Autumn — the cook & the garden

Sweet Potato Chocolate Ginger Thanksgiving!

Desserts, Autumn, Adventures, WinterCathy ClearyNovember 20, 2018sweet potatos, sweet, sweets, Sweet Potato Pie, ginger, chocolate, chocolate chips, winter recipes, Thanksgiving, Pie, pie crust, celebrations, square dance, dance

CFSA Sustainable Agriculture Conference!

Appetizers & Snacks, Adventures, Winter, AutumnCathy ClearyNovember 14, 2018pimento cheese, CFSA, Bountiful Cities, Athens Land Trust, Bounty & Soul, Apple Chips, Conference, Southern Harvest Cookbook, workshop, sustainable agriculture, home grown, Chinese 5 spice powder

Fruit of the Gods

Desserts, Autumn, Fruits, No Waste, WinterCathy ClearyNovember 1, 2018mountain xpress, persimmons, Christopher Parker, Monica Williams, Bill Whipple, fresh fruit, wild foods, dessert, orange fruit, foraging

Wild Sumac

AutumnCathy ClearySeptember 13, 2018wild foods, sumac, spice, mountain xpress

Totally Nuts!

Learn how to go nuts in my first COVER STORY in the Mountain Xpress!

Adventures, Desserts, Autumn, DrinksCathy ClearyFebruary 26, 2018nuts, acorns, hickory nuts, black walnuts, chai, brownies, Acornucopia Project, local food, nut milk

Black Bean Paw Paw Salad

In our neck of the woods we can get a little taste of tropical flavor with the miraculous Paw paw. These strange looking fruits, native to the eastern United States, grow on trees and are the largest edible fruit indigenous to this area. Not only do they survive, but they thrive without much care, growing just as well in the shade as the sun

Autumn, Lunch, Salads, DinnerCathy ClearyOctober 25, 2017paw paw, cathy cleary, thecookandgarden.com, black beans, peppers, salad, local food

Free Cookies

I have a lot of experience making cookies, but not so much experience with political activism. My safe estimate is over 100, 000 cookies baked, and probably 30ish rallies and protests.

Stand-Up Dinner with Pickled Collards

I’d like to make the case for Stand-Up Dinner. Not all the time, or even very often, but every once in a while it makes sense to eat while standing. Cider making evenings are just such an occasion in our household.

Disappearing Deviled Eggs Dilemma

I have done an informal survey asking folks what disappears first off the buffet table. It is always the deviled eggs. Spanakopita triangles come in close second. It seems the most labor intensive, time consuming dishes disappear the fastest.

Salted Caramel Apples

I won’t lie - making Caramel is tricky! But you can do it and it makes an amazing addition to stuffed french toast.

Desserts, Autumn, Winter, FruitsCathy ClearyDecember 8, 2016caramel, apples, french toast, sweet, stove, lemon juice, butter, heavy cream, salted

Stuffed French Toast

MMMMMMMM. French toast for 2 people or a crowd spending the night. You can use any type of bread – Challah makes the best French Toast because the bread itself made with lots of eggs, but most any bread will be yummy with this filling in it.

Breakfast, Desserts, Autumn, Fruits, Spring, Summer, WinterCathy ClearyDecember 5, 2016challah bread, eggs, vanilla, milk, cream cheese

Curried Spinach and Chickpea Stew

This stew is hearty yet manages to feel light at the same time. It is chock full of veggies, but it doesn't take lots of time to prepare. I like to serve it with our french bread brushed with a little garlic butter and an arugula apple salad for a fantastic fall supper.

Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin in my chili was inspired by Jeff Armstrong, a long-time baker and friend at West End. He kept telling me that his family put pumpkin in their vegetarian chili. I thought it sounded strange at first, but the more I imagined what the flavors and textures would be like together the more I wanted to try it. It is delicious!

Soups & Stews, Autumn, Dinner, Lunch, Vegetables, WinterCathy ClearyOctober 5, 2016

Dad's Cheesecake

I grew up going to parties and potlucks, and my dad would often bring this incredibly good cheesecake. Everyone always oohed and aahed over how good it was and asked for the recipe. Then he would laboriously write the recipe on an index card for them. He kept it pretty simple and straightforward with this classic sour cream topping.

Sesame Broccoli Quinoa Salad

It’s the kind of salad that you make on Sunday and then eat all week long for lunch. You can substitute any green veggie you like for the broccoli – try finely chopped raw kale, steamed green beans, or baby spinach.

Scones

Who doesn’t love a scone? They really are not hard to make, the trick is to not overwork the dough. It takes some practice to get all the ingredients incorporated without over mixing. You will know if you have done it right because your pastries will be light as a feather, tender and flaky.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the easiest cookies in the world to make, and I've never met a chocoholic who could resist them. The variations are endless. Try some of the ones listed or make up your own.

Desserts, Autumn, Spring, Summer, WinterCathy ClearyAugust 7, 2016double chocolate chip cookies, cookies, baking

Pad Thai Style Salad

This salad is great for a light spring supper and it is a pot-luck crowd pleaser. Feel free to adjust the spiciness of this dish by cutting back (or ramping up!) on the sriracha sauce.

Super Easy Granola

I've been making one variation or another of this granola since I was in college. I lived in a co-op house with a bunch of hippies and we ate a lot of granola. My friend Wayne said it was so addictive that he had to swear off the stuff.

Greek Feta Vegetable Salad

It’s nice when a vegetable salad can be prepared ahead of time. This one actually gets better when it marinates for several hours. It complements just about any Mediterranean main dish. Serve alongside roasted chicken, eggplant parmesan, pasta, or make it the centerpiece of a platter with hummus and pita chips.

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