It ain't pretty, but it's home

I love spring! Now, if only spring weather loved me. Can you believe there is a wintry mix in the forecast for tomorrow?!? Nevertheless, some early spring can't wait for me to be having a comfy 'jeans and t-shirt weather' day. They need to go in now if we want to enjoy later. So, already planted last fall were 2 varieties of garlic. Nom, nom, nom, not only tasty, but protects us from vampires and people who invade our personal bubble. I also transplanted a few dozen strawberry plants into a new bed. It was time. The asparagus bed is well established. I was so very excited when it started sending up a few tender shoots last week. I even steamed a few. Spring weather being what it is though, we've had some frosts that have halted those messengers of spring for another week or two, so my little asparagus feast was premature.

This spring, I've got more beds to work with thanks to some very hard work on the part of the youth missions team doing a work-study project and to a few intensive weekends of work for Tim and I. Last week I started the early spring planting by putting in a few different types of lettuces and seeding Swiss Chard. This past Saturday, when we had a surprisingly nice day, I hurried to spend a little time planting kale, cauliflour, broccoli, shallots, spinach, onions and spring peas.

We have an inquisitively nosy neighbor who pointed out that we were supposed to get snow that night and all of my plants would probably die. I was also warned that both spinach and kale contain chemicals that inhibit the absorption of calcium. I planted anyway; sure the babies would survive since they'd been hardening off on the front porch through a few frosts anyway and don't worry about kale or spinach. You'd have to eat a bucketload at a time to worry about calcium absorption and cooking them even briefly deactivates the calcium hindering chemical.

I let him boss me around a bit and send him off with fresh eggs (but not before he tells me how I should grow flax to feed to the chickens raising their Omega-3 levels) before he goes on his way. :)

All of the plants don't look so hot right now because until they are a bit larger, we have to protect them from Peter Cottontail and his voraciously hungry family members. It's so disheartening to put in several hours planting a garden, anticipating the harvest, going to sleep feeling you've done a good turn for the earth and your local food system only to wake up and discover your freshly planted garden has been mowed down by killer bunnies. It's ain't pretty, but the coffee cans and old pots work as a barrier.

But, there are signs of a beautiful spring...in new baby chicks...and old stands of sunny daffodils.

Speaking of spring crops, if you garden, this year consider planting extra to donate to your local food bank. In the mid-90s, a group of gardeners founded Plant a Row for the Hungry to do just that. Some news sources say a recovery is well under way, but in my area, local food banks have seen a large increase of families in need of assistance. What better way to help out than with homegrown produce?

Egg-static, lol

Today we had our first 'real' snow that stuck to the ground. All in all, it was maybe 1/2 inch, but it was enough to cause several accidents and cancel all after school activities.

This also meant the first snow for the City Chick(en)s. I went out to check on them and they were all cowering inside the coop, hovering around their pop door looking out at me.

I meant to tempt them with some sunflower seed and a few brave girls ran out for about 10 seconds to gobble some up before running right back inside the coop and scolding me loudly as if to say "You half-wit woman, can't you see the sky is falling?"

They returned to their vigil of hovering around the pop door and clucking about the end of the world that was surely nigh.

Biology got the best of them and several still layed their lovely little eggs.

We are getting a kick out of giving away fresh eggs to neighbors and friends. I suppose if you had a highly developed palate, you might say "Dayum, these are downright amazing eggs." I'm not one of those people. But I can tell you that their yolks are brighter & sturdier than any store bought egg. I can also say that I've been told because our chicks eat a well-rounded diet that their eggs are healthier than their store bought counterparts.
And, by golly, they are pretty! Each day going to collect eggs is a bit like Christmas morning. Or maybe I'm just incredibly easy to entertain. :)

Top Chef Hometown Heroes

No, this isn't a Christmas post because there's no way I'm getting a table booked prior to the 25th, but I wanted to spend a moment bragging on 2 local star chefs, Bryan and Michael Voltaggio who were recently on Top Chef.

Michael ultimately won, but I've got to show my allegiance for Bryan since he co-owns VOLT Restaurant in Frederick which since it has been open garnered nothing but accolades from food & wine press. I've only been there for lunch a few times, but each time has been lovely. If you are ever in the Frederick area, let's make it a date!

And you should come to Frederick. I've got to brag on this little town. The downtown area is stellar with some great dining in addition to Volt as well as unique antique stores, boutiques, art galleries & more. The first Saturday of the month, stores & restaurants roll out the red carpet late into the evening for themed special events. Just a few weeks ago, Accessories of Old opened up downtown after moving from Bethesda giving vintage loving folks another haven of wonderfulness to drool over. (It's like a smaller Tinsel Trading!)

We first moved to Frederick because the housing prices were reasonable compared to areas closer to DC or Baltimore where we had been renting & the schools were decent. Very quickly, Frederick County worked its way into our hearts truly becoming home with all it has to offer and only a short drive (or Metro ride) to the major metropolitan areas.

The Top Chef attention has been exciting and a boon for Frederick. We don't 'know' Bryan or Michael, but we cheered them on and share in the excitement of our fellow neighbors. (I made the lime macaroons & those proved pretty special too)

Makin' Hay While The Sun Shines

We've all heard the term "making hay while the sun shines". This is a folksy way of saying, you've got to get the work done while you can.

In August, when the garden is bursting, I've got to put in the work with the harvest while it's still going which has meant a very busy few weeks. Before, during and after regular work hours, I've been making tomato sauce, drying tomatoes, churning out pesto, roasting peppers, freezing veggies and more. This is what I get when I innocently plant a modest few plants around Mother's Day; paybacks for my naive ambitions.

But, it's therapeutic work. There's no denying, I've had a summer of the Drama Llama. Lots of situations out of my control, but which still very much effect me and those I love the most. Spending the time outdoors pulling weeds, propping up vines, picking fruit and bringing in the fruits of our labors opens up the mind to think, process and work outside the box.

This has meant precious little time to be artfully inclined in the tiny studio, but I feel no less creative when I'm chopping, stirring or tasting something that's been kissed by the sun and infused with great flavors. It's a different kind of process, but equally satisfying.

So, the tomatoes are still madly producing and the recipes keep coming...

First is one that uses the Tipsy Tomato Sauce as a base for Pizza Sauce. We make a lot of pizza and while some members of the family like less sauce and some like more, we all agree that this sauce is 'just right' for us. My son even took a jar to college with him last week.

Pizza Sauce
1 3/4 C. Tipsy Tomato Sauce
1/2 C. tomato paste
2 small cloves garlic minced
1/2 ts. dried oregano or 1 ts. fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 ts. dried basil or 1 ts. fresh basil, chopped
1 1/2 ts. sugar
1/4 ts. salt

Place all ingredients in a blender and process for 15 seconds or until smooth. If you have them, in the summer use fresh herbs. The fresh basil, most especially, makes a difference in the flavor of the sauce, but dried always works. It's pizza sauce; not the Holy Grail.

Another great recipe is for Grilled Stuffed Tomatoes. This one comes from the tomato recipe collection I talked about with the first tomato recipe post. With some farm fresh corn and whatever protein you throw on the grill, this rounds out a very nice meal with full flavor...

Grilled Stuffed Tomatoes
2 large, firm tomatoes
3 T. dry seasoned bread crumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 ts. fresh basil, chopped (just a leaf or two)
2 ts. fresh parsley
1/4 C. grated mozarella
2 T. butter, softened

Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise. Scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Combine the remaining ingredients and pack into the tomato cavities. Place on aluminum foil cute side up and grill for 15-20 minutes or until tomatoes are heated through and the cheese is melted.

~I've changed up the song playlist with some Back to School stuff. Am I imagining or did I feel the first cool, crisp hint of Fall in the air this morning?

Top Chef starting tonight with a hometown favorite!

So yeah, we're all excited around this area to tune in to see Chef Brian Voltaggio competing on Top Chef this season!

We are blessed with an abundance of fantastic food in downtown Frederick, MD, among the best is Volt Restaurant. Wonderfully fresh, seasonal food from local sources. If you are ever in the area, check it out!

He's competing against his brother, Michael, too! No matter what high drama may ensue, the food at Volt is always a pleasure. If you get the chance, check it out!

And the tomatoes continue to roll in...

Busy day today, but I do have this simmering on the stove and it smells GOOD!
This is how you get sweet revenge upon a few killer tomatoes...

Tipsy Tomato Sauce

2 large onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1/3 C. olive oil

15 large tomatoes

2 C. red wine

12 oz. tomato paste

1 1/2 ts. salt

1/2 ts. pepper

4 ts. Italian Seasoning (Pizza Magic if you can find it)

Saute the onions, garlic and olive oil until golden, about 10 minutes, in a large pot. Rough chop the tomatoes and add to the pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is reduced & thickened to your liking. I keep it simmering for hours until it's super thick and rich.

Freeze in pint jars or keep in refrigerator for 2 weeks.

We use this in so many ways: add a few more spices to create pasta sauce, pizza sauce, add some to soups & stews, make a marinara or use it as is for a mild, richly flavored sauce.

The Attack of the Cherry Tomatoes, 1st post of the day

Remember that movie "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes"? I think a young George Clooney may have even been in that movie. It isn't remarkable enough to watch again, but I can stilll remember the song. In fact, it's playing in my head right now!

Well, we are under attack. By cherry tomatoes. Actually they're a super yummy heirloom variety called Brown Berry. I took some to church to give away and people thought there was something wrong with them because when ripe, they are a deep purple-brown. We pop them like M&Ms or dunk them in ranch dressing (cause everything's better with ranch, eh?).

One of my most favoritest (I swear that's a word) summertime recipes uses cherry tomatoes, so whenever possible, you will find me making it, filling a bowl and chowing down. This recipe is addictive in particular if you are an avocado fan or black bean fan too. The colors make this a gorgeous salad. The flavors make the recipe a keeper.

I won't lie. This recipe is directly from Barefoot Contessa At Home book by Ina Garten. I only change it up a few ways. What I love about her recipes is that they are, for the most part, simple and you don't need wonky, exotic ingredients to prepare them.

Without further ado, Guacamole Salad:

2 C. cherry tomatoes, halved

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 C. red onion, small diced

2 jalapenos, seeded and minced

1/2 ts. freshly grated lime zest

Juice of 2 limes

1/4 C. good olive oil

1 ts. kosher salt

1/2 ts. freshly ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 ts. cayenne pepper

3 ripe Haas avocados, seeded, peeled and diced

Place tomatoes, peppers, beans, onion and lime zest in a large bowl. Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and cayenne pepper. Pour over the vegetable and toss well.

Fold the avocados into the salad. Check the seasoning and serve at room temps.

(hubby always feels the need to dip tortilla chips into this. I skip the chips completely, going for a bowl, a spoon and a quiet spot to enjoy)

Now, we're getting an attack from some Habanero peppers too. Help! What to do? What to do?

Of tomatoes and unlocked cars...

First off, I want to send a shout out to the Opus Gluei ladies. They had an enormous blog candy giveaway earlier this summer and I was a lucky winner. When Rosemary delivered this huge box to me, I was blown away. It was a creative Christmas in July bonanza! And being the shopaholic I am, I was surprised to find that with the exception of adhesive and a white pen (which we can never get enough of), all of these goodies were new to me.

Finally I was able to sit down and play with all of this fun stuff and made a sweet card using only goodies from the blog candy stash (except for 2 Stickles colors)...Even the bird stamp, inks and flower punch were in this box. And some of the paper is embossed or blinged ~ Love it! Made the card into a circle by using the old standby Creative Memories circle cutter. After folding my cardstock in half, I cut the circle leaving one side of it over the edge to maintain the crease of the card. Thank you Rosemary and Jana for a most fun collection of artsy crafty inspiration!

Now, about those tomatoes....

We've come to that wonderful time of year, long after the first exciting summer BLT, when we have more tomatoes than meals or time to deal with them. I've yet to start making tomato sauce, but that will be in the works this week. If you have more tomato plants than sense (like me), you may find yourself in a similar predicament. There are 2 ways to handle this; when you go to work, the gym, etc, bring bags of tomatoes and stash them in unlocked cars. One a particularly warm day, the lucky recipients will already have stewed tomatoes for dinner that night. Or get creative with your tomatoes.

I'm trying hard to choose the latter. Long ago and far away when AOL was still a baby, there were super-active gardening boards. I've always enjoyed playing in the dirt and the gardening boards were my first stop each day. We traded tips, stories and in late summer when the harvest overtook us, recipes.

The boards have been long gone since the Plant Nazis chased us out (another story for another day), but the recipes remain. One summer, everyone contributed their favorite tomato recipes which turned into a huge file that had to be emailed to us in 2 installments. That tomato stained file is one of my favorite places to turn to when looking for inspiration. Seeing the names of the contributors also brings back great memories of trading gardening wisdom and anecdotes.

I'll try to post tomato recipes throughout the rest of tomato harvesting season to help anyone else with a kitchen that's been overtaken by the summers bounty a little inspiration.

First up is a recipe for Italian Bread Salad. During the summer, we always seem to have all the ingredients on hand, making this a quick summer treat.

Italian Bread Salad:
2-3 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cucumber, diced
1 C. croutons or stale bread cut into squares
1/4 C. feta cheese
4-5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Put the croutons or diced bread in the bottom of a mixing bowl. Place the tomaotes on top of them and gently toss. Add cucumber, feta and basil. Lightly toss. Dress with vinegar and oil to taste. Salt and pepper to taste (the feta and balsamic adds a lot of acidity & saltiness, so start light on the salt). Tastes best if it sits about 15-30 minutes to allow flavors to develop.