On our recent stay at Drakesbad at Lassen National Park, we had a wonderful shrimp salad as a side with lunch. I was inspired to take the same ingredient and create a main dish. You’ll need: 1 pound shrimp, any size you like 1 clove garlic 1/2 sweet onion 1/2 pound green beens 4 ounces […]
food
Sierra Nevada Brewery
We just returned from a great weekend at Lassen National Park. On the way to the park, we stopped at the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico. Visiting breweries is an activity close to my heart. I think my family toured every Budweiser brewery on the east cost when I was a child. At least it […]
Boozy Summer Fruits
A little bit of effort in August will pay off during the holidays. Liquor soaked fruit makes a great gift and is great for holiday entertaining. Use the same quality of liquor you would use for mixed drinks. For this recipe, you’ll need: half pint canning jars and lids stone fruits such as peaches, plums, […]
Mr. Pepper Pants
or, Look What I Found at Target Curse you Target! Why is it that I always buy more than I need from your store? I found a great salt and pepper set while wandering through the store last weekend. Take off his pants if you need pepper! Best of all, these shakers match my much […]
Grilled Shrimp with Garlic Yogurt Dipping Sauce
This easy summer appetizer is great for company. I’ve served variations of the yogurt sauce all summer; it’s great with grilled salmon and as a dip for veggies. For this recipe you’ll need: 1 pound raw shrimp, any size you like 3 tablespoons olive oil 6 cloves garlic 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves 1 lemon […]
Global Grilling
We received this cookbook as a wedding gift. I love the variety and quality of recipes. Global Grilling – Sizzling Recipes from Around the World Jay Solomon Global Grilling has been on my bookshelf for a long time. This cookbook offers recipes for grilling all kinds of meat, fish and vegetables in a variety of […]
Basil Ice Cream
A few weeks ago I tried a recipe for basil custard that failed miserably. The ice cream machine rescued me and inspired me to create this basil ice cream. For this recipe you’ll need: 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup whole milk 1/2 cup sugar 6 egg yolks 1 large bunch basil, about 4 ounces […]
Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book
This cookbook gets a lot of use in my kitchen and it’s fun to read. Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book Ben Cohen & Jerry Greenfield with Nancy J. Stevens This is one of my favorite cookbooks. It contains great recipes, a charming narrative and fun illustrations. It’s true that I feel […]
Welcome to Farmer in the Vale!
Hi. My name is Linda. I live and work in Silicon Valley California. My “farm” is actually my suburban backyard. My yard contains fruit trees and vegetable beds, but no animals (yet). In this blog I intend to share recipes, gardening tips, and cookbook reviews. I also hope to share the occasional garden or kitchen […]