I was sitting in an outdoor cafe in Florence the first time I had Panzanella. The main component of this frugal Tuscan dish is stale bread.Teamed up with tomatoes, onion, cucumber, and basil, mixed together in a vinaigrette, the dish sings.Now that things are getting hot and humid, this recipe makes for a terrific light lunch or dinner. Serve it up with a Pinot Grigio or some other light white,...

OK, friends, it's about 100 degrees where I am today, and it's just too darn hot to think about making soup. So, as we move into the summer months, Soup on Saturdays may sometimes have something other than soup. Forgive me in advance, but I don't want to change the catchy page title. :)Just a reminder, lentils are highly nutritional, and you get the added benefit of a healthy dose of vegetarian...

Baugher's. Initially a 60 acre farm, now Baugher's has morphed into a restaurant, market, and nursery. Because of all the chain stores and restaurants that have popped up in our area, this 100-year-old establishment is struggling.I was there to buy a pie, which are also famous in these parts, and ended up with a bunch of very ripe, on-the-vine tomatoes. Since my tomato plants are only just now...

There were slim pickings at the farmer's market today. Maybe I got there a bit late...Well, today's soup is just right for a light and easy meal, perfect for this long holiday weekend. You may not be able to get your ingredients at the farmer's market near you, but I found the zucchini in abundance at my local grocery store. I had the basil at home.My basil is doing great, and I've got it...

Although it wasn't the main ingredient, last Saturday's Lentil and Rhubarb Soupcalled for six cups of spinach. Today, it seemed like every vendor at my local farmer's market had plenty of this super-nutritious veggie, so I decided to pick up some more, but this time for a soup where it could stand alone.This is a very simple soup that shouts spring. I hope you'll give it a try.

I saw a version of this recipe the other day, and set off this morning for my first visit to the local farmer's market intending to pick up some key ingredients.Farmer's Markets are a great place to get local produce, and although the pickings were a bit slim today, I was able to get rhubarb and spinach. I've never been a big fan of rhubarb, probably because I never had it prepared properly. It...

I recently had the chance to visit the beautiful new home of one of my friends. After a tour, we sat down for bowls of this delicious and filling soup. Colleen took the basic recipe found on the bean and barley package and enhanced it by adding her own ingredients. The results were terrific, and we kept going back for more. I bet you'll do the same.

Colleen's 17 Bean & Barley Soup

Serves 8

Well, Holy Saturday is upon us. Even though I've had to do quite a bit of running around this morning, the afternoon has been quiet and peaceful.I'm putting this soup together today, so that some friends and I can have it as a first course tomorrow. It might not fit into your plans for this weekend, but give it a try sometime soon. It's a nice spring soup, and I hope you enjoy it.

Last Saturday, I went to a Farmer's Market near my mother's house in California. Their planting season is several weeks ahead of us here on the East Coast, so it was great to see so many wonderful fruits and vegetables laid out on rows and rows of tables.Now that farmer's markets are slowly opening again after a long winter, please take advantage of them. It's great to be able to meet and speak...

I was talking with my mom and brother the other day, and we were reminiscing about when my mother used to serve up a curry dip for company when I was a kid. Growing up, that was the only time I ever tasted curry, and I was always intrigued by the exotic taste. Now, I love all kinds of curry dishes. I hope you'll give this one a try. This is a cold soup, so you might have to wait a bit until the...