From the Kitchen of....

Need a quick and easy idea for dinner?  Loretta Torres, a friend who is a Master Gardener and an amazing cook, emailed this recipe to me.  It sounded so good, I had to share it with you. Should you decide to make it, give me call!  I'll be at your house for dinner AND I'll bring a salad!

Enjoy!

Loretta's Loaded Pasta Sauce

Ingredients:

Loretta, Cook Extraordinaire!

1 lb ground round

1 medium hot Italian sausage crumbled (remove casing)

3 cloves chopped garlic

1 medium carrot sliced thin

1/2 cup salsa

1 pint chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup dry red wine (optional)

1 TBS fresh basil

1/2 large red pepper, chopped

1 small onion

1 small zucchini, sliced & halved

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 lb penne pasta

Directions:

Saute ground round with sausage and garlic till browned. Add carrot, salsa, tomatoes, basil, and salt & pepper. If too thick, add 1/2 cup water. cook 20 minutes.  While cooking, put water to boil for pasta. Once boiling, add pasta to cook. Add red pepper, onion, zucchini to meat mixture.  Cook till pasta is done (12-14 minutes).

Notes from chef Loretta:  Total time for cooking and prep was about 30 minutes. "I made the sauce a bit thin so it was more summery with lots of flavor. This was a perfect amount for two hungry people but if you added a salad, it would be good for three or four."

Notes from Laura: Over half of the items used in this recipe can be found at your local growers' market!  If you shopped the markets in Valencia County, you'd be able to meet Loretta there! Nothing tastes better than produce right from a local garden and keeping your dollars in your community.

Office Perks

Hugs and smiles from
cuties like this.

A couple of years ago Huffington Post reported on elaborate office perks some companies provide to their employees.  Perks included things like snowboarding season passes, a significant stipend for overseas vacations, housekeeping services and climbing walls.  As an extension agent with New Mexico State University, I get some office perks as well. Below you'll find some of the perks I've had just this past week. Climbing walls or all of this?  I'm pretty sure I've got the better gig (although housekeeping services would sure be nice)!

Enjoying a class with my program participants.

A cookbook collection
donated by a client.

Beets fresh from a co-workers garden.

Red Geranium from a
Master Gardener.

Local honey from a client.

A fab new accessory from a 6 year old.

You Just Can't Beat a Beet!

Beets Fresh from the Garden

Beets have been a recent theme in the office. It started with a co-worker bringing me beets from her garden because she didn't know what to do with them.
Read More: Beet Preparation Methods

Then, I received a phone call inquiring as to what one could do with an abundance of beets the client had told her husband "not to plant in the first place." Can you freeze them?  You bet!
Read More: Freezing Vegetables

Arugula Beet Salad

Shortly after that, the Valencia Community Garden donated beets and other gorgeous produce as they do throughout the growing season to support our cooking programs. I'm so grateful for their generosity and impressive gardening skills.

I continued with the theme yesterday by having my Healthy Cuisine class participants prepare a delicious beet salad recipe. It was a hit with even the beet skeptics. Seriously friends, you just can't beat a beet!

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Beet Skeptic Becomes Beet Lover!

For more information on beet recipes, nutrition information, selection and storage tips click here.

What are you favorite recipes that call for beets? I'd love for you to share your ideas in the comment section below!

Green Guac

This is MUST SHARE, NEED TO KNOW, VERY IMPORTANT info!  While at the Taste of Home Cooking School, the instructor gave a great tip for preserving guacamole. You know how it gets brown and a little icky looking  after you make it and it has sat in the bowl for awhile? Some people swear by adding a bit of lemon juice or by leaving the avocado pit in the bowl.  If those tricks work for you, great! If not, try this...

Smooth out the guacamole in the bowl. Pour a 1/4 inch layer of water over the guacamole.  Yep, I said WATER! Cover and store in the refrigerator. Water is a perfect barrier against oxygen, and since guacamole is dense, a little liquid won't water it down. Before you serve the guacamole, pour off the water, give the guac a good stir and you're ready to enjoy!

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I'd Rather be Shopping at....

Years ago if someone were to ask my favorite place to shop, without hesitation I would respond, "Nordstrom!" The designer labels, quality, variety, expert lighting, over the top customer service and beautiful displays were so appealing even though the prices were typically way out of my budget.   While in college, I even completed an internship at the company's flagship store in Seattle.  During this time, one could purchase license plate holders which read, "I'd rather be shopping at Nordstrom." I always wanted one, but never did make that purchase.

These lotion bars... to die for!

Today, my license plate holder should read, "I'd rather be shopping at the farmers' market".  Much of what appealed to me about Nordstrom is true about a good growers' market.  Designer labels now mean knowing the farm or growers' name from where my produce comes, quality of the produce is superior compared to what I find at local groceries, and the variety of items I can purchase at markets is endless. Look at the lotion bars and goat milk soap I recently found!

The best find at the market?
The people!

These days, expert lighting comes from our New Mexico sun, market vendors provide excellent customer service (three generations of one family, the Torres', all serve with a smile) and the displays, well, nothing is more beautiful then a display of fresh fruits, vegetables and other unique items.

One thing that is different, is pricing.  Where Nordstrom's price points were once out of my budget,  I can actually afford to shop at my local farmers' market and I love knowing that my dollar is staying local and benefiting my community.

Luxurious goat milk soap.

Visit New Mexico Farmers Markets to find a market near you in New Mexico.

To find a market outside of New Mexico, contact your local Chamber of Commerce.

Taste the Rainbow... and I'm not talking Skittles!

Gorgeous radishes were the
inspiration for this weeks recipe.

Did you know, June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month?  Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of healthy eating. Most are naturally fat-free and low in calories while being packed full of 'good stuff' such as, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.  Although it varies some, most adults should eat between 1-1/2  to 2 cups of fruit, and at least 2 to 3 cups of vegetables every day. It's important to note that 1/2 cup of dried fruit should be counted as 1 cup of fruit and 2 cups of raw leafy greens should be counted as 1 cup of vegetables.

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Along with eating the recommended quantity of fruits and vegetables, also focus on eating a variety of colors. Think and taste the rainbow! Tomatoes, yellow zucchini, carrots, kale, eggplant, leeks, and chile are just a start.  Your local Growers' Market is a great place to shop the rainbow! I found these beautiful radishes at our local growers market and remembered this delicious (and easy!) dip recipe I wanted to share with you.  Enjoy!