A Container Garden on the Deck and Herbs in the Kitchen Window (2013 Garden Update #1)

Tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, and basil are growing on the deck!   Here's the very first tomato planted.

If you've been reading this blog for any time at all, you probably know that I'm passionate about gardening!  I've been sharing Garden Updates every year since 2006, and the garden at the old house got better every year.  And then just when I had the garden of my dreams, I moved!  I do love my new house, but there's an abundance of deer, squirrels, and rabbits running around on the hill, so while I build a real garden and figure out how to keep the critters out of it, I'm growing things in containers on the deck and in the kitchen window this year.  

Grilled Flat Iron Steak Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce

Grilled Flatiron Steak with Chimichurri Sauce is nice for a special meal cooked on the grill.

(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites, and this Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Chimichurri Sauce is something that would be great for the holiday weekend.  Flat Iron Steak is a bit more expensive now than when I first posted about it in 2007, but it's still a pretty good buy compared to most steak that's suitable for grilling.  Enjoy!)

10 Favorite Pasta Salads to Make for Summer Parties

I love pasta salads of every kind, but here are ten of my favorites, perfect to take to a summer potluck.

I'm old enough to be able to remember when pasta salad burst onto the U.S. culinary scene, and sadly I've come across some pretty flavorless pasta salads since then.  Maybe it's all those lackluster pasta salads I've seen that make me determined to create pasta salads that are truly memorable, and every one of these 10 Favorite Pasta Salads are loaded with flavorful ingredients.  I also like to use less pasta in proportion to the other ingredients, which can make pasta salad into a lower-glycemic dish.  The last few years I've been a fan of whole wheat pasta, but some of my salads use Dreamfields Low-Carb Pasta.  You can use either of those in these recipes (or just use regular white-flour pasta if you prefer.)  There's a big holiday weekend coming up and any of these pasta salads would be well received at a pot-luck or as a barbecue side dish.  Enjoy!