Taking a shine to home-grown vegetables

Carol Stein grows it

For backyard gardeners and food fans, this is the time to recall the delicious vegetables of the past year -- those heavenly tomatoes and tender spinach. And to dream of next season.

This year, dream big. With food prices up and the urge to "eat local" stronger than ever, make plans for an even bigger and better home-grown bounty. As for flavor, no contest. Debbie and I agree that the quality and flavor of home-grown vegetables are superior in every way.

Many crops can be grown between now and spring, but after cool-season crops are planted, it's fun to spend time between now and February planning and preparing. Every good cook has a well-stocked pantry and every gardener needs a few basics in the potting shed.

• Seed catalogs offer great inspiration. Most can be found online, but I prefer the discussion generated among family members by placing a stack of catalogs on the coffee table. The kids could cut out pictures and create a garden journal. Two of my favorite catalogs are Seeds of Change (go to www.seedsofchange.com to request a catalog) and Seed Savers Exchange (www.seedsavers.org).
• Prepare your growing area. If you have a garden plot, have the soil tested and amend it accordingly. If planting veggies in flower beds, locate and mark the best areas to include them.
• Start a compost bin with the waste you accumulate during fall cleanup. Include ground-up leaves, old potting soil, grass clippings and kitchen scraps (no meat, bones or citrus peels). No room for a bin? Use a large garbage bag that can be sealed.
• If you'll be growing vegetables in containers, watch for sales at garden centers and stock up on pots, potting soil and slow-release fertilizers.
• Save milk cartons and jugs, egg cartons and yogurt cups to use for starting seeds indoors in February.
• Contact your county Cooperative Extension Service to request free literature about gardening topics.

Debbie Moose cooks it

Stocking your pantry well will let you prepare good meals at home in a minimum amount of time, time that will be scarce as the holidays approach.

Also, look at the dishes you like to cook and match those with vegetables to grow next season. For example, if you enjoy fresh tomato sauce, plan to plant more tomatoes to chop and freeze for the winter. As Carol says, they'll taste better and you'll save money.

Here are some of my pantry and freezer staples.

• Good olive oil. I like to get two kinds, one for cooking and a higher quality one for dressing salads or pastas, or dipping bread instead of using butter.
• Brown rice and unseasoned rice blends. They have more nutrition and flavor than white rice. Yes, they take longer to cook, but you can cook them a day or two ahead and refrigerate.
• Canned chicken broth. Cook rice or pasta in it to add flavor without adding a lot of fat. Combine with carrots, celery or other veggies you have hanging around for quick vegetable soup. Look for reduced-sodium varieties.
• Frozen spinach. Use it for everything from casseroles to Italian dishes to stuffed pizza dough. Look for sales and stock up.
• Plastic freezer containers. Make a habit of cooking a little extra when you prepare soups or casseroles, then freezing the remainder. It takes no additional time, and you have lunch or dinner ready when you need it.
• Pasta sauce. There are many kinds on supermarket shelves; look for your family's favorite. Besides pouring it over pasta, try using it on chicken in the slow-cooker or as the base for casseroles.

This recipe for a quick-to-assemble lasagna uses staples you can keep on hand. I add more oregano and basil because I find most sauces aren't seasoned enough for me. You could cook the lasagna noodles first, as is traditional, but you can make the dish with uncooked noodles. Be sure to cover the uncooked noodles completely with liquid (either sauce or water) so they will cook as the lasagna bakes.

Recipes

Easy Spinach Lasagna