Having a garden has always been an exciting thought to me but the act of gardening has always appeared a puzzling chore to me. I mean, why is it so complex? If you bury a seed in the ground, why shouldn’t it sprout and then progress onward to a fruit or vegetable? How can something older than time, [...]

(Polenta cakes served with goat cheese, roasted veggies and hot sauce.) Polenta, which originated in Europe, is similar to grits as both are made from stoneground corn. The type of corn for each varies as does the coarser texture of the cornmeal used to make polenta. I consider polenta to be a great vessel for [...]

We have officially had a full week of gray, rainy days in Charlotte. I have to really, really push through the way that weighs me down. Even though the kitchen is my oasis and I love love love to cook, I drag when there’s no sunshine. Enter a slow cooker recipe that turned out so [...]