Category Archives: Recipes

I’m Dreaming of a Bacon Christmas

December 24, 2012 by rachelocal

I can just hear Bing Crosby singing THESE words to one of my favorite Christmas songs… I’m dreaming of a bacon Christmas With every shopping trip I take Where the pork is double smoked And everyone knows Thick cut is no joke I’m dreaming of a bacon Christmas With every breakfast menu I plan Where the bacon fat glistens And everyone listens To hear that sizzle in the pan I’m dreaming of a bacon Christmas Just like the ornaments Jules […]

Categories: Fall Recipes, Recipes, Spring Recipes, Summer Recipes, Winter Recipes • Tags: bacon, breakfast, Christmas, food, holiday, humor, life, poetry

I’ve-Overindulged-One-Too-Many-Times Red Lentil Stew

December 17, 2012 by rachelocal

You know the lyrics… It’s that time of year when the world falls in love. Every song you hear seems to say…. Eat pies. And cake. Now try this ham with maple glaze. Wash it down with some fudge. This time of year is TERRIBLE for healthy eating. Cookies, pies, meat-heavy dishes, hot chocolate, copious amounts of red wine, and cheese plates are everywhere. Making good choices is difficult and overindulgence becomes a habit. I’ve overindulged one too many times […]

Categories: Fall Recipes, Local Stores, Recipes, Winter Recipes • Tags: Christmas, food, health, holidays, life, locavore, Whole Foods

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Catch Phrase and Sweet Potato Whoopie Pies

December 14, 2012 by rachelocal

Two Saturdays ago what was intended as a relaxing evening with friends turned into fierce battle. I spent the night yelling at the top of my lungs, rolling my eyes a lot, and throwing a black and red disc at the person to my left. Oh, and laughing until my insides hurt. Catch Phrase has to be the greatest game ever invented. The game becomes even more monumental when played while wearing comfy yoga pants and sipping on some good […]

Categories: Fall Recipes, Recipes, Winter Recipes • Tags: Catch Phrase, dessert, food, friendship, games, life, local

Why I’m the Best Wife Ever

December 10, 2012 by rachelocal

I could list hundreds of ways I’m the best wife ever. I do obvious “wife” things like cook and the occasional load of laundry. I also do less obvious things like buy The Husband Legos for Christmas every single year and shave the back of his neck between haircuts. But today, I reached the pinnacle of best-wife-ever-ness. It started with a day off. Completely off with NOTHING TO DO. A rarity. Let me fill you in on the details. After […]

Categories: Fall Recipes, Recipes, Winter Recipes • Tags: chili, family, food, gaming, humor, life, local, love, Playstation 3, video games

Name That Recipe GIVEAWAY – Behold the Winner

November 27, 2012 by rachelocal

The time has come to declare a winner in my first ever Name That Recipe GIVEAWAY contest. I needed a name for my chocolate muffin thingies topped with ganache and served with local pumpkin ice cream, and you all came through splendidly. So splendidly that I had a hard time choosing. I loved them ALL. Here’s a complete list of the contenders… The Devil Made Me Do It Cupcakes Died and Gone to Heaven Cupcakes The Cocoamotion Oh my Ganache! […]

Categories: Giveaways, Recipes • Tags: dessert, food, humor, local, video, vlog

Name That Recipe GIVEAWAY

November 21, 2012 by rachelocal

Looking to my blogging mentor Jules (Go Jules Go) I’ve decided to be just like her copy her steal her thunder take her advice and host a giveaway. Since she’s tapped the market on ‘stache glasses, slap bracelets, and even canvas prints, I had to come up with something really clever to give away. I would love to send the inevitable winner a bevy of local products, but since winter squash and old potatoes are all that’s local right now, […]

Categories: Fall Recipes, Giveaways, Recipes, Winter Recipes • Tags: cake, chocolate, food, local, name that recipe

Fall Feast Friendsgiving

November 19, 2012 by rachelocal

A few weeks ago I sent out Fall Feast invitations to some old and new friends. Since I love to cook and fall is my favorite season, I enjoy celebrating by making a huge seasonal dinner. I realized today that what I’ve been calling a “Fall Feast” is really my own version of “Friendsgiving,” which is just like Thanksgiving but with friends, as the name so obviously implies. No turkey at my Friendsgiving, though. This year I put a twist […]

Categories: Fall Recipes, Local Stores, Recipes, Winter Recipes • Tags: beef stew, fall, food, friendsgiving, life, local, thanksgiving

How a Locavore Gets Through the Winter

November 12, 2012 by rachelocal

As I hack into another winter squash, I’m realizing this locavore business just got real. Winter is almost here. Fall is passing with an ever decreasing selection of fruits and vegetables. My favorite Honeycrisp apples are long gone, and the excitement of fall colors is fading to gray. As I puree another butternut squash or seed another pumpkin, I’m thinking of the juicy burst of a sun-ripened cherry tomato. It’s only pre-Thanksgiving November and way too early to reminisce about […]

Categories: Fall Recipes, Recipes, Spring Recipes, Winter Recipes • Tags: food, local, photography, seasons, soup, thai, vegan, vegetarian, winter

Amish-Inspired Sweet and Tangy Cabbage with Chicken Sausages

October 31, 2012 by rachelocal

On Thursday of last week, the husband and I headed to the Amish Dutch Country Farmers Market. This is a trip I usually make by myself. I have it down to a science; the entire trip only takes about 50 minutes from start to finish (and it’s a full 15 minutes from my house). But when the husband comes with me, I always get sidetracked. First, we taste every single peanut, almond and dehydrated green bean on display at the […]

Categories: Fall Recipes, Farmer's Markets, Recipes • Tags: fall, farmer's market, food, halloween, life, local, Polish, shopping

The Spider Queen Bakes (thanks to the world wide web)

October 28, 2012 by rachelocal

Panic was setting in. I was indecisive and pessimistic about the near future. I was loosing sleep at night, having nightmares of goblins, zombie pirates, and evil queens. I felt as if EVERYTHING was hanging in the balance. Believe it or not, my indecision had nothing to do with politics. This past weekend, my lovely friend Nicole threw a Halloween party at her house. Costumes encouraged, of course. I received the invitation four weeks ago and immediately began planning a […]

Categories: Fall Recipes, Random, Recipes • Tags: baking, costume, entertaining, fall, food, halloween, internet, local, pumpkin

How to Create a More Sustainable Delaware (and Pumpkin Pie Pudding)

October 18, 2012 by rachelocal

I am a recent contributor to GreenDelaware magazine, a brand new resource for all things green in the First State. You can find it for FREE at any number of Delaware coffee shops and bookstores. Here’s my first article–about Toby, my CSA farmer. Produce at its Best – LOCAL At Bayberry Farm in Middletown, Toby Hagerott is sustaining Delaware, one crop at a time The first time I met Toby Hagerott, 35, of Bayberry Farm, he was selling produce at […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Fall Recipes, Local Farms, Recipes • Tags: fall, farmer's market, farming, food, green, local, pumpkin, writing

Long Time No Blog

October 11, 2012 by rachelocal

Dear Readers, Please excuse my absence as of late. I have been stricken with some sort of plague. In reality, I came down with bronchitis, a sinus infection and an ear infection, all in one fell swoop. I believe the extra congestion in my head has inhibited my ability to think coherently. Hence, no blogs. I am pleased to say that I guest posted over at Rantings of an Amateur Chef. So head over there to see my recipe for Welcome Back […]

Categories: Random, Recipes • Tags: food, humor, life, local, TV

Pepper-licious Grilled Chicken Thighs

September 20, 2012 by rachelocal

Last week after I played Peppermeister Roulette, I was left with a runny nose, a burning sensation in the back of my throat, and a rainbow of pretty peppers. Since these peppers were grown with love and care by the great Peppermeister, I wanted to find just the right recipe to do them justice. I found what I wanted over at Skinny Girls and Mayonnaise in a post called Phoenix from the Flames, a fitting title for Peppermeister’s prized peppers […]

Categories: Gardening, Recipes, Summer Recipes • Tags: barbecue, BBQ, corn, food, hot peppers, life, local, summer

Tomato Sunshine

September 7, 2012 by rachelocal

On our way back from a few days at the beach over the long weekend, the husband and I decided to do some shopping. Due to limited time, I had a choice to make: clothes shopping at the beach outlets (Coach, Michael Kors, and J. Crew to name a few) or food shopping at produce stands. What do you think this locavore chose? Produce stands obviously! Heading toward Route 1, we stopped at Tomato Sunshine, a Garden Center and Farmers […]

Categories: Fall Recipes, Farmer's Markets, Local Stores, Recipes, Summer Recipes • Tags: food, Labor Day, life, local, Rehoboth Beach, shopping, summer, sun dried tomatoes, vegetarian

Guilt-Free Tomato, Basil, and Red Onion Summer Salad

August 17, 2012 by rachelocal

I feel guilty about something. I’m not even sure why I feel guilty about this particular thing. I didn’t commit a crime, like a hit and run or insurance fraud. In fact, I hurt nothing and no one. I should NOT feel guilty at all. But such is my nature: riddled with guilt and regret. It all started when I picked up my CSA farm share this afternoon. I already felt guilty about that because I was SUPPOSED to pick […]

Categories: Delaware Farms, Local Farms, Recipes, Summer Recipes • Tags: farmer's market, food, gardening, life, local, salad, summer, vegetarian