It’s fun to tour the avocado groves after the rain storms, even though the breeze is cold and stings my face. The smell of the freshly watered soil and an occasional waft of sweet blosssoms reminds me that winter is just about over. Clouds make dramatic statements in the sky, with some teasing of blue skies and colorful sunrises or sunsets in between the storms. The storms that came in February brought the water we were hoping for, and thankfully very little wind. Beautiful showers lasted for days, with the rain coming straight down which a light whooshing through the trees. Reservoirs were ..read more

Springtime: When the Trees Begin to Bloom Last weekend we had beautiful warm, sunny weather. In the springtime, I love to tour our avocado groves, just to see if there are any trees in bloom and to enjoy the gorgeous views. This is the time of year when we begin to find blossoms in the avocado trees. Some are just “off blooms” caused by the weather or the health of the individual tree. Some trees are blooming because their variety is earlier than most. For example, the Gems and Mexicolas are already pushing out flowers while most of the grove beginning to bud. We usually expect most of the blo ..read more

Warm and Cozy: A Bowl of New England Clam Chowder California is known for sunny winters, but farmers hope that plenty of rain will fill reservoirs and leach the accumulated salts from the soil. On those cold, cloudy days, New England Clam Chowder is one of our favorite comfort foods. Make a big pot of clam chowder on a weekend, serve with a salad and some crackers. Use your favorite bacon, lots of veggies, and plenty of potatoes for a chunky, hearty chowder. There’s nothing like coming in from working outside to find a steaming pot of chowder on the stove, anytime of the day! Jump to Recipe ..read more

Here is your new favorite quickbread!  I made two loaves this morning — one with gluten free all purpose flour and the other with regular flour — and they both turned out so well!   Pears and pumpkin together are tasty and beautiful.  This  bread recipe uses  pumpkin pie spices that will make your home smell like Thanksgiving any day of the year.  Our family has been ‘gobbling” up this bread, and I’m ready to make a new batch right away. My CSA box this week included 2 small pie pumpkins and some green pears, so I roasted the pumpkins and pureed the pulp. I peel ..read more

  Treats with Summer Squash When I planted our summer squash,  I made sure to do two yellow squash plants:  a crooked neck and a yellow zucchini.  I knew only one green zucchini plant would be enough.  I didn’t realize that the yellow squash would grow faster than the green ones!   So here is a recipe for a “not too sweet” coffee cake to use up that extra summer squash from the garden. Print Summer Squash Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake This "not too sweet" coffee cake is firm like a quick bread, perfect with a cup of tea or with your morning coffee. Course Quick B ..read more

Summer Squash or Zucchini  Family Favorite Are you looking for a recipe to use all that summer squash or zucchini from the garden that your family will  ask you to make again and again? Here it is!  I have made this twice in the last week to rave reviews.  It tastes like sausage pizza but with healthy spiralized squash noodles (“zoodles”) instead of the bread.  I wanted to call it “lasagna” but you can’t cut it into squares like lasagna, and there’s no ricotta layer.  The broth is so tasty that my family has been eating it in bowls so they can sip the last of th ..read more

This Pepper Jack Cheese Sauce is so tasty,  you’re  going to want to eat it with everything from now on.  Fresh cauliflower that is steamed or roasted makes a one-plate meal when topped with this sauce. Add in a little ham or bacon bits.   Serve on summer squash,  steamed carrots,  broccoli, or baked potato. Or make mac and cheese! Read about Mimi Avocado’s Cauliflower Mac and Cheese adventure here.  Today I have two heads of fresh cauliflower so that’s what we’ll have for lunch.  The Farmer actually grew cauliflower for two years after he graduated fro ..read more

A Different Kind of Post If you have ever thought you might want to be a writer, this post is for you.  What makes a writer?  Someone who writes! When life gets chaotic and we need to live each day despite difficult challenges,  journaling can be a way to  preserve our memories and find a pathway to balance during difficult times.  How to begin?  Read on! Journaling Through Uncertainty A new book called “Journaling Through Uncertainty” by Courtney Kilian offers a guide to beginning the process of journaling  for those who are just beginning,  or for exp ..read more

New Donut Flavor I used a pouch of fruit and veggie applesauce to make these glorious donuts.  (scroll down to go straight to the recipe)  Our grandchildren love pouches filled with organic fruit and vegetables. These are from North Coast Organic apple products of Sebastopol, CA.  Recently North Coast sent me an “inspiration box” of their products, including these boxes of  North Coast Organic applesauce pouches. Applesauce Pouches  with Fruits and Veggies The flavor choices are fun!  My grandchildren love these resealable pouches, especially when they don’t wan ..read more

  Homemade Baked Donuts The local donut shops have been closed around here, and I’ve been craving a good old fashioned donut .  A few weeks ago I noticed a photo on Instagram that made my mouth water.  My friend  Dorothy of ShockinglyDelicious had posted a recipe on her blog for Easy Glazed Baked Donuts.  Before I could make donuts I needed  to order some pans.  I ordered Wilton donut pans and as soon as they came I tried Dorothy’s recipe.  She was right:  those donuts are really easy and really tasty!  I tried out colored sugars and decorativ ..read more