How to Make Tomato-Avocado Salad

I've been craving fresh salads a lot lately, maybe because of the winter doldrums. I was in the mood for avocado, so I picked some up at the store and came up with this concoction using the ingredients I had on hand.

I'm sure it would be tastier in the summer with local fruits and veggies, but it hit the spot for me anyway. I love the zing of the lemon juice and cumin.

This made one serving for me, so add other veggies or double/triple the ingredients to get more servings.

How to Make Honey-Gingerbread Cookies

What would December goodies be without our gingerbread buddies? But alas, molasses is not to be found anywhere in stores here. I finally tried substituting honey, and it has now become a favorite alternate recipe.

The first time I made them in Russia, I couldn't even find the ground spices, so I ended up infusing the dough with hunks of fresh ginger and whole cloves as it chilled. I think I ended up crushing some of the cloves and sprinkling them in, too.

How to Make Savory Pumpkin Relish

I wasn't sure what to call this dish, because I realize everyone's used to Pumpkin Pie and might be put off the thought of a non-sweet pumpkin dish. I did try to make a spicy pumpkin soup, but it just wasn't hitting my tastebuds the right way.

This is what I came up with, and I like it as a flavorful side dish, a pasta accompaniment, or even just spread on bread.

Recipe follows.

How to Make Spaghetti Pie

"Spaghetti Pie"-type dishes scared me when I was little. Maybe it's the whole "foods touching" problem. But nowadays I'm a fan of one-dish meals. It makes it a lot easier to serve, reheat, etc.

I also like to bring new life to leftovers instead of eating the same thing a few days in a row, and this recipe makes good use of whatever pasta and sauce you have hanging around.

Oh, and one more plus...it's like a lazy lasagna dish, as the components are similar but you don't have to take the time to get all the layers perfect. :)