Cooking with Maria

Cooking with Maria I THROWDOWN!

06/04/2026

this is our first CSA box and it’s fab! Love all the healthy local grown vegetables to supplement all of my veggies I grow in my backyard garden, thank you so much! ❤️🥒🪴

My favorite time of year, or one of them, is Garlic Scape harvest season and that is NOW! I’ve showed you all how the ga...
06/03/2026

My favorite time of year, or one of them, is Garlic Scape harvest season and that is NOW! I’ve showed you all how the garlic scape grows in the middle of the garlic plant, and here pictured is today’s bountiful harvest. You can make scape pesto on a fresh New Jersey clam pizza like I do. I also use them in my morning omelettes or salads in the evening. They are so versatile you can use them in anything. When I did an afterschool science program at Mountz the kids loved this kind of gardening, they learned that plants continue to produce before you even harvest the actual crop. I enjoy sharing that with all of you now and I hope that you plant a little garlic in the fall, because once you start to do that, you will never buy store-bought again. When I run out, I have my go to garlic farm in the US with a surplus and buy my garlic straight from them, but there is nothing like local garlic. Be wary of what you buy at the stores, even in the “healthy” stores, some of the garlic in our local stores is coming from as far away as China and also being bleached white so that it looks appealing enough for purchase. That is not the food you want to feed your family. The key for me is local, as close to home as possible, and no harsh chemicals or pesticides. I don’t those even use organic pesticides in my garden. It’s 100% Mother Nature; survival of the fittest. Always know where your food comes from.

Happiness is your first peak at purple cauliflower in your garden! 🪴
05/31/2026

Happiness is your first peak at purple cauliflower in your garden! 🪴

It has to STAND UP! That’s how you do it. This is my favorite thing to do in the summer….spin 🍕🍕🍕
05/31/2026

It has to STAND UP! That’s how you do it. This is my favorite thing to do in the summer….spin 🍕🍕🍕

Summer Black Italian truffles with grilled chicken and truffle cheeses, no phony bologna you PAY too much for, just REAL...
05/30/2026

Summer Black Italian truffles with grilled chicken and truffle cheeses, no phony bologna you PAY too much for, just REAL quality! WOW!

Tomahawks, ramp butter, medium rare…but well done.
05/27/2026

Tomahawks, ramp butter, medium rare…but well done.

Tomahawk, ramp butter, medium rare… but well done.
05/27/2026

Tomahawk, ramp butter, medium rare… but well done.

The best thing about a rainy weekend is this. I love going outside and finding out how the plants have grown and all of ...
05/26/2026

The best thing about a rainy weekend is this. I love going outside and finding out how the plants have grown and all of the new little surprises they have created.💚

I wrote this poem entitled “Sacred Souls” that was published in 1985 when my Dad helped me have it included in a book ca...
05/25/2026

I wrote this poem entitled “Sacred Souls” that was published in 1985 when my Dad helped me have it included in a book called “Poetry of the Western World”. I was a kid and learned about the Vietnam war and what our soldiers sacrificed and it deeply moved me. God bless them and their families and our country. I miss you Dad and Jimmy too. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

05/17/2026

It came to my attention recently that I should start sharing the cost of ingredients and how that factors into my cooking so that I can help people create delicious healthy meals on any budget. Today we’re switching it up and making barbecue chicken and homemade chicken stock. I buy a whole Organic chicken for about $18 for four pounds. I break that up myself into nine pieces. The ninth piece is the backbone people usually throw out when they break down their own chicken but I use that to make a delicious stock and throw in some of those vegetables that are on their last legs and probably wouldn’t be eaten anyway. You can really use anything raw. I prefer carrot, celery, onion, garlic and throw some whole peppercorns a fresh bay leaf. I bought a bay leaf tree years ago and it’s an amazing source of fresh bay leaves. I haven’t purchased bay leaves in years. Simmer that all day for the stock and you will have the equivalent about three 32 ounce containers of Organic chicken stock, which costs about 6.99 each in the store but you will have it for pennies when you break down the cost. I’m marinating the eight pieces of chicken in buttermilk and Diamond kosher salt and when that’s done marinating, (about five + hours), I will put it on a superhot grill. I’ll show you that later. Happy Sunday! Summer is knocking!!! 😍🥂☀️🕶️🍗

Happiest of Birthdays to my best girl in the world ! Mommy loves you and is so thankful and proud of everything you do!...
05/17/2026

Happiest of Birthdays to my best girl in the world ! Mommy loves you and is so thankful and proud of everything you do! ❤️💕🙏🏻 I was the first person you knew and the first to wish you a very Happy TWENTY FIRST Birthday!!!

It’s truffle and artichoke season! I made this fresh pasta dish with black truffle, artichoke hearts and leaves, ramp bu...
05/13/2026

It’s truffle and artichoke season! I made this fresh pasta dish with black truffle, artichoke hearts and leaves, ramp butter, and spring onions in a white wine truffle sauce. WOWWW!!!

My heart right there. Having a child means forever having your heart walk around outside of your body. That’s something ...
05/10/2026

My heart right there. Having a child means forever having your heart walk around outside of your body. That’s something I read a long time ago that resonated with me then and still does. I remain forever grateful for my children and will love and protect them with all I have and all I am. Being a mother means not only valuing the life and health of your children, but all children. God bless the true Mothers of this world and all the children. 🙏🏻❤️

I’d like to thank all of my friends, family and neighbors for coming out to see Comedy of Tenors! It has been a fabulous...
05/10/2026

I’d like to thank all of my friends, family and neighbors for coming out to see Comedy of Tenors! It has been a fabulous experience and I have met so many amazing new people through this incredible journey. We are all about the acting and the storytelling and that’s what I love so much about this true group of talented actors along with an amazing director! I am so grateful that all of my Theater loving friends came out to see me! Thank you so much again!!’ 💕🎭🙏🏻❤️❤️

Soft shell crab is a seasonal delicacy that is available from now until about September. The blue crab will molt its she...
05/08/2026

Soft shell crab is a seasonal delicacy that is available from now until about September. The blue crab will molt its shell and become very soft without its hard exterior shell that is when they are harvested as a delicacy. You can eat every part of a soft shell crab, including what you considered to be the “shell” because in truth it has no shell if it’s a soft shell crab. Make sure to have them cleaned at your local fishmonger. did a fabulous job of not only offering to clean them, but cleaning them skillfully. To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of softshell crab, but I love to eat seasonally and cook seasonal fresh ingredients and I made this fabulous ramp butter that I knew would go well with it. I put a little flour on each side of dried rinsed crab, then seared in good olive oil ramp butter, and at the end out of the garlic, removed the crabs when they were cooked about four minutes per side and added the white wine and parsley with a pinch of mold on sea salt, black pepper, and a tiny pinch of sugar. It was fabulous served with simple toasted bread with garlic and oil.

there’s something special about this seafood market and you know that as soon as you walk in. Before that front door cl...
05/07/2026

there’s something special about this seafood market and you know that as soon as you walk in. Before that front door closes you are immediately greeted by people that have been a part of the place for many, many years. They tell you about the seafood, offer to clean the fish and help you select things that you like. You can tell they enjoy their work. They’re not only knowledgeable, they want you to have a wonderful buying experience. This is why I keep going back to Kleins. It’s the freshest fish with the best quality service. I enjoy every trip I make there and I encourage you to do the same.

New article! It was such a pleasure to talk with Barbara Nelson, who has become a friend and someone I truly admire. She...
05/06/2026

New article! It was such a pleasure to talk with Barbara Nelson, who has become a friend and someone I truly admire. She has one of the most beautiful, magical backyards in all of Spring Lake! Read all about it in this issue. Also love the cover with these amazing kids in our town.! 😍🚂🚂

05/05/2026

Harvesting lettuce, soooooo delicious!

Poppin time for fresh lettuces, arugula and herbs! Here we go! 🌱
04/18/2026

Poppin time for fresh lettuces, arugula and herbs! Here we go! 🌱

04/11/2026

Bones, ramps, onions, leeks, scallions, celery, carrots. ginger, herbs and greenhouse/garden greens, including microgreens, with chicken meatballs is the cure for anyone’s travel tummy. 🍜🔥

04/11/2026

Fresh wild ramps! The season is now and it’s short! You can use them in anything, absolutely anything raw cooked, sliced chopped. They add a little bit of garlic onion flavor to everything! Fabulous! Thank you 😍⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Don’t be scared to make breads, especially Naan bread! Serve warm and enjoy! 🇮🇳🪷🪷
03/29/2026

Don’t be scared to make breads, especially Naan bread! Serve warm and enjoy! 🇮🇳🪷🪷

03/24/2026

Stop overcooking your meat. You’re not going to get sick if you have a properly cooked piece of meat, like for example, this flat iron steak. Do not undercook it either, because then it’s going to be chewy and nobody likes that as well. Please also don’t cook a flat iron anywhere but on the grill. This is just salt pepper or a little garlic powder. I rinse it, pat it really dry, season it and leave it in the fridge for 24 hours. Then I take it out for about 30 minutes before I grill it to get to room temperature. This is so that all of the juices are evenly dispersed inside the meat. Then I pre heat grill on high heat like 600, and as soon as the steak hits the grates, I lower the heat just a little bit to about medium high, about 400. I’m doing about six minutes a side, depending on the thickness. This was a thick cut, so that’s what it took. Feel it if it’s too spongy and your finger sinks in it. It’s not done yet if it doesn’t have any give, then you overcooked it. Baby it and it will treat you right.

Today is our 24th wedding anniversary and 30 years together! Sometimes I forget this day because our original wedding da...
03/23/2026

Today is our 24th wedding anniversary and 30 years together! Sometimes I forget this day because our original wedding date was November 10, 2001, but we had to move it to accommodate other people, something I always regretted because I couldn’t wait to marry this man I had already been with for six years at the time! Today will be 30 years together!! 💕 He is my best friend, soulmate, father of my children, and my ride or die. When the world picks at us they never break through, it just brings us closer together and makes our marriage stronger, our family stronger, and we rise up and continue to succeed! Most of all, we are so thankful and grateful to be blessed with the two greatest kids we could’ve ever asked for! We always choose to be around those who are genuine and decent and I love the people that we have grown up to become and I wouldn’t change a thing because it has brought us here to this perfect place. Thank you God, and we will celebrate this day as we celebrate everyday together ❤️💕 Through thick or thin, it’s always been us.

For my adventurer, and all the parents out there with adventurers 🙏🏻💕
03/21/2026

For my adventurer, and all the parents out there with adventurers 🙏🏻💕

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