When you see the figs, buy the figs. The luscious green ones are my favorite, but the purple ones...
Ahhhh, the garden days! This is the time for tomatoes and fresh herbs, for eating dinner on the porch, and keeping the kitchen cool.

browse the recipes:
Sheet Pan Polenta Tomato Tart
This recipe is a hybrid of my polenta appetizer squares and the polenta tomato tart I adapted from...
Polenta Tomato Tart
When it's fresh tomato season here in Montana, I'm usually satisfied with a plate of sliced...
Flank Steak Teriyaki
I grew up in Almaden Valley, the country-fringe of San Jose, back when apricot orchards were the...
Rhubarb Crumb Cake
This crumb cake is the offspring of three good cakes—Stella Moss's Rhubarb Sheet, the Rhubarb...
Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad
Nuoc Cham, a Vietnamese dipping sauce made with fish sauce and lime juice, makes a great dressing...
Chicken Soup
Chicken Soup makes about 2 quarts of chicken broth for soup Phase 1 soup broth/stock2–4...
Four Dressings for Happy Salads (featuring Cashew Tamari Dressing)
Whether you grow them in your garden, support a local farm through their CSA box, or pick up...
Classic Caesar Salad Dressing
I got obsessed with vegan Caesar salad this past week, but then my pal Alison reminded me that...
Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
It's just about rhubarb season here in Montana, we just need a few more warm-ish weeks to ripen...
Bison Taco Salad with Avocado Ranch
Taco salad is a fresh way to enjoy a pound of ground bison or beef and an easy way to achieve...
Spinach Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
Local vegetable season is upon us here in Bozeman...rejoice! Amaltheia had bags of their baby...
Sonoma Chicken Salad
Sad fact: Whole Foods has changed their Sonoma Chicken Salad and at least what is available here...
Taco Salad with Quinoa and Beans
Spicing up quinoa and adding some beans makes a great "taco meat" for taco salad. Thanks to...
Egg Salad
A text with a friend yesterday reminded me to post some of my "just stir it together" favorites,...
Raw Kale Salad with Quinoa
This salad has been a favorite of mine since before I moved to Montana, over a dozen years ago. I...
One Pot Rice and Beans
New York Times Cooking ran a one-pot meal feature and it inspired me to simplify our rice and bean...
Farro or Spelt Berry Salad
This salad is very satisfying on its own, but sometimes I use it to justify salami for a...
Amy’s Perfect Pie Crust (the easy way)
Making pie crust can and should be simple. Here the food processor does the work for you so you...
Tofu Tacos with Spicy Almond Sauce
I never thought tofu tacos would be a good thing. But was I ever wrong! Thanks to Justin's for the...
Sweet Chia & Celery Seed Dressing
This sweet dressing is great on arugula with rotisserie chicken. Another fun way to use it is to...
Grilled White Fish with Blood Orange Salsa
What's for dinner? White fish on the grill with this blood orange salsa from the February issue of...
Minestrone, The Seasonal Italian Soup
The structure of this minestrone includes lentils, beans and some orecchiette pasta. I like using...
Flageolet Beans with Lemon Dressing
It surprises me how delicious something as simple as a bean can be. The best ones don't come from...
Vietnamese Dipping Sauce “Nuoc Cham”
The Joy of Cooking's recipe for "Vietnamese Rice Noodle Bowls" caught my son's attention, so we...
Fish Curry
Curry is not difficult to make, but I do recommend using the best coconut milk (Chaokoh), fish...
Summer Succotash
Make this quick sauté when you have fresh corn and summer squash. It is a fantastic partner to...
Peach and Blueberry Pie
"It snowed here this weekend, but I'm going to pretend it's still summer." Sounds good, Kristine,...
Plum Jam
Small batch refrigerator jams give you the pleasure of jam making without all the fuss of canning....
Tin Foil Shrimp Boil from The Campout Cookbook
This shrimp boil was our favorite meal of summer—and it happened on a camping trip! Thanks to...
Oven Roasted Tomatoes for Pasta or Polenta
You don't need to do much to a good tomato. A pinch of flaky salt (Maldon or Jacobsen are my...
Pearl Couscous with Seasonal Vegetables
Looking for dinner ideas that use that assortment of veggies in your CSA box? I found this to be...
Grilled Eggplant Gyros
To salt or not to salt the eggplant? That is the question. Short on time the last time I made...
Meyer Lemon Curd
Bi-Rite Market's selection of citrus is always something to behold, but especially when you...
Black Bean Tortilla Soup
Yummy, feel-good dinner coming right up! Another great recipe from Kathryne Taylor of the whole...
Black Bean Slaw with Red Cabbage
Freshen up your taco night with this red cabbage and black bean slaw—a beautiful and delicious...
Spinach Salad with Avocado and Filet Mignon
My daughter and I often turn to "steak as condiment rather than main course" when the boys want...
Pesto
Our growing season is short here in Montana, but a lot seems to happen in mid-summer. I returned...
Watermelon and Jicama Salad
Watermelon and jicama are refreshing on their own, but combined you've got a salad. And once...
Nectarine Blueberry Cobbler
I've been riffing on nectarine cobbler since Gourmet magazine published a couple versions in 1992...
Saffron Rosewater Ice Cream
A small scoop of saffron ice cream concludes dinner on a sweet note without being a sugar bomb. I...
Grated Carrot Salad
The next time you need to bring something to a summer BBQ, make this grated carrot salad. It's...
Spicy Purple Slaw
You're on your way to making a slaw when you thinly slice any sturdy vegetable. For dressing, you...
Nepenthe’s Bean Salad with Fresh Herbs and Vinaigrette
"Taste your ingredients" is something I always say when I'm teaching a class, and it is especially...
Filipino-Syle “Bang Bang” Noodles + Asian Pantry Essentials
It's the "dressing" that works the magic here. Tahini makes it rich and creamy, chile paste...
How to Cook Beans
These giant white beans are Royal Coronas from Rancho Gordo. Serve them simply with olive oil and...
Cocoa Buckwheat Granola
Chocolate for breakfast. Sure you can! Maximize nutrition with this cocoa buckwheat granola,...
Fresh Tomatoes & Pasta (No Cook Tomato Sauce)
It's tomato season here in Bozeman and time for some ideas! If you haven't yet made a no-cook...
Miso Butter with Chives
I didn't think butter could be improved upon, but by adding white miso and rice vinegar you get a...
Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Skewers (aka Chicken Shawarma)
This spicy yogurt marinade takes chicken dinner to the next level. Skewer and either grill, broil,...
Garden Ranch Dressing
A fresh green salad with ranch dressing is a great partner for anything off the grill, as well as...
Quick Pickled Vegetables (Sweet Version)
This is just what you need as a side for your grilled burgers and such this Memorial Day weekend....
Cashew Cream
Naturally sweet, creamy goodness made from ... cashews? Believe it. One of the best takeaways...
Chia Seed Pudding
Stir a few tablespoons of chia seeds into unsweetened almond milk, wait a bit, and you have...
Cream Scones
You can stop collecting scone and shortcake recipes, this is the only one you need. I'm giving it...
Thai Pork Lettuce Wraps
Monday night, 6pm. Everybody hungry. Thawed package of ground pork in the fridge—mostly because...
Baker’s Clay; Make it Yourself Play Dough
Not a food, but some fun in the kitchen none the less! Make this quick play dough, get out the...