August Edition

That's me, at 10, so excited to have shared Showmanship Honors with the young man next to me (his name now escapes me)!  I LOVED showing cattle! (My outfit looks pretty current, doesn't it?! LOL)

August is here!  This month is memory-filled for me, as it was probably the busiest month of the year as I was growing up.  The gardens were overflowing with produce, we usually had chickens to butcher and freeze,  all of our 4-H projects were due for the Cass County 4-H Fair, and once all of that was over it was time to get ready to go back to school!  It was definitely my favorite time of year; I adored showing my steers and making food to be judged at the fair, socializing with friends from all over the county, then getting back to school and all that entailed.  (Not so much butchering chicken, though!)  Of course, all of this was framed with lots of family time and, of course, the food that resulted from the abundance in the gardens, as well as baking experiments leading up to the fair that yielded more goodies than even our large family really needed! 

Little did I know that one day all of those things would be the foundation for creating so many recipes and this magazine!  I will always be grateful that I grew up on a farm and all of the life lessons that it provided. Those, along with my relationship with God, are the compass that now keep me (somewhat) sane in this world that grows crazier by the day.  So sharing my memories (and recipes) transcends just writing and producing a digital magazine; it is the opportunity to recall many of my life experiences and attempt to convey to all of you the joy and satisfaction that creating good food evokes. Cooking for people is so much more than just making delicious food; it is truly an act of love and generosity.  And this month I'm sharing many tasty recipes to help you do just that!

Check out all of the recipes below, and please, please share Feast of Eden Cooks at Home! with family and friends that appreciate good food.  I can't wait to see your comments for this months recipes!

Until next month, be blessed, and.........

I'll see you all later, hungry!

Healthy Veggie Slaw

This is my favorite slaw!  It is full of healthy ingredients, and the dressing is simple and the addition of garlic takes it to a new level of delicious.  If you only have green cabbage on hand, by all means go ahead a use it instead of the combination of the red & green cabbage and kale.  This salad is addictive and complements so many other dishes, especially fried foods, sandwiches, and stews.  I like to have this in my refrigerator at all times!

2 cups each, red and green cabbage

2 cups dinosaur Kale, cut into julienne strips

1 medium English cucumber, cut into thin half-moon slices

1/2 small red onion, cut into very thin half-round slices

1 medium red or green pepper cut into thin strips

1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely shredded

1 large clove of garlic, peeled and minced very fine

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely-ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons honey

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

3 Tablespoons vegetable or olive oil

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl (cabbages through carrot).

Place remaining ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together well (garlic through dill).  

Add the dressing to the vegetable in the bowl and stir well.  Cover and refrigerator for at least an hour, preferably 2-3 hours.  Serve.