With warner weather and spring vegetables and fruits soon to be within reach, my mind wanders back to my childhood when we ate from the garden.

Simple foods were made special as they were served using family crystal and china along with silver utensils.

Countless times the flower and vegetable gardens became meals to remember. This recipe is beautiful, delicious and easy.

Purple Cabbage Slaw

with pickled okra and pearl onions

Using a box grater, grate an entire purple cabbage including the core. Set aside.

From a quart jar of pickled okra, remove okra from brine and cut the smallest rings possible, discarding the stem ends.

Add okra and brine to purple cabbage.

Add a quart jar of small pearl onions or 2 cans that are commercially prepared.

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp celery salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Add 1/2 cup sour cream

Mix well, cover and refrigerate. When serving, garnish with a tiny gher

When serving, garnish with a tiny gherkin and a whole pickled onion.

Serve with stuffed squash blossoms.

This recipe is for 8 blossoms.

Remove blossoms from yellow squash, zucchini or any squash that produces a large blossom. Rinse and pat dry.

With the squash you took the blossoms from, chop fine until you have 1 cup full.

Finely chop sweet white onions until you have a cup. Add 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of finely grated cheese salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Using a serving spoon, craft an oval of the mixture and insert into the open end of the flower. Pat dry. Using butchers twine, twist the open end of the squash closed and tie shut with the twine.

Dip each blossom in a beaten egg and then into a single coating of flour.

Fry in medium hot oil until golden brown. Salt and pepper while still hot.

Garnish with carrot curls.

These recipes are beautiful on the same plate. The colors love each other and when served on antique porcelain using a fancy tined salad or cake fork, one can be sure that Mother Nature’s Garden will provide a meal to remember!