Thinking Pumpkins; Anticipating Fall

By Lori Powell

I have never had a pumpkin patch...until now. When I moved into my rental house, there was a raised bed with rotting pumpkins.

Agreed, it was not so pretty, but thought, wow! How cool would it be to have pumpkins? Well, those pumpkins became compost over the winter and their seeds produced offspring.

First there was a small green one, which is becoming rather large. And then a small orange one popped up, and now a white mini pumpkin. They are literally taking over the garden so I had to take out a couple of plants and steer the vines to the outside of the box to protect the rest of the herbs and tomato plants that were about to be overcome by the big beauties!

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Avocado Soup – to Celebrate the Simple

By Lori Powell

It has been hot and super-hot in most of the country, not to mention what it going on with our economy, the world and the markets...not so hot!

Try to keep in mind that the simple things in life are not to be overlooked. We still have lots to be thankful for and if you have your health…well put simply, it does not get much better than that.

So much these days is out of our control but being thankful for what we still have and rewarding ourselves with good food is a good thing.

Make yourself something delicious, invite some friends and celebrate the simple! Here’s a refreshing soup for four to start you on your way.

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Make these Cucumber Pickles in Minutes

By Lori Powell

There is a local farmers’ market about a quarter of a mile up the road, open on Sundays from 9 to 1. After watching “CBS This Morning,” my go-to show and a regular weekend ritual, I grab my market bags and stop by to check out the new offerings. This week, there was an abundance of cucumbers, tomatoes and corn.

A freshly-cut cucumber perfumes the air as soon as it is cut. It’s so refreshing on hot summer days – and hot days seem to be a regular occurrence here in Pennsylvania. I love cucumbers as a snack, done simply, freshly sliced with a sprinkle of sea salt...yummmm!!

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A Taste of Summer…Shellfish!

By Lori Powell

Here’s a quick take on dinner with super-fresh littleneck clams. Having these juicy morsels in my fridge is sheer joy!

Real little littlenecks are about1 ½ inches in diameter. Larger than that, they are appropriately called middle necks! Love that name – it makes total sense, at least to me.

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Hot Dog Hangover

By Katie Barreira

Given the pivotal role of tea in the story of our nation’s liberation, one might think that the herbal brew would have become the hallmark of Independence Day celebrations. But, from Coney Island’s infamous eating contest to the smoking grills across America, it is clearly the hot dog that reigns on July 4th.

By day 3 of the holiday weekend, after grilling hot dogs, eating hot dogs, and prying a cold, slippery dog from the jaws of another beast of the same name, I felt that I could easily go the rest of the summer without seeing another link. But I knew we would meet again, and soon, given those leftover wieners, panting from the fridge.

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