Let's see – stir fried asparagus, asparagus egg drop soup, roasted asparagus, steamed asparagus, asparagus quinoa pilaf, asparagus risotto, asparagus stew, cream of asparagus soup, gifts for friends, snacks for the dog, etc., etc.

If you're lucky enough to have a patch of asparagus (thanks Noel) you are probably inventing new ways to serve those lovely green spears. We eat it every day for 3-4 weeks this time of year. Last night it was blanched & cooled asparagus on a bed of greens with avocadoes, onions & cheese.

Roasted asparagus is a favorite of ours. The spears are tossed with olive oil, minced fresh garlic, salt and pepper (or use your favorite vinaigrette) – and roasted at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or to your desired doneness. The more asparagus you roast the longer it might take to caramelize a little bit due to excess steam in the oven. I like it when the tops get a little crispy but to each his/her own. Roasted asparagus pieces tossed with roasted potatoes and a balsamic dressing make a very tasty salad and a lighter alternative to the mayo variety.

I haven't had much luck preserving this spring delight to our pleasant satisfaction other than a pureed soup frozen in quart containers to pull out as a winter 'fast food.' If anyone has a success story in this department I'd love to hear about it. Happy munching!!

We have been eating our homegrown shiitake mushrooms for about a week now but April 29th was the first day I picked a few spears of asparagus. They weren't very tall but who can wait to have that first taste?! We'll soon tire of the asparagus after 3-4 straight weeks of eating it every day but right now that green stuff tastes wonderful.

Speaking of green stuff I also harvested the first of the nettles. They seem to be quite prolific next to the compost pile. I've read a lot of good things about nettles and their spring tonic effect and even tasted them before but this is the first time I harvested and cooked them myself.

I snipped the tops (4-5 leaves) into a big bowl, washed them carefully without touching them and threw them into a pot of boiling water for about 7 minutes. The cooking does take the sting out! I then chopped it and sautéed it along with shallots, asparagus and shiitakes to add to the evening risotto. We drank the leftover liquid as a tea – at least some of us did..... it was like drinking spinach juice. Noel added honey to make it more palatable. Maybe next(?) time we'll incorporate into a fruit smoothie!!

I thought I'd share a couple of recipes the Valdes Family uses to make our Thanksgiving as traditional as possible without the time-honored big bird as the centerpiece. In some ways it's probably one of the easiest meals to make without meat because your favorite dishes usually associated with the meal don't have to change – mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberries, salad, green vegetable, corn, pumpkin pie, whatever you like.

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Hierba Santa

Even though I have been in Texas for seven years, I am still adapting from my northern gardening notions. The seasons seem reversed, with the challenge to beat the summer heat rather than the fall frost.

But one of the pleasures of Austin's subtropical climate is the ability to try new plants. An easy one is Hierba Santa, sometimes called Hoja Santa, sometimes called Root Beer Plant and sometimes called Piper auritum

Here is one picture of my hierba santa, before it grew about four feet taller later in the summer:

I started with one small plant that I picked up at the Downtown Austin Farmer's Market and the Hierba Santa just took off. In Austin, the plant dies back to the ground with the first frost, but comes back with a vengeance in the spring, sending up new plants within about a two foot radius of the original plant and growing taller the second year.

During the time that I have spent in Oaxaca, Mexico, I have tried Hierba Santa in various dishes. It is often used to flavor beans and fish.

Disclaimer: Hierba Santa has been reported to have some toxic properties. However, people have been eating it in southern Mexico for quite some time.

I first tried Cua'a Za'a a few years back in Juchitán at the house of my good friend Omar Angel. I was amazed at how good a simple dish could be. He was kind enough to pass the recipe along to me. In Zapotec Za'a means bean and Cua'a means cooked corn.

Ingredients:

Cook the beans in water with the garlic and onion. When the beans are half cooked add the corn, hierba santa and salt. Be sure to add more water if needed, the dish should have the consistency of a broth. When the beans are well-cooked the dish is done.