These root vegetable stacks are a great example of what you can prepare with just a few ingredients, and at those times when you have nothing planned for dinner. Thinking of what to make for dinner always sits in the back of my mind throughout the day, no matter what else is going on. The other day I was experiencing a busy and challenging day. I knew I needed to go grocery shopping but didn’t have the time. So I resigned to the idea that I would just work with whatever I had in the kitchen when I got home. By the time it was over, I was reminded that sometimes breaking the pattern of relying on regular grocery staples is just the ticket I need to get the creative culinary juices flowing. What is the point of this story? When you are charged with preparing dinner and all you have on hand is a yam, a beet, and some mushrooms, take a pause, make like you are in a cottage in Provence, and romance some garden herbs and that jar of Dijon mustard sitting in the back of the fridge! In most cases, simpler is actually a lot better. Embrace what you have, make it the star, and you will never go wrong!
Read MoreSpinach Persimmon Salad with Chickpea Miso Dressing
I am such a lucky guy, because my neighbor gave me a nice bag of Fuyu persimmons! And I picked up a container of chickpea miso, all in the same week. I saw this as a cosmic directive to whip up this Spinach Persimmon Salad; a Japanese-inspired salad that will blend well with the traditional holiday table. Unlike their counterpart, the Hachiya persimmon, the Fuyu can be enjoyed in various stages of ripeness, making them a great addition to your holiday salad! You can easily tell them apart because Fuyus are shaped more like a tomato, while Hachiya persimmons are acorn–shaped. If you try to eat a Hachiya before it gets completely soft, you will be left with a mouthful of astringent icky. This recipe uses firm, crunchy-yet ripe Fuyu persimmons as the star ingredient.
Roman Slow Cooker Artichokes
Every year the artichoke root system in our garden pops out an abundance of fresh artichokes. For the first few years this is really fun and rewarding, but after a while, one yearns for some new ideas and ways to gobble up all those artichokes, without adding a lot of prep time. This recipe for slow cooker artichokes is super easy, with just about 15 minutes or less of prep time. Then you just set the cooker, get on with your day, and return to a crock pot full of tender, moist artichokes loaded with flavor.