Soup season is here and as I ramp up campaign activities for the end of the year, making a Sunday batch of soup for my family and our friends can help keep us healthy and going all week long. Consider making homemade veggie stock for this. It’s SOOOO worth it. After learning about the added depth of flavor from homemade stock, I started a practice of saving veggie scraps (garlic and onion ends, carrots, herbs, cauliflower stems, etc.) in a zip lock throughout the week and using my instant pot for a quick broth. It’s easier than you think with less food and packaging waste than prepared stock options.

My favorite lasagne recipe comes from one of our Senate District 41 neighbors. It’s based on the recipe by Jono and Jules here, but I made my own weights conversions for both a single and double tray of lasagna. Because, trust me, leftovers will NOT be a problem. I also added a few details from my own experience. If I ever end up writing a recipe book one day, it will re arrange recipes to leave minimal food in the fridge afterward, because, really, what are your plans with only half a butternut squash or half a container of veggie broth? I also LOVE leftovers.

My neighbor and friend made this for us for my birthday which I suspect is the best time because you may have garden cherry tomatoes, squash, and sage still on hand. Enjoy!

Do you have a favorite lasagna? I would love to swap recipes!

Senate District 41 is full of people who show up — for each other and for me. Cooking is one of the ways I feel that spirit of care and connection.

Laughing Water made the Real Food Store a reality, and I’m endlessly grateful for that spice section. It inspires me to experiment, nourish others, and share what’s working in my kitchen.

This week’s recipe felt a lot like running for office: I usually roast a chicken on its own, but I took a risk and threw the veggies in at the same time. It worked. Turns out, people are always wowed — but it’s not the recipe, it’s the Milford Colony chicken. (Also available at the Real Food Store.)

Here’s to trying something new, trusting your ingredients, and feeding the people around you — in the kitchen and on the campaign trail.

One of my favorite Helena jobs was working at The Filling Station, now The Crepery, back when it sat on the corner of Euclid and Benton at the edge of SD41. I learned a few lessons there that still guide the campaign today: keep it simple, prepare well, and use the right tools.

At home, we don’t have a fancy crepe machine. Just a skillet, a spreader, and a spatula. The tools are simple, but the preparation makes all the difference.

While ALL of the topping options are so delicious, powdered sugar with a squeeze of lemon, can hit the spot.

Campaigns can feel complicated. But we are staying grounded in those same principles: preparation, simplicity, and a steady hand.