We are fortunate to have a lot of praying mantes. In the spring, I usually find egg sacs clinging to cement pots and twigs. They really help keep the insects cleaned out of the garden. There’s lots for them to feed on, all around our property. If you use pesticides, stop! They show up on…
Author: Lanie Fioretti
My name is Lanie Fioretti and although I am not a classically trained chef or a degreed nutritionist, I have been studying food and nutrition voraciously since the early seventies. After working in public health and private practice for 22 years, I retired my dental hygiene license. I have taught cooking classes at Whole Foods and Central Market, done product development for a bakery in east Texas, catered, and been a personal chef. I usually think of myself as an improvisational cook!
Twice-Baked Butternut Squash
Twice baking works great with potatoes, but Twice-Baked Butternut Squash is a definite thumbs up too. For me, butternut make holiday meals a lot more interesting. If you prefer sweet potatoes, this recipe is delicious with them also. To find more butternut squash recipes on this site, type “butternut squash” in the search box, at…
Roasted Butternut Squash with Salad and Honey Chèvre
We’ve had quite a good crop of butternut squash from the plants that grew out of our compost pile! I’ve decided to try some new recipes this year. Roasted Butternut Squash with Salad and Honey Chèvre is a hearty, scrumptious spin on a recipe from Food and Wine. Make this recipe with your favorite winter…
Turkey Enchilada Casserole
This summer I just want some good one dish meals, with veggies, protein, and a little starch. If you’ve followed my cooking ventures, you know I love enchiladas. Add any veggies you want to Turkey Enchilada Casserole. I used cream spinach, mushrooms, and peas, and it was really delish. PrintTurkey Enchilada Casserole IngredientsGreen enchilada sauce…
Mustard Pickled Vegetables
If you combine two of my favorite things, mustard and pickles, you get Mustard Pickled Vegetables. Whether you eat them as a snack, or serve them with pork or chicken, they’re yummy. I make these as refrigerator pickles. To make them shelf stable, process the jar(s) in a water bath. Save the liquid, when you…