Backyard Farmgals

I am gonna let y'all in on a little secret, just for Thanksgiving.  I have this great and easy way of making green beans that will melt your pants off!  Did I say that out loud?  Wow!  These couldn't be more simple.  The recipe is more about taste than exact measurements (which is how I really cook all the time - recipes are just suggestions).  You've just gotta taste 'em and feel it out, see if it's just right.  I'll give you some guidelines and you go from there, deal? These have garlic, butter, dill and almonds.  Great flavors combined with really fresh and crunchy green beans equals delicious.  I made these in mass quantity for a teacher appreciation dinner for my son's school and they were a hit!  I snuck a scoop of them for my lunch, don't tell, they will take it off my required volunteer time.  But, they go great with turkey, or lasagna, or almost anything.  Just pile me up some on a plate... who needs a main course? GARLICKY GREE

This is no ordinary mac and cheese, in fact it's down right sneaky!  Confession: I can't eat something that's just plain old unhealthy.  I have to spike it with veggies somehow to make myself feel less guilty.    My little farmhands wanted macaroni and cheese and this is what popped out of the oven.  Cheesy and creamy, with pumpkin and kale mixed in; we all loved it.  The kids had no idea that it was loaded with pumpkin, and they are used to me putting kale in just about everything they eat, and the hubby gobbled it!  I felt a little less guilty knowing that I was eating noodles spiked with a superfood!  Pumpkin has just about every nutrient under the sun in it, or so it seems: vitamins A and C, potassium, manganese, copper, riboflavin, magnesium, phosphorous, vitamins E and B6, niacin, thiamin, and pantothenic acid.  Phew!  It has major amounts of micronutrients and it's super tasty. This fabulous mac and cheese has three cheeses blended into a white sauce ma

I love throwing together something simple and light for lunch.  It's rejuvenating to eat something good for you in the middle of the day, it lifts your spirit and gives you just enough oomph to get to dinner.  This is my welcome to winter: citrus and pomegranates! This was quick, and easy, and the dressing was so simple and yummy.  I loved the flavors, the smooth thick avocado against the tart of the citrus, with the salt and creaminess of the blue cheese against sweet pomegranates that pop in your mouth.  You can add sliced almonds or a little quinoa easily to this, or switch up the oils in the dressing.  You could skip the blue cheese crumbles all together and go straight for the blue cheese dressing if you need to heft it up a bit.  This doubles easily for a bigger salad or for two hungry girls instead of just one.    Play with the flavors and textures and try this, you will love it! FARMGAL'S AVOCADO & CITRUS SALAD backyard farmgals Handful of fr