This year I decided to try my hand at growing Tomatillos in my Kitchen Garden, and although I won't have any to pick for a few more weeks I have been anxiously gathering recipes to try them in. First out something simple and fun, creamy avocado with the crisp sometimes tart taste of the tomatillo. I added a little cayenne pepper to give the dip some heat. Also, tomatillos can be a bit of an acquired taste so if you're a Guacamole purist this recipe may not be for you.

Last month sometime I picked up some kumquats on a whim not really sure what I was going to do with them. I remembered seeing a recipe for Kumquat preserves but quickly changed my mind when I came across this recipe instead. Just as Bon Appetit suggests I served it over a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream (actually Frozen Yogurt), just perfect. Maybe next time I'll make preserves.

If you like Asian black bean sauce, and love traditional Italian linguine with clams, then you will adore this dish, which is sort of a meld of the two. This is a simple, straight-forward recipe with wonderful, assertive flavors. The sweetness of the clams, the salty and pungent black bean sauce, and the fresh, pepperiness of the watercress are a winning combo. The recipe says it serves 4. I think it serves 2. But that may be because it tastes so good, you'll definitely want to eat more.

This is about as easy as dinner can get--plus it's economical, and made from ingredients you may already have in your refrigerator. And guess what? It tastes good, too! Imagine a rich, luscious cream sauce, minus several hundred of the usual calories. I served this with a platter of sliced tomatoes and cucumbers topped with a few paper-thin slices of red onion, then drizzled with olive oil and a light splash of aged balsamic vinegar. For dessert, ice cold wedges of sweet watermelon. A perfectly simple supper--especially after a trip to the farmers' market.