I have been very fortunate throughout my career to have been able to do what many would consider BIG things. I’ve had the privilege to work at some of the country’s most iconic radio stations, travel, and hang with and befriend superstars. Now that I have retired, I have discovered it is the little things that give me the most satisfaction. I know people who absolutely hate going grocery shopping. That happens to be one of my favorite things. I put trips to the farmer’s market at the top of my list. Great people and wonderful local produce and products. As much as I love the freshness that comes from our local farms, I must admit that nothing tastes as wonderful as something you grew yourself. As I approached the garden, I could smell the tomatoes before I could even see them. These tiny little gems are bursting with flavor. It’s almost a “close your eyes” moment when you pop one into your mouth. My tomato and pepper plants are loaded with beautiful gifts from mother nature.
I never had the time to maintain a garden. That has now changed, as have many things.
It took me 13 months of retirement to finally sleep past 3:00 am. How differently I feel. The pace of my life has slowed dramatically which has given me an awakening of sorts. The little things have become the big things. The bounty from my garden. The buzzing of Humming birds around my feeder or watching a fish leap through the surface of the water to snatch an airborne insect. I have more time for my grandchildren and love cooking for them.
While I have enjoyed using the various herbs in my garden all summer long to take my food to the next level, the feeling I got when I harvested my first tomatoes and peppers was one of pure joy. I will share a quick and easy recipe for an amazing summer salad using items from my garden and Carr Farms Gourmet corn. I am already dreading the day when they harvest their final field. My thanks to the wonderful Carr family, The Visser family and all the other hardworking souls who provide us with such amazing healthy food.
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 ears of fresh corn (See Note)
- 3 avocados
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
- 1 medium cucumber, small dice
DRESSING:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- zest of a whole lime
- juice from 1 whole lime, if not enough use 2
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Ingredients:
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 1 cup shredded celery
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup butter
- 8 cups bread cubes
- 2 cups chopped apple
- 1 tsp ground sage
- 1 cup chicken broth (use more if you need to moisten it up)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
In a large skillet cook up the carrots, celery and onion in butter until tender but not brown. Stir in sage, salt, cinnamon and ¼ tsp pepper. In a large mixing bowl combine bread cubes, apples, walnuts & finally cooked vegetables.
Drizzle with enough chicken broth to moisten & toss lightly. Stuff turkey or place in casserole as a side dish. This will stuff a 12 lb. bird ( I always double recipe. We like a lot of stuffing!). 350 degrees for 35 minutes (or until internal temp is 165).
DON’T OVER COOK THE TURKEY! Prepare the stuffing outside of the bird!
I don’t generally stuff the bird these days. I know, the flavor is incredible when cooked inside. The problem is that by the time the stuffing is at a safe internal temperature, the turkey is often over cooked.