Fun Playing with the Bounty of the Garden

Is the fall equinox here already? Almost. The garden is turning down, and I have barely shown you any of the goodness Bob worked so hard to produce. So - at the risk of making all of our mouths water for things soon to be gone until next summer - here are some of the highlights:

Garden BLT:

Bob's Made From Scratch White Bread

 
Assorted Garden Tomatoes - Black Crim (our favorite) Front and Center, the Yellows are Azoychka

Garden Lettuce and Tomato Slices

Trader Joe's Organic Mayo with Chopped Garden Chinese Flowering Chives

The chives lent a new and crunchy dimension to the already fabulous BLT. Bacon came from Czuchraj Meats at the West Side Market.


Caprese Salad - Garden Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella, Basil, Balsamic, EVOO, Salt & Pepper


Slovenian Sausage (Czuchraj Meats), Ohio City Pasta with Garden Tomatoes, Grilled Long Island Peach with Butter


Whole Wheat and Long Island Peach Pancakes






More Czuchraj Meats Slovenian Sausage, Grilled, with Garden Tomato, Green Beans and Pepper.


Garden Lima Beans




Simmered Lima Beans Sauteed in Olive Oil with Garden Peppers

We're not done yet, but we feel the minutes ticking down for our precious plants. Gotta play with your food while the sun shines (and the garden grows)!

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!