Just a few words of wisdom about cooking, gardening, and watercolor art.
The Trout Collection: Fly Fishing and the Waters of My Youth
Ripe and Roasted Mar 18, 2023
As a little girl, summertime brought my family to the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness of Montana, where the primary pastime was fly fishing. Still today, the memories
Captivated by Coffee: Introducing the Coffee Greeting Cards
Ripe and Roasted Jan 20, 2023
Starting my day with a steaming cup of hot coffee is one habit I particularly enjoy, and one I’m sure many of you share. Coffee
Seeking Simplicity in the Christmas Season
Ripe and Roasted Dec 22, 2022
The dusk is crystal and cold, the skyline rose colored. Tree branches etch their way across the sky. The white snow and black branches create
Let’s Ditch the Dry Turkey
Ripe and Roasted Nov 11, 2022
Can I admit to you, my dear friends, that I sometimes find the Thanksgiving meal boring? There it is. Out in the open. But hear
Introducing the 2022 Holiday Greeting Cards
Ripe and Roasted Oct 26, 2022
As the Christmas season nears, I wanted to share the stories that shaped this year’s collection of holiday greeting cards…
Pinecone
It was autumn on the shores
Fall Art Release: Vegetable Watercolor Collection
Ripe and Roasted Aug 25, 2022
The Hum of Autumn
The dawn is crisp as I step into my garden. This coolness is new and refreshing. I know the day will heat
Summer Flower Cards: About the New Art Collection
Ripe and Roasted Jul 14, 2022
Every summer growing up, my family would pack into the car and travel across Minnesota and North Dakota. We’d end up just into the eastern
12 Beginner Garden Tips for Growing Your Garden
Ripe and Roasted Jun 1, 2022
Gardening should be simple, but it’s often more involved than it seems. Especially if you’re new to growing your garden, what can you do to
The Charm of Garden Bulbs: New Watercolor Art
Ripe and Roasted May 3, 2022
It seems like spring has had to work overtime to get winter to exit the scene this year. But finally, the rains are here, the
How to Grow Garlic: A 7-Step Guide
Ripe and Roasted Apr 14, 2022
SUMMARY: The process of how to grow garlic is simple once you know the key points. First, decide what varieties to plant, and prepare the
Cooking with a Hint of Sweetness: Gourmet Fruit Art Collection
Ripe and Roasted Mar 6, 2022
Figs, apricots, quince, persimmons, and grapes; these gourmet fruit varieties stem from such unique lineages but possess similar captivating applications in the kitchen.
These are a
The Story Behind the Mountain Wildflower Collection
Ripe and Roasted Jan 9, 2022
Wildflowers of My Life
Mountain wildflowers have been part of the formative memories in my life. Not only did they proliferate on the dry mountainside of
Persimmon – The Unsung Holiday Fruit
Ripe and Roasted Nov 20, 2021
Holiday Memories
As I dipped my spoon into the steamy rust-colored persimmon pudding, the rich, spicy aroma wafted from the dish. A little of the accompanying
Art from the Garden
Ripe and Roasted Nov 15, 2021
My Love for Art
In my kitchen hangs a painting of a sprouting potato. An unassuming thing, but it brings me joy. Its creator was Betty
The Autumn Garden’s End
Ripe and Roasted Oct 22, 2021
One Dreary Autumn Day
It had rained overnight, so as I stepped out the door, a fresh layer of fallen ochre-colored sugar maple leaves greeted me.
An Ode to My Mother
Ripe and Roasted Aug 29, 2021
Chokecherry Picking
We stained our fingers deep red, and our buckets mounded high with the chokecherries we’d been gathering all morning. My mother, my children, and
Roasting as a Pastime
Ripe and Roasted Jun 11, 2021
Roasted Italian Memories
The evening was stormy. Cracks of thunder played overhead. As we hurried up the old cobbled street, our feet danced around the growing
A Lemony Life
Ripe and Roasted Apr 23, 2021
Dreaming of Lemons
I have always wanted a row of lemon trees in my yard. You know the look; fruit trees planted in massive pots along
My Kind of Bowling
Ripe and Roasted Mar 14, 2021
A Bowl for a Chilly Night
It was the evening of Valentine’s Day. The temperature outside hovered around 20 degrees below zero as the coldness sunk
Grapefruit for Breakfast
Ripe and Roasted Jan 30, 2021
The icy wind freezes on my face as I make my way through the neighborhood on my early morning walk. The middle of winter greets
An Unconventional Holiday: Pies, Tarts, and Crusts
Ripe and Roasted Nov 23, 2020
A French Thanksgiving
The year was 1977. My parents, brother, and I were spending the year in Strasbourg, France. As the end of November neared, we
A Year for Beans
Ripe and Roasted Oct 20, 2020
“Never ever ever mess around with my greens. Especially the beans!” My sentiments exactly. This line from the musical Into the Woods echoed through my
Vice Principles
Ripe and Roasted Sep 16, 2020
Apple Butter Memories
The apple butter is bubbling thickly on the stovetop. Bubbles the size of quarters is what I’m shooting for. The rich, sweet aroma
For the Love of Tomatoes
Ripe and Roasted Aug 14, 2020
How is it that our favorite vegetable is only available in its perfectly ripened glory for a couple months in late summer? Tomatoes, naturally sweetened
Random Beauty: Self-Seeding
Ripe and Roasted Jun 24, 2020
It was a cool, late spring afternoon. The sun shone, but there was a slight bite in the air. We were itching to dig outside
The Bread of Home
Ripe and Roasted May 29, 2020
Memory
The heady aroma of fresh bread wafting from the kitchen greets me. We are visiting my grandparents on their wheat farm in eastern Montana. Earlier
Garden Planning to Soothe the Soul
Ripe and Roasted Apr 28, 2020
Spring Planting
Seed catalogs litter my couch. I keep pouring over the pages of flowers and vegetables. I have garden tabs open across the top of
How to Make a Braise: Basic Comfort Food
Ripe and Roasted Mar 25, 2020
The day is cloudy and grey. Our country’s spirits reflect the weather outside. We have been asked as a society to stay home, to limit
The Winter Blues
Ripe and Roasted Jan 29, 2020
It is a hazy day, one of those calm, icy days where our souls can take a deep sigh of relief. Today is a needed
Tokens of Christmas Warmth
Ripe and Roasted Dec 21, 2019
Spoon Cookies
The night is waning; dawn has not yet arrived. Pats of unsalted butter melt in the saucepan. With a silicone scraper, I stir back
Apples are Autumn
Ripe and Roasted Oct 14, 2019
I step outside, and the clear, cool air of autumn greets me. A breeze rustles the leaves above. I look up and catch my breath
A Garlic Obsession
Ripe and Roasted Sep 13, 2019
Anyone who knows me knows that I have long had a love affair with garlic. Where garlic is concerned, more is definitely more.
Lettuce: The Shoulder Season Crop
Ripe and Roasted Jun 17, 2019
My garden is planted. The carrots, beets, and kale are poking through the ground, the strawberries still little green orbs. Tiny flowers adorn the tomatoes
The Rise of Spring
Ripe and Roasted May 5, 2019
Awakening Creation
Spring. Warm, sunny days. Cool rains. The green of the budding trees is almost electric, and emerging plants are the same. Their lime color
The Inspiration Beside Me
Ripe and Roasted Apr 3, 2019
Greeted with Open Arms
We had been driving all day and arrived at the cabin just before dinner. What greeted us was beyond the scope of
Gifts to Myself
Ripe and Roasted Mar 1, 2019
There it is. In black and white. I have finally admitted it. Twice in my life I bought myself a gift. The first time it
Love through Food
Ripe and Roasted Feb 14, 2019
Of all the days in the year, Valentine’s Day is the day that has been set aside to show those dear to you that you
Taking Stock, Making Stock
Ripe and Roasted Feb 1, 2019
It is a new year, the height, or should I say depth of winter. As such, it is the time for both new beginnings and
Coffee Brewed
Ripe and Roasted Jan 6, 2019
All we want to do these cool, winter days is curl up with a hot mug of freshly brewed coffee. With the morning news. In
Savoring our sweet hygge
Ripe and Roasted Dec 15, 2018
The snap and pop of a fire in the hearth, the twinkle of lights on the mantle, a steaming mug of cocoa, Wynton Marsalis playing
Celebrate with a Thankful Heart
Ripe and Roasted Nov 16, 2018
Tradition
It seems that everyone has stories to tell about their Thanksgiving traditions. The preparation for this meal usually involves several days. Turkeys are bought days
Autumn: The Season of Abundance
Ripe and Roasted Oct 29, 2018
The mornings are crisp, the evenings almost nonexistent. The sidewalks are piled with yellow and golden leaves from the ubiquitous maple trees. They crunch underfoot.
Why Preserve?
Ripe and Roasted Oct 13, 2018
It has been a longstanding tradition in our kitchen; come August and September, we are canning the summer’s bounty. A day in the raspberry patch
My Garden Muse
Ripe and Roasted Sep 2, 2018
My garden muse presented himself in the unsuspecting form of my next door neighbor, Glenn Heins. Glenn is a coupling of all that is both
Farm to Your Table
Ripe and Roasted Aug 11, 2018
If it’s Saturday morning and it’s summer, our farmers market is open for business. The center aisle is packed with shoppers. A folk music group
Bugs, Bees, and Butterflies
Ripe and Roasted Jul 25, 2018
Insects Galore
The other day, when picking produce from my community garden, I was enthralled by a bumble bee buzzing in front of a cucumber blossom.
Early Summer Bounty
Ripe and Roasted Jul 8, 2018
Abundant Produce
Now that summer is in full swing, gardens are following suit. I find myself wandering to my garden beds before almost every meal prep,
Mulberries: The Forgotten Fruit
Ripe and Roasted Jul 2, 2018
An Unsuspecting Gift
When we moved into our house, a weird, little tree was growing in the corner of our garden. I didn’t think much about
Rhubarb: The Vegetable That Thinks It’s a Fruit
Ripe and Roasted May 21, 2018
The Heritage of Rhubarb
When I think of the classic plant that has anchored the corner of every Midwestern garden for the past century, I think
The Invisible Glory of Dirt
Ripe and Roasted Apr 26, 2018
What Happened to All the Dirt?
The new house we were moving into was in a section of town that was being carved out of native
The Many Uses of Ginger Root
Ripe and Roasted Apr 14, 2018
A Ginger Collection
Who knew when we were young and sipping on a can of ginger ale that this root would become such a large part
What Should You Plant First?
Ripe and Roasted Apr 2, 2018
As early spring begins, I am starting to think about what seeds I want to plant in my garden beds for the first planting of
Sweet Mangoes – A Fruit of My Youth
Ripe and Roasted Mar 22, 2018
Malagasy Mangoes
When I was a girl, my family lived on the island of Madagascar. Often my mom would ask me to fetch something from the
Late Winter Pruning
Ripe and Roasted Mar 13, 2018
The Great Storm
A few years ago, we had the oddest, and as it turned out, most disastrous, April ice storm. First it rained like the
Bring Your Own Knives
Ripe and Roasted Mar 9, 2018
Years ago I worked with a chef named Hosch. He was an extremely talented chef, very quirky, and one of the funniest people I have
Microgreens in the Winter
Ripe and Roasted Feb 17, 2018
I am thinking about them right now in the colder months because they are so easily grown inside. Microgreens are defined as the edible, immature
Salt: The Only Rock We Eat
Ripe and Roasted Feb 14, 2018
Salt: “a substance so valuable it served as a currency, has influenced the establishment of trade routes and cities, provoked and financed wars, secured empires
The Ancient Beverage Kombucha
Ripe and Roasted Feb 12, 2018
Kombucha epitomizes putting into practice a lifestyle of wellness. The billions of healthy bacteria in a fermented tea drink flavored with luscious berries and ginger
Garden Planning on a Cold Winter’s Day
Ripe and Roasted Feb 7, 2018
Thinking of Spring
We are in the midst of a blizzard. Mother nature is dumping heavy, wet snow, yet inside my cozy house the growing stack
Beets
Ripe and Roasted Jan 19, 2018
This deep ruby-colored globe is as delicately flexible to use in your cooking as it is beautiful to behold.
My Grandmother’s Spoon
Ripe and Roasted Jan 16, 2018
A parallel exists between beauty, heritage, and function. This spoon was cherished by my grandmother, carved in Norway with the Norwegian art form called Rosemaling.
