plants outside during the day, then tuck them back in their garage or house during cool nights–truly a labor of love–and much more patience than I have. Sure, I try my hand at growing my own tomatoes, but at the farmer’s market I can buy Colorado grown,…
Three Ways to Cook Olathe Sweet Corn
How Sweet it is! Olathe Sweet Corn is a special fall treat for my family. Fresh Colorado sweet corn is only available from mid-July to mid-October so when my Extension colleague offered to bring me a box of fresh-picked Olathe sweet corn— of course I said “yes.” Next, I needed a plan for dealing with those…
Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa
Grilling Corn The smoky, charred flavor of grilled corn is essential for this Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa. After reading all of my cookbooks and blogs about the best way to grill corn, I set about conducting my own experiment to determine the best grilling method. Here are a few things that I learned along…
Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce
In high-altitude backyard gardens, for a short period of time in August and September, you can taste the sweet, intense flavor of a locally grown vine-ripened tomato. We’ll do anything for that amazing flavor – tuck our tomatoes under a blanket on cold nights, wheel our heirloom varieties out for sun in the morning and…
Zucchini Pancakes
With only 59 frost-free growing days, gardening in Steamboat is a challenge. Thank goodness for zucchini! It’s the one consistently generous plant in my raised-bed garden. One hill of three plants will usually provide us with a couple dozen zucchinis to eat and share in the late summer. The ease and versatility of cooking with…
Make Ahead Chicken Enchiladas
No time to cook! As a county extension agent there is no busier time than county fair time. For a week, every day (and night) there is an important event needing my attention – home arts judging, 4-H Barbecue, Junior Livestock Sale, Wine & Beer competition and the list goes on. It’s an exhausting and…
Sour Cherry Jam
Why go to the trouble of making Sour Cherry Jam? Trust me, this tart, fruity spread has a flavor like nothing you can buy in a store. Most jams rely on traditional pectins which require the addition of a lot of sugar in order to gel. After trying several types of pectin I zeroed in…
Wanted – a new Frying Pan
A 12-inch skillet is the workhorse of our family’s kitchen. Whether we are sautéing vegetables, cooking eggs or making quesadillas, it will most likely be in a skillet. This is why it is particularly frustrating that – I hate my frying pans. Our current round-up of skillets includes assorted non-stick, cast iron and stainless steel…
Garlic Sugar Snap Peas
Edible pea pods are a summer staple in my home. They make a great dipper for hummus, pack easily in a lunch and I can actually grow them in my mountain garden. I have been experimenting with quick and easy ways to cook them for dinner and found my inspiration at P.F. Chang’s. Print Garlic…
Sesame Tahini Dressing
Sesame tahini may seem like a trendy ingredient, but it has been a staple in our family’s favorite dressing for decades. My husband, Dean, learned to make Sesame Tahini Dressing while living in the Albatross House, a vegetarian commune in college. This dressing is so versatile that it can be used as a topping for…
Overnight Oats with Berries
Grabbing a satisfying breakfast on the way to work can be a challenge. That’s why Overnight Oats is my new favorite grab-and-go breakfast. Biking to the Steamboat Balloon Rodeo this weekend meant leaving the house by 6 a.m. to bike to the launch site. Fortunately Overnight Oats were prepared and in the frig, ready to…
Pad Thai
Whenever I have a chance to eat Asian food, I always order Pad Thai. Those delicate rice noodles with chili and lime accents deliver a light, yet complex flavor. I’ve been perfecting my Pad Thai recipe for the past several years and learned some lessons along the way. Most importantly, use fish sauce in your Pad Thai. For years…
Steaming Eggs – it’s the best for high altitude
I have been in search of the best method for making hard-cooked eggs at our high mountain elevations. When I asked for people to comment on their favorite techniques, I was blown away at the responses. The comments on this blog and my FaceBook page were fascinating. Some methods included baking, steaming, pressure cooking, electric egg…
Steamed Hard-cooked Eggs
Steaming is my new favorite method for making hard-cooked eggs at high altitude. With this method the egg yolks and whites are perfectly cooked, there is no ugly green layer on the yolks, the eggs peel quickly and best of all…it’s easy. My old method took twice as long to make because two quarts of water had…
Avocado Lime Deviled Eggs
Looking for a way to eat hard-cooked eggs that is not laden with mayonnaise? Try these Avocado Lime Deviled Eggs – they’re the best deviled eggs ever! First, cook up some eggs using my favorite technique – Steamed Hard-cooked Eggs. I borrowed the idea from Cooks Illustrated, then refined the times for Colorado’s altitude. Avocado…
Hard-Cooked Eggs at High Altitude
I’m in search of the best method for making hard-cooked eggs at high altitude and I need some help. So far I’ve tried four different methods for hard-cooked eggs with varying degrees of success. Quite honestly, I’m beginning to drive my family and co-workers a bit crazy will all the eggs. Do you have a favorite method…
Homemade Sauerkraut in a Jar
The main ingredient for homemade sauerkraut is patience. Of course you’ll need some shredded cabbage and salt, but not much more. Homemade sauerkraut is easy to assemble…it just takes time to ferment. As I was exploring historic cooking methods for a presentation at our local Tread of Pioneers Museum, I was reminded of the importance of fermentation for…
Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Sometimes I just don’t get my husband. He’ll it come home after teaching all day and be famished because he forgot to eat lunch. Really?! How can anyone forget to eat lunch? Honestly, I haven’t missed a regular meal time since 2001. When I miss a meal I tend to get a bit testy and agitated—…
Celebrating the Super Bowl with Food
Have you decided what you’ll be eating during the Super Bowl this year? The foodie world is going crazy talking about the best Super Bowl fare. They have recommendations for what snacks to serve during the pre-game, what finger food to offer game-watchers during breaks – (hint: it must be something that can be eaten while…
Denver Omelet Muffins
My dad was no cook…he made one thing that I can remember – Denver Omelet Sandwiches. He’d make a traditional Denver Omelet—eggs with saute’d onions, green peppers and ham (sometimes he’d use bacon). He’d slap the whole omelet on a mayonnaise slathered piece of toast, topped with another mayonnaise slathered piece of toast and it…
Handmade Gifts of Thanks
Have you ever received a gift that took your breath away? I mean downright, total surprise and delight, to the point that you embarrassed yourself with sobbing gratitude? I received such a gift recently…and I have to share it with you. One of my dedicated volunteers, Jackie Grimaldi- local quilter extraordinaire, presented me with the gift of…
