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Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Oil

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Pumpkin ravioli is a seasonal win, but let's make it with sage oil in place of fried sage leaves, refreshing the Fall classic. Sage oil deletes the cliché. Plus, another Fall serving idea... Why Oil > Fried Leaves Fried sage gives you a top-layer flavor — aromatic, but it stays on the leaf. Blending sage into oil pulls its flavor throughout the dish, so every bite gets a little of that earthy, herbal character. When used with restraint, it's deeper, rounder and not just sitting on top of the dish. Sage Oil Ratio 1 cup fresh sage leaves ½ cup olive oil ½ tsp salt Flash-boil the sage leaves for 10 seconds, drain, then flash-freeze. Blend the frozen leaves with the olive oil and salt until smooth and bright green. Prepare the ravioli, homemade or store-bought, then spoon the sage oil over the top and let it pool around the pasta. A little Pecorino Romano goes on after the sage oil. Bonus Idea: Tomato Risotto with Acorn Squash Slices + Sage Oil Swirl t...

Dieting Before the Holidays

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Halloween 2026

Ghosts of planter pots past.

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Halloween 2026 Honorable Mention…Way to re-use plastic and other planter pots - with a staircase assist.

Halloween 2026

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Black Cats, who are having a moment, launched into space. Runner’s up:  Interactive Headless Horseman and…Stabbey Road, Beatles’ Abbey Road album cover, but stabby. Carousel on Twitter.

Flipping Used Boots on eBay

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People have been curious about the quick flip of this pair of used boots on eBay. My reselling business model is freegan items or my own used items. No guesswork or ego from thrift store or bins purchases. No (recent) cost of goods and no cost to list on eBay. No paying for shipping but that is loosely factored into the purchase price.  Listing items clear a 20-dollar profit or more. These colorful western boots were a found item.   Prompting AI, was it worth it to refurbish these boots for resale. A sensitive subject, since the world’s greatest cobbler, where I live, retired to Italy. AI replied that they should be listed clearly as is. Explain their condition clearly and take detailed photographs. Once that was done, with a clean-up, they then sold quickly. A couple of factors to consider:   these colorful boots photographed well due to their western style. If you wear a lot of black, you’ll notice, black absorbs the light making it difficult to see details online o...

Doctor Salad: A How To

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People assume that "doctoring" a pre-made salad is just a matter of throwing in whatever is lurking in the refrigerator. Not so. It’s a psyop. The goal is to turn a decent “clamshell” salad into a genuinely satisfying meal while stretching it into at least two servings. Saladnomics Compared with a typical Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl, Guacamole Greens, or Garden Cobb, which generally costs about $14 to $18, a Trader Joe's salad plus a few carefully chosen additions often comes in around $6 to $9 per serving. Even a Whole Foods prepared salad purchased at a 50% markdown can land in that same range. The economics are compelling, but the real benefit is a salad you actually want to eat. There’s a Method to the Madness Most Trader Joe's and Whole Foods 50% off prepared salads come with more than enough greens for two meals, so I immediately save about half the greens for future salads or sandwiches. The secret is building in protein and texture for staying power. Deli...

October Sunflowers

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Gooseneck or Swan Gourds or Bottle Gourds

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A favorite sign of autumn is spotting these quirky green gourds at farm stands and supermarkets. Known as gooseneck or swan gourds, they grow into wonderfully crooked shapes that spark imagination. Where I grew up, neighbors would turn them into decorative geese, or other creatures, painting faces with dots for eyes, adding ribbons, bonnets, or little hats.  As porch displays, they were usually a part of a cornucopia, throughout the fall. Every gourd was different, making each creation completely unique, like their fellow pumpkin creations. The charm is the creativity involved. The top of the long-curved neck becomes the goose's head, while the round body provides the perfect canvas for painting and decorating. Some people keep their designs simple, while others create elaborate wardrobes for every season and holiday. Perhaps, before mass-produced decorations, people who worked in farming often looked to nature for inspiration, transforming the harvest into something playful and ...

How to Elevate A Rice and Seasoning Mix

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Greens Waters' ethos is simple: avoid a morbid Girl Dinner and get something nutritious and satisfying on the table faster than DoorDash can deliver it. Rice and seasoning packets are part of the strategy when you know how to elevate them. We're not using the seasoning that comes with the rice mix or we use very little of that salt bomb. Save it for another day. Stir it into plain yogurt for a quick dip, mix it into a soup, or use it to season roasted vegetables. The rice itself is the shortcut ingredient. There is no boiling involved. We're going risotto-style. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Open the box and separate the rice packet from the seasoning packet. Set the seasoning aside. In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, heat a generous splash of olive oil over medium heat. Add one sliced shallot or half a chopped onion and cook until softened, about three to four minutes. Add the rice and stir frequently for another two to three minutes, allowing the g...

Knife Sharpening, Farmer’s Markets

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One of the musts of cooking is sharp knives, if you are too lazy to use a whetstone but not too lazy to bring your knives (wrapped in a towel) to the Farmer’s Market to utilize the convenience these nice folks offer seasonally. In cooking classes, the knives are really, really sharp, which is why getting them sharpened at home ensures there isn’t too much of a contrast when you go for classes.   www.hgknifesharpening.com Their craft work is pictured here. #knifesharpening #farmersmarkets