When September rolls around, I get all excited. There’s football, the weather stays warm, but we get a few nice, cool days that foreshadow the fall weather to come, and Oktoberfest begins, which gives me the perfect excuse to whip out this recipe and play some traditional German music.

I stumbled upon this recipe in a Martha Stewart Living a few years back. It was in an article featuring apples, and at the time, I wasn’t the biggest fan of cabbage. Actually, you could say I hated it and didn’t know why anyone would ruin a good sausage that way. Then I saw a picture of this dish; knockwurst tucked neatly into a dutch oven of apples (and cabbage), braised with apple cider and apple cider vinegar. I decided to overcome my issues with cabbage and give it a try. (more…)

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Dinner, German, Gluten free by Courtney

Given the latest crop of zucchini to pop up, I’ve been trying to get creative with how to use all of it up before it goes to waste. This past weekend was a zucchini-stravaganza for sure!

One of the dishes I made was this Zucchini Pie. The recipe comes from a cookbook I received last Christmas, Heirloom Cooking with the Brass Sisters. I had actually popped open the book to find a recipe for Zucchini Cheese Bake, but when I read the story behind this, I decided it must be made (too!). (more…)

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Appetizers, Dinner, In the Garden, Vegetarian by Courtney

A couple of years back I saw this recipe on an episode of Everyday Italian. The theme of the show was Picnic Planner, as Giada was packing a lunch to surprise her hubby with at work. The show was a bit cheesy, but the recipes had stuck in my mind for a while, especially the pasta. I love arugula and had wanted to make this for quite a while.

Earlier this year when arugula came in in the garden, I knew just what to use it for. I had always kind of thought this recipe was odd for a picnic, but after making it, I decided it was more like a pasta salad — perfect warm or at room temperature. The sauce you pour over it is basically a dijon vinaigrette, which is very quick and easy to make. Thus me making it this week with what I could find in the refrigerator and pantry. (more…)

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Dairy free, Dinner, Lunch, Quick and Easy by Courtney

One of my favorite weekend or weeknight activities is to plop down in front of the TV, find a classic movie on Netflix, and give myself a pedicure. Most of the time I do this with a bottle of rose or bubbly, but today I was feeling… healthy (must’ve been that whole wheat zucchini bread I made, never mind the 4 cups of sugar in it). So I decided to make a batch of flavored water.

This is great not only for spa days, but also for afternoon get-togethers when you need to beat the heat. (more…)

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Dairy free, Drink Time, Gluten free, Quick and Easy, Vegan, Vegetarian by Courtney

This bit of Indian summer we’re experiencing is making me want to have one last hurrah of summery, grilling out sessions (you know, before those fall grilling out sessions that are more like tailgate fair). So I’m going to make some thin burgers, about a 1/4 pound each, perfect for stacking up for a double (or triple) cheese burger. I’m jonesing for a bit of fruit, and a fruit salad is the perfect way to trick myself into thinking this burger meal is healthy! Chips are added for good measure though. Really, who can eat a burger without some form of potato? (more…)

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Cooking outdoors, Lunch by Courtney