Have you ever found something "strange" at the Farmer's Market, like kale or cauliflower & had no idea what to do with it? Keep in mind, these foods aren't strange at all. They are normal, flavorful foods our grandmothers would have eaten regularly. The stuff they try to sell at the fast food "restaurants" is strange.
Eating Local - Sur La Table has recipes for everything you'd buy from your local farmer & then some. It even has a recipe for eggplant that looks edible! So go ahead, try something new (like carrots that have never been wrapped in plastic, gasp!) Your tastebuds will thank you.
Ok, not ready to get adventurous with your food? I hear ya. Let's start with the basics.
The Art of Simple Food - Alice Waters explains how to select fresh food & cook it up in simple recipes. Seriously, it has a recipe for scrambled eggs. It doesn't get more basic than that. Just don't confuse "simple"with "boring". With fresh ingredients & simple recipes, you can actually taste the food.
The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer - Joel Salatin - Well, this one pretty much explains itself. Always questioning the logic in "conventional" farming, some people might call Joel a "lunatic". Don't think it bothers him though. No sir! Being a "lunatic" farmer has brought Joel sheer ecstasy. In this book, he explains how you can become a "lunatic" farmer & actually ENJOY FARMING. Like all of Joel's books, this one is engaging, encouraging & bursting at the margins with useful information. A must read for anyone who produces food, or cares where it comes from.
& a movie
It's a good thing
Temple Grandin has a website, because I would need a month of Sundays to list all of her amazing achievements. When she still didn't speak at age 4, Temple's doctor urged her mother to put her in an institution. (this was before autism even had a name, let alone any kind of understanding) Well, of course her mother refused. Given a supportive, encouraging childhood, Temple went on to graduate high school and college. She now holds a PhD in animal science. She has a wonderful understanding of animal behavior, which helps her design facilities that are more humane for livestock. She has even written several books about autism. So, check out her website, read one of her books, watch the movie (my kids watched it over & over & over...). You will not be disappointed, I promise.
What better way to interrupt cabin fever than with pie? It makes the house smell great & warms the kitchen. It's also a tasty way to get my kids to eat more fruits & veggies! Oh yeah, pie counts as a fruit. So, we celebrated National Pie day with two pies. I found the recipe for "Humble Pie" on the King Arthur website. I used frozen peaches & blackberries, because it's what I had. Instead of dried buttermilk powder, I used plain powdered milk. It still tastes great to me. 
