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Did you know there used to be a magazine called Kitchen Gardener? I did not, until I received a review copy of Cooking from the Garden: Best Recipes from Kitchen Gardener.

From the publisher: The vegetable garden is back – thanks to renewed interest in living green, rising food prices, and a desire to eat tasty, healthful food grown close to home. Eating fresh unprocessed food has universal appeal. Farmers’ markets, community gardens, and the availability of heirloom seeds and organic vegetable plants have more gardeners than ever digging up recipes for delicious, down-to-earth dishes. More than 200 recipes, culled from the pages of Taunton’s Kitchen Gardener magazine, will delight growers and home cooks everywhere. The dishes included here are innovative and easy to prepare. They range from starters, sauces, and snacks to main dishes and desserts. Even seasonal recipe menus have been included for good measure! Anyone who loves fresh produce will reap ideas on how to make use of abundant yields and take advantage of seasonal buys at the market.

I think I would have liked that magazine. At least, I enjoyed reading this cookbook. You might remember that I made rhubarb conserve from this book back in May. Unfortunately, I haven’t used it since.

I think I’ve been reviewing seasonal cookbooks too long, because the first thing I noticed about this book is that it is NOT organized by season. It’s organized in the traditional manner (starters, snacks, and drinks; breakfast, brunch & egg dishes; sauces, salsas, and vinaigrettes; etc.) with a few pages of seasonal menus thrown in at the end. The index is pretty good, though, so you’ll still be able to find the recipes you want easily.

There are no photos of the recipes, but they do highlight what you’ll need “from the garden,” (or farmer’s market, whichever the case may be). There are also a lot of them – more than 200! And they are fairly basic, with lots of familiar flavors and preparations.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy from the publisher; I was not obligated to review it and all opinions are mine.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dawn

    Yes, I did know about that magazine, I subscribed! I’d love to win the cookbook! The cookbook sounds wonderful!

  3. stacey polbos

    this is our first season being a member of our CSA Brook Farm project in New Paltz NY. I think it is such a great way for my husband and i to focus on eating healthier, and getting to know what the earth can offer us. We have had a great time getting to know some vegetables we never cooked before nor ever tried before. Sometimes im not sure what to do with certain veggies, for example, chard, garlic scapes, certain squashes….so i am always looking to your website any others for ideas.

  4. Julie

    I have so much stuff coming out of the gardens here, that I need ideas, so this book sounds marvellous!

  7. Cindy

    I went crazy this year with greens in my garden and now have a forest of kale to deal with.I stumbled on your site when I googled ‘what to do with kale’ and I think this cookbook would really help me ‘tame the beast’ that is what my kitchen garden has become! Thanks for the chance!

  10. julie

    Hello – I would love to win this cookbook, because I am addicted to cookbooks and would love to add one more to my shelf. This is especially of interest, because I have an over abundance of fresh produce and running out of recipes to use them.

  13. Melissa W.

    I would love this cookbook as I have a very large garden. With four kids and a husband to feed, I need lots of ideas for using up our garden goods. Sounds like a great book!

  16. hanzabean

    I am a college student who is also a recently-new vegetarian and also on my own for the first time in my life. I’m trying to be healthy and frugal, and I love trying out new recipes. With a bit of restraint and a good cookbook I think I can meet my nutritional needs without breaking my poor little piggy bank down too much.

  18. Kitty

    I need some new ideas. We are being buried in eggplant and tomatoes and are tired of ratatouille every night.

  21. Benita

    As members of a CSA we get fresh organic foods. This book would be perfect for us to best utilize our garden fresh food. Thanks so very much for the possibility.

    bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

  23. April

    This sounds very interesting to me, as I just landed a gig as the school “lunch lady” at our church’s school. I am trying my best to increase the veggies and would love to try new recipes!

  24. Susan Billie Taylor

    I shop at my local Farmer’s Markets all-year around. I’m always looking for recipes for the garden so this cookbook would be put to good use.

  25. Amwernz

    I would love to own the cookbook! It sounds so interesting to me – I have been in love with gardens for years and have been praying someday i would get to have one. This past December i was married to the love of my life and a homeowner all at once = and i planted my first seeds this past spring :D!! I am subscribed to your blog and follow you on twitter.
    Grace & Peace, Andrea M

  26. laura

    I would love a book like this — I have a small garden this year and plan to expand next year. Plus, a book like this would come in handy to take with me to the Farmer’s Market so that I would have a plan for my veggie purchase 🙂 I’m an impulse Farmer’s Market shopper!

  28. debp

    I have a large garden, plus I have farmers who save me vegetables at our local farmers market. I use alot of fresh food. Plus, I have been collecting cookbooks since I was young. I would love to add this to it.
    twoofakind12@yahoo.com

  30. Carol Harrity

    I am a cookaholic and I read cookbooks like others read novels. I would really like this cookbook, especially to find new ways to use fresh produce.

  36. nancy

    I really want fresh herbs, fresh lettuce and real tomatoes, so we’re planning on putting in a garden in our backyard,.

    nblexp at gmail dot com

  37. Amber G

    This book sounds interesting because I’m starting my own veggie and fruit garden and I’m trying to decide what to plant!

  42. Denise B.

    I love cookbooks and would love to add this to my collection to have recipes for using fresh vegetables rather than from a can or such.

  43. Susan W.

    I love cookbook filled with pure and simple recipes and learning about what goes with what. Like blue cheese on peaches. I never would have thought of that myself. Thanks!

  45. hj

    We recently joined a CSA and have a bunch of veggies that are new to us- this would help us know what to do with them!
    hmcnaron at gmail

  46. Suzanne K

    This book sounds great to me because I’m always expanding my fruit/veggie garden and am now desperately looking for recipes for my bounty (what a problem, I know!)!

    Thanks!

  49. Geri Nyland

    This is my first year having a garden…even though we got too much rain in the beginning of growing season my garden still came out ok considering…This would be a great cookbook for me and to find new recipes for my new favorite hobbie…Growing my own vegetables!!

  50. Renee G

    I would love to own this book. We have a garden and I’m always looking for new recipes to try when my vegetables are in season.
    rsgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com

  51. Rachel Higgs

    I always have a garden of some sort no matter where we live. I love to cook and find new ways to prepare the great foods God has given us. I think this cookbook would be great
    higgs.rachel at gmail.com

  56. Cynthya P

    I’d like to have this cookbook so that I can have some new ways to use the veggies from our garden and the great fruit we get from our local orchard.

  59. Crystal

    I am a vegetarian and i look forward to our yearly summer garden!!
    I would like to find new recipes and share some with my grandparents and dad who also have a garden:)

  62. Julie L

    I have been looking for a book like this to use-our neighbors have a overflow from their garden this year that they are giving us 🙂

  63. Melanie Calcut

    I love having my garden and this is my first year doing so since i was a child. I have so much Zuchini and I don’t know how to use all of it and i also have tomatoes coming out of my ears. I would love to win this cook book to get inspirtation on different ways to cook from my garden.
    melaniecalcut@gmail.com

  65. loni

    I grew a garden this year and I am always looking for new ways to utilize the veggies and herbs I have

  66. Suzanne L.

    I think that a cookbook with “down to earth” meals sounds fantastic, expecially with all fresh produce! Thanks for hosting this giveaway! And please count me in!

    *I follow you on Twitter! @Chickwithbooks

    *I subscribe via email!

  68. Rhonda Struthers

    I would like to learn new recipes featuring fresh produce from the garden

    rhondastruthers atyahoo.ca

  74. Ash

    This book sounds really interesting because I’ve discovered I like to garden, but when the veggies come in I haven’t really been sure what to do with them.

  77. Rosey

    Hubs and I have been eating healthy this year, quite honestly for the first time in our married lives. Our energy has skyrocketed! We’d love more healthy recipes.