Category Archives: sides

C’mon, summer! A salad to bring it on.

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Rivertree kitchen

It’s not summer yet. No matter how I parse it, 50 degrees and fiercely windy does not a summer day make, even here in the Frozen Tundra. My pepper and herb plants are sleeping indoors at night, since there’s still … Continue reading →

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Is it spring yet?

Posted on May 1, 2011 by Rivertree kitchen

It’s May first in Wisconsin, and once again it’s freezing. My garden is empty and forlorn, lonely for the plants that can’t go in until this crazy cold goes away for good. We decided to pretend it was a nice … Continue reading →

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Bread!

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Rivertree kitchen

It’s the very end of April, and it’s supposed to be spring, even here in Great Lakes territory. Last year at this time, my lilacs were sporting grape-colored buds; this year, they don’t even have leaves. This morning I shivered … Continue reading →

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More roasted veggies: butternut squash

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Rivertree kitchen

Like so many American foodies, I grew up watching Julia Child on television. When my son was really young, our Saturday pre-dinner ritual was watching Julia and Jacques: Cooking at Home. The affection these two master chefs had for each … Continue reading →

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Everybody into the oven! (the green bean version)

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Rivertree kitchen

I’m on a roasted vegetable kick lately. It started with kale chips. My sister Jul (kindergarten teacher and amazing cook) mentioned that a parent had brought these chips to her class in an effort to teach the students that veggies … Continue reading →

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Risotto: day three; dogs: day five

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Rivertree kitchen

Dogs first: The girls are settling in nicely. Cleo’s taken over the new bed and dish we bought for Libby; Libby’s appropriated all the rawhides. Both are fine with this arrangement. Libby has already learned that dogs are required to sit … Continue reading →

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New puppy! Oh, and some awesome peppers.

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Rivertree kitchen

Last May we adopted a five-month-old beagle mix and named her Cleo. She had been born in a shelter, and was labeled “special needs” for her debilitating shyness: she was frightened by everything except other dogs. Nearly a year later, … Continue reading →

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Risotto: the basics

Posted on April 2, 2011 by Rivertree kitchen

Ask my husband what his favorite food is, and he’ll undoubtedly say risotto. (Food that I make, that is; his favorite food of all time is crab cakes, which I rarely prepare, unfortunately.) Risotto is elegant and comforting at the … Continue reading →

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Eat-your-veggies pancakes

Posted on March 29, 2011 by Rivertree kitchen

Years ago I edited the Best 50 Pancake Recipes (Bristol Press) by Rachel Wylde. I’m not a big breakfast pancake-with-maple syrup gal, but Rachel pushed the pancake envelope well beyond the expected. We tried several of her savory pancake recipes … Continue reading →

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Bring on the green!

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Rivertree kitchen

The photo at the top is of my backyard. Well, it’s what my backyard looks like in June, when the landscape is lush and green and the river flows freely. At the moment, my backyard looks more like this: Still … Continue reading →

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