Having fun with tomatoes

I hear that click and I know what he has been up to ... sneaking through the gate and looking every time I come home with more tomato plants. Oh, yes, he knows where they are hidden, waiting to be planted. He’s serious. He built more raised garden beds. Last summer, I beat him by a 1/4 of an ounce in size of tomatoes harvested. He’s never come to terms with that. He planted tomatoes weeks ago (during the cold and snow). And he laughed at the size of my 2- and 3-inch tall ...

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Slather mustard on burgers off the grill

Happy May Day! Here we go, kicking off a busy month with JUCO frenzy, graduations, fishing for the big ones, picnics in the park and in the backyard. It’s also the official beginning of summer barbecue and burger season. The aroma of burgers on the grill that spreads through the neighborhood says it’s so. Who cares about the calendar. Let’s celebrate this time-honored season with mustards: Honey, Spicy Brown, Dijon, Honey Dijon, Wine Dijon and so many more. For well ...

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Be inspired by Easter hams, yams and more

Happy Easter! Happy spring! Appearing in refrigerators all over the valley, spring’s fresh asparagus and strawberries plus all the makings for that holiday dinner: fresh green beans, peas, pineapple, citrus, and sweet potatoes/yams, at good prices. And let us not forget the star: ham! I went to http://www.porkbeinspired.com and was I inspired. A recipe using plums with ham caught my eye and taste buds. I also checked North Carolina’s http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com and they ...

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Freeze frame: 
Flavors last 
in frozen flash

Time for another salute to Clarence Birdseye, who discovered the deliciousness of frozen foods by tossing some fish into a snow bank. He then noticed people living in the Arctic throwing fresh fish and meat in barrels of sea water and quickly freezing them in the arctic’s frigid temperatures. The creative thinker soon developed his “flash freeze” preservation method for foods in 1923. He sold his patents and trademarks in 1929 for $22 million, which led to frozen foods ...

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Quick soups to celebrate our new year the right way

Happy new year and happy national soup month! The Burmeister clan actually got started early on the January Soup Celebration with our family tradition of having soups and appetizers on Christmas Eve. Every year it’s Julie’s Mexican Meatball Soup and Cynthia’s Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (I shared her recipe in previous column). To kick January off, while taking down holiday decorations and to make my life easy, I fixed my husband, Fred’s, favorite version of an old ...

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On food: Make a mix in a jar to give as gift

A few Christmases ago, our granddaughter started making gifts in jars — jars containing dry ingredients with recipe cards telling how to use the mixes and what other ingredients need to be added. There were soups, hot drinks, snacks and dry spice mixes, cookies, bars, cakes and even smoothie mixes. She hints that those jars will appear this year and we’re ready! You can get as elaborate as you want or keep them simple as the recipes I have in this column. Carry this idea a ...

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2012 Palisade Peach Festival Recipe Contest winners

2012 Palisade Peach Festival Recipe Contest winning recipes CATEGORY: Home preserved First place and grand prize winner PEACH PEPPER JAM By Jill Young 3 pounds of ripe peaches (about 9 medium-sized peaches, enough to make 6 cups) 6 cups sugar (divided) 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper 1/2 cup finally chopped jalapenos or hot red chili peppers (I used fresh jalapenos) 1 cup white vinegar Peel peaches, cut up so you have 6 cups. (I leave some large chunks in mine) Sprinkle with ...

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On Food: Honeybee here to stay in Palisade

The fourth annual International Honeybee Festival in Palisade last weekend brought the importance of the honeybee, not only to our local produce, but to the world’s food supply, into clear focus. This festival can do nothing but grow, as appreciation and awareness of the impact bees make, is realized by all. My friend Chuck, started his “beekeeping” adventure with one bee hive. I’ve been on the receiving end of some awesome honey and were fortunate to take part ...

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On Food: What the devil makes these so eggcellent?

Just like spring, Easter is making an early appearance this year and it certainly fits, with all the fruit trees in bloom, happy tulips of all colors and those adorable daffodils. As I started this column, a young electrician was doing some work at our house…. having no pride, I asked him for his favorite Easter recipe. Then he turned around and asked me for interesting deviled egg recipes. After that I had four people ask me for Easter brunch ideas, so here you go. (And thanks ...

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On Food: Strawberries and asparagus, yes, it’s spring

It is officially spring, the time of year when it feels cold and windy so you put a wintertime comfort food in the Crock-Pot and by dinner time the clouds are gone and it’s in the high 60s and you’re ready for a light spring meal. Such is spring. But whatever the weather, have you tasted the wonderful fresh asparagus and strawberries now in stores? Both of these signs of spring taste pretty darn good to me, and they go well together in some tasty dishes. Speaking of asparagus ...

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On Food: Recipes for springtime

As I was welcoming winter — March 1–2 — by shoveling snow, I was thinking about March happenings and how to tie them together. There’s spring, National Nutrition Month and the appearance of Chef Glenn Smith of the Aspen Culinary School at Edesia, a celebration of fine food and spirits on March 18 at The Wine Country Inn. After some research, I learned that Smith, resident chef at the Aspen Culinary School, is also a professional fly fisherman, a stand up comedian, ...

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Pillsbury Bake-Off finalist vying for $1 million prize

How would you feel if you had a 1 in 100 chance of winning a million dollars? Not bad odds, wouldn’t you say? Frances Blackwelder of Grand Junction knows how it feels. Last August, while grocery shopping, she got the magic phone call that informed her she was a “potential finalist” in the 45th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest for a million dollars. “Potential finalist” meant paperwork, affidavits, forms to fill out and other details to be checked before she ...

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On Food: Super Bowl worthy grub

Ready for more Big Game Platter Chatter for the event that captures the “heart” of every football fan, even the once a year football fans? Yes. And although we are saddened by our Broncos loss, the parties will continue. It’s the biggest consumption Sunday of the year for pizza, snack foods, chili and avocados (guacamole). This year, include some foods of New England or New York. Enjoy and be good — include vegetable and fruit platters. Hot dog! New York Hot ...

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Sensible foods for January

A number of foods have January designated as “their” national month. Other foods have a National Day in January. I’m avoiding the days for cream puffs, blonde brownies, chocolate cake, croissant, whipped cream and so it goes. Hey, it’s January. We’re making efforts toward healthy eating and exercise So we’ll also forget that January is National Candy Month ... who came up with that between Christmas in December and Valentine’s Day in ...

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Let citrus fruits spark your meals

It always seems that our taste buds are ready for some fresh, wake-us-up healthy foods after the holidays. As I’ve said before, I think January should be National Citrus Month, and, by supermarket ads, it certainly looks like it could be. I have been consuming Cutie Oranges since early December. Often thought to be a tangerine variety or “baby” oranges, Cuties actually are two varieties of mandarin oranges: Clementine Mandarins and Murcott Mandarins. The Clementines ...

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Holiday dishes, with a dash of pomegranate

Years ago, we were invited to join a friend’s family tradition of having a holiday soup buffet with family and friends. Some were asked to bring a pot of a favorite soup along with the written recipe. The hosts had wonderful salads, crackers, veggie trays, and we all brought holiday goodies. The holiday lights and soft music made it warm and inviting as we enjoyed good food, lots of laughs and we went home with some new recipes. It has become our Christmas Eve family ...

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Prepare for Olathe sweet corn bounty

We haven’t had our first ear of local sweet corn yet, because like a variety of local produce our fabulous sweet corn is delayed due to the same reason I didn’t get to enter tomatoes in the fair this year, the weather. Look at it this way, we’ll savor the flavor of that first ear even more. Our area sweet corn is so sweet and tender we need to remember a few things: • Don’t overcook it. • It’s good uncooked or just blanched. • A simple way ...

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Slaw: Best of summer

Potato salad lovers may claim potato salad is “the No. 1 outdoor summer salad,” but is there any salad that seems to complement barbecues, picnics and any form of outdoor eating better than the good ole’ coleslaw?  And, I would venture to say there are as many ways to make it as there are to make potato salad. So move over potatoes, today it’s all about the slaw. Easy to fix and easy to serve, coleslaw goes well with just about all grilled foods. It’s ...

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CattleWomen share what a cheap cut of beef can do

They are proud of their product, and they want to show us how to prepare delicious and nutritional dishes with it. Who are they? The American National CattleWomen! First known as the Cowbelles and later as CattleWomen, they’re in many areas in Colorado, including here, where they are the Mesa County CattleWomen, formed in the ‘50s, and Plateau Valley CattleWomen, started in 1944. Our local groups have made many contributions to the beef industry. Have you heard of the ...

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‘May’ the barbecue season begin

May is National Barbecue Month. Can’t you just smell the aroma of a good steak or burger on the grill? While on an evening walk, have you found yourself salivating and trying to detect just where that aroma is coming from? Have you wondered if those grilling were taught to share? Well, get your own grill going with these recipes. Have a great Memorial Day weekend. Let us never forget why we have it. Grilled Pork Chops and Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Serves four. 4 1-inch thick ...

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Traditional family foods perfect for Easter dinner

Traditional family dishes have and always will be important to family holiday dinners. Ham, raisin sauce, scalloped potatoes, asparagus and a spring salad are the current favorites at my family’s Easter dinner table. Many families include dishes symbolic of their heritage, which means there will be pans of lasagna, enchiladas, Greek salads or other dishes added to the occasion. Passover has come into our family with friends and through marriage. Some of those traditional dishes now ...

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For perfect Easter eggs, do not boil

National Egg Month always should be the same month as Easter, especially since 164 million eggs were purchased for Easter celebrations in the United States last year, according to the Incredible, Edible Egg group. That means lots of egg dye, food coloring, egg salad, deviled eggs and all kinds of egg dishes for the holiday. This year, as I have for a number of years now, will I’ll tell you the best way to get perfectly hard-cooked eggs for coloring or just for peeling and ...

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Gluten-free millet gaining ground in U.S.

Mention millet and most will say it’s in bird feed and other animal feed. I imagine few of you have it on your grocery list. But it may appear there in the near future. Although it has been eaten by people for centuries around the world as a major food source, it is finally gaining in popularity in the food (for humans) industry here in the United States because it is highly nutritious and has a nutty whole grain taste. The Colorado Department of Agriculture says the gluten-free ...

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Dixie: Dishing on Mardi Gras

Throw on the beads, a mask and a wild outfit, then gather your friends and cook up some of these recipes for a Mardi Gras party! Easter isn’t until late April, which makes “Fat Tuesday” seem awfully late this year, but not too late to celebrate. Jambalaya (casserole type) and gumbo (more like soup) come to mind whenever thinking of Louisiana, especially at Mardi Gras. My husband’s brother, Gordon, lived in New Orleans for many years and was deep into the foods and ...

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Mex-Asian the best of both flavors

The big-game guacamole, salsas, tacos and tortilla chips are but a memory, the Valentine’s Day chocolate is still being savored, and the Year of the Rabbit Celebration for the Chinese New Year is winding down. Our family loves Asian food as much as we love Mexican food. We don’t wait for special occasions to enjoy the dishes of both cultures. These days, you’ll find the flavors of both are beginning to blend, creating some very tasty dishes. You’ll also find those ...

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Satisfy your snack hunger with recipes from Coca-Cola

As the big day approaches, is there more talk about the game or what will be served before, during and after the game? Super Bowl Sunday is one of the biggest snack food days of the year, and food and drink are definitely the topics of conversation as fans plan their parties. I plan to make pulled beef with a can of Coke and enchilada sauce that we served for a Super Bowl gathering a couple years ago. We created our own recipe, but there are many, if not hundreds, of versions of this ...

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Firefighters take action in the kitchen

Late last fall, I had breakfast with the Retired Fire Fighters of Mesa County. There were about 20–25 good looking and humorous guys. (Jealous ladies?) The group is made up of local retired firefighters and some firefighters who retired to Mesa County from other parts of the country, including Alaska and California. The group welcomes currently serving firefighters as well. It makes for a dynamic group full of energy, great stories and delicious recipes, because as we all know, ...

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Start the year eating meat, soup and tea

Even when trying to eat sensibly during November and December, “little bites” of those holiday special foods can amount to a little overdose of sweetness and the richness of those foods. Most, but not all, of the foods designated to be “observed” during the month January give us a delicious and healthy dose of reality. I never found out what authority really makes food/meal-of-the-month designations, and some make me wonder. But here I’ve noted some of the ...

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Aromas remind that holidays have arrived

How many of you can almost smell the aromas of Christmas that are so tied to memories, family traditions and magical times. Those memories can make you smile, some will cause tears and others will make you, well, hungry. And, as we all know, new traditions and memories are constantly being blended with the old. It’s all a part of the season. Whenever I smell something that smells like my grandma’s (and mom’s) Bohemian Christmas kolaches or mom’s refrigerator ...

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Recipes tap pomegranate benefit, taste uniqueness

Since my stuffing/dressing column, I learned Southerners also call dressing stuffing and Northerners have dressing and stuffing recipes. Judging the reactions of my readers, this issue requires more research. What do you think my chances are for a grant to further study this subject? Moving on ... Pomegranates are in season and steadily growing in popularity because of their arils’ (seeds) delicious snappy taste and nutritional benefits. Wear a body bib if seeding pomegranates the ...

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New recipes from the Senior Fair

This column fulfills a Senior Fair promise to include the recipes for new ideas served at the event. And I hope you’re ready for another pumpkin recipe along with my new twist on a cranberry relish/spread I got from Ball and, of course, changed and added to it. After the fair, I tried a few more tasty holiday recipes made with another favorite, sweet potatoes (the deep orange ones I call yams). Holiday Pumpkin Cake/Dessert 1 Spice cake mix 1 15-ounce can pumpkin Mix pumpkin and ...

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Boo! Here’s plenty of pumpkin for you

Boo! To you! Yes, my favorite time of year is here. As I write this, I am totally stuffed with pumpkin stuff. I experimented with one of my favorite Halloween recipes; Libby’s (http://www.nestlesverybestbaking.com) recipe for a layered dip made with canned pumpkin. The first time I served it, I didn’t say a word about pumpkin being in it (would have frightened everyone). It was a hit. All who ate it were surprised! Then an idea came to me. Why not combine the ingredients, ...

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Fall into seasonal recipes

Ahh, consider the beautiful fall colors: the rich deep oranges of butternut squash, pumpkins and yams; the pear shades of red, gold and greens; and the rich browns of ... pot roast, potatoes, gravy — and chocolate. A bit of a stretch, but it makes my husband, Fred, happy. Wait! There’s one more fall color. After seeing last Friday’s all-pink Daily Sentinel, it’s pretty obvious that “pink is in.” You’ll see it everywhere in October in honor of ...

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Late summer food thoughts

I was in the midst of Palisade Peach Recipe Contest check-in frenzy when suddenly a man approached me. He seemed somewhat familiar, and he was holding his darling little daughter. “Dixie, I’m Steve Beauregard, I read your column,” he said. Oh no, The Daily Sentinel’s Asparagus Hater columnist! Where are the asparagus spears when you need them! As we talked, I relaxed as I realized asparagus words would never hurt, as long as he didn’t eat those words. But ...

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Brown bag lunches, and quick dinners

Back to school means back to more hectic routines for both students and parents. And that means not only packing nutritious school lunches that will actually be consumed, but to also preparing quick, delicious evening meals while trying to make it to all those after-school activities and organization meetings that seem to gain speed once fall arrives. On this first day of September, with school already in session, I’ll ignore the calendar and say fall has arrived and that means ...

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Prime peach: Baker named winning cobbler after her daughters

The Palisade Peach Festival Recipe Contest definitely celebrated the power of the taste of the Palisade peach with more than 110 entries. What a year and what fun we all had Saturday. A huge thank you to those who entered, our volunteers, committee members and the judges. Elizabeth Bissonnette, who received the grand prize in the miscellaneous non-refrigerated category, couldn’t be at the festival for the announcement of the winners because she was working. When I called her Sunday ...

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After uncooperative spring weather, it’s time to enjoy ribbon-quality tomatoes

The old saying “a day late and a dollar short” applies, in a way, to the lack of ripe tomatoes to enter in the Mesa County Fair’s open class on July 19. Only in this case it was “three days late and ribbons short” for me and even longer for my husband Fred. Three days after the fair entry deadline, I had six beautiful, ripe, ribbon-quality tomatoes. Unfortunately, many gardeners have shared in this dilemma, since there weren’t any tomatoes entered in ...

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Palisade-grown peaches secret to winning at annual contest

What is the secret to a prize-winning recipe in the Palisade Peach Recipe Contest? Ask the judges, contestants and those who enjoy the sample sales after judging, and they’ll tell you it’s the Palisade peaches. Growers spent many sleepless nights this past spring protecting these peaches so we can savor the flavor ... and so you can enter the Palisade Peach Recipe Contest on Aug. 21. Go to http://www.palisadepeachrecipecontest.com for more information. Now, here are some ...

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Old Weber grill great for brisket

As I write this, I’m contemplating the effects of an unplanned shower of Miracle Grow in the face and all over the hair. Those screw-on bottles of liquid for a sprayer tricked me into holding said sprayer in the wrong direction. So what does this mean for me? Growing tomatoes can be dangerous. Two weeks ago I promised to share by husband Fred’s fabulous brisket recipe. Considering all the questions he received after the last column, I’d better get this in before you ...

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Pick your meat, then celebrate Father’s Day, 4th of July

Why not be adventurous this year for Father’s Day and for the Fourth of July by raising the bar a bit on the meats that take center stage. Then add sweet corn, a huge dark green salad, local cherries or apricots, green onion slices and toasted almonds. Don’t forget the watermelon and liquefied watermelon ice cubes for the lemonade. My husband Fred says three meat recipes for a three-day weekend for the Fourth works for him. Fortunately, my friends at the Pork Council, Turkey ...

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Healthy recipes just in time for Relay for Life

June: What do I think of besides warmer weather to help those tomatoes really grow after this cold spring? I think of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, which has become a tradition with hundreds of valley citizens. I once walked it, with my daughters and their friends, up in Eagle County.  The theme for teams that year was “TV Series.” We went as the housewives on Wisteria Lane, dressed in sweats (cold up there at night) with fancy aprons, feather boas ...

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Month of May means time to grill, make salad

It’s May, there’s a big three-day weekend is coming up and it’s National Hamburger Month. I planned to produce a long list of hamburger ideas for this column, then until I saw “The 20 Burgers of Summer” series. (Note the second recipe in the series on this page.) So I told myself to be flexible and move to plan B. But I will at least mention: My husband, Fred’s, favorite burger has blue cheese crumbles and finely minced onion gently mixed in the ...

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Here’s a family favorite for Cinco de Mayo

As my husband, Fred, was watching “Iron Chef” the other night,  the secret ingredient — chocolate — prompted the question, “who eats chocolate in main dishes?” “You,” I said. “Many times.” He was surprised. It was then that I decided to share on Cinco de Mayo a family favorite from a cookbook given to me a long time ago. In parenthesis are changes I made to fit our family. Chicken Mole Excerpted from “The ...

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All around, rumblings of ‘tomato thing’ can be heard

“It” started a few weeks ago as I was saying goodbye to my dentist. With my sparkling clean smile and clean bill of dental health, he wished me good luck. With what? Good luck for continued cavity free status? No. Good luck with my frantic preparation for the health fair? No again. Then, in almost a whisper, he said, “no, you know, good luck with the “tomato thing.” Oh no! My husband and tomato-growing competitor, Fred, had been to the dentist for his ...

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It’ll bee a honey of a festival

Last year, local growers and Palisade business people were sitting around, discussing various events, when all of a sudden, an idea started buzzing around the group. That idea focused on a little creature that is crucial to our valley agriculture (actually, agriculture worldwide): the honeybee. Off they went to organize, plan and produce the first Honey Bee Festival last fall. After a fun festival, the group gave the idea some more thought that led to a date change. What better time to ...

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Dixie shares tasty recipes from the health fair

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Do you have the brisket in the crock pot and the cabbage ready to go? Last weekend was the Grand Valley Health Fair and I promised to print here the recipes I served. I had the best crew to help in our booth. Along with my great group of friends, we had three new Collbran Job Corp friends: Tranzinny Nunez, Trent Thomas and Whitney LaFlver. They never complained, stuck with the jobs at hand and were so much fun. I’ll take them any time. Thanks ...

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Frozen Food Month shines on fish, seafood

Spring is coming (really), and that means it’s time to “spring” into good taste and good health with National Nutrition Month and The Grand Valley Health Fair March 12–13 at Central High School. Come by my health fair booth to taste some new ideas. It’s also National Frozen Food Month, meaning good buys on healthy frozen foods, plus other good buys on grapes, strawberries, asparagus, artichokes, citrus, cabbage and seafood. There’s delicious fresh and ...

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Beef a super choice for this Sunday

The Big Game is this weekend. What are you serving? If you’re going to a party, what are you taking? It’s National Beef Month, perfect timing for some great beef dishes for this Sunday, and they’re easy to do. The leaner cuts of beef — there are 29 of them — are trendier these days. A list of those cuts can be found at http://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com (click on “lean beef”). I think you’ll be surprised at the fat content of many beef ...

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Gingerbread creations a big hit with Palisade holiday celebrants

As I write this, I still have visions dancing in my head of whimsical and artistic gingerbread houses, a carrousel, village, church, gingerbread men ice fishing, trucks, radio station, historical buildings, even an outhouse and a fruit stand with hundreds of tiny fruits and vegetables. All the entries were made of gingerbread and other edible things. The quality, charm and creativity brought exclamations of unbelief, awe and artistic appreciation by the hundreds of people who visited ...

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Cranberry recipes set course toward Christmas

The Halloween candy is gone, except for two snack size Almond Joys hidden in the freezer by a certain coconut lover (my husband, Fred). Little pilgrims are appearing on the mantel now with fall leaves and little pumpkins, minus one. Among the silk fall leaves, one live mini-pumpkin played a trick on me. It rotted, unnoticed, and left an ugly, black stain on the oak mantel. Let’s just say I won’t say anything about hidden candy if my husband doesn’t say much while ...

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