Hello from the kitchen!

It’s mid-May and things are blooming. In spite of having a brown thumb, I refuse to give up growing things. I planted basil, thyme, rosemary and tomatoes. I think tomatoes are the most useful garden item in the kitchen. I almost called it a vegetable but it’s actually a fruit. Two of my adult children won’t eat tomatoes but they like sauces, ketchup and tomato soup. Hmm. My top five uses for tomatoes are stuffed, marinara, mixed vegetable juice, spaghetti and meatballs and homemade pizzas.

Happy cooking and gardening from my kitchen to yours. Eat well, my friends.

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Bev Kauffman, of Lewistown, operated a catering business in Juniata County for nearly 20 years. She has authored the cookbook, “Preserving the Past: In the Kitchen with Bev Kauffman” in 2013 and is currently working on a second cookbook.