Ditch the Box

  This summer has been absolutely brutal.  Just about everything has surrendered to the sweltering Texas heat (at this writing, we’ve had over 69 days of 100+ heat in Austin alone).  I finally knew it was time to pull up all but the hardiest of the plants in my garden when my basil started giving [...]

Pesto is traditionally made with basil and pine nuts, but you can substitute other leafy greens and nuts as it suits you. I used local mustard greens and pecans to make this tasty pesto. You can freeze leftovers in plastic bags or ice cube trays.

  Dining outdoors is one of summer’s great treats and I like to have a pretty salad to accompany the meal.  In the Texas heat, making mayonnaise based salads is a recipe for disaster, or at least sick dinner guests, so I prefer oil based dressings that require less attention during the party. When corn [...]

This black bean and corn salad is a colorful, refreshing and satisfying addition to any summer table.