"oregonian" news and stories

• Exploring the wonders of green tomatoes. Recipes include Fried Green Tomatoes, Lemon-Basil Aioli, Warm Nectarine and Green Tomato Salad With Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette and Blue Cheese, Green Tomato and Zucchini Gratin With Feta Cheese and Oregano, Spaghetti With Green Tomato-Bacon Sauce and Green Tomato and Apple Hazelnut Crisp.
  
• The grocery store co-op culture is beginning to take over Portland.
• Honeycrisp apples are winners in both flavor and texture.
• Italian prunes shine when you incorporate them into baked goods.
• Kathleen Bauer visits the Gresham Farmers Market.
• Now is the time to forage for nuts before the squirrels get to them.
• In the Market Basket, you'll find Pumpkin Seed Oil, Red Palm Oil and Walnut Butter with Cashews.
• Kosher cooking gets a new reputation.
• Substitute chicken for beef in your stroganoff for a lower fat treat. Check out the recipe: Chicken "Stroganoff" With Mushrooms, Sherry and Sage.
  
• Katherine Miller's chickens are definitely roosters. Very disappointing.
  

• Locavores in the Pacific Northwest are going crazy for fresh-caught albacore tuna. Use it to make Spaghetti With Tuna, Lemon and Olives, Lemony Tuna Melt Panini, Salad Nicoise With Warm Potatoes and Green Beans and Canned Albacore Tuna.
  
• For Dinner Tonight, how about Penne with Fresh Tomatoes and Artichokes.
• Katherine Miller's search for a new home for Pat the Chicken continues.
• Interested in reviewing cookbooks for the Oregonian? Send them a note and sign up!
• Kathleen Bauer visits the Cedar Mill Farmers Market and finds a bustling market with bakery items and fresh produce.
• In the Gadget section, there's a Days Ago Digital Day Counter, Brown Sugar Softener, a Healthy Harvest Freshness Extender and a iSlice that makes it easy to open boxes.
• The new book, Eat This, Not That for Kids, helps parents make smart choices for their families.
• Local chef Ashley Brown goes to New Seasons with Matthew Card and helps him put together a quick and easy meal that includes Pan-Fried Pork Cutlets, Marinated Zucchini and Radish Salad and Wheatberry Pilaf With Lemon, Anchovy and Parsley.
  
• Hardy kiwis (also known as berry kiwis) are a healthy and tasty treat.
• For quick meals, make mini-meatloaves.
• Risotto croquettes are a delicious treat, all melting cheese and crisp fried rice.

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• When the weather gets too hot (and we've still got a few potentially hot weeks left before summer is officially over) pull out your slow cooker so that you can get dinner on the table without heating up your kitchen (it's also great for cooking down those summer fruit butters).
• When shopping for a slow cooker, make sure to check out all the options before committing to a particular brand (the programmable ones are more expensive, but particularly useful).
  
• Girl Scout Mary Catherine Muniz spent her summer gathering and testing inexpensive, family-friendly recipes for her cookbook, Delectable Dishes for Less.
• Pete Peterson digs into the Pacific Northwest lineage of the sweet Gala apple (tracking a particular variety back to the Walla Walla Valley, near where I went to college).
• The Forest Grove farmers' market hums with Mexican foods and specialties.
• Fit for Dinner punches up a pork tenderloin with Chinese 5-Spice powder and orange juice.
• Turn to a cold noodle salad for a quick dinner on these hectic, back-to-school nights.
• Looking for a way to trim your food expenditures? Try packing a lunch instead of buying.
• Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the PBS show, The Victory Garden. The newest season begins this weekend (check your local public television station for schedule times).
  

• The FoodDay staff create a culinary herb primer (although sadly, the guide seems to have lost all its formatting on the way to the internet) that tries to help the home cook use fresh herbs more effectively in their cooking.
• Once you know how the flavors of the herbs will complement your meals, you still might need help with storage, chopping and preserving. Once again, FoodDay steps in with helpful tips.
  
• Instead of turning to plain old lemonade to cool down this summer, try some of these cool herbal infusions. They've written recipes for Rosemary Lemonade, Basil Limeade and Watermelon Mint Cooler.
• Looking for a way to give your summer meals a quick kick? Herbal butters are a great way to go (really, how can you go wrong when butter is involved?). They've got seven recipes that utilize these compound butters and they'll keep your meals inspired for the rest of the season.
  
• The Vegetarian Flavors column offers up a Orecchiette With Green Beans, Potatoes and Basil that sounds filling and delicious (it also seems like it would make a great potluck dish).
  

• Two brewers in Oregon have been trailblazers in the area of organic brewing and the movement is continuing to grow.
  
• Grilling a slice of bread creates something slightly more transcendent than a mere piece of toast. Brushing it with olive oil prior to introducing it to the heat produces something that is wonderful under a tapanade or a spoonful of bruschetta.
  
• For a really special summer dessert, try this Pain au Chocolat made on the grill.
  
• Check out local bbq competitions, new grocery stores and fresh, local berries in today's In the Mix column.
  
• Early summer in Portland has more in common with November than July. Try these Crisp Polenta Cakes With Pinot Noir-Shiitake Gravy and Asparagus for a warming meal that incorporates all that is fresh and local.
• Need a protein-packed quick dinner? Look no further than the eggs in your fridge and whip up Herbed Vegetable and Goat Cheese Frittata.