Breakfast treats for Mom and Dad

"If you want to be happy your whole life long, be a gardener." This is an old Chinese saying and came from a book that I have on loan from the Boys & Girls Club. Ralph and I are trying to lend a hand with their gardening project this year.

Fremont School, Juvenile Probation, the B&G Club and Ron Wood Family Resource center are all putting in gardens again this year. Have some time on your hands? Want to get involved in your community? Are you looking for a job and having trouble getting one?

Try volunteering some of your time at any number of organizations in town that could use a little extra help right now. With staff cuts and less money to work with volunteers are needed everywhere, they are and always have been, a big part of our community. You might just find that needed job will present itself while you are volunteering and give you a jump on other applicants because you are familiar with what's already being done and your foot's in the door.

One of the best links for numerous organizations is Kids Connection through the Partnership Carson City (formerly Community Council on Youth). If you've got time on your hands put it to good use. Doing something for someone else always makes you feel good too. It's a win-win!

I've been busy going to lots of seminars and classes. In February I went to the California Small Farm Conference, loved it. In March I went to the California Pack Trails in Salinas and have never seen such beautiful flowers in all my life. Last month I took a class on growing cut flowers at Smith & Smith Farms in Dayton. This past weekend I went to a Square Foot Gardening Class and plan on giving that a try. It sounds so simple and easy. Go to their Web site and check it out. I'm not really the gardener Ralph is, but I always like to say, "look what we grew." I'm mostly the picker!

If you are not an experienced gardener there is lots of help out there: Greenhouse Garden Center, local Extension Service, books, the Web and Farmers Markets.

One of the best ways to start is an herb garden. It's easy to plant and you don't need much space. You can put it in a container. There is nothing as wonderful as going out there and picking your own fresh herbs, a snip-snip and bringing them into your kitchen for use in whatever you're cooking. I plant one every year and that's mine you see in the background of today's picture.

With Mother's Day coming up here are a couple of recipes even your kids could fix for Mother or Father's day. The first one is from Molly's Gourmet Catering. They had a cooking class for kids and my sister took my nieces Chloe and Emma Hathaway. They said they plan on making these for their mom (maybe with a little help from their Dad). File this recipe under "Easy!"

- Linda Marrone has been a Carson City resident since 1973 and together with her husband, Ralph, formerly operated Marrone's Restaurant in Carson City and Somethin's Cookin' Catering.

Ham & Egg Cups

Using a standard muffin tin, spray each cup with cooking spray (like Pam). Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line each muffin cup with 1 piece of ham, cut to fit if needed, add a sprinkle of shredded cheese and 1 egg (cracked in a cup is easiest). Sprinkle top with salt and pepper (I added a little more cheese on top) and bake 10-15 minutes till egg is set. Let cool 3 minutes in tin and remove to plate.

Strawberry Citrus Salad

3 cups sliced strawberries

3 large navel oranges, peeled, sliced and cut up

2 cups sliced fresh pineapple

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons mint leaves

Place both sugars and mint leaves in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. Sprinkle over fruit mixture and let set 30 minutes.

This next recipe came from Bon Appetit and these are delicious whether you make them regular size or mini and use buttermilk or yogurt.

Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt (regular ok)

1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk or yogurt (plain, vanilla or lemon flavor)

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (I used Meyer lemons from Trader Joes)

1 cup sugar (you can cut this to 3⁄4 cup)

1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel (about 2 meyer lemons for juice and peel)

2 large eggs

2 tablespoon poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour three mini-muffin tins or line with paper liners. This will make 36 mini or 12 regular size muffins. Mix dry ingredients in small bowl. Cream butter and sugar and lemon peel to blend. Add lemon juice. Beat dry ingredient in two additions alternately with buttermilk. Mix until just blended. Mix in poppy seeds. Spoon batter into prepared cups. Bake 18-20 minutes for mini muffins or 20-25 for regular size. Always test doneness with inserter stick coming out clean. Remove muffins from pan and cool on rack.