Fresh From Nancy's Garden

A Fun Place For Gardening Tips and Great Recipes

Hatch Chile Verde With Pork

Hatch Chiles. Yes, you can find mild ones, but I like them hot. I buy them fresh, then roast them on top of my gas stove. But if you don’t feel like going to all that trouble, no problem. Check out Bristol Farms, they have weekends devoted to roasting them and selling them ready to go. Every year I experiment with a new hatch Chile recipe and I think I […]

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This summer’s harvest–the good, the bad and the bugs

Summer in Laguna Beach this year was very gray and dreary. Not a lot of sun for tomatoes or peppers. But I kept at it. The cages around the raised beds did their job and I’m happy to say I only caught a couple rats! Below I will share my harvests and some pointers for new gardeners. If I can save anyone any aggravation I’ll be pleased. This is my […]

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Potato Salad Provencal

Need an easy side dish to bring to a 4th of July BBQ or a Bastille Day Celebration?Here it is–a Provencal potato salad. It’s super easy to make, and best of all, there’s no mayo, so need to keep it refrigerated on a warm day. In fact, it tastes best served at room temperature.I actually found a few fingerling potatoes in my garden along with the green beans, so I was happy […]

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Fresh Zucchini Lemon Salad with Pine Nuts and Parmesan

It doesn’t get any easier than this fresh zucchini salad! My garden is a little behind schedule because Laguna Beach has suffered through May Gray and now June Gloom. I haven’t had nearly enough sun and heat for my tomatoes, but the zucchini was ripe and ready.The sun is trying to come out today so I wanted to make a fresh raw salad. This was just what I needed. INGREDIENTS Zucchini–I used 3 small ones […]

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Spicy Green Lentils with Mushrooms and Spinach

We’re experiencing a true cold snap in Southern California–it was 40 degrees in Laguna Beach this morning! I know that’s practically a heat wave if you’re in the Midwest, but for us, it’s really, really cold. Because of the weather, I was inspired to make a nice warm dish of lentils. I found this recipe on Food & Wine and adapted it to make it a little spicier. The result? […]

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Sheet Pan Salmon with Potatoes and Asparagus

I went fishing in Alaska last summer and came home with 23 lbs. of fish. They have a great system–you catch it, they clean, flash freeze, and pack it for you, and it rides home on your plane. Then you pick it up at the oversize baggage claim, put it in your freezer and enjoy it all winter! But if your freezer isn’t filled with fresh-caught, just get a nice […]

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Southwestern Chicken Pot Pie That Easily Converts to Vegetarian!

This recipe is from Sunset magazine–March 1997. I use much fresher ingredients these days–from my garden, but this is still pretty healthy.  And if you’re a vegetarian, just use 3/4 pound potatoes instead and substitute 4 cups broccoli florets for the chicken. And the best news–only 384 calories per serving! Prep and cook time: About 1 hour and 40 minutes, including 1 hour baking. Makes: 1 pie, 6 servings Preheat oven […]

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Zucchini "Pasta" with Slow-Roasted Roma Tomatoes

I think the best $29 I spent last year was on my Spiralizer! Sure, you can spend a lot more, buy why would you? I got mine on Amazon and just love it. Not to sound like some cheesy commercial on late night cable TV, but it really does do it all. And it’s fun to use. Here’s what it looks like when you’re done spiralizing. After you lightly cook the […]

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Good-Luck Braised Cabbage for the New Year

Want 2018 to be a year of good luck, good health and prosperity? Then start with my good-luck braised cabbage. There are so many traditions about what food brings good luck for the new year–black-eyed peas, pork and sauerkraut, grapes, greens, corn bread and I could go on and on. But my favorite is braised cabbage. I think you’ll really like this version–even if you’re not a cabbage-lover. It’s slow-cooked […]

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