John Buckingham

Prudent Pantry: The Sugars

I never really thought about the number of different ways to sweeten your food. In the last few weeks I have reviewed Maple Syrup, Honey, Corn Syrup and Agave Nectar. This week I will take a look at the sugars. It’s amazing the various sugars that are created from sugar cane and sugar beets; WhiteContinue reading “Prudent Pantry: The Sugars”

My Garden: May Update

May in Vermont started off with some glorious weather, warm and sunny. The grass started to turn green; the daffodils were in full bloom. It was just beautiful. This week is a different story. The week has been cool and cloudy. Despite the frosty mornings the creeping phlox is creeping along. My garlic is upContinue reading “My Garden: May Update”

Frugal Tips: Living Thrifty

What does it mean to be thrifty? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary thrifty is (1) thriving by industry and frugality, (2) growing vigorously and (3) given to or marked by economy and good management. It isn’t just about being cheap or even saving money. It’s about living a happier, healthier and greener life. This isContinue reading “Frugal Tips: Living Thrifty”

Recipe Box: Rustic Sourdough Bread

A few weeks ago I shared my Amazing Sourdough Biscuit recipe, another favorite way to use my sourdough starter is making bread. This recipe is very simple and you can add all sorts of things to the batter to change the taste. The recipe is adapted from a recipe I found on the King ArthurContinue reading “Recipe Box: Rustic Sourdough Bread”

Prudent Pantry: So Many Sweeteners Part 2

In deciding what to stock in my pantry, I try to have healthy and nutritious items. Last week I mentioned sweeteners; specifically Agave Nectar, which I have never tried, and Maple Syrup which we use all the time. There are many other sweeteners and as one reader pointed out you can even grow yourContinue reading “Prudent Pantry: So Many Sweeteners Part 2”

My Garden: Time to Transplant Seedlings

The tomato, pepper and eggplant seeds that I recently planted are doing well and some were in need of transplanting already! I like to transplant the seedlings after they’ve grown two or more true leaves (the cotyledons don’t count). This can be anywhere from two to six weeks after germination. Before I start I makeContinue reading “My Garden: Time to Transplant Seedlings”

Frugal Tips: May Bargains

Mother’s Day sales provide reduced-priced presents for women before and after the big day. Look for deals on jewelry, fragrances, and gift items such as jewelry boxes. Mattresses and box springs are highly promoted from late May to early fall. This is when retailers gain significant support from the mattress manufacturers in the form ofContinue reading “Frugal Tips: May Bargains”

Chicken Masala – Quick and Tasty

The majority of the time I cook from scratch. However, some of my recipes use some pre-made ingredients. Like my chicken masala recipe.

Prudent Pantry: So Many Sweeteners

If you are like me you want to stock your pantry with items that are nutritious and healthy for your family. In regards to sweeteners what do you use? I grew up with plain ordinary white sugar, which I realize is not the healthiest choice. I did a search on Wikipedia to see just howContinue reading “Prudent Pantry: So Many Sweeteners”

My Garden: The Bloedel Reserve

Recently I had the opportunity to visit the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island in the beautiful state of Washington. The reserve is just a short ferry ride from Seattle, WA and was the perfect place to visit before we had to fly home to Vermont. I love visiting other people’s gardens whether they are justContinue reading “My Garden: The Bloedel Reserve”