Low input, high output
What to cook when you want a good meal but the rain is making you feel lazy, plus weather tidbits and a recipe for rhubarb orange compote.
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WEATHER TIDBITS
HEAT DOME: The heat will be turned UP for parts of the Northwest and South this week. Heat advisories currently stretch from northern California to Washington and Idaho, where temperatures are expected to climb into the mid-90s to low-100s. Meanwhile, high dewpoints and hot temperatures along the Gulf Coast will lead to feels-like temperatures over 100°F during peak heating hours.
The 2-meter temperature anomaly from the GFS forecast model, showing where temperatures are expected to be anomalously warm this week. SUMMER RAIN AND STORMS: There will be several chances for severe weather and heavy rain across parts of the U.S early this week. Today, the threat of strong storms and heavy rain will stretch from the Gulf Coast into Pennsylvania and southwest New York as a cold front moves into a warm and unstable air mass. Severe weather will also be possible in parts of New Mexico and Texas. Tomorrow, look for a chance of excessive rain from Texas to the Gulf Coast and up the Atlantic Coast.
The Severe Weather Outlook from the Storm Prediction Center for today, 6/9/25. 
The Excessive Rainfall Outlook from the Weather Prediction Center for today, 6/9/25. I CAN SEE YOUR HALO: I spotted this 22-degree halo around the sun while I was at the beach over the weekend and wanted to share! These halos can be spotted around the sun and the moon, and they get their name because the radius of the halo is approximately 22 degrees. They form when high cirrus clouds, which are made from ice crystals, refract and reflect the light from the sun or moon.
TWO GOOD THINGS
Between our CSA, our home garden, and my favorite market down the road, we currently have an influx of fresh, local food coming in. It’s making me feel creative and happy to spend time in the kitchen again! Eating the same carrots/squash/potatoes/winter greens through the cold months can become a bit monotonous, so the constant flow of different types of veggies has been a great change of pace.
There are two things I made last week that I can’t stop thinking about, first of which was…drumroll please…a humble omelette for dinner.
I made this omelette on a particularly rainy day last week. Sometimes I’ll use a rainy day as an excuse to cook/bake something more time-consuming, but on this rainy day, I wasn’t feeling it. I felt like a lazy lump after sitting inside and working on my computer all day and was in the mood to continue my lump lifestyle into the evening. There were chives in the garden and a big block of feta in the cheese drawer, so I threw it in an omelette and called it a day. The resulting meal made me feel like a Michelin star chef! It felt fancy, but it was a fast and healthy meal on a day when the weather was making me feel unmotivated.
Next up - I’ve been hoarding rhubarb because rhubarb season is so fleeting and must be taken advantage of. I used some of my hoarded rhubarb to make a compote concoction last week, then used it 1) as an ice cream topping, 2) on top of a yogurt parfait, and 3) in a cocktail mixed with gin/lime/tonic water (a gin-jam cocktail, if you will). Compotes are so easy (just add sugar to fruit and let it all simmer until it forms a sauce) and so versatile. Plus, they can elevate just about any type of meal! It’s another low input, high output project.
The recipe for my rhubarb orange compote is below! Please join me in making the best of rhubarb season.
Orange Rhubarb Compote
Ingredients
Zest of 1 orange (~2 Tbs)
Juice from 1 orange (~2 oz)
2 cups rhubarb, cut into ¼ - ½ inch slices (approximately 3 stalks)
3 Tbs sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Once you’ve got a good bubbly boil going, decrease the heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once you reach a sauce-like consistency, you’re done! Remove the compote from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Yield: ~1 ⅓ cups of rhubarb orange compote
Thanks for making it to the end of the Frost Bites Newsletter! I’ll be back in your inbox next Monday with the weather forecast and recipe suggestions. In the meantime - get outside, eat good food, and remember all weather is ice cream weather.