A few years ago, when we decided to start this blog, I remember talking to my mother-in-law’s friend Nancy. She was a dedicated teacher, wonderful singer, talented gardener and also a fabulous cook. Nancy found pleasure in sharing with you the bounty of her garden, on and off the dinner table. And she was excited about our idea of inspiring readers to cook more real food, something that came to her naturally. Through all these years, she would always find a way to relate to our posts and quickly became one of our most avid commenters.
Unfortunately, Nancy passed away this past Friday after a long and intense battle with cancer. In keeping with her sheer force of will and passion for life, she extended her initial sentence of six months into more than four years. She used this time not selfishly to go through things on her bucket list. Instead, Nancy prepared her family for what was ahead. They moved into a smaller house, a more manageable garden, and she even taught her husband how to cook. A real trouper, she was.
Nancy had a twinkle in her eye, a smile on her face and she made things look easy. She went out of her way to have us all over for dinner when we visited, showering us with a wide array of home-cooked dishes that featured the wonderful produce of her garden. Everything was delicious, the roasted vegetables, the pizzas, and the pies. In fact, she was the best pie baker I know. A room would brightened up when Nancy entered. She touched so many people with her infectious enthusiasm and love of life. And as an accomplished home-cook, she has always been an inspiration for our blog. In fact, our inaugural post on butternut squash, featured a recipe of hers that we are re-posting below.
Nancy, you will be in our hearts forever.
Kathrin
Butternut Squash with Blue Cheese and Pecans
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Come and Cook with Us 
Wonderful tribute, Kathrin. And the flowers are the perfect accompaniment. Sam is very pleased with your effort, too!
Thank you Kathrin! That was beautifully written and very touching. Nancy enjoyed your blog very much and would often talk about your interesting topics and recipes:)
Yes, we loved Nancy’s devotion to what we believe in. And she made it all look so easy and fun! May she be in our hearts forever!
Loved your fitting tribute to my Cousin Nancy! A true gem. A big thanks to Sam for sharing….
Hi Patricia, thank you for visiting our bog and for taking the time to comment. Your cousin was a wonderful person and we loved every minute we spent with her.
Kathrin
Thank you very much Kathrin – Mom would have loved it