Fun Playing With Harvest Foods

Oh my goodness - I feel like a squirrel who hasn't stored away enough acorns for winter yet - way behind!

The good news is that my surgically repaired shoulder continues to mend nicely and I've started to cook again. Bob and I spent some time in NY last week, which has my blogging even further behind. Oh well.

Way back on . . . October 16 it was. Despite frost warnings, the tomatoes and peppers continued thriving in our garden - but alas, the green beans were simply left out there too long as we prepared for the catering event at the end of September. Bob brought them in, and you could tell by the way they looked, they would be far too tough to eat.



And it was such a shame - our first harvest of beans in August was plentiful, but short-lived; Bob planted again hoping we'd have another shot at them, and we kinda wasted it. Well - maybe not.



The next series of photos are from that yellow, most overripe bean in the center of the photo - but it turned out that most of these beans were very similar inside - and a wonderful treat it was!



Well - they are beans, after all!





Beautiful purple and white flecked beans. Perfect for a harvest stew!


Harvest Stew

Bob's stew added several ears of corn from the last week of the Geauga Farmers' Market, as well as the soaked and cooked beans, and some hot peppers and yellow Azoychka tomatoes from the garden, together with incredibly tender lamb stew meat from Great American Lamb Company, also a vendor at the Geauga Market.





And, like all stews worthy of the name - it got even better the next day!





Though we knew that summer was now past and fall fully entrenched, enjoying this lovely stew primed our palates for the change in seasons. And, we are not quite finished playing with our garden yet!

More Fun Playing With Garden Tomatoes!

These photos were taken prior to my shoulder surgery last Friday - just as tomato season was coming into its full glory!

To detract for a moment - the surgery went very well - I had a Blankart Procedure to re-attach and repair a torn labrum - you can see an animation of it here, if you are so inclined. PT starts tomorrow, and I should be slinging pots and pans again in 1-3 months. Until then, I am relegated to the computer!

So - what to do with loads of yummy tomatoes and fresh basil? Saute with a bit of good olive oil and serve with pasta and Reggiano Parmesan.





But what do you do if you also have fresh garden corn? Stuff the tomato with filling of choice (this was onion, garlic & sausage) and bake, then serve with an ear of lightly steamed fresh corn on the side!







Alas that garden season is so short here in Northeast Ohio - but until it ends, we'll keep playing with our garden goodies!

Fun Playing With Garden Bounty

When last we peeked at hubby Bob toiling in the garden, he was on his knees weeding as if the garden depended on it (and it did, too). Since then, the garden has come into its glory.

Since I've spent an inordinate amount of time showing off our meat meals lately, it seems that a post on the 2/3 of the plate given to plants is way overdue. When last we visited the garden, it was mid-July, and things looked like this:


Basil Thriving Around the Young Tomato Plants


First Planting of Corn is Taking Shape




Green Bean Plants are Growing


A Lone Garlic Scape Escapes The Pan


Horseradish Thrives


Cherry Tomatoes are Coming In

And Bob finally recognizes the value in this plant - because the fruit is smaller - it comes in and ripens faster!


Chile Peppers


The Big Boys - Mostly Heirloom Tomatoes - Are Also Coming In


Bob Weeds - As He Did For Most of July

Bob claims that the only way to get Yellow Nut Sedge out of the garden is to pull it out by hand.

And now - through the magic of technology - fast forward to August 2008. We are finally getting edibles to join the meat on our salad and dinner plates! And whatever isn't ready in the garden is readily available at the farmers' market or Heinen's or Mustard Seed.


The "Planned" Winter Squash (or should I say "Plannted"?)


Ripe Cherry/Grape Tomatoes Are Coming Ready


Tomatoes Overlook the Maturing Corn


Tomatoes! (And Thai Basil to the right)


More Tomatoes!


Chile Peppers and Eggplant


Green Beans


More Chiles - Hot Hungarians!


Corn is Ready for Eating!




The Chinese Garlic Chive Patch

Darn - these morsels didn't appear until the end of July - but with my fall in Chicago - a lot of them have bolted and gone to seed. But if you look closely, there are still some tender chives out there!




More Basil

Ok - know what you're really waiting for: what have we been eating with all the meat I've been posting about lately?


First Edible Ears of Corn




Dinner Fork Inserted for Size Perspective


Kernel Divot: Proof that this corn was grown organically (yes, a corn worm was nibbling)


"Volunteer" Zucchini

Bob and I are not big fans of this vegetable, so we don't grow it. But when Bob cleared out the volunteer winter squash, he found this behemoth buried in the patch. That is a full size dinner plate under the beast, for perspective. Despite its size, it tastes as good as . . . zucchini tastes.




Tomatoes!

The green ones fell off of the plants, so Bob brought them in. The yellow ones are a Russian heirloom we are very fond of - Azoychka. Yum. Bring on the locally grown salad greens!





We've been starting each meat meal with a big bowl of salad, and then filling 2/3 of the dinner plate with vegetables. We've gotten off bottled salad dressing in favor of a simple vinaigrette I made right before I lost my right arm. So - we are playing with Food. Not too much. Mostly plants. And praise be to gardening season!