In Season Recipes

Blundin2005

Buon giorno!

These hot summer days make me lazy. Actually, I've been working on a project that keeps me more than busy these days, and that causes me to slip on my bc.org time.  

As our thread is never far from my mind, I'm posting some pics that made me think of you all.

This is an after lunch treat at our favorite bar in the square. Andrea made these and surprised us with them after our lunch. It was a particularly hot day. These are cups of watermellon cubes, slice of orange and lemon, a splash of white wine and topped with ice. It was perfect.   

This was lunch one afternoon. You may remember that I served this recipe for the birthday luncheon. I prefer it warm from the over though. The pasta is a flaky crust, the filling is sliced zucchini, carrotts, peas, mushroom with a splash of cubed canned tomatoes (leftover from another recipe), sprinkled with some herbs and topped with mozzarella. The filling was leftover from the luncheon and ready to use. We ended with fresh peaches. The wine was a local Rose'. 

This is simply 'day is done'. We were sitting looking at the stars after dinner. I must say that the garden isn't flourishing like before.  I think part of the reason is the trees have grown, made more shade, and less sun is a factor. Also, I'm tired. Next year the garden will be smaller. Tomatoes are ripening and we had a few. The lettuce is good and some sprouts are coming back.

Events of this year are moving like a slow motion car crash, testing our resolve...much like the plants straining against the heat we've been having, trusting in the earth for their nourishment. We are finding the cool water at night and brighter minds in the morning to contend with what comes next...like our plants.

Best wishes to all as always,

Marilyn 

apple

what a poet.

all of life is poetry .. especially growing and eating a sharing food recipes

Teka

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Teka

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Sherryc

Did you all see that our discussion thread made the BCO newsletter with a link to here.

I made fresh salsa last night with my garden tomatoes.  I have had a bumper crop this year for sure.  I take my tomatoes and skin them and then quarter them and roast in the oven.  Really brings out the sugars in the tomatoes.  After they cool I then cute them up, add chopped jalapeno, celantro, salt, peper and garlic powder and a little lemon juice.  I like to add whole kernal corn for a different twist.  Tonight I will can it.  This way I have fresh salsa all year round.

Blundin2005

SherryC -- hey, yes I did see the link.  The food caught my eye first, then I saw the thread!  Not that I've contributed lately. There is so much happening.

Carolynn79 I did see some mighty nice potatoes on FB! Share them here when you have time?

Just to catch up...the garden is struggling this year because I've been neglecting it. So a friend came by to urge us on and showed us how to trim the plants for greater production and energy efficiency. Seems to be working.

The basil is doing well but my potatoe experiment failed, as well it should! I planted when it was too warm. Our friend arrived with a basket of greens, tomatoes and potatoes so we're good to go for awhile. We needed to cut the nespoli trees back because the shade was killing the rosemary bushes. We had let it grow to recover from the winter snow damage...boy did it recover! The rosemary really wants full sun.

The compose bin is doing it's work nicely. 

Our dog Stella ate her plant almost gone. I needed to put the plant up to give it a rest. I'll find its' name and post it. The lettuce is doing OK. I saved my seeds. The roses were few. I don't know if it was the intense heat or my lack of time for the garden lately.

The ants shall inherit the earth! They are everywhere excavating all my hard work. I was watching some tiny variety working hard to get a grain of dog food into their hole. It was just a little too big so they were nipping at it until it fit. Fascinating to watch. They are also my helpers with the dogs caca. 

This has been an unusual time for us lately but we are moving in a positive direction. We are so busy that we've been on a fast food diet of caprese, salami w/cheese and lots of fruit and water. No time for our usual layout or pictures. At least not yet.

Teka...I'll be ever jealous of your access to lobster. Although, truth be known, my gall bladder is probably too tempermental these days for that dish. I'll work on that problem.

Best wishes to all as always,

M 

apple

what is your dog's plant Marilyn?

Teka

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Sherryc

I trimmed my tomatoe plants this year and I think that is why they did so well.  I was very careful and trimmed lot's of the green leaves but made sure they were not leaves that would produce fruit.

Blundin2005

SherryC--This is what I learned from the man who helps us...he showed me the principle stalk of the tomatoe plant. Then after it grew about two feet, he cut the new growth that comes from the center between the principle and the secondary stalk. From my older plants (untrimmed) he cut all growth that was not from the principle stalk...even if they had flowers. He said I'd find the difference in the taste of the tomatoes that remained. 

Difficult to explain. I'll try to take some pictures. 

Tonight I took two tomatoes from the plants for caprese. The tomatoes were wonderful with flavor. He was right. The basil is wonderful as always and garnished the caprese as did the fresh oregano and sprinkled with EVO. 

BTW, my weight is holding on the lower side.

ciao tutti,

Marilyn 

Mandy1313

Well you girls have influenced me!  Even though I live right downtown, I have a small patio and I have two pots with tomato plants and one with basil  this summer--the basil is flourishing and I have lots of not quite ripe tomatoes. I have very limited sun so I have to move the pots around....anyway, I can't wait to taste my harvest.

Hugs

Mandy

Blundin2005

Mandy1313 -- so glad to hear that your garden is flourishing. It will nourish more than your body.



My computer hard drive crashed yesterday when I upgraded the operating system for my MacBook Pro to OSX Mountain Lion. I should have waited for them to sort out the bugs. Instead I clicked to upgrade when I received the notice of availability. So a trip to the Apple Store tomorrow.



The problem is that I can't upload my photos of a bbq we attended with friends. He is a retired police officer...the man who arrives to our house frequently with fresh eggs and vegetables. The table was set for 18 of which most were his family. A smaller children's table with 5 more. They are planning to start a farmer's market. It will do well, just outside a tourist town. When we left, his wife gave us two jars of marmalade made from wild cherries...and many hugs.



When I get the computer back, I'll hope the photos survived along with my writings. I have two back ups.



Best wishes to all as always,

Marilyn

Teka

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Blundin2005

Teka....accordo!



http://www.la7.tv/richplayer/index.html?assetid=50276231



Hope the link works. If not cut and paste...you might enjoy this even in Italian.



m

Teka

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apple

I used to grow about 20 lush, healthy basil plants yearly, but my garden soil is apparently not up to par.

Fortunately we have a downtown city market and the Vietnamese sell huge bunches of basil for a buck or two.  I need to make a year's supply of pesto.  i have the nuts, oil, parmesan and garlic.. i hope I remember to stop by this Saturday while I am down there.  I could write a note but I'd probably lose it.

Blundin2005

Teak )



Apple )



http://beta.growtheplanet.com/en/



M

Moderators

Hi all!

Thought you might be interested in the latest Breastcancer.org Blog entry Etherial Summer Salad which contains a recipe for the most perfect cucumber treat

Enjoy!

--Your Mods

Teka

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Teka

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Blundin2005

Buon giorno!

My computer is back and it's never run better. They fixed everything while it was in for repairs....good thing that I bought extended warranty. The new operating system is very nice.

Last night we celebrated the 11th anniversary of when we met for the first time. We do this every year and it never gets old...we do though:-)

Apple, here is the plant that the dog nibbles every day. I needed to put it up to salvage what was left. She nibbled it down. You can see it is coming back and started again to flower. I don't know the name ... do you? 

  

The pomodori chorus are singing a bit flat this year. 

This is a corner for basil, hot peppers, mint, strawberries and roses. They are struggling in this heat too.

This is romaine lettuce next to the cactus. We've eaten it since this picture. Even the cactus shrivelled in this heat. There was an afternoon breeze coming from the sea that you can see in the movement of the leaves on the tree. We were waiting guests for dinner. 

 

The friends arrived with their 5 year old daughter Virginia who was a real treat. She decided on her own to go on point and showed us how she stands on her toes...a surprise to her parents. I hope her parents encourage her to take her interests further. She also became chums with our dogs who followed her around the garden. I trust my dogs instinct of good people. Her parents brought cheese back from their trip to Sorento and we ate that at the end. DH made pasta fredda and a green salad. For dessert we used the jarred wild cherries that another friend gave us...spread on dried toast. Virginia ate half a jar by herself! 

 Hope that you are all surviving this extraordinary heat as best you can. We stay inside until the evening. Our meals have been simple and quick.

Moderators, that salad looked sumptuous.  The dressing is very interesting. I've got to try that!  

Best wishes to all as always,

Marilyn 

"Never run faster than your guardian angel can fly." 

apple

Marilyn - it almost looks like a scented geranium.. highly unlikely that it is tho.  I haven't seen one flower except in early spring.  boy i love that plant.

my dog seems to love mine.  he doesn't eat it, but would love to roll in it if I'd let him... shoot, i'd like to roll around in it..  I am going to plant a bunch for him next year.

edit the interwebs are full of pictures of flowers on scented geraniums.    I think I am bringing some inside for the winter.. gosh they smell heavenly.

Sherryc

just started my fall garden.  So far I have tomato's, broccoli and cabbage. 

Teka

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Sherryc

Hey ladies for those of you who don't know our beloved Marybe is in a coma and not expected to make it.  Here is a link to the thread where updates are being posted.

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/779235?page=34

Teka

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Teka

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Blundin2005

Teka, I am just hearing the news. We've been without phone and internet for five days. Marybe, Rest in peace beautiful woman. Thank you for gracing our table with your joy and love. We'll keep a place for you with us forever. Trust me on that. Be in your peace now. You will be very missed from our virtual table.



much love,

Marilyn

Teka

^..^

Sherryc

we finally have some cooler weather so my plants should be very happy