Blustery, East Coast winters make me crave warm, saucy and filling vegetable puff pies. My take on the traditional dinner or pot pie features an interchangeable combination of vegetables. Potatoes, parsnips, carrots, mushrooms, peas, pearl onions, garlic, and corn have all found their way into the pie’s filling. Blanketed with puff pastry, the vegetable pie is baked until golden brown on top and moist and tender inside. A brief history of dinner pies Indigenous to Northern Europe, dinner pies have been a popular since at least the 14th century. It’s no wonder. To make this easy dish, I begin with a gravy that I’ve made using a roux. I simmer the vegetables in this light gravy for 3 to 5 minutes, until warmed. I then spoon the ingredients into a pie pan or casserole, top them with puff pastry and the pan into into the oven. In less than an hour, I have a hearty dinner. The term “pie” supposedly earned its name from its range of diverse ingredients. The late British historian Alan Davidson …

What to do with all the basil that you grew in containers on your patio or fire escape or in your garden? The obvious choice is make pesto. But, then what do you do with all that pesto? If you’re someone who loves the earthy flavor of mushrooms, you might just drizzle it over baked portobello mushrooms. That brings me to this short entry and luscious, tender, and juicy offering, Pesto-Goat Cheese Portobello Mushrooms. So, grab a big bowl, collect an even bigger bunch of basil, and get ready for an extraordinary, pesto-dressed meal. Pesto-Goat Cheese Portobello Mushrooms Serves 2 Ingredients: for the pesto: 2 cups packed basil leaves, washed and dried ¼ cup blanched almonds 3 cloves garlic 1 to 2 ounces Pecorino Romano ½ teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper ½ cup extra virgin olive oil for the mushrooms: 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing baking dish 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon granulated garlic ¼ teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 portobello mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed 2 …

Timing really is everything. With a spouse who had switched to a vegetable-based diet and my own ongoing concerns about food waste I had become intrigued by the “ugly produce” delivery service Misfits Market. Whether online or walking down the street, I saw their name and boxes of imperfect fruits and vegetables everywhere. As a result, when a PR rep reached out and asked if I would be interested in covering Misfits Market, I took an extremely rare leap and said, “I might. Go ahead and send a sample box of produce.” What’s ugly produce? Ever come across a curled bell pepper, forked carrot or twisted parsnip at a chain supermarket? Probably not. These stores tend to focus on uniform, blemish-free foods. However, if you frequent farm stands and farmers’ markets and seek out organic, non-GMO goods, you’ve probably seen misshapen produce. Odd in appearance, these wholesome veggies and fruits usually are sold at reduced prices, that is, if they even make it to markets. Because they’re not as pretty and profitable as their perfect …