The End… and new beginnings

Just enough veggies to play with

Next week I return to school to get my Master’s of Science in Nursing at Vanderbilt. I am thrilled to have this opportunity to continue to learn, but realize this will leave me less time for some of my little pleasures in life. That includes this little, feeble, but heart-felt blog. I’ll document the biologic garden in the yard and the humanoid garden growing within the house because I know Grandma Ruth, and on occasion, the Houser family like to see what’s up a couple hundred miles to the west or south.

Right now I am in the mind-expanding season of harvesting my first heirloom tomatoes. Bloody Butcher seeds came from Baker Creek in my home-state of Missouri.

An ugly Bloody Butcher

They were smaller than I expected and U-G-L-Y.

Sliced, Slapped on Mayo and Baguet, drizzled in rosemary oil

 

But once you slice them up and taste them— well, I have crossed over to the other side. I am a true believer in the magical, tender, deliciousness of a home-grown heirloom tomato. Mmmmm.

The photo above was today’s lunch. 

There is so much more. The basil is beautiful… I already made my first batch of pesto and there will be several more. We have melons from Baker Creek that I must pick and slice soon.

These are called Golden Honeymoon Honeydew.

Golden Honeymoon

I hope to get a little bit of time to share how they tasted here. One of the more delightful findings has been the Zucchini I selected this year. The strangest thing you ever saw, but a simple recipe for chips was excellent! Much better than standard zucchini, with a nuttier, richer flavor. The photo at the top features the unique Zucchino Rampicante. We found a nice recipe for chips that goes like this:

• Posted by
  carolb FL

  (ctbenjamin@hotmail.com) on

  Sat, Aug 19, 00 at 15:40

 

I like zuchinni simply roasted in the oven.I always plan on using the roasted leftovers for something, but end up eating ‘em all right away – it’s so yummy.If you do end up w/ leftovers, they’re great in omelets, fritattas, & pasta or rice dishes.All I do is oil an enamelled* shallow roasting pan,arrange sliced zucchini (3/8″ thick or so) in a single layer, sprinkle lightly w/ salt or seasoned salt & roast for 20-25 minutes @ 425F, near the top of the oven.That’s it – nothing could be simpler. I do this w/ lots of veggies, esp. potatoes & green beans (gr. beans take only 15 minutes, so I add them after 10-12 minutes.)

On the same recipe exchange, I found this:

• Posted by
  Sherry

  (srbgeb@nidlink.com) on

  Tue, Aug 15, 00 at 23:29

 

Pick Zucchini early in morning.
Wash and sort for size.
Dry with paper towel
Place in brown paper bag.
Wait until night fall; preferably with no moon.
sneak over to around the corner neighbor (or drive across town)
Leave bag with zucchini on front porch.
Ring bell
Run back to car and drive away.You can vary this recipe by leaving a cute (unsigned ) card with this recipe.

The girls are enjoying the entomology of it all. Today we looked up the strange-looking bug we found on a leaf… which turned out to be the larval form of a squash beetle I caught before.

Larval thing

 There is no real organic solution except to catch and squish. It’s tough on the fingers, so gloves are recommended.