It Felt Like Fall (for about 5 minutes)

I was in the garden Monday morning after a three day hiatus (more on that to follow) and for about five minutes it felt like fall.  It was overcast, there was a considerable breeze blowing and for a moment, I paused, stood, and sniffed and sure enough, there was fall.  Maybe it was that I was surrounded by decaying vegetation and the humidity was sliced briefly by the breeze, but there was definitely that fall is around the corner feeling.  Of course, I know fall is imminent, and there will be many more summer days to come, but just for a moment, I was happy for that break.

So we finally got some rain yesterday and I couldn't be happier.  I used the day to clean up my closet and do some much needed, much-delayed Spring cleaning.  It was heavenly to have a break from watering and gardening!  The rain gives the perfect get-out-of-gardening-guilt-free card.

Hopefully the rain will help speed my little propagation project along!  I planted three more rows of beans, mainly to figure out which ones were the ones that were most prolific this year, because I'm not sure which ones they were.  I also tried a row of basil from seed, so I can make some pesto and since my basil is not so good anymore.  I don't think I had that fungus that's affecting basil growers, but maybe.
I also planted some okra and cut some tomato suckers for rooting.  The melon plants are COVERED with flowers and my cucumbers seem happy as do my various squash plants.  I have picked two cucumbers so far!  I planted late, so I'm a bit behind on those.  Hopefully I can wipe out the remaining flea beetles and et my eggplants rockin' and rollin'.


The tomatoes are fizzling out, but the peppers are out of hand.  Today I'm going to make piri piri sauce.  I will post the recipe later if it works out and talk about it.  I'm also going to make some fresh salsa to share with some guests coming for a week.  I've gotten all the paste tomatoes I'm going to get this year I think and have a freezer full of puree now, ready for the winter.

On the menu this week:

• Monday I made a Hereford filet with Victoria Gourmet Kansas City Rub and finished with a bit of balsamic on the grill.  Served with thinly sliced homegrown pink oven garlic potato chips. (yummy!) And of course, Caprese salad with a spinach base.
• Tuesday: Whole Grain linguine with bacon, fresh tomatoes,  garlic, eggplant, zuchini, spinach and basil tossed with a bit of handmade mozz and fresh parm. Everything was farm fresh or homegrown except the bacon and parmesan. 
• Tonight?  We'll see
• Tomorrow night: Shaking beef with flank steak
• Thursday night? Dinner out 
• Friday? Trying my hand at brisket
• Saturday? Pizza night with a 7yr. old and 5yr. old!!
• Sunday: BRUNCH out!!!!
• Monday: Hoisin pork tenderloin

And of course, lots of tomatoes and potatoes piled in there!

CHEERS!

Orzo, Opa! and Ouzo...

Do those three things go go together?  They do in this recipe although you'll have to find a use for the ouzo.  You might be able to use a dash of it if you don't have enough basil because the two are flavored similarly, but make sure you are at home with people who love and respect you, because I cannot be held responsible for what you do after consuming ouzo.  Or you could have some ouzo as a beverage on the side to commemorate the distinct Greek overtones in this dish.  Is Ouzo a Greek spirit?  You bet your fisherman's cap it is!  The island of Lezvos (or Mytilini) is well known for it's Ouzo with claims of the best in Greece.

Anyone who has had a Greek relative, friend or lover knows that food is foremost and drinking a close second in the Greek culture.  My first boyfriend was Greek and his mom ALWAYS had food either cooking in the kitchen or covering the dining room table.  She was very glamorous and beautiful, not the type of Greek mama that usually comes to mind and certainly not the type you'd think would be cooking all the time.  She was more the Fendi bag-buying, Gucci sunglass-wearing type.  I can still hear her voice, though, which belied that glamorous woman and was definitely more robust Greek mama-with- Apron.  She did try to ply me with food at all times a la "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and I loved it.  The dining room table was filled with pastries mostly, nuts and dried fruits.  Cookies with pine nuts, baklava and some crazy wheat and honey things that looked like my hair in the morning (or after too much Ouzo).  Ouzo has never been my thing and I'm not crazy about licorice, but I like fennel, fennel bulb, basil and some things flavored with it, save for those horrid Stella Dora sticks.  My brother used to scarf those things up!

I digress.  Be careful with ouzo.  It's 40 percent alcohol, about 80 proof, and it hits hard.  The only time I can remember seeing my mom a bit tipsy as a kid was after the Hellenic festival.  OPA!  I can hear her yelling with delight.  The next morning you would have thought we had tortured her with hammers all night.  She would have gladly sent us to live with Heidi's grandfather in the Alps if she could have. I wondered what in the world was wrong with her, what horrible thing had happened between last night and this morning for her to be so grumpy and filled with such disdain for everything earthly.  It was the Ouzo hangover.  Vicious,  as I found out much later in life.  Not something to play with lightly and there should be a warning on the bottle.  Something like, "If you're not Greek consider finding something else to drink." Or: "Warning, this product will give you a hangover no matter how macho you think you are". Or: "Only to be consumed in the company of people you already hate".  Because you WILL hate them the next day and blame them for your misery!

The reason for all of this oozing over ouzo?  I was looking for a little alliteration this morning and with my Orzo pasta salad that is Greek-inspired, I couldn't help myself.  So following is a light and lively salad, perfect for a summer's eve.  It's a recipe from Cooking "Lite" magazine (don't need any pesky copyright lawyers hassling me) and is probably the one that I used when I first made this.  Now I tweak it based on the green stuff I have handy.  Spinach would be good in this as would a little broccolini or even asparagus. For even less cooking, use cucumber.  Orzo is fun to eat, but be careful because the fact that it is small will make you consume more than intended.  If feta is not your thing, use some crumbled chevre, parmesan, or fresh mozzarella. But then you don't have a very Greeky salad anymore and you'll have to put down that bottle of  ouzo.  OPA!!!!

Whip up this easy orzo salad for a light and healthy side dishalternative to potato salad.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)

Ingredients

• 1  cup  uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
• 1 1/3  cups  diced zucchini (cooked or raw)
• 1/3  cup  diced red onion
• 1/3  cup  minced fresh parsley
• 3  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh or 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 2  teaspoons  minced fresh mint
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1  cup  diced tomato
• 1/3  cup  (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
• 2  tablespoons  chopped pitted kalamata olives

Preparation

Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well. Combine orzo, zucchini, and onion in a large bowl; toss well. Combine parsley and next 6 ingredients (parsley through pepper); stir well with a whisk. Stir into orzo mixture; add tomato, cheese, and olives, tossing gently to coat.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

199 (22% from fat)

Fat:

4.8g (sat 1.5g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.6g)

Protein:

6.7g

Carbohydrate:

32.7g

Fiber:

1.8g

Cholesterol:

6mg

Iron:

2.1mg

Sodium:

307mg

Calcium:

58mg

Just did a weigh in and in the past four days, I've gotten 35lbs of tomatoes from my garden!!!

Children in the Kitchen!!!!

All hands on deck!  There will be children cooking in the Culina kitchen tomorrow.  And I'm in charge!!  Yikes! Culina's wildly popular Culinary Kids' Camp will be starting tomorrow.  There are four spots left, so come in and sign up if you're interested.  Fun times ahead!!

Last Night's Dinner (and the night before and tomorrow's)

Luckily I'm the type of person who can eat the same thing regularly if it's really good.  It helps, of course, if it's something I've worked for, in this case I'm working hard for my tomatoes.  The work involved makes it worth it to repeat.  If I were served it everyday, that might be a different story, or if I were eating this when the produce wasn't in season or fresh, I might think differently.

But since, I am toiling and creating it, it doesn't seem to get tiresome.

What am I talking about?  Caprese salad of course.  Last night I changed it up a bit and added a sliced cucumber care of my friend, Cliff from Chateau Z Vineyard.  It was deliciously sweet and I was kicking myself for not getting more than one.  Tonight I'm fixing some of his zucchini since mine's not coming in yet.  I have two little baby ones for dinner and a big "husband club" that I will use for zucchini bread.

Today I picked several more pounds of tomatoes, although they're starting to fade a bit.  Checking on the plants, I noticed a few teeny cucumbers starting, some blooms on zucchini, melons and eggplants and a little round eggplant that is a bianca variety I think.  tomorrow, I'm going to have to hit the garden again with some spinosad, because although I found one dead squash bug, I also found a live one in the process of laying eggs.  The flea beetles are hitting the eggplant and my cucumbers, too.  Those things are nearly impossible to eradicate.  Next year I will experiment with planting eggplant in pots aon the deck and in various spots in my flower beds.  The one I have in one of my beds is doing exceptionally well. It's nestled among the zinnias, Russian sunflowers, dahlias and lisianthus.  Maybe those flowers are a deterrent or are attracting some pest eating insects.

Enjoy your fresh tomatoes while you can get them.  I'm pondering some late plantings of tomatoes, and definitely starting some more beans and my fall stuff.  Yes, people it's time to start thinking about a fall garden.  More on that later.....

Oh, and please, please, please use GOOD quality balsamic on your caprese salads.  Those tomatoes deserve it and so do you!

Come visit me at the community market tomorrow if you're in the area!! I'll be wearing my nature nerd hat...

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

There are all kinds of ways to do these and I take a shortcut (and probably add more calories) and use Stonewall Kitchen Korean BBQ sauce and hoisin sauce. Half of each depending on your heat tolerance because the BBQ sauce is spicy.

You can wrap these in Romaine which is sturdier, but I prefer the delicate, butter texture of Boston Bibb or Butter lettuce.

I top mine with thinly sliced red bell pepper, sliced water chestnuts, cucumber, chopped cashews, and sliced green onions, but you can use anything you like.

This recipe is a lighter version and is made without the sauces mentioned above, but you could cook your chicken in those sauces instead if you prefer.

ENJOY!!

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 wraps and 2 lime wedges)

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  canola oil
• 1  tablespoon  dark sesame oil
• 1  tablespoon  rice vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  chili garlic sauce (such as Sriracha)
• 1  teaspoon  grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2  teaspoon  grated orange rind
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• Dash of sea salt
• 4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• Cooking spray
• 8  Boston lettuce leaves (about 1 head)
• 1  cup  fresh mint leaves (about 10 ounces)
• 1/2  cup  bean sprouts (about 2 ounces)
• 1  lime, cut into 8 wedges
• Chopped peanuts (optional)

Preparation

Combine first 9 ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Reserve 2 tablespoons oil mixture. Place remaining oil mixture in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken breast halves; seal and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from bag, and discard marinade.

Heat a large nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; grill 12 minutes or until chicken is done, turning once. Let stand 5 minutes before thinly slicing. Divide chicken evenly among lettuce leaves; top each lettuce leaf with 2 tablespoons mint, 1 tablespoon sprouts, and about 1 teaspoon reserved oil mixture. Serve with lime wedges. Garnish with chopped peanuts, if desired.

SALSA!!

Or pico de gallo or whatever you want to call it.  Here is my version of salsa made with heirloom tomatoes, garden fresh peppers, red onion, garlic, cumin, salt, chili powder and a dash of lime juice.  It was deeeeelishus!  I used a variety or heirlooms including ceylon, green lightning, yellow taxi, cherokee purple, black krim, flamme, carmello, and juliet.

Argh! Give me your Booty!! Or Keep it if You'd Like...

I'd make a terrible pirate.  I'd be giving away more than I'd keep.  But, this year, I've got more than enough to keep and give away, so I'm using a lot but I want to make sure I have some stuff for the doldrums of winter.  What's better than taking a little sunshine out of your freezer on a cold blustery day and making a great soul-warming meal with it?

So in last night's Asian Fusion class I had some requests for information regarding freezing.  Canning is a great option and okay if you don't mind the work and the additives, but I prefer freezing because it's easy, quick and a bit more nutritious.  The only drawback is it's not easily "giftable".  You can give someone a vacuum sealed pack of beans or tomatoes, but it's not as presentable and they have to have room in their freezer or use it right away.

So, for the past few months, I've been pulling out stuff from the freezer and using it in order to make more room for my new wave of produce.

What follows is a guide to freezing produce.  I HIGHLY recommend investing in a vacuum sealer if you plan on going this route.  You can find them at all kinds of places and buy rolls of uncut, customizable bags and pre-made bags in bulk from some of the big shopping clubs at a really good price.  I have a Food Saver.  This brand has been around forever and it's the same kind my mom had, so I've stayed loyal.  The one I have now was a gift from my friend who owns the kitchen store, Culina.  She helped me dig nearly 100 pounds of potatoes, I gave her about 50 and she bought me a sealer.  Pretty good deal for me, I'd say! The model I have stands upright and is automatic, in that you don't have to hold down a button ad it senses the bag and starts right away.  It's the V3840 and it's been a real life and penny saver.

I approve of the methods discussed here for tomatoes since all methods have worked for me.

Good luck, and have fun preserving those little rays of sunshine!


Artichoke, GlobeRemove outer leaves. Wash and trim stalks. Remove "chokes" and blanch, a few at a time, for 7 minutes. Cool in iced water for 7 minutes. Drain. Pack in freezer bags, seal and label. Keeps up to 6 months.
Artichoke, JerusalemPeel and slice. Place in cold water with the juice of a lemon to prevent discoloration. Blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water. Cool in iced water for 2 minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
AsparagusWash and remove woody portions and scales of spears. Cut into 6 inch lengths and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. Cool in iced water for 3 minutes. Drain. Place on trays in a single layer and freeze for 30 minutes. Pack into suitable containers, seal and label. Keeps up to 6 months.
Beans, BroadShell and wash. Blanch in boiling water for 1½ minutes. Cool in iced water for 1-2 minutes. Place on tray in a single layer and freeze for 30 minutes. Pack into freezer bags, remove air, seal and label. Keeps up to 6 months.
BeetsOnly freeze young tender beets, not more than 2-3 inches across. Cook until tender and slice. Cool and transfer to plastic containers. Label. Freeze up to 6 months.
BroccoliChoose tender young heads with no flowers and tender stalks. Wash well and divide into sprigs. Blanch 3 minutes in boiling water. Cool in iced water for 3 minutes. Drain. Spread on tray in single layer. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent the smell from permeating the freezer. Freeze 30 minutes. Pack in freezer bags, remove air, seal and label. Keeps up to 6 months.
Brussels SproutsRemove outer leaves and cut a cross at the stem end of sprout. Wash thoroughly and blanch for 3 minutes. Cool in iced water for 3 minutes. Drain and spread on tray in a single layer. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent the smell from permeating the freezer. Freeze 30 minutes, remove from tray and pack into plastic bags. Remove air, label and seal. Keeps up to 6 months.
CabbageRemove outer leaves and wash the remainder. Cut into thin wedges or shred. Blanch 1½ minutes if shredded or 2 minutes if cut into wedges. Chill in iced water 1-2 minutes. Drain well. Pack in freezer bags, label and seal. Keeps up to 6 months.
CarrotsWash and scrub carrots and cut large carrots into pieces. Blanch 3 minutes in boiling water. Chill in iced water 3 minutes. Drain. Spread on a tray in a single layer and freeze 30 minutes. Pack in freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps up to 6 months.
CauliflowerDivide into florets and wash. Blanch for 3 minutes in boiling water. Chill in iced water for 3 minutes. Drain and place on a tray in a single layer. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
CeleryUse young, tender stalks. Wash and cut into 1 inch pieces. Blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water. Chill in iced water for 2 minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
ChayoteCook sliced chayote until tender in boiling water. Drain well, mash and cool. Pack into plastic containers with well fitting lids, leaving space at the top for expansion. Freeze up to 6 months.
ChiliesRemove seeds, wash and dry. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
Chinese BroccoliRemove coarse leaves and thick stems. Wash and blanch in boiling water 2 minutes. Chill in iced water for 2 minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
Chinese CabbageOnly freeze crisp and young cabbage. Wash and shred finely. Blanch for 1½ minutes. Chill in iced water for 1-2 minutes. Drain and place in freezer bags, label and seal. Keeps up to 6 months.
Chinese SpinachWash and trim leaves off stalks. Blanch 1 minute. Chill in iced water 1 minute. Drain, pack into freezer bags and remove air from bags. Seal and label. Keeps up to 6 months.
CucumberPeel and chop in food processor. Pack into plastic containers with tight fitting lids. Label and freeze. Keeps up to 6 months.
EggplantCut into slices, sprinkle with salt and allow to stand 30 minutes. Drain off excess liquid and fry gently in butter or margarine until just tender. Cool and pack into plastic containers. Seal and label. Keeps up to 3 months.
FennelUse fresh young stalks. Wash thoroughly. Blanch 3 minutes. Chill in iced water 3 minutes. Drain, pack in freezer bags and remove air. Keeps up to 6 months.
GarlicPlace separated bulbs in freezer bags. Remove excess air from bags, seal and label. Keeps up to 3 months.
GingerSeparate ginger into convenient sized knobs. Place in freezer bags. Remove excess air from bags, seal and label. Freeze up to 6 months.
KohlrabiWash well, peel and cut into pieces. Blanch for 3 minutes. Chill in iced water 3 minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
LeekRemove tough outer leaves, wash remainder. Cut away green part of stem, slice white flesh or cut in half lengthwise. Blanch 2 minutes if sliced and 3 minutes if cut lengthwise. Chill in iced water 2-3 minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
Winter SquashPeel, cut into pieces and cook in boiling water until just cooked. Cool and place in freezer bags, remove air, seal and label. Keeps up to 3 months.
MushroomsCultivated mushrooms need no preparation. Pack clean mushrooms in freezer bags. Remove air, seal and label. Freeze up to 6 months.
OkraWash and trim off stems. Blanch in boiling water 3-4 minutes. Cool in iced water 3-4 minutes. Drain and pack in freezer bags. Remove air from bags, seal and label. Freeze up to 6 months.
OnionPeel, chop or cut into rings. Wrap in layers of plastic wrap, place in a plastic container. Label and freeze up to 3 months.
ParsnipPeel and dice. Blanch 2 minutes, chill in iced water for 2 minutes, spread on a tray and freeze for 30 minutes. Pack into freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps up to 6 months.
PeasShell, wash and blanch 1 minute. Chill in iced water 1 minute. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
PepperWash, remove seeds and cut into slices or leave whole. Place on a tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Pack in freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Freeze up to 6 months.
Potato

• Scrub new potatoes. Cook in boiling water until almost done. Drain, cool, pack in freezer bags. Seal, label and freeze for up to 6 months.
• Slice and deep fry 4 minutes. They should be tender but not browned. Drain and cool on paper towels. Place on a tray in a single layer and freeze 30 minutes. Pack in freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Freeze up to 3 months.
• Prepare mashed potatoes and freeze up to 3 months.

PumpkinPeel and cook in boiling salted water until tender. Mash, cool and pack into plastic containers leaving headspace. Freeze up to 3 months. Alternatively, peel and cut into pieces. Bake until almost done. Pack into freezer bags when cool, remove the air, seal and label. Keeps up to 3 months.
RutabagaOnly use tender young rutabaga. Cut to required size and blanch 3 minutes. Chill in iced water 3 minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
ShallotsSeparate cloves and place in freezer bags. Remove excess air. Keeps up to 3 months.
Snow PeasUse tender leaves. Wash and trim. Blanch 30 seconds. Chill in iced water 30 seconds. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
SpinachWash well and trim leaves from stalks. Blanch in small quantities of boiling water for 1 minute. Chill in iced water for 1 minute. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
SquashPeel and cook in boiling salted water until tender. Mash, cool and pack into freezer containers leaving room for expansion. Seal and label. Freeze up to 3 months.
Sugar Snap PeaRemove pods, wash and blanch for 1 minute. Chill, drain and spread on a tray. Freeze of 30 minutes, pack in plastic bags, remove air, seal and label. Will keep up to 6 months.
Sweet CornClean well and remove all silk. Cut off top of cob. Wash, blanch a few cobs at a time for 5-7 minutes, depending on size. Chill in iced water 5-7 minutes. Drain and wrap each cob in plastic wrap. Pack in freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Freeze up to 6 months.
Sweet PotatoPeel and cut into pieces. Blanch 3 minutes in boiling water, chill in iced water 3 minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
Tomatoes

• Wash, remove stems, cut into halves or quarters or leave whole. Dry and pack into freezer bags. Remove air, label and seal. Keeps 6 months.
• Dip into boiling water 1 minute. Remove and peel. Place on a tray and freeze for 30 minutes. Place in plastic bags, remove air, seal and label. Keeps up to 6 months.
• Simmer chopped tomatoes in a pan for 5 minutes or until soft. Push through a sieve or food mill to remove skins and seeds. Cool and pack in plastic containers, leaving headspace. Keeps 6 months.

TurnipPeel and trim young, tender turnips. Cut to required size and blanch 3 minutes. Chill in iced water for 3 minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
Water ChestnutsBring chestnuts to a boil. Drain and peel off shells. Pack in freezer bags or plastic containers, remove air, seal and label. Freeze up to 6 months.
WitloofWash well. Blanch for 3 minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
ZucchiniSlice into 1 inch pieces without peeling. Sauté gently in a little melted butter until barely tender. Cool, pack into plastic containers leaving headspace at the top. Freeze up to 3 months.