Tag: food

Valentine’s Day, Your Way: A Cozy Winter Dinner

Valentine’s Day has a way of arriving with a lot of noise: crowded restaurants, expensive menus, the pressure to make it “special.”

But over the years, I’ve found that the moments that stay with me most aren’t the elaborate ones. They’re the quiet ones. The cozy, homemade ones.

One of my favorite early dating memories is a simple night in watching Lady and the Tramp. When the spaghetti scene came on, my boyfriend (now husband 💗) disappeared into the kitchen… and came back with actual plates of spaghetti and meatballs.

It was playful. Unexpected. Tender. Not fancy. Not expensive. Just thoughtful.

And somehow unforgettable.

That’s the kind of Valentine’s warmth I want to hold onto—the kind you can create right at home.

A Pasta Dish for February Comfort

This week, I’m featuring Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, and it feels perfect for this season.

Roasted red peppers bring a sweetness and richness that tastes like summer tucked into winter. It’s warm, comforting, and simple enough for a weeknight with family… but special enough for a dinner for two.

It’s also a reminder that some of the best meals come from pantry staples, not reservations.

Recipe Link

You can find the full recipe here: Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/kathyfortner/recipe/Main+Dishes/30+Minutes+or+Less/Roasted+Red+Pepper+Pasta/1432174

Plant-based adaptations: Plant-based as written, but I added breaded eggplant cutlets in the picture above.

Gluten-free adaptation: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta.

A Gentle February Reminder

However you spend Valentine’s Day—romantic dinner, friendship celebration, or a quiet night to yourself—I hope it includes something warm.

A bowl of pasta.

A candle.

A moment of pause in the middle of winter.

Because sometimes the most meaningful celebrations are the ones we make at home.

What Joining a CSA Taught Me About Seasonal Eating

Every growing season begins the same way in our house—not with a grocery list, but with anticipation. We don’t ask what we feel like eating; we ask what’s coming next.

I’ve been a CSA member for years, and it’s changed the way my family experiences food—not just what we eat, but how we move through the seasons. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. When you join, you purchase a seasonal share from a local farm and receive regular boxes of fresh, locally grown produce. It’s a direct connection to the people growing your food and a meaningful way to support local agriculture.

One of the unexpected joys of CSA life has been learning to look forward to specific vegetables. As the season shifts, my husband and I start anticipating what’s on its way. When leek and potato season approaches, we’re already talking about potato leek soup. Over time, we’ve begun curating favorite recipes that align with the rhythm of the harvest, letting the produce guide our meal planning instead of the other way around.

Being part of a CSA has also broadened our experience with vegetables. We’ve tried things we never would have chosen on our own and discovered produce we didn’t even know existed—like husk cherries. Some weeks feel familiar and comforting; others feel like a small culinary adventure, and I’ve come to value both.

More recently, I was reminded just how practical CSA life can be. This past weekend, as we prepared for a major winter storm, I was grateful to have a winter CSA share on hand. While others were making last-minute grocery runs, I spent Saturday cooking—making double batches of yellow split pea soup and a hearty mushroom stew. Parsnips, carrots, onions, and potatoes from our share all found their way into those pots. On Sunday evening, we finished the weekend with a simple root vegetable hash made with beets, sweet potatoes, and onions—again, all from our CSA. It felt grounding, nourishing, and reassuring in the best possible way.

I’ve belonged to several CSAs over the years, and each one has done things a little differently. Some focused on variety, others on abundance, and some—like our current one—offer winter shares that extend the season well beyond summer. Each experience has offered something unique and reinforced that there’s no single “right” way to participate—only what works best for your household.

Many CSAs open membership around this time of year. If you’re curious about finding one near you, localharvest.org is a great place to explore options, and their CSA guide at localharvest.org/csa/ offers helpful, practical information.

I’d love to know: Is there a seasonal dish you look forward to each year—or a way seasonal cooking has shown up in your life recently?