AUGUST 2026 38 M any gardeners find themselves navigating more than seasonal challenges this month. Weeds, heat, humidity, and fungus can derail even the most promising “fajita patch.” Tomato, bell pepper, zucchini and onion season usually coincide with the hottest months of summer and their ability to survive our harsh climate is largely due to their robust root systems, natural sun-shielding, and the specific ways they are cared for. With a passion for regenerative growing practices, both tomatoes and peppers have been easy to cultivate. Tomatoes love warm sunny days, ideally temperatures between 65-85 degrees. When summer temperatures rise above 95, problems can emerge. Tomatoes stop producing red pigments, which means red fruits ripen to orange while still retaining their sweetness. Once a heat wave hits, maturing fruit fairs better off the plant than on. If tomatoes have begun to change color, they’ll ripen perfectly on a windowsill. Nothing transforms an ordinary meal or side dish better than a true ‘farm-to-table’ experience, yet with extreme heat comes the challenge of putting in place the gardening practices of shade cloth, deep watering, and adequate mulching which reduces soil moisture loss by up to 70 percent. Understanding this garden-logic-trilogy will insure the continuation of flavorful, high-yield harvests. While garlic and cilantro aren’t currently in season, an abundance of things are flourishing. Where do my recipe ideas come from? The answer is this: “it only takes a leisurely stroll through the garden to see what’s growing.” The gentle sounds of nature, the scents, the budding flowers, the sight of hummingbirds fluttering nearby – each moment brings a sense of calm, a reminder of the simple joys that go unnoticed. Capturing this tranquility brings forth so many ideas. The inspiration for making fajita vegetables mixed with a hint of margarita flair in a pasta salad came much quicker than envisioned. The Tex-Mex craving and the sizzling sound of fajitas in the back of my mind couldn’t be silenced. The sensory experience couldn’t come full circle until the trickiness of perfectly balancing the warm flavors, then grilling all the veggies, kept the heat and mess out of the kitchen. It’s a personal preference whether to go one step further and add chicken, steak or shrimp. Wanting to capture the historical flavor profile of a classic ‘margarita,’ a marinade was developed. Attempting to bring the cocktail vibe to the table had to be all about translating those iconic flavors and scents to the bowl. Italian olive oil nicely compliments the plethora of spices that are mixed with the multi-colored peppers, onions, zucchini and tomatoes. Be still my heart, no salad is complete without the sunny golden-yellow accent of corn. Meaty and earthy dark brown portobello mushrooms help to enrich the savory richness while using lime juice and agave nectar turns this marinade into a masterpiece. Harvesting fresh limes from your own backyard takes this marinade to another level. Growing citrus trees provides an unmatched, floral flavor one simply can’t get from bottled juice. The limes are typically medium-sized, round with smooth, thin, green skin, which turns yellow when fully ripe. For pasta salad, searing is generally the best method for both peppers and onions as it softens their texture and unlocks a sweeter, more mellow flavor. For best results, use a large cast iron skillet or the large griddle portion of the BBQ for the vegetables. Both will be exceptionally mounded when all the ingredients are added, but they’ll cook down during the five to seven minutes it takes to lightly sear them. Breathe in deeply while savoring the sound of the authentic, restaurant-style sizzle! Toss the vegetable mixture occasionally, scraping up any bits that stick and add reserved marinade as necessary, then remove to a size appropriate plate. Let everything cool completely before proceeding. Choosing the pasta shape is the best part of making this salad because shapes act like culinary Velcro dictating the dish’s flavor, texture, and visual appeal. The geometry of the pasta dramatically changes how the salad feels in your mouth. Selecting the right shape turns the cooking process into a creative design challenge where you are essentially building an edible architecture. Short pasta shapes are designed to be stable on a fork so the best shapes should feature plenty of nooks, crannies, and twists to trap the flavors. Penne has visual symmetry with its long, tubular shape that perfectly mirrors the strips of sliced vegetables and is great when you are loading your salad with large, chunky vegetables or proteins. Farfalle bowties are whimsical to look at, while cavatappi are tight, ridged corkscrews that provide an incredibly bouncy chew that holds up well against peppers. Complete freedom exists when choosing the “canvas” which will ensure that every bite captures the harmony between acid, fat, salt, and sweetness. Keep in mind that chilling dulls flavors, so seasonings need to be slightly stronger. Chilled pasta prevents “flavor fatigue” by keeping each bite bright and lively rather than overwhelming the palate with heavy, steaming richness. The pièce de resistance appears when crumbled cotija cheese is blended in. It’s a deeply flavorful cow’s milk cheese from Mexico that has a very faint sour-milk aroma, almost like feta. Its predominant rich, slightly nutty flavor is saltier than most cheeses which makes it great for cooking. Cotija’s unique tangy flavor, plus its grainy texture and ability to soften but not melt when heated, enhances grilled vegetables and complements the chili powder and cumin. The joy of nostalgia and the emotional connection to relaxation and happy memories elevates this pasta salad from a simple meal to a comforting experience. At the end of the day, food is about more than just physical fuel – it transcends mere sustenance. It’s a shared cultural ritual, an experiential journey of tradition that’s about the people we share it with and the stories it tells that make the meal truly memorable. Every bite celebrates the journey from soil to soul. Thyme in My Kitchen BY SHERRY KLUSMAN thyme.in.my.kitchen MARINADE • ! ⁄ " cup fresh lime juice • ¼ cup olive oil • 4 medium garlic cloves, minced • 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce • 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar • 2 tbsp. ketchup • 1 tbsp. chili powder • 1 tsp. ground cumin • 1 tsp. paprika • 1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano • 1 tbsp. amber agave nectar • ½ tsp. ground black pepper • ½ tsp. onion powder • ½ tsp. salt • 3 tbsp. tequila COMBINE WITH MARINADE, REFRIGERATE 15 ! 30 MINUTES • 1 each red, yellow, orange and green bell peppers seeded, 1/2” slice • 1 large red onion, ½ ” slice • 1 cup fresh corn • 2 portobello mushroom, ½ ” slice • 1 cup each yellow pear and cherry tomatoes, sliced • 1 tsp. garlic, minced • 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced • 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, roughly chopped • 1 zucchini, rough cut GRIDDLE 1. Remove veggies from the marinade and sear until tender 5-7 minutes. Add the zucchini towards the end. Give the vegetables room to sizzle, not steam. Cool and roughly chop if desired. Toss with: • 16 oz. box of your choice of pasta, cooked al dente • ! ⁄ " - ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese • Salt and black pepper (to taste) Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Margarita fajita pasta salad When pasta meets fajitas: the ultimate fusion salad AUGUST RECOMMENDATIONS COOKBOOK: “Crazy for Chipotle” by Lynn Nusom NOVEL: “The Illness Lesson” by Clare Beams

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