Rhubarb always reminds me of my grandmother. ย Late every spring, she froze rhubarb to enjoy throughout the year. ย To my grandmother, the word rhubarb did not just refer to the celery-like stalk, it was the actual recipe. ย Her rhubarb was just like applesauce, only red and with a perfect balance of sweet and tart. Though…
A big batch of this vibrant salad is easy to make and ideal for big family dinners, potlucks, and backyard BBQs. Or meal prep the salad for wholesome fare at the ready all week long. I adore broccoli. It doesn’t even have to be fancy. Simply steamed or raw and dipped in homemade ranch dressing, it’s all…
Over the last couple weeks, I’ve noticed rhubarb reappearing at our local farmers markets. I have held out buying any as the two rhubarb plants in our backyard garden have been growing quickly. I marvel at how briskly rhubarb grows ever spring, from those first early leaves that poke out of the ground when it…
For many years, my father had a hush-hush arrangement with a stand holder at Lancaster Central Market. I only learned about it last year when he delivered a coveted box of the first homegrown strawberries after I had come home empty handed only hours before. After shopping at Market for sixty-plus years, my father…
A delicious addition to a holiday table and anytime ham is served, this quick and easy recipe may be doubled and baked in a 9ร13-inch casserole. Can Easter really be less than a week away? After a weekend of delightful weather๏ผso welcome after the long, cold, snowy winter๏ผit’s actually starting to feel a bit…
This classic Irish stew was passed down from the decades old recipe box of an Irish friend. The tried-and-true recipe offers oven and slow cooker options, and the flavor improves over time, making it a great make-ahead meal. Most Americans think of stew as having a thick gravy base. But traditional Irish stew is more…
This slightly different preparation yields surprisingly delicious results. Consider preparing several at one time, as the parfaits will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. Preferring my granola crunchy, I was skeptical the first time I tried this. After resting in the fridge overnight, I was pretty sure the granola…
Somewhere between today and tomorrow is the two year anniversary of The Fountain Avenue Kitchen. ย You see, my site launched on February 29th–Leap Day–of 2012. ย There was a teacher in my elementary school who was born on Leap Day. ย I remember the year he turned nine (technically, 36). ย None of the kids could imagine celebrating…
Hearty and wholesome, this soup is a favorite in my family for its incredible flavor. Delightful on its own, although the optional toppings add to the soup’s broad appeal. For years I, like many cooks, rarely measured ingredients. We eat a lot of hearty soups, salads, and one-pot meals in our house, and this sort of cooking…
This bright green side dish is a recipe I made often in the early years of my marriage after stumbling upon Ina Garten’s very first cookbook. While she used olive oil in a similar preparation, avocado oil works beautifully here because of its extremely high smoke point. It’s a simple yet delicious…
After 12 fabulous years, I recently said farewell to the only car my almost 12-year-old son ever knew. Even my 15-year-old son hardly remembered the car that preceded this one, but after sinking progressively more money into it, the time had come. I had no idea what sort of car I wanted next, and we…